My Complicated Life

Chapter 5

  Months passed and school did get better. There was definintely more homework than in middle school, but not so much that that was all I had time for. We had no more problems like the cafeteria fiasco, luckily. I came to know a few of the older kids, including Jason's friends. 

 One girl, named Lily became my partner in art class. She was a long and skinny tenth grader with brown hair that almost had a red tint to it. Her slim face always had a pleasant smile plastered on it. She was only a grade ahead of me, but I always felt like she was so much older. Anyways, she's an amazing artist and already has plans to move to Switzerland and paint scenary. Her planned life, which she has explained to me multiple times, literally sounds like a dream, but she's done all the research and apparently its possible. I almost felt bad that she got stuck with me as a partner, because she is literally amazing. I mean, I'm not bad at art, but compared to her I suck. Skylar, on the other hand, got stuck with some eleventh grade dweeb who rarely shows up to class.

  Speaking of Skylar, we haven't been speaking. Or should I say she hasn't been speaking to me. I called her and left her multiple messages, but she never answers. Whenever we sit next to her in the cafeteria, she stays for about five minutes and then says she has to go because she forgot to do her homework or something. Cameron and I never said anything to her, so I can't figure out why she's avoiding us. Maybe she didn't warm up to us afterall.

  I also turned fifteen about a month ago. Jason took me to the movies that morning after I opened my presents, which I must admit I was very happy with. I received a Fujifilm instax camera, which is pretty much like a modern-day vintage polaroid camera that I had been dieing for, a new backpack for school since the strap on mine broke, some gift cards and money, and a couple new books to read. That afternoon, Cameron and I went to a roller rink at the mall and then went shopping, where I spent some of my birthday money. The books were from Cameron. He also gave me money since he knew we would be going shopping. I invited Skylar to come, but she said she had family stuff going on. I'm pretty sure she's still just avoiding me for whatever reason.

  With turning fifteen, I was now legible for my learner's permit. I actually did online courses before I turned fifteen so that when I did, I could just go in and take the test and get the permit. So technically its against the law for me to be practicing driving with Jason because he's seventeen and you're supposed to be twenty-one or older, but since the only other person old enough who could help me would be his mom and she's way too busy with work, Jason said he'd help me. 

   Jason, being the worrier he is, was literally freaking out the whole time I was driving around the vacant church parking lot. I think he was mostly worried about me messing up his pickup truck, but he was also afraid he'd get in trouble for being the supervisor under twenty-one and of course us crashing. Though, I must say, I am a fairly good driver. The whole time I was driving, Jason kept giving me instructions, which I blocked out after the first fifteen minutes. Eventually I gave him a piece of my mind. 

"Okay I get it, but I'm not an idiot! I did pass the test you know," I inturrupted.

"Sorry, I'm  just nervous you'll do something wrong," he said.

"We are in an empty parking lot, Jason. What am I going to do? Drive over the curve? Flip the car?"

"Okay okay! Gosh, calm down," he said.

"Right back at 'ya," I said leaning back against the seat.

"Really?" Jason asked.

"Yes, really. You really do need to calm down," I said.

"Well you really get on my nerves," he replied.

"And?" 

"Just shut up and drive," he said with defeat.

"Jason, you can't just quote a Rihanna song and be done with it," I said to get on his nerves.

"Oh my gosh could you be more annoying?" he almost shouted.

"Yeah, but I won't," I said, accelarating the truck forward.

 Shaking his head, Jason said nothing else. 

"Okay I'm done," I said after an hour. I hopped out of the car and switched spots with Jason. He drove us home and we were still a little angry at each from our previous fight, so we rode in silence. 

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"I'll be home around twelve!" Jason yelled to his mom.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Someones house," he replied as he grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter.

"For?" I asked.

"Landon's birthday," he sighed.

"Eww why are you going to his party? He's like your enemy," I replied with confusion.

"Yeah, but if I don't go people will know why I skipped. Besides, just because I go doesn't mean I have to talk to him. I'll just hang out with my friends," he said.

"Remeber, no later than twelve," his mom entered the room saying.

"Okay, mom," he said as he exited the house.

    I decided instead of wasting my evening watching television, I would actually get something done. I dialed Cameron's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?" Cameron spoke.

"Hey, its me. Do you know what's wrong with Skylar? Like, why is she avoiding us?"

"I don't know, but maybe your just overthinking things. There's got to be a reason, and it may have nothing to do with us. Maybe that's just how she is. Afterall, she was kicked out of her old school for some reason," he replied. 

"Maybe your right, but I'm tired of her avoiding us. I just want to know why?" I asked with impatience in my voice.

"Well have you tried asking her?"

"When could I? She won't answer my phone calls or text messages and she always leaves when we sit by her at lunch."

"Okay, sorry but I don't know what to tell you other than give her some time," Cameron answered.

 "Fine, I'll talk to you later," I finally said before ending the call. So my plans of a productive evening kind of failed. Tomorrow was Monday so I decided I would try and ask her why she was avoiding us. I mean, she couldn't ignore us forever and at some point she would have to tell us the truth, unless she really just didn't want to be our friend any more. I was determind, though, that she would eventually come around. And sooner is better than later, right?