Present
It's Monday, and when I walk along the inky divide between fiction and nonfiction, I feel as if I'm walking between life and choices. I can turn left and hide in fantasyland. Or, I can stop disregarding reality and head to the right.
I'd rather chill with my irregulars. Allen and Kirsten.
"Hey, Stephen!"
Allen's eh.
"Hey," I say as we meet up at the almighty book.
I don't like Allen.
Why? Because he used to date your wishful girlfriend?
No! All Allen does is talk about Minecraft. I don't get the obsession. The eighties called. They want their graphics back.
Eh. Insult needs work.
...Kirsten!
We say our hellos.
Kirsten's the cool girl with the wintry hair. We started working here at the same time, and we've clicked since. We're like the Dynamic Duo.
I jot down my hours. "So, I was thinking more about Arbourton."
Oh, not this again. Stephen, you're not going to—
"Arbourton? I thought you wanted to go to the valley."
I shrug. "I guess."
"Hey, if you ask me, I think you should go to H.J.M," Kirsten says. "It's closer. And..."
I'm waiting. "What?"
"And..." Kirsten frowns. "...you won't be leaving me."
I...frown, too. "You could join."
It wasn't a joke, but she's laughing anyway.
I think that's a no. Time to get to work, Page Boy.
Kirsten graduates a year after me. It's not even next fall yet, but she already has her heart set on going local with her boyfriend, Owen.
Like you. You know that's exactly where you want to be, Stephen.
No! I'm going to Arbourton. I'm going to be in their illustration class, so I can be a graphic novelist. I'll play soccer where the Fisher King, Ozzie Marshall, played. Kenzie. She'll be with me, too.
You're not convincing anyone. You haven't even shadowed there.
"Hey." Kirsten catches me putting DVDs away. "Question for you. Would you consider this book a normal picture book? Or, board?"
If I pull some flaps, cute animals appear from behind the cardstock. But, it feels flimsy.
"I'd say...normal?" I guess. "You can check with Kelly."
"Kelly? Blah! She's a meanie."
Well, that's lovely. You both hate Kelly. If you miss out on Kenzie, then you'll still have Kirsten...if she dumps Owen!
She's just a cool friend. Guys can be just friends with girls.
That...okay. I'll give you that. You've had more friends who were girls since moving here.
I don't know how (or, why it matters). Still. I like them more anyway. They're smarter and make for better conversationalists.
"Thanks!" Kirsten playfully punches my arm. "Hey. Want to know something? I think you'd make a great librarian. Better than Kelly!"
YOU ARE READING
Earhart & Noonan: An "Us Club" Novel (#1)(NaNoWriMo15)
Teen FictionFor the first twelve years of Stephen Vaughn's life, just trying to get others around him to pronounce his first name the right way ("Stee-vehn Vawn") has felt like the hardest task he's had to try and cope with. That is, until his perfect life with...
