Tears Behind Our Eyes: A Prequel

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Freshman year: 2016-2017

School started the Tuesday after Labor Day that year. Why it started so late, I don't know. But this is when things start to slow down. Freshman year and Sophomore year are the longest to go through. Freshman year was the best and worst. I don't like to be negative, it's not very glass half-full like I mentioned in the beginning. I skipped only to the important parts of the previous years, but now this is when it gets serious.

I was born October 16, 2001. Amelia Kaye was one of the youngest in our grade. Hunter was older than me by less than a month. Most people were born sometime in 2001, but she skipped a grade because of how advanced her intelligence was and is.

For my birthday, my aunt on my mom's side decided to get custody of me. I don't know if it still works this way, but if a kid or teen is in a foster home and a family member decides to take responsibility, the kid or teen goes immediately to the family member. In other words, I had to leave my home at Hunter's. Happy birthday to me.

So I went to live with my aunt. I didn't even know I had an aunt until she proved it with an old picture of her and my mom with my grandparents. They were definitely sisters. I didn't think she was going to be that bad but then, I became an unpaid babysitter for four kids for when she wanted to shoot up on heroin. I'm not joking. The dad, my uncle, left apparently, according to the oldest. He's a nine year old named Noah. Ironic, I know, because of the whole Christians' Noah's Ark thing.

Babysitting for them took up a lot of my time so balancing that, school, and my girlfriend was difficult. Somehow, though, we made it work. Every school night, I'd call Mia Kaye or she'd call me before bed. We'd talk and laugh until, more or less, ten at night. Of course, I came up with a signature good night for her. I'd usually say it every night near the time when Emma, one of the younger kids, came into my basement corner and cry herself to sleep because her Mommy was being mean. Not mean. Aggressive and high as a kite. I'd say, "Alright, I have to go now. Don't let your pretty blue eyes stay up too late, we have plans tomorrow. I love you, Mia Kaye." She'd reply that she loves me too and she'll pray for me, referring to my psychotic aunt.

I was about an hour and a half away with traffic and finding a taxi. I fought hard to be able to go to school with Mia Kaye, hours of arguing with the school, getting in touch with teachers to get letters from them saying I would be a good addition to the school, blah blah blah. All that but it was even harder to get there in the morning.

Mia Kaye, Hunter and I had our lockers lined up right next to each other, just like how we picked at orientation. Apparently, they would be our lockers for four years, every year we have a chance to change the combination on the lock but after first quarter, it's not allowed. That's important for later. My locker was nearest to the wall, Mia Kaye's was in the middle and Hunter's on the other side.

Our six month anniversary would be November seventh, 2017. It was a Monday but thankfully, Monday and Tuesday were teacher's work days. We'd already expressed how much we loved each other. Just not in a sexual way. Yet. But we'll get there. Damn, looking back at it, I wish we'd said the three words earlier. It just lingered there for what felt like forever with no reason. School and traveling three hours a day if I didn't sleepover with Mia Kaye or Hunter.

It's considered normal for parents to not allow their kids' significant other to spend the night, especially in the same room. Dads typically go for it even less with their daughter's boyfriend. It'd always surprise me when John would let me stay the night. His mood usually depended on whether I'd have the couch or be able to sleep in Mia Kaye's bed with her. I was fine with the couch, since I got out of dealing with my Aunt Falynn (pronounced Fallon. I have no idea why people name their kids with such weird spellings)in Woods Creek. But, of course, I don't really think it needs to be said that I'd much rather fall asleep with my soulmate next to me. But on November seventh, I was shocked to be allowed in her room.

I was a teenager. Of course, I was concupiscent. But who wasn't at thirteen and older? I'll spare the details, as they're personal details, but Mia Kaye and I did other stuff together. But, as I've repeated multiple times, there hadn't ever been any "hot dog in the keyhole" as Mia Kaye has told me her idea of what it is like.The night we actually did do it, was November, our half-year anniversary.

November 7th, 2016

John worked at the local hospital to get in his daily dose of cutting open heads and spines that week because he'd been a workaholic since I met him and there was nobody in another state that needed his [doctor] attention. Varsity football tryouts was the day before and I was nervous as hell. Freshman almost never got on a Varsity team. They're freshman and it's understandable; JV was similar, not as intense or outstanding. But Varsity was an option suggested to me by the coach-- told me to be bold. It'd look good on college applications and I really needed a full ride. There's no way in hell my mom or my aunt would pay for me to go. But I was determined. That Saturday I was either going to get a phone call. Or I wasn't. I'll put it this way: I needed to get that call.

Hunter and his family took baby Summer to go on a Ferry and sightsee for the day. It wasn't planned. It wasn't like we said on Tuesday, "Hey, babe, I love you. Let's have sex and lose our virginities to each other on Saturday. I love you." That didn't happen. Maybe the part when we said the three words some people are afraid of a million times.

The day already started out great, I got to wake up being cuddled with my awesome girlfriend whom I loved more than my own mother. That's not an exaggeration. Call me a pansy or whatever for loving the feeling I got when Mia Kaye lied asleep in my arms, our legs tangled together.

She knew about the phone call so when my phone rang on her hotel-supplied nightstand, she raced so it wouldn't be missed and answered right away. "Hello? Hi. No, this is his girlfriend. Is he here right now?" She repeated the question for my sake, asking if I wanted to know before her or if I wanted her to tell me. I shook my head, sitting up straight, wide awake. "He's in the shower right now but he gave me permission to take a message." She laughed awkwardly and agreed with the person on the phone. "Yeah, well, that's my Jackson."

I chuckled at her. She nodded a couple times, smiled big, then frowned.

Frowned.

That's not good.

Not good at all.

When they hung up, she sat on the bed, climbing into my lap. My stomach sank. "I'm sorry. They called to apologize... you're gonna need to be at practice everyday BECAUSE YOU MADE THE TEAM!"

It took me a second to process what she had just yelled in my ear. I stood up with her in my arms, slammed her down on the mattress, pinned her arms down. My face was less than an inch away from her's. "Are you freaking kidding me?! You scared the crap out of me, Amelia Kaye Beatryce Parker!"

She gloated, "I know."

I kissed her, not even thinking about my morning breath. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too."

It's self-explanatory what happened next. If not, you're not old enough to know. I worried the whole time if I was hurting her. It was slow and loving. I don't know what else to say about it other than... damn, my girlfriend was freaking hot! We didn't broadcast it like, "YO, MIA KAYE AND I HAD SEX! FIRST FRESHMEN TO DO IT!" It stayed between us. It wasn't a secret but it wasn't anyone's business. If someone had asked us, then sure, we'd tell the truth, after Mia Kaye blushed profusely.

May seventh.

July seventh.

November seventh.

My locker combination for what I planned, four years would be seven, seventy-seven, seven.

Seven. That's what I decided my jersey number was going to be for Varsity football.