Holding Onto You

Chapter 1 - The Last Days of My Worst Days

Today is Tuesday May 14th 2014 and we had a longer weekend then expected because this is N.O baby! And we have terrible weather at the worst of times and to be safe Jefferson Parish School Districts made us stay home an extra day just to be safe. But today is cloudy and windy the way I like it, because im not to fond of the sun. I was sitting at a bench outside reading when Zoel and Aliyah (my two best friends) came up to me. "Imani! I feel like I aint seen you in years girl how have you been!" Zoel asked me. "You seen me yesterday at dance." I responded "Girl I know, you take the fun out of everything." She said her and Aliyah sitting beside me. "So what you readin' now?" She looked at the cover of the book inside my hand. "Ugh Charles Dickens again!" She said " I swear you read that book about every semester this year Mani." Aliyah said "She has!" Zoel responded. I put my bookmark in my book and looked up at them. "Well i sorry I like to read." "Yeah i'm sorry about that too. But you need to have some fun. Get out go get totes wasted dude." Zoel said. I started laughing. "You know what this Friday is!" Aliyah said sitting on the other side of me . Zoel gasped "No shit!" She said smiling "I almost forgot! The biggest day in my history of being a Senior and I almost forget!" She gasped again. And her and Aliyah simotaniously said "Senior Skip Day!" So I replied "No the biggest day of your history of being a senior is graduating from this shit luck place." We all started laughing and before they could convince me to come with them Isaiah and his friends Calvin and Stephan walked up and Zoel jumped on Isaiah and Aliyah jumped on Calvin. "Bae! I missed you!" Aliyah said hugging him then they started kissing. Both of them left me and Stephan looking awkward. So I stood up and was like "Im gonna go." And he said he was gonna go to.

Since its the last ten days of school every things different. We have more freedom so that means lunch outside or off campus, class is only a place for talking, ocasional roaming the halls unsupervised is acceptional, etc. So in advanced Bio I got a text from Aliyah saying 'Come down to the Café right now!' I started laughing because it sounded like i was in trouble. So for once I left Bio because we werent doing anything in there anyways and went to the Café.

When i got there London, Aliyah and, Zoel were sitting on the table in the midddle of the Café so I walked to them and sat down next to Zoel. "Hey London."(Stephan's sister). "Hey." She replied. I looked around at Zoel and Aliyah and they were smirking like they knew something I didnt. "Why are yall looking like that?" I asked "Because we know who likes you." Zoel said "Nobody likes me stop playing im going back to Bio." I stood up about to walk away. "It's Stephan Owens." London said making her 's' linger. She started smiling. I turned around and looked at them like 'you guys are liars' but they weren't laughing anymore they were so serious! "So do you like him?" London asked eyebrows raised. "Of course she does... everyone does." Zoel said "Even though he is fine as hell i am not everyone so no I do not like him." "So you love him?!" Aliyah said "Shut up. You know what I mean...he's cute but he's..." "He's what Imani?" "Not my type okay." "Ugh!"  "Im sorry. I just like guys who are..." "Who are what smart? Who spend their time helping teachers after school stack and organize books ?" Aliyah said. "Dont act like I said he was dumb. But maybe its just me, maybe im afraid." "Afriad of what?" London asked. "HIM?" Zoel nearly screamed "No im not afriad of him! Just... never mind." " No go on." London said "No! You know what your coming with us this Senior Skip Day and you're gonna like it! Matter of fact your going to love it! It will be grand!" Zoel said smiling "Dont play you know I cant." "Why because you'll be here reading and studying for nothing?" "Exactly!" I said. "Fine no Senior Skip Day but we got something for you. It will be huge and grand!" She said getting up and walking away with Aliyah and London.

******

For the rest of the week I didn't see Aliyah, London or Zoel. I had texted them over and over but I didnt get a response from any of them. I even asked Isaiah and Calvin if they knew where they were but of course they lied and said No. So for the rest of the week I was doing everything by myself even though I was pretty popular because I knew Isaiah and Zoel and all of them. I still didn't acknowledged most people as my "friend".

By Thursday a rumor had spread around school saying that Stephan likes me and that's why he broke up with Lela because he really wanted to get with me. So every time I see Lela now she gives me a stank look then whispers something about me to Riley (her best friend) and they start laughing. But other than that school was the same as it always had been, minus everyone tripping over SAT's.

Today in French I was called over the intercom to report to the front office and on the way there I seen Stephan walking in the hallway. I wanted to avoid him because I kind of get butterflies in my stomach every time I see him (even though I'm not sure why) but I didn't want to be rude and slick walk away. So I kept looking back like someone was calling my name behind me until we past each other. I looked forward and then heard someone calling my name. I turned around to see Stephan walking towards me. "Hey." He said "I just wanted to let you know myself that I'm not really who people think that I am. I don't deal drugs I'm not a thug and I don't have sex as a sport." For a while I just looked at him because he was pretty spectacular up close. He had some really white teeth and was dressed dope and the whole time he was talking to me while he was looking me in my eyes. Afterwards we were pretty close and I felt like he kept moving up to get closer to me. So I said "Okay... um we'll I'm glad. Because usually I wouldn't judge people by what I hear about them, but with you I thought you were a lot like your brother." "Yeah I know a lot of people do but-" He stopped when he heard Dr. Theresa Hargrett (our principal) calling my name. I turned around and she said "Imani we were looking for you! We have some exciting news come quickly." I looked back at Stephon and said "I got to go." He nodded turned around and walked away.

When I walked in the front office all of the staff started congradulating me but i didnt know what for. So I followed Dr.Hargrett into her office and sat down in front of her desk. She pulled something up on the computer and turned the monitor towards me. The score said 2089 and I gasped. Dr.Hargrett started smiling and turned her monitor towards her. "Mrs.Houston, you are our 2013-2014 Valadictorian." She said "And because of your over exceeding score on your SAT's and extremely exceptional work thru out your whole 4 years here at Jefferson High School we the staff and School District of Jefferson Parishe would like to grant you with this certificate and a half a million dollar scholarship to which ever school you decide to go to. We will fund your books and make sure you have no student loans." I was about to start crying but then the door opened behind me and I turned around to see my parents with flowers and gifts in there hands. I stood up and went to hug them. My mom bent down to look at me and said "When we heard baby we had to take of work and plan you the biggest surprise ever! Congradulations sweetheart!"