Learn to Live, Live to Learn

The Door

Johnny will ruin my life. Don't answer the door. Don't Say Yes. Don't tell him you'll meet him later. Don't tell your brother he's a good man and pretend to believe it yourself. Don't tell your mother you're just going out with your friend from school. Don't get in the car with him. Don't say goodbye. Don't cry. Just don't. Don't, because Jonathan Walter Crier will ruin my life.

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"Janie Sue, breakfast is on the table. Hurry up before your brother grabs all the pancakes."

"I'M COMING!" Janie said. Janie finally reached the last year of high school. It is the first day back from Christmas vacation in the suburbs of Baltimore and every school-kid was scurrying to get back. There wasn't much to do in this little town other than befriend a few people and go to the movies. There are a few rumored spots where couples go but those are places Janie felt she would never see. "You know what, mother? I'm just going to skip breakfast and meet Mary Ellen at the corner now. I told her I would before Christmas break. I'll see you when I get home."

She didn't even wait for her response, she just run out the door. It's been a week since she'd talked to Mary Ellen and it feels like a year. I skip around the icy sidewalks and meet Ellen at the corner of Plymouth and Gorge. "Mary Ellen! Mary Ellen!"

"Janie Sue! Did you hear the news? There's a new boy who just moved from Brooklyn, IN NEW YORK. We have a New Yorker in our school, Janie Sue, Isn't it incredible?"

"Mary Ellen, you know that we don't talk to boys now, and we won't talk to them later so it won't matter if he's from New Mexico or whatever. Oh well."

"But he lives next door to you..."

"I"m sorry, he what? How did someone move next door and I didn't even notice?" Why was she even surprised, truly? That's her. She doesn't notice anything about this town, about my life, or what's in it. Normal is too risky for someone like our dear Janie. It wasn't a bad thing either if we're laying out all the cards on the table. Every teen in the area was busting out with new ways to bend the system and live a little more than normal. According to all the adults, they would never be successful, meaning Janie was on her way to being CEO of a big company, with all of her lack of living and all. Either way, Janie judged no one and was satisfied with her life and the way she chose to live.

Janie continued to move on toward school where the hustle and bustle of the new boy was more than just a few flying rumors. The hustle was every girl trying to track down the boy as if he were a piece of fine meat, the bustle being the boys. The upset, very angry boys who were no longer the center of attention. All of their luster was gone in one swipe of the words, "New York".

Janie felt a pull at her arm. "Excuse me," she mustered only loud enough for maybe a librarian to hear. "What do you think you're doing?" She turned and saw a greased up boy with jet black hair and dark, dark, blue eyes. So dark they were almost black, but when the light hit them, they were blue, a lovely royal blue. "Who- who're you?"

"Not important, babe. Can you do me a favor and show me around this place? Everyone is running around apparently, looking for me. I actually saw you this morning at your stoop. You're next door, aren't you?"

"I guess we are neighbors... it's not my job to show you around whatever-your-name-was.

Get one of the class advisors to do it. They're here somewhere, I'm sure they'll find you." She pulled away her arm in disgust that someone would even try to touch her... at school, no less.

After six hours of constant speak of "Johnny this!" and "Johnny that!" it became unbearable. Janie didn't care who Johnny was, where he came from, what he was doing here, who his mother is, or what he intended to do while he was here. Not even Mary Ellen would let up. "Janie Sue you should've seen those eyes. They're a killer, they are. Did you know his father moved here to start a new branch of his business? Apparently he's only here for a few months, he'll be gone by summer. Isn't that a shame? It's so sad that the one new thing to happen to our town will be gone in only a few more months. "

"Mary Ellen, that's the best news I've heard all day."

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Janie arrived at her doorstep, picked up the mail, placed it on the table and started her homework. Today she had only math and science. At least it wasn't English or French! She was interrupted by the loud slam of the door. It was her twin brother, Jeremy. Jeremy was among the boys who didn't like the new kid. He had no more girls to go after, no one was interested. Although the brown haired, light eyed boy was no sore sight for eyes. "Don't worry you oaf. He'll be gone before the summer ends."

There was a knock at the door. Jeremy didn't budge even though Janie was eye deep in biology. "I guess I'll get it then." she said with a little bit a frustration. She opened the door, and there was the new kid.

"Hiya, babe. Let's say you show me around town."