Natalie Peterson was a beautiful, intelligent and athletic teenager, but she hated high school for all of the right reasons. When she's bored, she smokes pot in the ghost area with her best friend Tamara Woods who's bullied by Gina, the hot popular...
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Saturday came and I tried to make the most of it, because I was going out with Brad. My mom bought a new basket with a net and everything so I didn't have to go to the street basketball course anymore. She told me that she was going to fix up the backyard and turn it into a basketball court.
"I might even add in a bleacher," my mom joked. We hugged each other.
"Thanks mom," I said.
"Of course kiddo. Remember, that's why I earn a lot of money, to buy you the crap I never could buy for myself," she said. I nodded.
"Mom, would you mind if... a friend of mine came here to help me train from time to time?" I asked her hesitantly. I knew she would probably give me some crap about it, but I had to ask for her permission.
"What friend? It's not the fat one is it?" She asked me as the rays of the morning sun hit her short, brown hair. The birds were singing and flying around. They landed on their nests or branches.
"Mom, don't call her that. Her name is Tamara," I reprimanded her. I still felt guilty because of what happened over at the cafeteria. I appreciated her a lot and I didn't really mean to hurt her feelings. I was just genuinely trying to make her aware of her weight issue.
"Well, it can't be her. She doesn't seem to play," she said placing her hands on her hips. This was going to be hard.
"No, although it may not be a bad idea to invite her," I said out loud thinking that it might be a good idea to help her lose some weight.
"Then, who?" My mom asked.
"Brad. He used to be the captain of the basketball team, before you say anything," I warned. Her eyebrows immediately curled into a frown and her nose wrinkled. I knew that she was angry.
"Do you mean to tell me that boy who's been giving you rides on his bike?"
"Yes, him." My mom crossed her arms together and tapped her foot.
"What is going on Natalie? Are you dating him?"
"He asked me on a date and tonight's our very first date. Mom I know that you don't like him, but I really think that you should meet him. You're just judging him because you don't know him."
"Natalie, alright. I'll allow it, because you'll probably date him behind my back anyway, but you're right, I also need to meet him tonight, before he takes you out," she said. My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't believe that she'd said yes.
"Mom, please stop nagging me about the whole pot thing... wait a minute, what?" I asked confused and then I realized that mom had in fact allowed me to go out with him.
"I said alright! Are you deaf? Don't make me change my mind," she said entering the house through the back door. Cameo came rushing towards us as he enjoyed the sunny day and the grassy backyard. My mom closed the door and Cameo climbed on me. I fell on the grass and laughed. Cameo wagged his tail and licked me on the cheek.
"Cameo!" I reprimanded. I loved my dog a lot, but I didn't like it when he licked my face. I washed it off with my hand and then I sat on the grass and pet him. His fur was nice and soft and his blond, cream colored hair reminded me of Brad's. Cameo was the cutest golden retriever ever in the world. He was loyal and friendly.
"Hey boy, what are you doing out here? You wanna play fetch?" Cameo barked. I grabbed an tennis ball and just tossed it. Cameo ran as fast as he could and caught the ball with his muzzle. Then, he ran to me and handed the ball over at me. The ball was wet with his saliva, but I didn't really care. I just had to wash my hands with hand sanitizer when I finished playing with him. Cameo ran again and again as I tossed him the ball. He wagged his tail and I could tell that he was really happy. We had a picket fence for him and we knew that if could leave with a simple leap, but Cameo liked it here and we never had a problem with him.
"Okay, Cameo, I have to practice," I said and tossed him a treat. Cameo knew that the game was over. I played some basketball by myself. I dribbled and tossed the ball on the basket, but it wasn't easy to dribble on the grass. Mom said that she'd place some concrete for me this week. I was grateful. Later on we had lunch and I called Tamara to see how she was, but she was more interested in me.
"So, how do you feel about this date?" She asked me.
"I'm okay," I replied.
"Are you nervous?" She asked me.
"A little bit," I replied on the phone.
"Do you know where he's taking you?" She asked me.
"No. I have no idea," I replied.
"Go casual. Don't go too formal. Just in case."
"I have to go now. I'll see call you later," I said.
"Remember that we have to do the carwash thing for the Halloween dance. I'm still missing some money to pay that DJ, but I'm almost there. The bake sale helped a lot."
"That's good," I replied.
"Yeah. I think we're going to be using those box tops stickers you know, the ones that appear on the cereal box?
"Oh, yeah. I could help you out," I said.
"Great. Because I was thinking about making a few flyers around the school and maybe the teachers could also give them out to the students," she said.
"That's a good idea. Tamara, I think that you'll achieve you're goal. That party will be the party of our lives."
"Ha, ha. Yeah. But it's not enough. I'm also going to start an initiative for Recycling your Halloween Costumes for this year."
"What's that?"
"It's basically a campaign to get old costumes for students who can't buy one. The president of the school council said that he made a questionnaire and that half of the students aren't going to the Halloween party because they can't afford a costume, so we're launching this campaign pronto. We can't allow that to happen after all of our work," Tamara said.
"Wow, Tamara, you are amazing," I said and I truly meant it. She deserved the freaking world.
"Thanks."
"I have to go now."
"Call me tomorrow with all of the details," she said.
"Okay, bye," I replied and hung up the phone. It was time to get ready for my date.
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