* Beep Beep Beep Beep *
Jodie groaned as she rolled over to turn her alarm clock off.
Not another school day, She thought, I can’t do this anymore.
She closed her eyes, once again seriously considering blowing it off.
“Jodie, get down here right now! You’re already one minute behind schedule!” came her father’s urgent warning.
“Coming!” she replied, perkily, followed by another groan under her breath.
Why the hell can’t he just leave me alone?
She tumbled out of bed, careful not to wake the baby.
It’s all his fault. Mom was so much happier before she had him. And she wasn’t home griping… She caught her self in mid-thought. Don’t think like that! You’re supposed to be the good one.
“JODIE!”
“Coming, Dad.”
She pulled on the familiar rose blouse.
Why do I always wear this? It’s so…pink. Maybe I’ll try something new tomorrow.
But she knew she never would.
She slipped into the gray skort and stepped into her shoes. Stumbling down the stairs, she was reminded of her French Club meeting that afternoon.
Ugh! Why did I join, any way? Oh, I remember. Because it would “look good on my college application.”
As she approached the kitchen, Jodie could hear her father chewing Rachel out.
“A ‘C-‘?!? We expect better out of you, young lady!”
“But, it’s passing,” Rachel said, pleading her case.
“Sure, it’s passing, but we want excellence. Why can’t you be more like your sister? She would never settle for ‘passing’.”
No, don’t say that! And they wonder why we fight so often.
“Good morning, Sweetie,” Andrew Landon said as his elder daughter walked into the kitchen. He momentarily forgot about the grade dilemma.
“Morning, Dad.”
“How did you sleep?”
“Fine,” she lied as she began to make her breakfast.
“Did you decide which summer schools you are going to apply to this year?”
“Not yet.”
“Dad?” Rachel tried to get his attention.
“Jodie, you’ve only got six more months,” he said, unaware of his middle child’s plea for attention.
“Dad?!?” Rachel said again, rather impatiently.
“Colleges look for students who get their forms in early. Punctual people are more desirable than procrastinators,” he continued.
“DAD!” Rachel screamed.
Crying erupted from a bedroom upstairs.
Andrew immediately started yelling at his younger daughter once again.
“Now look what you’ve done! You woke up your brother! You’re grounded for the rest of the month! And, another thing…”
Forget this. Jodie thought as she left the house, her bread still in the toaster and orange juice on the counter.
“What did Orwell mean when he wrote that ‘War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength’?” He was met with silence. Again. Sighing, he resorted to that intelligent girl in the front row. What was her name again? Ah, yes. “Daria?”
“What Orwell was trying to say, was that…”
Jodie tried to drown out O’Neill’s feeble attempts to make the mindless drones understand the novel as she began furiously writing a note.
Mack-
She had finally decided on what she had to do. There was no turning back now.
Glancing around nervously to make sure he wasn’t coming, she slipped the note into one of the vent holes in Mack’s locker, then attempted to fight her way through the crowded hall and on to her next class.
History seemed to drag more than usual today, as time has a tendency to do when you dread what will inevitably happen. The fact that Mack was right there didn’t help much, either. Apparently he had already been to his locker, as he smiled and nodded in her direction as he walked in.
“Jodie! Over here!” Mack called from across the hall.
Jodie, Daria, and Jane walked into the science lab with plenty of time before class started.
“I’ve been cruel,” she said. “To you and my parents, to Harriet and to Sean. And I’m going to be punished for it. Time is going to leave my heart here with you, while my body will go on.”
Through out the remainder of the day, Jodie made necessary arrangement to dodge Mack.
Let’s get together this weekend. How about cheese fries tomorrow?
I think I’ll wear my black tee shirt.
I’ve been thinking about what you said. Thank you.
She smiled to herself. Things were looking better.
~ This idea sprung from Austin Covello’s “A Day in the Life of Stacy” and Kara Wild’s essay “The Helen-Jane-Jodie Connection”.
~ The title is from the American Girl series (yes, I did read them at one time *shudder *). Every girl has a book called Changes for (insert name of heroine here). Plus, I was out of ideas.
~ Thanks to Morgan Jenkins for Ms. Barch’s man lecture.
~ I took the milk lecture from personal experience. I changed it around a little, but we had one.
~ Thanks to my sis, Kelly, for Daria’s guillotine comment.
~ DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Day is a program designed to force kids to read. Every Friday in Study Hall, students are made to read something whether they are failing a class and need tutoring or not.
~ The passage Jodie read was from Caroline B. Cooney’s Both Sides of Time, copyrighted 1995.
~ DariaM can be seen in The Daria Database, Larissa made up LeoMacKinzie, and I came up with MsCarnage.
~ All characters are copyright MTV, except Mr. Doyle and Mrs. Felter who are figments of my imagination.
~ Thanks to Larissa and Bridget for helping me salvage this one somewhat and convincing me that I should try again.
~ Send flames to gosalyn9@go.com. This is my debut fic, so tell me exactly what you think. Like whether I should just forget the other two ideas I have or keep trying. I guess you can send compliments here, too, but only because Larissa insists.
Meet me outside the library right before lunch. I need to talk to you about something.
She knew what she must do, though, and accepted her fate.
“Why, Ms. LANdon, YOU seem especially VAcant today. Is there something you would like to SHARE with us?”
“No, Mr. DeMartino. I’m sorry.“
“Well, in THAT case, maybe you would like to TELL US which WAR I was just discussing.”
“Uhh, the Ci…”
*Brrrrrriiiiiiiiiiing*
Saved by the bell.
She made her way over in his direction, her heart pounding and stomach churning.
“What was it you needed to talk to me ab…”
“Mack, I’m sorry,” she started, choking up. “This can’t go on. I care for you, I really do, but I just don’t have the time to make this work. I know how much I hurt you by not being there for you when you need me and never having time to do anything with you and the only way to show you that I really love you is to let you go. I just want you to be happy, and I don’t have the time to do it. I hope you’ll find someone else who’s not too busy trying to make everyone else happy to give you what you need.”
A single tear trickled down Mack’s face as he heard the words he hoped he never would. He didn’t bother to wipe it off, but instead let it run its course, finally stopping at the corner of his lip. Jodie leaned forward and kissed him one last time, the salty taste of the tear in her mouth.
“Good bye, Mack.”
She turned and brusquely walked down the hall. She had to stay strong. The model student. She turned down the first corridor and, as soon as she was out of sight, broke down. With head in hands, she ran down the hall and into the bathroom. She hung her head over the sink, her shoulders heaving.
“Oh, God! What have I done?” she moaned between sobs.
Just then, Brittany walked in, unknown to Jodie.
“Jodie?”
She raised her head out of her hands and glared at the intruder in the mirror. What little mascara she had put on had formed streams down her face.
“What the hell do you want?”
“Eep!” Brittany squeaked. She turned and ran out, her pigtails flailing behind her.
Strengthened by this sudden outburst, Jodie composed herself, wiped her face off with a paper towel, and headed towards the cafeteria.
Although she didn’t feel up to eating, her stomach reminded her of her lack of sustenance so far that day. She got in line and bought a lunch.
Oh, boy. Spaghetti again. What is this, the third time this week? She thought as she picked up her tray.
“Why, hello, Jodie. Do you feel alright?” inquired the cashier as she rung up Jodie’s lunch.
“Hello, Mrs. Felter. I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“You just look a little down, that’s all.”
“I’m fine. Thanks for asking, though.”
“Have a nice day.”
“You too.”
Jodie looked around for a place to sit. She couldn’t sit in her usual spot. That was out of the question. As she gazed around, she couldn’t help noticing that Mack was nowhere to be seen.
Wonder where he is? I hope he’s all right.
There they were. They were certain to let her sit with them.
“So Tom says that he wants to go bowling, but I want to go to Pizza King.” Jane was saying as Jodie walked up. “So Tom says ’But we went to Pizza King yesterday’. So I go…”
“Your stories get stupider and more pointless everyday.” Daria pointed out.
“Hi, Daria. Jane. Mind if I sit here today?”
“Not if you can handle the thrilling King Tom stories.”
“Hey. Go right ahead, “ Jane said, ignoring Daria’s comment.
“Thanks,” Jodie said.
“Are you okay?” Jane asked Jodie after taking a good look at her.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just a little depressed, that’s all.” Jodie replied, sniffling a little.
“And, since misery loves company, here you are.” Daria deadpanned.
“So, how’s life?” Jane asked.
“Oh, a little hectic. You know. Nothing new,” Jodie answered, as if nothing were wrong.
“There’s something you’re not telling us…isn’t there?” Daria asked, interrogator style. “Something you don’t want us to know.”
“Come on, out with it!” Jane said, playing around.
“It’s nothing, really…”
“There’s gotta be something.” Daria coaxed.
“It’s just that,” Jodie started, “I…I broke up with Mack.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Jane said, taken aback.
“Well, I guess this wouldn’t be an appropriate time to tell that dumb jock joke I heard, would it?” Daria said in her usual unmoved style.
They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, all three poking at their food nervously.
Finally, Daria broke the silence. “So, where did you wind up going last night?”
“Daria!” Jane yelled at her, appalled that she would bring up something like that at a time like this.
“I was just trying to make conversation,” she retorted.
“No, it’s okay. I need to get on with my life, and talking about something else will certainly help.” Jodie said, still sniffling a little.
“Well, what do you want to talk about?” Jane asked her.
“I don’t know. Whatever.” Jane took this as an invitation to finish her Tom story.
“Okay, well, Tom and I wound up at…”
Daria groaned and rolled her eyes as Jane started up again.
Jodie half-listened, glad to have something to take her mind off of Mack, but bored to tears all the same.
“You can tell her to quit anytime you want to,” Daria whispered to Jodie.
“Can you believe that lecture today?!? ‘Please take only one milk. That milk costs money. Money that we need for more important matters, like drug dogs and the brand new torture equipment that I special ordered from FBI R Us,’” Jane said, doing her best Li impersonation.
"And let’s not forget the guillotine she bought to use on tardy students,” Daria said as the bell rang.
“Okay, class. Today is DEAR Day, so everyone had better have a book to read. Now, start reading,” commanded Barch.
Just then, Mack walked in.
"Hold it right there you MAN, you. You think you can just waltz
in here like that?!? You're LATE. Oh, I bet you have a good excuse, too. Just like HE did. After twenty-two thankless years of having dinner ready on time, he started coming home late. Sure he said he was at the office, but I knew where he REALLY was..."
By now, the whole class was looking on at the stare-down taking place between teacher and pupil. Mack clenching his fists and showing signs of weakness, Barch remaining calm and enjoying this immensely.
“Don’t let her get to you.” Mack muttered to himself. “Don’t give in.”
“What’s the matter, Mr. MacKenzie? Am I being too hard on you? Should I let you tell me you were at the office, too?”
Finally, he exploded. With voice full of pure hatred and countenance of stone, Mack fairly growled “You know, I’ve been taking your crap for two and a half years now. I’ve tried not to let it get to me, but lately I’ve started losing it. I thought about taking the easy way out. In fact, I got a withdraw form this morning. All I have to do is get my parents to sign it and I’m out of this class.”
At this, a very self-satisfied smile spread across Barch’s lips. “Well, I’m sorry to hear tha…”
“But I’m not going to give you the pleasure. I’m not going to let you win.”
“Brave words, Mr. MacKenzie. But that’s all they are. You’re such a typical man.”
“Maybe I am. But I’m not a quitter.” He went to sit down. As he passed Jodie, their eyes met for an instant and she saw clearly the anguish she had caused. They adverted their eyes, both tearing up once again. Jodie went back to her book.
They met up again in Economics, but avoiding each other was easy, as Bennett was drawing another impossible chalk configuration and everyone was asleep anyway.
After what was possibly the longest day of her life, the bell finally rang.
“If you haven’t finished, it’s homework. Have a nice day,” Mr. Doyle said as his Calculus class made a beeline for the door. Jodie started toward her French Club meeting, then thought better of it. She turned around and headed toward the bus.
During the bus ride, she began thinking over the list of activities she was currently involved in.
I have a responsibility to the SCA, and I really like debate. I guess I’ll drop everything else. Starting with tennis.
She got off the bus at her stop, walked into her house, dropped her bag, and almost made it upstairs.
“Why are you home so early? Don’t you have French Club”
“I quit,” she replied and quickly ran up the stairs, leaving her father astonished. She locked her door, turned on her computer, and logged on to the Internet. She began a letter to DariaM and MsCarnage.
-Jodie
Then, a message from LeoMacKinzie appeared in her mailbox.
