by Grace Herbst
“Did I hear my name?” a familiar voice asked as she walked into the auditorium. The two students turned around to see Ms. Jordan. She gave them a wide smile. “Good morning. I suppose the meeting went well?” she guessed.
Michelle Jordan-Meyer was a woman in her late thirties with long blonde hair and blue eyes. It was obvious to see why she was such a popular teacher. Michelle was one who loved adventure and life.
Before she married Ashley’s father, her summers were filled with different activities especially traveling. She loved visiting New York City and attending Broadway shows. When it came to directing the school productions, she tried to find a part for everyone. Whether it was on stage. Or behind the scenes painting the sets. Or handing out programs during opening night.
Ashley nodded. “Yes, I’m officially a student here.” She felt like she had to ask her a question. “Did you suggest to Mrs. Campbell that I need to talk to a counselor?”
Michelle shook her head. “No, Mrs. Campbell recommends counseling to every new student. It’s tough moving away from your friends and coming to a new school where you don’t know anybody. She just wants to make sure the student adjusts well to their new life here. That’s all.”
“And the best part is anything we say to them is confidential,” Lucas added.
“I know, but I don’t need a counselor,” Ashley said determined. She felt frustrated like everyone was trying to keep her in the past when she wanted to move forward. Lucas was about to respond, but she cut him off. “Why don’t you just show me where my classes are?” she suggested as she jumped off the stage and headed out of the auditorium.
Chapter 2
Ashley was able to find a restroom, knowing she could have some privacy there. She stared into the mirror. Her mind went through that past summer. The summer she didn’t really have. It was all about packing boxes for the move, attending counseling sessions and doing her community service. The rebellious young teenager would have hated it. Protesting. Skipping the sessions. Uncooperative.
That wasn’t her anymore. Ashley was willing to do whatever it took to prove it. She attended counseling sessions and talked about her feelings about her dad’s relationship with Michelle. Even though she was her aunt, she still was willing to keep their sessions confidential. It was a relief because she had been one unhappy teenager and she had a lot to say. And some of those words weren’t very nice. To her father or her new stepmother.
Ashley had learned her anger was pointed at Michelle more than her father. For years, it had been just him and her. Her mother had died when she was five. Her mother had been a journalist and she had been killed on assignment. That’s all anybody would tell her about it. Her mother’s death had been really hard on her father and he buried himself into work. At least, that was what she had been told. All she remembered was she stayed at her grandmother’s house a lot.
Her father didn’t start dating again until she was eight. None of the relationships went longer than three or four months. That was fine with her. She didn’t want anyone coming in and replacing her mother. She didn’t care if she didn’t remember her mother. She didn’t want a replacement. So how did her father end up with Michelle in the first place? That’s the question she was sure her classmates were going to ask her. They certainly weren’t from the same circles.
There was a simple answer to it. Ashley had been more focused on the reason why they put their relationship on the fast track. They had met last summer. By that fall, they had started dating and her father popped the question by Christmas. Christmas. She was grateful he had asked for her blessing, but she was still unhappy about his relationship. She lied to him and told him she had his approval and let out her anger by vandalizing an old house.
Ashley let out a heavy sigh. She would have loved to do it again, but she knew there were other ways to vent out her anger. And it wasn’t causing destruction. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She counted to ten aloud and it helped relax her. She let out another deep breath before she walked out of the restroom.
Lucas was waiting for her outside of the bathroom. “Hey, are you okay?” he asked. Ashley didn’t answer. “You know, Ms. Jordan is right. Mrs. Campbell does send every new student to a guidance counselor. She just wants to make sure we’re adjusting here. Give Ms. Jordan a break.” Ashley realized she had jumped to conclusions. Although, she still didn’t want to go and meet with Ms. Bartlett. “Let me see your schedule again.” Ashley handed her schedule over to him. He gave her a smile. “That’s right. You have American History with Mrs. McGuire. You’ll really like her. She makes her classes fun. The class gets to play trivia games right before midterms and final exams.”
“That does sound like fun,” Ashley agreed.
“I know school can get pretty boring, but there are plenty of places to hang out after school like my diner.”
“Ralph’s, right?” Ashley asked, remembering he had mentioned it before. “Where did that name come from?”
“Ralph was my boss’s uncle. It was his diner to begin with,” Lucas explained. “When he died, James and his wife Kristen inherited the diner. He had been very close to his uncle and he didn’t have the heart to change the name.”
Ashley could understand the importance of keeping someone’s memory alive. She may have only been five when she died, but her father kept her memory alive by donating to a different charity every year. Kyle didn’t like to talk about his wife’s death, but he wanted to make sure his daughter knew her mother loved helping people. She was always volunteering somewhere like the animal shelter or the community center.
One of the posters on one of the bulletin boards caught her attention. Ashley raised her eyebrows in surprise. “The theme of your Homecoming Dance is ‘Under the Sea’?” Does that mean we all dress up like fish or something?”
A voice behind her spoke, making her jump. “I don’t think so.” Ashley turned around to see a teenager with blue eyes and long blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. The girl gave her a friendly smile. “Hi, you must be Ashley. I’m Chloe Clark, your tour guide. I do apologize for being late.”
Ashley had to freeze for a moment. Clark. Clark. Why did that last name sound so familiar? The confusion on her face didn’t seem to alarm Chloe. “My mom is a real estate agent.”
Ashley now understood where she had heard that name before. “Your mom helped us find our house. It’s a really nice house. And my dad and stepmom fell in love with the neighborhood. Very private.”
Chloe smiled proudly. “That’s exactly why my parents picked it. I not only live in the same neighborhood, but I happen to be one of your new neighbors. Your house is right next door to mine. I’m sorry we haven’t had a chance to come over and introduce ourselves, but we wanted to wait until you were more settled in. So welcome to Emerald. Has Lucas been bragging about his diner again?” Lucas just smiled. “It is the best place to grab a bit to eat. But I didn’t come here to talk about the diner. Let me see your schedule.”
Lucas handed her the schedule and Chloe was impressed. “Wow, you’re taking Sociology second semester? That’s not an easy subject to study, but we’ll be able to study together. I’m taking that class too next semester. It looks like we’re even in the same class.” She pulled out her own schedule and it was confirmed.
Ashley was relieved she was going to have a friend in one of her classes, even if it wasn’t going to be until next semester. Looking at Chloe’s schedule, she couldn’t help but notice she was in the Honors classes. It reminded her how she used to be in the Honors classes before she began to have second thoughts about the importance of achieving academically.
Ashley tried to find the right words without sounding rude. “Wow, you’re in the Honors classes. That must be tough.”
Chloe nodded. “It is. My English teacher is called ‘The Warden’ because she’s so strict with us, but I want someone to push me to the limit.”
As Chloe continued talking about her classes, it was obvious that
Chloe was an overachiever. It reminded Ashley how she used to be. Student Council. National Honors Society. The only difference between her and Chloe was that she had been a cheerleader and Chloe was a member of the volleyball team.
The two tour guides showed Ashley where her locker was and she tried her combination a few times. Just to make sure she was able to open it without any trouble. As she continued to play with her lock, she noticed more and more students had arrived. There were stares and whispers.
Chloe noticed the looks and she was prepared for a distraction. “Alright. Let me show you to Mrs. McGuire’s classroom.” Ashley was grateful and she followed Chloe down the hall towards the classrooms.
Ashley glanced back for a moment. “Thank you guys for giving me the tour. For a small town, I didn’t expect the school to be so big. It’s almost as big as my old school.” She didn’t expect that and it was a little overwhelming.
“It can get a little crazy here, but Lucas and I am here if you need help,” Chloe assured her. “Now it should be easy for you to find your other classes. It’s all in the same wing. Just follow the numbers. Do you need anything else?” Ashley shook her head. She could handle it from here. “Come find me at lunch. You can sit with me and my friends.”
Ashley smiled gratefully before Chloe dashed off, leaving her alone with Lucas. He tried to read Ashley as they watched Chloe walk away from them. “I know Chloe seems perfect, but she has her problems too.”
“I never said anything about her being perfect,” Ashley replied. Lucas looked at her. “But now that you have mentioned it, she does seem like she doesn’t have any fun. All she cares about is being the best in the class.”
“You really should give Chloe a chance before jumping to conclusions,” Lucas suggested as the bell rang.
Ashley heard that advice before and knew she should take it. Yet, she didn’t have time to answer him. Students were entering the hallway and they quickly exchanged goodbyes before they went their separate ways.
If Ashley thought she was nervous meeting Mrs. Campbell, it was nothing compared to now as she reached for the door handle. She held her breath and tried to calm her nerves. Her classmates went past her as they realized there was a new student. Like before, Ashley ignored the looks and stares as she approached Mrs. McGuire. She was directed to find an open seat and she happily did so, relieved she didn’t have to stand up and introduce herself. Although, it was obvious that everyone already knew who she was.
By the time lunchtime arrived, Ashley was ready for real conversation. It was getting annoying that all her classmates wanted to do was whisper behind her back. She was grateful Chloe treated her like a human being. And talked directly to her instead of at her. She just hoped her friends would treat her the same.
Even with the crowd of students, Ashley was able to find the cafeteria easily since everyone was making their way to the room. Since she had arrived so early that morning, the cafeteria had been nearly empty. Now, it was full of hungry students. Ashley tried to look for her new friend, but there were too many students.
Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Ashley jumped as she heard a familiar voice. “Hey, there you are. Let’s get some lunch and then I’ll introduce you to my friends.” Ashley followed Chloe to one of the long lines of students who were waiting to get their food. It wasn’t long before Chloe brought up the dreaded question. “I find it interesting that a small-town teacher would fall in love with a big-time lawyer like your dad. How did they meet in the first place?”
Ashley explained the story as they made their way through the line, each grabbing a slice of pizza and beverages. “My dad represented Ms. Jordan’s brother in the custody case against his ex-wife. My dad and Ms. Jordan didn’t get along at first. She didn’t think he would fight for her brother. As the custody trial went on, she began to see a new side of him – the caring loving fun side. By the time the trial was over, my dad had won not only the case, but also Ms. Jordan’s heart.”
Chloe was impressed. “Wow, it sounds like your dad is a great lawyer.”
Yes, Kyle Meyer was a great lawyer. Yet, the long hours made it hard for her to spend time with her father. She gave him credit though. He had tried his best to make it home for dinner or attend her activities to cheer her on. As she grew older, it became harder to spend time with him after he began to date other women. That was what drove her to looking into things to relieve the anger.
Ashley followed Chloe to a table where her friends were already sitting. Chloe did introductions as they joined the two students. One had jet-black hair while the other one had fiery red hair and green eyes. Freckles spattered across her cheek and nose. “Ashley, I would like you to meet Jill Frost and Gwen Marshall. Girls, this is Ashley Meyer.”
The two friends gave her welcoming smiles. “You came from Sapphire City, right?” Jill asked, the girl with the long jet-black hair. Ashley nodded, wondering what her next question would be. “What school did you go to?”
“I went to Grant High School.” She felt vulnerable and transparent as she sat with her new group of friends. As she looked around, she was surprised at the smallness of the cafeteria compared to Grant High School. She could see everyone in the room with one pass of her eyes and it made her realize how the other students were focused on her.
The questions continued and none of them were too personal. Nobody asked about her past. Instead, they wanted to get to know her and vice versa. Despite Chloe and her friends being honor students and Ashley being in the regular classes, they had a lot in common when it came to the same taste in shopping, movies and television shows. They also all lived in the same neighborhood.
Ashley felt more relaxed with each moment she spent with her new friends. Their different personalities were already showing. Chloe was the leader. Jill was the most outspoken one and Gwen was the optimistic one on life and love. They made Ashley feel welcomed and part of their little group.
They introduced her to their other friends including Jill’s identical twin sister Jasmine. It was easy to tell them apart. Jill’s hair was down while Jasmine’s hair was up in a tight ponytail. Jill had a little bit of make-up on while her sister didn’t wear any. Jasmine was just as welcoming as her sister though.
After Ashley accepted Chloe’s invitation to come with her to the diner after school, she began to wonder where Lucas was. Looking around at the tables, she tried to spot him. Chloe immediately knew who she was looking for. “I think Lucas is trying to avoid his ex-girlfriend by not eating in the cafeteria. He might be in the library or in the auditorium.”
Ashley now remembered the conversation she had with Lucas at the reception. He had just broken up with his girlfriend prior to the wedding and wanted to take the summer off from having any relationships. He just wanted to focus on himself and spend time with his friends and family before his senior year. Then he would see how he felt about dating again once school started.
“I don’t know why she is going after him,” Gwen said, forgetting Ashley didn’t even know who they were talking about. “She already has a new boyfriend.”
“She’s only trying to make Lucas jealous by going out with another senior,” Jill replied. “I don’t think it’s working. He doesn’t seem to be interested in her anymore. She should just forget about him and concentrate on the boyfriend she has right now before he loses interest in her too.”
“I think I’m going to go and find Lucas,” Ashley said as she got up from the table with her white plastic tray in her hands. She emptied her tray in the trash can before she left the cafeteria. Entering the hallway, she tried to remember where the auditorium was. But it wasn’t easy without her tour guide.
“The auditorium is the other way,” a voice told her. Ashley turned around to face a girl with long raven hair that she had pulled up in a high ponytail. She towered over Ashley, but that didn’t seem to scare her. “You must be the new girl. I’m Penny Sanders.” Ashley wasn’t expecting Lucas’s ex-girlfriend to come up and introduce herself. She
didn’t have a chance to respond as Penny jumped right into the question she had wanted to ask. “Are you and Lucas dating?”
Of course. That was her ulterior motive. Why else would she approach her? Ashley kept her cool. “I don’t think that is really any of your business,” she replied. “But if you must know, Lucas and I are just friends. I barely even know him.”
“Good because I really don’t recommend you taking that next step with him,” Penny advised her. “He’s not your type.”
There was no doubt about it. Penny was trying to intimidate Ashley and she wasn’t going to back down. Ashley raised her eyebrows in surprise. “My type?” She tried not to laugh. “First of all, you don’t know me. So you don’t know what my type is. Whatever you think you know about me, you’re wrong. I would recommend you not listen to rumors about me. Because they never turn out to be true. Besides, why does it matter to you who Lucas dates? He’s not your boyfriend anymore.”
“Because I’m still his friend,” Penny defended. “And I’m just looking out for him.”
Friend? It sure didn’t sound like it. From the way Penny was acting, it felt like she and Lucas were still dating and she was telling Ashley to back off. Ashley continued to stand her ground. “I’m sure he appreciates that, but you need to let him go. He’s not your boyfriend anymore.”
Penny gave her a look. “I’m not an idiot. I’m well aware he’s mature enough to know what he wants. And that’s why I don’t think he’s right for you. He wants someone who is willing to be faithful to him. I’m sure you were too busy sneaking out and stealing stuff to have a permanent boyfriend.”
Ashley was getting a very different vibe from this girl. Unlike Chloe’s warm and friendly reception, this one was more unwelcoming. “Mind your own business,” she repeated. She had barely talked to Penny and she already realized she didn’t like her. Ashley was ready to fight back. “What about you? Maybe you weren’t faithful to him,” she snapped. “Maybe that’s why he broke up with you.” Ashley didn’t know where these words were coming from, but it felt good to say them. “Now if you would excuse me, I’m going to find Lucas.” She pushed past Penny and stormed off.