The Pink Sneakers Club. Christian Jr. Bertoni
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Chapter 4
Thursday, 6:05 AM
My name is Deirdre Brocktin. I’d been up for awhile, I have trouble sleeping, so I was doing some lite reading: The Road To Reality. If Albert Einstein were alive, he would have a copy of this book. So would Isaac Newton. This book may be the most comprehensive and complete mathematical explanation of the universe. Sorry. I tend to get a little carried away.
There was a time when I didn't have a lot of friends. I was a bit shy and reserved. Well I still am, sort of. I never really wanted to be popular, but I did want to have someone to share secrets and laughs with. All through elementary school and part of my first year in middle school though, I just slipped in and out of "light" friendships where I didn't find a lot of comfort or companionship.
I was also bullied a lot since elementary school. My bully was Molly Shasta, a heavy-set, red-haired, freckle-faced girl. In middle school the bullying got worse. It would start in the morning with a shoulder shove, in the hallways a push against the lockers, at lunch she would take my food. This went on for the first semester, until one day when my bully met someone tougher than her – Kaye. She walked up to Molly during lunch and slammed Molly’s tray on the floor. The whole cafeteria fell quiet and watched. Kaye got right up to her. Keep in mind that Molly was a foot taller it didn’t seem to intimidate Kaye. She looked up at her and said, and I will never forget this:
“Listen here Raggedy Ann, your bullying days are over! If I ever see you pick on, touch, or even glance at my friend in any way that seems threatening. I will bitch-slap the freckles right off your face.”
Molly never bothered me again. Some say she transferred out of school. I didn’t really care I had acquired not one but three friends. And we’d been inseparable ever since.
I rubbed my eyes and decided it was time to take a shower and get dressed.
Afterwards I walked quietly down the hall to the kitchen. My mom and dad were sitting at the table, each reading their own copy of the Wall Street Journal. I have career parents. My dad is the chief of Cardiology at New Charlotte Mercy Hospital, while my mom is a corporate attorney with Hawkins, Brocktin and Davis. Or rather a partner.
“Morning.” I whispered. They didn’t say a word. In my house the rule of thumb is kids should be seen not heard. I’m an only child. According to my mom I was an accident. We don’t get to choose our parents, nor their character.
I made some toast and ate it in my room while I read. At 7:22 I got my stuff together and drove to school where I waited for my friends.
I changed for PE, green shorts and a white tee shirt with the New Charlotte’s mascot on the front. A green and white hornet.
I started running around the track along with my classmates. I hated running. I hated sweating. I didn’t really like to exercise. I’d rather be reading, but I didn’t have much choice. So I sucked it up and did my usual half jog, half walk around the track. We had to run two miles.
I was circling around the track for the second time when I noticed an impeccably dressed man sitting in the bleachers, talking on his cell phone. After a few minutes he checked his watch, got up and left.
When it was time for lunch I was the first one there. I grabbed our usual table, always in the shaded area. Our student area is outside, with round cement tables and three cement benches, with lots and lots of oak trees around the large yard. We have metal benches scattered through the area for people who don’t want to sit at the tables. The cafeteria or rather the food court is located inside with more places to sit. You can have your pick from Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Subway or Panda Express.
I brought my own lunch as I always do, Peanut Butter and Jelly, chips and a water bottle. I opened my book and read and ate while I waited for the others.
I’ll skip over what the other girls have already told you but suffice to say the highlight of my day was the discussion I had with Natalie on the paradox theory.
I wasn’t to happy that school was out for the day. It meant returning to an empty home. The four of us headed for the parking lot.
“I can’t believe that bitch screwed me!” Randi screamed in anger.
“What are you gonna do now?” I asked.
“What choice do I have? Either I do it or I don’t go to competition and let Natalie win. And I rather die before I let Nat-
At 3:05 the horn blared indicating a shift change at the chemical plant. Followed by a scream from above, and then -
Part 2: Thursday Or The day everything forever changed (see what I did there reversed some of the words.)
Randi
Chapter 5
At 3:05 the horn blared indicating a shift change at the chemical plant. Followed by a scream from above, and then someone . . . fell from the roof of the school.
A female. She slammed onto the hood of a parked SUV. The hood caved in under the girl’s weight, forcing the windshield to splinter but not shatter.
Nobody moved. It was like we were all frozen in place. Just couldn’t believe it . . . it was like something out of a movie. It didn’t seem real.
Caren was the first one who spoke, “Belinda! It’s Belinda!” she stumbled backwards and fell on the grass. I looked up and saw Mark Harris peering over the edge. Apparently I wasn’t the only one, someone shouted his name and that’s when he took off.
Eventually the cops came, the ambulance came and even the fire department. The paramedics checked those of us who were close by of the accident to make sure we were all right. I guess. It took me awhile but I was able to coax Deirdre away from the car so the paramedic could have a look at her. She hadn’t moved the whole time the cops had showed up. Stood there dazed, looking at Belinda.
“Hey Deirdre are you okay?” I asked softly.
She kept shaking her head, tears running down her face, but she never said a word.
Caren on the other hand was a different story; Kaye was taking care of her. Apparently her and Belinda were good friends.
“Randi, honey, are you okay?” my dad asked running up to me.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Okay.” He gave me a hug, kissed the top of my head and asked, “are you okay enough to drive home?”
“Yeah.”
He looked over at Deirdre, “what about you?”
She didn’t say a word. “Dad, I’ll take her home.”
“Okay, good.” He looked over and saw Caren crying, “is Caren going to be okay?”
“I don’t know. Her and Belinda were pretty close.”
“Make sure she gets home. Tell your mother I won’t be home for dinner.”
“Okay.”
He left and began shouting to some officers on the scene. He went from dad to cop without missing a beat. In the meantime I sat with Deirdre and Kaye sat with Caren. I didn’t tell my dad about Mark because I figured he’d know soon enough and right now my friend needed me.
Caren
Chapter 6
I got home later that night after dropping off Kaye. I entered the house through the garage, turned on the lights and just stood in the middle of the kitchen. As usual my house was quiet. A few lights were on for me, dinner on the counter and a note on the fridge.
Honey, going out with Andrew, will be home tomorrow morning. Dinner’s ready just warm it up in the oven. Love, Mom.
For