"Mrs. Elliott!?" David, the biggest boy flirt in the entire Freshmen class yelled loudly, without raising his hand.
"Yes, David?" Mrs. Elliott asked witheringly, turning to face him with a care-worn expression.
"Becky’s shootin paper wads." Beck turned on David, her dark eyes practically flashing fire. She’d had enough of him for one day.
"Do you ever shut up?"
"Ohhh... sounds like someone’s had a bad day. Do you need a shoulder rub, Becky?"
"NO!"
"Ohh.. tense."
"David... be quiet. You’re driving me bonkers!"
"Am I speeding?"
"Yes, and you’re going to get a ticket here pretty soon if you don’t lay off."
"Ouch.. gees is it that time of month, Becky?" During this whole exchange Mrs. Elliott kept her nose buried in her book, trying to pretend she didn’t notice David. Finally without looking up she said,
"Someday, David, Beck is going to haul off and whack you, and I’m not going to see it."
"Can it be today?" Beck asked exasperatedly as she grabbed first her notebook, then her hair schrunchie back from David. Ryan and Chase David’s best friends sat on the other sides of her. Mrs. Elliott said Beck was the only one who could make them behave. She always asked if Beck minded, and Beck feeling sorry for her always said, "Naw.. it’s all good." But inwardly she did mind, she minded a lot. Why couldn’t someone else deal with them!?
While Beck had been lost in her train of thought, Ryan reached over on her desk, and grabbed her pencil pouch. Beck noticed but she didn’t move. "Quit looking at Becky’s rear.. I know you find it next to impossible, Chase, but she’s mine." David said just low enough his fellow classmates could hear, and they all burst into giggles. Beck’s face turned a subtle shade of pink. Ryan took full advantage of the opportunity. He turned and threw the pencil pouch behind Mrs. Elliott and across the room to Aaron.
"RYAN! give it back!!" Beck exclaimed, jumping from her seat to retrieve her pencil pouch. Mrs. Elliott went to go copy some papers, and as she rose the whole class bent studiously to work, but it was merely a masquerade, the moment she was gone...
Beck grabbed ahold of the pencil pouch on one end, and got a grip before Aaron could shake her off. "Let gooo!" She hissed.
"Let her have her way. Be a gentleman." David grinned. Aaron let go of his end, but Beck didn’t see it in time, and she went sprawling onto the floor, hard, pencil pouch in hand. At that exact moment the bell rang.
"Thank God.." Beck whispered, picking herself up and turning around.
"Hey Becky.. ya got somethin on your rear." Ryan teased. Beck tried to brush the seat of her pants off, and Chase turned around and grabbed her brand new Aeropostale sweat shirt and ran off down the hall with it.
Beck dodged people, staff, and janitors, trying not to lose him. He turned a sudden corner and Beck careened into the English teacher. "Umm.. Mrs. Grouchstick, how nice to see you." Beck said, standing on her tip toes and anxiously looking over Mrs. Grouchstick’s shoulder, trying not to lose Chase. She smiled with all the false jovility she could muster. Mrs. Grouchstick was just the most grouchy teacher in all of the school. She gave the most homework, and trusted kids the least. She didn’t want to be friends, and she didn’t like teaching.
"Why were you running through the halls? You know the rules."
"umm.. well.. I wanted to know where he put my sweatshirt at."
"Just before the at.. now hurry up and get going."
"But!"
"Go on.. we’ll find your sweat shirt."
"But!"
"GO!" Beck turned and fled down the hall, tears stinging her eyes. Everyone had promised high school wasn’t going to be like this! The same cruel jokes and teasing and not fitting in day in and day out! They’d promised here at high school she’d finally have a "niche."
"Well," Beck thought bitterly, "It’s already September. A whole month! Nothing!" The phrase "Talks cheap" entered her mind. At least school was over for another day. Meanwhile, someone else was just beginning her long day.
"Dad, please!.. Don’t make a scene!" Katie whispered, mortified.
"Oh, sorry. Have a good day sweetie." Katie breathed a very long sigh of relief as her Dad’s car pulled away. Sure, he was good to them and all, but he never really had time to just do father stuff with her or Sean. She felt saddest for him. He was only 4 when their mom and dad split, he didn’t remember what having a "real family" was like.
Katie stood in silence for a moment, realizing this was truly her last day at school. The warm-for-London, October, spring air was all around her, and the lovely scent of heather and lilacs which grew on the trellises around her. She wore a red and gray plaid, knee length, perfectly pleated, and a perfectly spotless white blouse, and had a red ribbon in her hair. She looked almost too pristine, but that was the school dress code.
In front of her was a grassy lawn with swing sets and a bunch of play equipment. Children rushed around, yelling and playing playground games, and it was 8:30 am standard Greenwich, England Time. In the back of all this sat the gray granite stone academy where Katie had been all her life, pre-k through 8th grade, and would likely have remained through high school, had life not interfered. "Pembrooke Arts Academy" She whispered.
The name really held no meaning what-so-ever. Sure she’d learned there, and was considered one of the "popular" crowd "But.." She thought unhappily, "It’s not about me, I’m only riding on someone else’s coat-tails!" Into her mind entered a Celine Dion song with the lines, "Cause I’m the fool, building castles in the sand." Katie brushed it away, and jerked her things up over one shoulder and dashed toward the school to make homeroom on time.
After homeroom, Katie was gathering her books at her locker, and cleaning it out. When the captain of the cheerleading team came up to her. "So you’re really going to leave us?" Hallie asked, for once in her life being serious. Katie was one of the best, and everyone knew it. Katie nodded and turned back to her locker. Her eyes felt itchy, and her nose was running. She sniffed back her tears. If Pembrooke didn’t mean anything to her then why was she so upset? Or maybe... maybe it wasn’t Pembrooke at all. Just the fact she was leaving behind everything she’d ever known scared her. True, she didn’t want herself or Sean to remain with their father any longer, but leaving home was such a drastic step!
"I guess so." She finally replied.
"You don’t sound all that happy about it."
"I’m not sure if I am."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the court gave Dad an order to give us to Mom, so even if I didn’t want to go to America I’d have to anyways." Hallie merely nodded.
"Where is your mom anyways?"
"California, Malibu to be exact."
"Aw.. well you know there’s ten inch cock roaches there, and uh, never buy from street vendors and..." Hallie proceeded to tick off a whole list of instructions to Katie. And had she been sensible, Katie would have wondered how Hallie, "All of a sudden" seemed to be a commonwealth of knowledge about California.
Ten inch cock roaches, alligators in toilets, sewer rats the size of wood chucks, people who’d accost you for your last earthly possessions, and people who wanted, worse yet, to kidnap you for ransom. Katie listened wide eyed, her head spinning. "And you’d better be careful of the worst... your mom being famous and all.. some handsome guy is likely to try and snatch her right up, you know." Katie shivered. That was disgusting! Surely Hallie couldn’t mean...Hallie couldn’t quite hide the smirk on her face.
"Look, I have a lot of things to get done before I leave this afternoon, so if you’ll excuse me." Katie turned on her heel and walked off, leaving a shocked Hallie in her wake.
"Like I said you better watch out.. your Mother would be a fine catch for some young man. I’d keep an eye on him if I were you." Katie bit her lip but managed not to retaliate. She pulled her long auburn red hair into a ponytail, watching Hallie’s face intently. You could never be sure about her, whether it was a lie or true or half true. Katie shrugged, and pretended she was indifferent to the situation, but it was true her mother hadn’t had good luck with men, and Katie never wanted to see her get her heart broken again as it had been after she found out about her father’s multiple affairs.
"Why should I care. My Mother’s a big girl, she can take care of herself."
"Oh you recall she said the same thing the first time she went overseas before either of you were born and look what happened to her. She got date raped. Better think again Katie. I’d watch her awfully close if I were you, but then I don’t know anything. Don’t listen to me."
"I won’t." Katie whispered, turning back to stuff a book haphazardly in her school bag, but the pristine edge to the day had dimmed a bit. Was it true what everyone said, that she wouldn’t like America, and she’d never be able to learn to adjust like a "normal" American? Katie also wondered how Hallie managed to know so much about her mother, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. Katie swung her locker shut. It was time for her to go. Go to her all new life.
She walked down to Mrs. Richardson’s office. That was the school nurse. "I don’t feel so well, I think I need to go home." Katie whispered, sinking onto the cot bed. Mrs. Richardson looked up concernedly, and felt Katie’s forehead. She knew nurses weren’t supposed to play favorites, but ever since Katie’s mother had gone to the states she’d tried to keep a special eye out for Katie.
"You do seem a bit warm, shall I call your Father?"
"No thanks.. I’ll manage."
"If you’re sure."
"Yeah, I just need some time to think." Katie turned and walked down the empty hall, her patent Mary Jane shoes making echoes on the marble floor. There had been precious little time to think lately. Her Dad had received the court order just two days before that she and Sean were to go to their Mom. They were leaving late that afternoon, to arrive a day earlier by crossing the international dateline and several time zones. Katie didn’t feel ready to leave everything good and familiar behind her for "This America place." The time with her Mom would be good, but that was all.
Katie went off down the hall, and walked into the meadow of Pembrooke for a moment, and stopped to leave a flower on the grave her science class’s pet hamster, Algernon. She walked out the school gate and opened it to a creaky noise. She instantaneously spun round to be sure she wasn’t being chased. She walked over to the sidewalk, and hailed a Taxi. Sure, everyone had always told her not to take taxi’s but they didn’t understand, just because she was Jane Seymour’s daughter didn’t mean she had to be treated so differently from everyone else!
Yet, all her life it had been that way. Sean was lucky not to have hit the stage of needing independence yet. At Madison street Katie stopped the taxi-man and paid him the fare, walking on alone. It would be her last time along this route, and she was thankful at least this once, that Sean would be with a friend. The route was a sidewalk which wound through a small park, and eventually led her home. In the spring the cherry trees busted open beautiful blossoms of white, and in the fall the leaves began to turn. It was that time now. The sweet scent of heather and lilacs, her favorite smell in the whole world, could be smelt nearly year round. That was because it was the perfume her Mother always wore. "Mother." She whispered softly. The word seemed a little strange, but she’d learned in America your parents were called "Mom and Dad."
She touched the locket she wore about her neck. It was a beautiful 14 carat gold, heart shaped piece. If you opened it up it was a key to a small music box, which played the Rhapsody Melody, and contained all of her jewelry. The box had been her mother’s as a little girl. The key in the locket also opened a beautiful blue leather journal her mother had given her many years before, but the past month or so was the first time Katie had dared to pick up her copy pen and write words on the fine creamy, textured, unlined paper. Mostly her entries were all letters to her Mother, which had never been sent.
Katie sighed a little and opened up the locket. On one side a picture of her Mother, as she’d appeared in her movie Somewhere In Time, smiled back at her. In the second was a small photo of her Mother and herself. That had been just a few weeks before the storm struck. The storm that had broken up her parents, and sent her Mother to America. It was one of the last pictures of them all happy. Now the smiling faces in photographs were always forced.
Katie touched her lips to the coolness of the necklace. Jewelry wasn’t allowed at her school, and someone would have surely tried to take it, so Katie always wore it inside her blouse. No matter what she couldn’t ever be without her locket. Her Mother had one made for herself with pictures of Katie inside. A couple of single, puerile, tears escaped Katie, before she brushed them away. She hadn’t seen her mother in nearly 2 years, not since her 12th birthday party. She wondered what that would be like. Supposedly she’d found work. Acting. Katie felt much worse for Sean. Sometimes he would say, "Tell me about Mother. What is she like." Katie felt like crying then, because she really didn’t remember very well either. "Enough," she whispered, and continued her walk home.
Beck’s Dad still wasn’t home. He was a promotional salesman. He sold things such as pens and drive-in envelopes to banks and other businesses. Today he’d gone out to visit his regular customers and take inventory of what they needed to order. What was known as "making sales calls."
Beck’s Mom was the head counselor at Malibu High, Beck’s high school. That certainly didn’t help! Beck didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea, she loved being in the same place her mom was, but of course no one understood that. It was just something else people could use to really make her look silly if they chose to. Beck knew her mom wouldn’t be home for hours as there was an open house at MHS that evening.
Beck threw her stuff into her white, canvas, blue trim, Aeropostale book bag, and quickly ran upstairs to change into better clothes, nice khaki Capri’s, a silky pink cami, and a white lace sweater, which she tied at the neck, but otherwise left unbuttoned. She left a note for her mom and dad on the stove, and grabbed her subway pass, and ran out of the house.
Beck couldn’t wait until she was 16. Taking the subway was always a pain. She went so many places, her parents finally bought her a "year round pass," seemingly what most of the high schoolers’ parents did, as that was the main mode of transportation to school. Usually Beck rode with her mom to school, but always took the subway home, because she was usually ready to get home a good two hours ahead of her mom.
Beck arrived at her audition spot within about half an hour. She went into the tall, fancy, ornate, ten story, glass skyscraper. She’d been to auditions here before. She took the elevator up to her designated floor, and told the receptionist she was there. When she turned there sat "The Three Musketeers." Beck’s eyes got wide. The three buddy-buddy cheerleaders from school: Hollie, Gaylynne, and Chrissy! She hoped they wouldn’t say anything to her. Why was it whenever she tried this stuff it was "way uncool," but if the cheerleaders wanted to take a stab at it, it was the coolest thing on earth? Beck didn’t have anymore time to think because just then, her name was called.
She followed the receptionist back to meet with the directors of the photo shoot. Come to find out the category had been widened and they’d be needing more models then they originally planned. Beck warily eyed the man who sat at the long table in front of her. Mr. Prezziso, she’d worked with him before. "Alright, here’s the deal Beck. You don’t have an agent or a big name. Especially not big enough for JC Penny’s catalog, which is where this shoot is going, but if you promise to work reeallly hard, I’ll put you on as an extra. Maybe you’ll even get into a couple of the shots."
"Really! you’d do that, for me!"
"I’m glad too. I really think you have talent, Beck. It’s just that the owners of the companies like.."
"Like to see big names, so there’s no risk. Yeah, I know. Thank You, sooo much, you will
NOT regret this!"
"I hope not."
Beck walked out of the press room feeling light as air. She hadn’t felt this good in ages! Wait till people found out she was going to be modeling for the Penny’s catalog! She paused, maybe it’d be better to wait until that spring to see how awful the pictures were before she told everyone. "Revenge is sweet." Beck giggled. She knew the "Three musketeers," better known to her, "The three stooges," had surely not been involved in this photo shoot, after all, they’d never modeled before in their lives as far as Beck knew! "Mom Mom! guess what!" Beck cried running into the house, as fast as her feet would carry her...
"Katie?" a little voice asked.
"Sean?" Katie asked softly, turning over in the dim room to see her little brother better.
"Can I stay in here with you?"
"Of course." Katie patted the bed beside her, and he crawled up with her. He cuddled into her warm embrace. "What’s the matter little brother?" She began to stroke his hair comfortingly.
"I’m scared."
"Me too."
"You!?"
"Yes, very."
"But you’re my big sister!"
"Um hm, big sisters are allowed to be scared."
"What if we don’t like America."
"Oh well will. I know it! And we’re going to see Mum again too!" But Katie didn’t know at all.
"Mother." He corrected softly.
"We’re not in America yet, Seannie." She grinned, and then tickled his ribs. He shrieked
and squarely whacked her with the pillow. Katie was so surprised, she sat there dumbfounded.
"You may be the big sis, but I’m the best pillow fighter!"
"Ohhh no you’re not!" She exclaimed, streaking out of the room after him. He shut the door to his own room behind him, right in her face, but he couldn’t resist peeking back out to gloat. Katie aimed and fired her own pillow, and whacked him. Just then, the housekeeper, Mary’s voice floated up the stairs.
"Tea time, children!" They both went downstairs sedately to join their father for tea. This was usually the only time of day they actually all sat down together. Today Mary had even made petite fours, and lemon squares, Katie and Sean’s favorites, and had oo-long tea.
Right after they’d had tea, David took his children to the airport. He walked them all the way out to the plane. "You guys are growing up so fast, and time really does get away...I guess.. what I’m trying to say is...write me.. and come back to visit."
"Of course we will Dad!" Sean assured, throwing his arms about his Father.
"Sure thing," Katie whispered, hugging him.
"Got your passports?"
"Dad, you asked twice, and the answer is still yes!"
"Well, you’ve never been out of the country alone before, and certainly not to America."
"Yeah, don’t remind us the farthest away from home we’ve ever been is Ireland!"
Katie led Sean onto the plane, anxious to get away from the small crowd that was starting to drift towards them. Who knew you could get so much attention just by being the child of a celebrity!
Katie and Sean found their seats, and Katie was so absent minded she even let Sean have the window seat. Bad move on a 17 hour flight! As it was they’d be coming in very early the next morning.. or wait.. Katie paused in thought. "Will it be morning or night or afternoon, and what day?!"
"Saturday, September 15th, 9 A.M." Sean reminded.
"Yeah,.." Katie grabbed on tight to his hand as the roar of the jet engines picked up. The shaking of the plane began, slowly at first, then faster and faster, as the huge jet began to taxi down the runway. "Into the wild blue yonder, flying high!" Katie whispered the well known tune quietly to herself, and did her best to make her ears pop. Just then, her mind was distracted by Sean’s plaintive,
"I’m going to be sick!" And that he was, before Katie could even get to a plastic sack or anything!
"Yuck.." She whispered softly. Luckily, it was in the aisle, and easy to get to, and not on either of them.
"What now?" He asked, taking a very small sip of ginger ale, which Katie had packed for him.
"We’ll have to wait for the flight attendant to come clean up the mess is all. Here, take some of this motion sickness medicine and try to sleep a little." Sean nodded. He swallowed the medicine d0wn, and curled up with his blanket and pillow across Katie’s lap. Katie smiled lovingly down at him. She’d been more like his mother than his older sister, but being 8 years old was hard work!
"Tell me about Mum." He whispered again. Katie tried not to sigh in exasperation. If she had to tell one more story about her mother!...
"You’re going to see soon enough."
"I know, tell me anyway."
"Well...."
She lived in a quite small single street of houses, well spaced apart, with a one way street through the middle. Her own house was set back a good distance from the street though, and her five acre backyard was extensive, so it couldn’t exactly be classified as a "subdivision" in that respect. She knew almost all of her neighbors, and some of them were even famous! Eric Braden and his family lived right across the street! Eric was the star of Beck’s favorite soap opera, The Young and The Restless. Sometimes she and his granddaughter hung around together, but not to often as, Tatiana (Titi), went to a private school in L.A.
Beck had been living in Lakeside subdivision her entire life. Her parents, with the help of her Grandfather, who died before she was born and was a contractor, had built the house in 1976. Beck didn’t even know who all her neighbors were! She knew it was a little silly, but Beck was almost afraid to find out! Judge Lund, and his wife Julie lived cattycorner half a mile past Beck’s property line. Beck loved going there to visit with her elderly neighbors, and eat Mrs. Lund’s delicious, homemade, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and they had a huge golden retriever, Hickory, who was as old as Beck herself.
Beck had a dog too, Snowball, but he had to stay in the backyard, because her Mom was allergic to dogs and cats. Beck realized it was way past time to stop daydreaming about her neighbors, and straighten up her room, and then go to her babysitting job. Beck had a successful business in her neighborhood of the neighbors she did know, and never failed to be busy each weekend she cared to work. Today she was sitting for her favorite clients, the Gilberts, Ryan who was 5, and his little sister, Avory Renee who had just turned two the previous month.
Beck’s room was very large, as was her house. She didn’t know how her mom and dad had been able to come into funds enough to build a gorgeous house in one of the "upper class" districts of Malibu, but it was home anyways. The house was two stories and beautiful red brick. Beck had the east facing room, which looked out over the neighborhood, and Beck even had a balcony outside that window, that stretched around behind the house. Beck opened the window, climbing over the seat, she went outside to get her sneakers. "Dumb move." She whispered. She’d left them out all night. Thankfully, it hadn’t rained!
Beck’s room had a beautiful hard wood floor, with a huge light blue flower rug. She had a large canopy bed, with beautiful aqua-sea blue, curtains hanging on it, and bedding of the same color to match, and even a comforter Grandmother Great had made for her when she was just a baby. Vivian Howard Herring, better known to the family as Grandmother Great, had died when Beck was three or four years old, so she didn’t remember her very well. Beck had drawers built in under the bed, which held things she might want to get to without having to get up. She had a small stand she could pull down from an upper cabinet to set on the bed for her laptop. She had a good sized television and dvd/vcr on a small desk in front of her bed, so she could watch t.v. laying down. On the other end of the beautiful desk she could do her homework, but she rarely had any, because she could get it done at school. Across the room she had a huge closet, and beside it a glass topped vanity table, the best kind for putting on makeup, and getting ready for important events. The walls of the room were white, but she’d painted a mural herself on the ceiling!
Beck had taken professional painting lessons for a few years, and a couple of her proudest achievements were winning a teenage and adult painting contest with one of her landscapes, and selling one of her portraits for upwards of nearly two hundred dollars! The mural was of a beautiful smiling sun, and clouds. The ceiling fan in the clouds made it look as if the wind was blowing them! As far as Beck knew it was the most beautiful room anywhere. She also had a telescope out on her patio so she could look at the stars.
At that moment a movement in the street outside one of the houses down the street caught her eye. Sure enough.. it was a, Moving Van! Beck ran her hand across her eyes. Couldn’t be! And in the house right next door! Beck couldn’t believe THAT. She knew someone lived in that house. And whoever did had awfully strange habits. She knew the person had a light blue t-bird, so they must have been well off, and whoever it was, was always gone by 5 am, and Beck never saw them around. Sometimes cars came in and out of that house at unheard of hours of the morning, and Beck used to imagine, as a little girl, that the person who lived there was in a drug chain. Of course she knew that probably wasn’t true, but they sure were mysterious! Well, she just have to go find out about them. She gulped, what if whoever was moving in was mean!?
Beck rolled her eyes at herself in the mirror. "Get a grip." She said. For all she knew the person that lived in the next door house, whom she’d come to know as "The Phantom Neighbor," had sold it, and she had all new neighbors! Beck shivered with a grin. That sounded like the name of a Nancy Drew mystery book.
Beck caught a glimpse of the clock. "I’m gonna be late!" She forced on the rest of her clothes as quick as she could, pulling on her jeans so fast she tripped, and fell right on her face! "Smooth." She whispered. She picked herself up, and grabbed her stuff, rushing down the stairs in a hurry.
"Where’s Mother?" Sean asked.
"I’m not sure, Seannie. I guess we’ll just have to wait for-..." Katie stopped dead in her tracks, and merely pointed. Standing at the information desk was her mother! Katie did a double take. She wasn’t sure what was more surprising, seeing her again, or what she was wearing!
Jane was in a beautiful, dark blue long, flowy skirt, and a long sleeved, silky-cotton, light blue blouse. Her hair was pulled back and up at the sides, and hung in curls down her back. She looked just like the pictures of the pioneers from Katie’s history book!
"Mum!!" Sean cried, waving earnestly at her. Katie tried to hush him, but it was too late, and almost everyone in all of LAX turned to stare. Katie didn’t mind so much anymore. The excitement of the moment was growing on her.
"Mum over here!!!" She cried.
Jane paused and turned, a smile lit her face. "Katie! Sean!" She cried, excitedly. The two years had been harder on her then anyone could know! Katie and Sean rushed toward her, and she pulled them into her arms holding them tight. "I’ve missed you so much!"
"We’ve missed you, too!" Katie whispered, trying to keep herself from crying.
"I love you, Mummy!" Sean said, holding on tight.
"It’s Mom...remember." Katie corrected with a grin. Jane smiled at them.
"I’m so glad you’ve come!" Katie put her arm around her Mother’s waist, and Sean did too. In this awkward fashion and toting the carry-on luggage they’d brought, Jane and her children walked out into the bright Malibu sunshine.
"...oh! and the movers came this morning with the rest of your luggage!" Jane finished off her talk about why she’d been at the information desk.
"Goody!"
"You each have a bedroom, and I didn’t decorate them yet. I figured you’d want to do that, and we can go shopping and everything!"
"Really!"
"Yes of course!" Katie ran out of her Mother’s hold long enough to twirl around on the marble topped courtyard in the center of the downtown district of Malibu. In the center there was a fountain spitting water, and the most extensive flower gardens Katie had ever seen. Katie did a tap routine on the marble, and Jane dropped the load she was carrying and repeated it back, adding a small sequence to the end. Passers by stopped to watch in amusement, and one of them even tossed a few dollars into the sack laying open against the side of the fountain.
Sean tried to join in the tap dancing session, but he’d never had any ballet lessons, this resulted in some clumsy footwork, and both Jane and Katie jumped in to try to help. The marble was slick from spitting water, and they all three hit a particularly slick spot. Jane catapulted backward into the fountain!
Katie covered her mouth in a hurry to avoid laughter as her mother came up choking water and completely soaked. Just then they heard, "Hey Jane, They say to hop right into a project, but that’s taking it a buit literally!" Katie and Sean turned to see. Two men stood on the other side of the busy Malibu street across from the courtyard. The light turned in their favor, and they sprinted over to help the soaking wet Jane out of the fountain.
"Beth’s not gonna be happy about this one!"
"Oh, don’t worry, just a bit...wet...She isn’t even going to find out, because you are not going to tell her, are you, Darling Joe!" The man obviously Joe rolled his eyes.
"I suppose if you have to go and put it that way, no."
"Good."
Katie sized up the two men. They looked friendly enough, but still, Hallie had told her to keep an eye out for no-gooders, and Hallie did seem to know a lot about California. One of the men certainly looked strange enough. He was wearing what looked like buckskin pants, and a cotton shirt open a ways down the front. He had longer hair then any man Katie had ever seen before! Well, it wasn’t really that long, "But still!" She thought. It curled to the top of his shoulders, and was light brown. One strand was braided. His eyes were the sultriest blue she’d ever seen, and he was definitely tan! He wore beads around his neck, but despite his rustic-western look he had a friendly smile.
Katie turned her focus onto the other man. This one was not dressed "strangely." He wore jeans and a button down blue and white plaid shirt, which was untucked, and turned up at the sleeves. The bottom of his jeans had some mud on them, as did his tennis shoes, and he was toting a black bag over one shoulder, and in his arms he had a huge bag of pure organic Preening chemical. He had darker hair, and smiling brown eyes.
"Can’t keep out of the garden I see." Jane quipped.
"Well, I think I’m doing better than you." The other man, the one with the preen, said.
"Yeah, we’ll see about that! See ya later."
Katie gasped quietly, and she and Sean looked at each other. She’d told Sean about watching out for strange men. "Are they going on a date?!" He whispered, Katie shrugged.
"Oh.. I wanted to introduce-" Jane began, just then she realized the men weren’t there anymore. She rolled her eyes, and picked up her things again. The warm Malibu sunshine would dry her out in no time.
"Who were they Mom?" Katie asked her.
"Oh, the one in the buckskins, that was Joe Lando, and the one with the gardening stuff and the video camera in a cast bag, that was James. They’re co-workers of mine." Katie let out a deep sigh of relief. She didn’t have to worry. Yet.
"Why are you dressed so funny anyways?"
"Oh, just came from work. We filmed so late, I almost didn’t make it on time, and as it was I didn’t have time to change clothes. I just had Beth drop me off. But it isn’t far more home, only about 4 blocks." Katie nodded. She liked walking, and the weather was just beautiful!
"It is always like this here?"
"Like what?"
"Sunshiny, and warm."
"Most always." Jane grinned, and looked up at the beautiful, blue, sky tumultuous with fluffy white cumulous clouds, which looked like cotton balls in the sky.
"How come you’re dressed so funny." Sean asked.
"Oh, it’s work, on my television show..." Jane paused. "Well, I hope..."
"Your television show?" Katie asked a bit incredulously.
"Umm hmm, well if we get a network to pick us up that is!"
"Like as in, you’re the star!" Both the kids cried ecstatically.
"I guess you could say so." Jane was pleased they were so excited.
"Can we be on it!?" Sean asked immediately, and was echoed by Katie.
"I’m sure you can help somehow. I’ll ask Beth."
"Who’s Beth?"
"Beth Sullivan, she’s the producer. She came up with the whole idea for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman."
"Medicine Woman?"
"Yes, I’ll tell you all I know-...."
"So, let me get this straight," Katie said, putting a sack of groceries they’d stopped by the store to get on the table. "Your character, Michaela Quinn, a doctor, came from Boston, and has set up practice in Colorado Springs, and is determined to remain despite the town’s prejudices against women doctors. She makes friends with the Cheyenne Indians, thus getting the name, Medicine Woman, and meets up with a enigmatic mountain man named Sully who she becomes friends with, and adopts three children when their mother dies."
"That’s it in a nutshell, but there’s going to be lots more coming up if we get a host."
"That’s cool. If Grandpa could see he’d be proud, his daughter playing a doctor on a big television show, and everything!" Jane’s eyes went a bit misty remembering her Father.
"Yes. Yes, he would."
"When will you know?"
"Oh not for months, sweetheart. We’re still filming the Pilot."
"About a plane?! They didn’t have planes in 1867." Sean interrupted.
"No,.. that’s a term meaning like a test episode, so the networks can view it, and see if they like it, and show it to their audience to see if it sparks enough of an interest to charter up a contract to make more episodes."
"Cool! When will you finish the Pilot?"
"Oh, it looks like about a month or so, and we’re slated to show it on New Years Day evening on CBS."
"CBS! Like as in the one and only!" CBS was about the only American television station Katie had ever heard of, and she knew it was big, really big.
"The one and only." Jane laughed softly.
"Come on let’s explore!" Sean practically dragged his sister out of the kitchen. They ran out of the kitchen, and back into the entry way of the house. Toward the left in the entryway was a huge staircase with a curve to the right. Above it was an open air hallway.You could look down from above and see into the entryway of the house. To the left of the staircase were rooms and under and behind it were the family room and living room, complete with a grand piano in the living room, and a beautiful fire place in the family room, it even had a sliding glass door going out onto the patio. To the right of the stairs there was a huge kitchen, with many cabinets, and a wooden floor. The entry way and all of the other house had polished wooden floor, except for on the stairs, and in the family room and other rooms there was carpeting, with a polished wood edge. Some of the rooms underneath, were the laundry room, (leading to a three car garage!), the library with so many shelves of books Katie had to tip up her face to see, and more. Lots more!
Katie ran up the stairs with Sean right on her tail. She began opening doors left and right. Going left were two HUGE rooms with absolutely nothing in them. There was a bathroom with white marble trimmings and soft white carpeting. The kind you could run your toes through for hours! Going to the right side of the large banistered stair case, and the handrail which ran along the upper hall, Katie discovered two more huge rooms. One of them was inlaid with soft very light tan carpet and light blue walls. It had a tan leather-suede sofa, and cabinets, and a small delicate writing desk, which had papers spread all over. Pictures of herself and Sean were every where she could imagine. Black binders, with blue, pink, green, and white professional looking printed papers were on the desks and chairs. A manikin stood in the corner wearing a very fancy looking gray and pink dress. It looked just like her mother! She realized the costumers must use it for fittings so they wouldn’t have to bring Jane to endlessly try on things.
There was a big picture window that led out onto a balcony which surrounded the whole upper floor of the house in back, and connected to a deck in the ground floor in back. There were endless cabinets. There was a treadmill in one corner, and a big CD case with endless cd’s for listening too while you exercised. There was a big open place in front of the window with a soft mat on the floor and a book on palates. There were other books too. Some of them were almost worn through from being read so often. There was a library downstairs, but these were surely favorites. There were fresh cut mums and baby’s breath on the table. There was a beautiful pearly blue laptop on the table from dell. Katie had always wanted to play with her Father’s. Each time he said it was not a toy, and she was "too young." Of course Katie understood that a two thousand dollar machine wasn’t really a toy, but the way he brushed her off made her bitter.
The room looked very "cozy" and "lived-in." Katie walked around in a happy daze, because this was her mother’s study. Little things, things normal people who hadn’t been apart from one of their parents for two years, would take for granted. The Tres Jollie glasses she always wore, her charm bracelet, the pins she wore for Children’s advocate work, her DQMW scripts, a script from a movie she’d just apparently finished, "Sunstroke." Those little things...She lifted the pillow from the couch and hugged it. Just then, she heard Sean say her name, and she turned and left the room.
Going further right, there were storage rooms, and at the end of the hall another door. Katie pushed it open. It was creaky, and cobwebs covered it. When they forced it open, dust rained down, and they both began to choke. "We better get a flashlight." Sean whispered.
"We can explore later. I suppose it’s the attic."
"Alright." He whispered, but he quickly scooted away, and it was not lost on Katie.
Going a bit to the right, was another door. They quietly pushed the door, and walked inside. There was a huge four poster, lace canopy bed in the centre of the room, a huge sliding glass door led again to the balcony, and Katie could see a hammock. Another door in the bedroom led to a bathroom with a beautiful sunken down bathtub. There was a walk in closet with literally over 1000 outfits. Katie began to look. She realized a good amount were costumes from things Jane had done. She couldn’t even begin to place all the items in the rooms. It was all mind boggling. She and Sean would live here! She knew her Mother was doing well, but!...
"Katie, Sean?!" Jane called up the stairs. It had certainly been an awfully long time!
"We’re coming!" Sean called, and they ran down the stairs to join their mother.
Dee Gilbert had offered to drive her the block home, but Beck thought she could surely run it before the storm broke, and save Dee and her husband Dan the trouble. They were both doctors at the local hospital, and Beck was sure they were busy enough as it was. She had only made it out the door a good ten foot when the clouds opened, and the rain came. It peppered down on her in torrents she couldn’t escape. She’d even tried pulling her book bag over her head, and the water streamed down her face and into her clothes soaking her to the very bone anyway!
"What happened Honey, you look like you went through the washing machine cycle with your clothes, instead of just washing the clothes." Beck’s mom teased a bit, bringing her daughter a towel and heating her a warm mug of cocoa.
"Nothing, just met up in battle with a storm and lost."
"Look, you’d better get into clean clothes. There’s warm ones I just dried if you don’t’ mind going around wrinkled."
" ‘K thanks Mom." Beck kissed her mother’s cheek, and went for the clothes. Oh they did feel good! "Like sliding into a warm bed with covers." Beck thought.
Beck returned to the table a few moments later, her thoughts back on the previous, and she had to admit, rather mysterious, events of the morning. "What’s on your mind?" Tonya asked, sensing her daughter’s deep thought.
"Oh, just, I think we might have new neighbors."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." They remained in companionable silence for a moment.
"Which house?"
"What?" Beck asked, a little confusedly.
"Which house do we have new neighbors in?"
"The one I can see out my bedroom window. The huge, beautiful one."
"Oh! The one you used to call the "Drug Chain House?"
"Yeah, that’s the one alright." Beck admitted sheepishly. She stirred her drink about a bit and took a rather large sip, unconsciously burning her tongue. Once she could speak again she said, "But you have to give me some credit. I was awfully little when I first noticed the strange antics of the occupants of that house."
"You sure were! I remember how you used to spy on the neighbors with your telescope. I’d say it wasn’t proper, but you never listened."
"Hey it paid off, I know more about our neighbors than..."
"Beck!" Her mother reprimanded softly. Beck giggled.
"I do!"
"You know... too much!"
"Someday it will pay off!"
"Maybe so." After another stretch of silence Beck pondered thoughtfully,
"Do you think I should take some food over to the new neighbors, you know, introduce myself." Beck’s mom ruffled her daughter’s hair.
"I know you’re anxious to have a new friend, but maybe you should give them a bit of space first, let them get settled in a bit."
"Sure mom. Look, I have to go. I have some homework." Beck whispered, doing her best not to choke, she got up from the table and went upstairs.
In her room, Beck turned on her laptop instead. She wanted to avoid her math project for just as long as she possibly could. Instead she began to write. Beck ran a very small website which she’d learned to do in computer class. The upkeep of her own site was hard work, but she was a dedicated webmistress, and loved to read the emails which she received about her site. She wrote stories to put there. Fan fiction about her favorite television shows and movies. She wrote of Diagnosis Murder, The Young and the Restless, Little House on The Prairie, and more. People seemed to really enjoy her stories, and many people told her she was talented enough to have a book published. Beck knew it was true, but she still stalled around a bit. "Maybe someday." She whispered.
"Katie?" Jane whispered softly, removing her reading glasses, and laying them on the table. "Why aren’t you asleep? I’d think you’d be exhausted from jet lag like your brother." Jane had carried her youngest upstairs, and put him in his newly furnished room hours before, when he’d crashed on the couch.
"I’m not so very sleepy."
"Want to sit with me?"
"Sure." Katie whispered, going to sit next to her mother on the couch.
"Oh Katie-bug, I’ve missed you!" Katie went gratefully into her mother’s arms. She remembered being called that when she was just a little girl! Her mother always told her it was because it was a lot like "Lady Bug" which were delicate and pretty. Jane reached over, and took the clip from her daughter’s hair, and began to brush it out. Katie turned to smile at her.
"You haven’t done this in forever." She squeezed Katie’s shoulders a bit tighter.
"Mum?"
"Umm hmm?"
"Can we talk... you know?"
Jane broke into a slight mischievous smile, biting her lower lip she whispered, "Girl talk?" They both began to giggle softly.
"It’s kind of about... you."
"Me?!" Jane asked, shocked.
"Mm...If you’d rather not."
"No no, I’m just surprised. What do I have to do with girl talk."
"That man, the one that helped you out of the fountain. The one with the video camera." A soft blush rose to Jane’s cheeks, but she asked,
"What about him?" with careful levity.
"You like him don’t you?"
"No!" Jane said, a bit to quickly, her voice rising a couple of octaves.
"You do!"
"Uh uh!!"
"Yeah, whatever."
"I don’t!" Jane protested with a giggle. She wasn’t about do admit it to anyone how much she did like James!
"Well, if it helps any. I think he’s kind of nice." Katie reprimanded herself silently. That’s just what Hallie had said to guard against! She could recall Hallie’s phone call exactly. ‘I forgot to tell you today, beware of ladies men. They’re the worst!’ While Katie wouldn’t exactly call James that, he had certainly been awfully nice to them! If he wasn’t flirting what was he doing? Still, she would give him a chance, because she liked the way her mother smiled when he’d taken her hand to help her out that afternoon, and how he’d smiled at her.
"You do?"
"Yes." Katie thought to herself, Kind of was the key operative word! "How did you two meet?"
"I was working on the set of this movie, Sunstroke. James was there as one of the directors. I’d heard his name mentioned several times, and one day I went out in the big meadow surrounding our set, to pick some daisies, and just to have some peace and quiet, of which I get little these days. I felt like someone was watching me. I turned, and James was standing there, just watching me. His face was like, forever engrained in my memory. I tried so hard, but I couldn’t forget. A few days later, we collided into each other in the glass doorway. We both dropped all our stuff, and fell down." Jane laughed softly, remembering. Her mind in a completely different place.
"I still say you like him!"
"I do not!"
"Whatever, Mum."
"I don’t, and I’m not getting into a ‘yes no’ argument!" They both grinned.
"Are you sure?"
"No!..." Katie bit her lip laughing, and Jane realized what she’d said. "Yes! I’m sure!"
"Too late, you can’t take it back!"
"Darn! I think it’s high past time for you to be in bed young lady!" Katie giggled.
"You just don’t want to admit it." Jane shrugged, neither admitting or denying it. "Alright, I’ll go, but I’m telling you. You like him!"
"Maybe I do.... maybe I don’t!" Katie rolled her eyes.
"Wait! Do you want to run lines with me really quick? I’m sure an extra half hour wouldn’t hurt, would it?" They both began to giggle mischievously.
"Sure!" Katie wouldn’t tell anyone how much she had missed that! Katie picked up the script.
SULLY: Gotta eat.
MIKE: I’m not hungry, thank you.
SULLY: You plan on looking for the boy come sun-up?
MIKE: Of course.
SULLY: Then you better eat, hungry or not.
He thrusts the corn at her again. This time she takes it. He takes one, too, and settles back. They eat in silence for a moment, each fully aware of the night, the fire, their proximity to one another...
MIKE: (wistful) The last time I ate corn-on-the-cob I was sitting on the banks of the River Charles.
SULLY: Where's that?
MIKE: Home.
SULLY: Nope.
Beck sat in Literature class. It was her last hour class of the day, and she really just wanted to go home and disappear off the face of the earth. "Is that really so much to ask?!" Beck wondered helplessly. She sat up straighter in her seat and flipped her long dark brown curls over her shoulders, and tried to pay more attention to the theme of her literature essay, "Tragedy of Dramatic Irony." Beck grimaced, and crumpled up the paper she was writing on and aimed it for the trash basket and shot it. It fed the trash as the previous ten pages had done. " I’d rather write love scenes any day." She whispered under her breath.
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"Got everything you need honey?" David Flynn asked, coming over to the door of the big, sleek, black sedan. Katie crawled out unassisted, and thrust her purse over her shoulder. David took her hands. "Look, sweetie.. I know I’m not really the role model Dad or anything, but none of us..."
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Back in the states, Beck got home and checked the calls on the answering machine. She had another audition that night. Beck had been doing several auditions for small acting roles and modeling. Someday she hoped to go to medical school, but acting was a special passion for her. Another "uncool" mark on her. Acting was not considered cool until you "made the big time," and Beck certainly hadn’t made it. She’d modeled for a few magazines, and had even been in small commercials, but that was the extent of her career so far. This particular audition was for modeling swim suits next summer for a clothing company. She rolled her eyes, realizing she’d never hear the end of that one from the boys at school, should she make the audition cut.
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Katie turned over again in her bed. It was just before tea time, and she was trying to rest a bit. "Oh I forgot... there’s no ‘tea-time’ in America. Well then, 2:30 P.M." She corrected. She opened her journal and carefully, in her best penmanship, began to compose a letter inside.
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Beck turned over in her bed. Saturday morning. "Thank God...no school." She looked at the clock, ten A.M. She got up, and walked over to her window seat. That was her favorite part of her room, well, besides her big canopy bed. She could see her whole neighborhood from this vantage point. Beck thought about going back to sleep, but that was pointless, she was up for good.
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Katie looked around warily, keeping Sean and their luggage as close to her as she could. She wondered where her mother was. She had come into what the flight attendant called, "The Lounge." Lots of other people were waiting here too, and Katie felt a bit uncomfortable, but at least they didn’t swarm her the minute she showed up. She was grateful for a few moments of time alone.
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Beck came into the house, shivering and reaching for the light, the door slamming behind her in the wind. The late Saturday afternoon wind was getting pretty nasty, and it was by now, pouring. Beck had taken the kids to the park. Ryan had ridden his brand new big boy bike, and Beck pushed Avory in the stroller. They had only been there for a little bit, when the storm clouds had gathered. They were nothing like the beautiful, cottony, puffy white clouds which had been inhabiting Malibu earlier in the morning. These clouds were dark and ominous, greenish purple, almost like tornadoes, Beck had thought. She’d gasped, putting her hand over her mouth, and quickly bundled the kids up, and got them home.
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Katie stood in the doorway to the family room, but hadn’t stepped down the two steps into it just yet, because she caught sight of her mother sitting on the couch. She was wearing a beautiful light pink bathrobe and a creamy satin, white nightdress. She was studying something intently. Katie realized it was one of the scripts. Jane turned a page, and looked up, seeing her daughter standing, watching her. "Hey Mum..." she whispered.
SULLY: No way of really knowin'.
MIKE: (tears well) I let Charlotte down.
SULLY: You done your best. Life just has a way of takin' its own course.
He tosses his finished cob into the fireplace and unrolls an Indian blanket. It looks like he's going to cover himself with it, but then he gets up and goes around to drape it around Mike's shoulders. At his touch, she looks up at him. For the first time, she realizes what the uneasy feeling around him has been about. The sexual tension is at last overt. They feel the power of the attraction, as it hangs in the balance between them... Finally, they pull away at the same instant, she wrapping the blanket around her tightly, he returning to his place and hunkering down. He uses his pack for a pillow of sorts and closes his eyes. She curls up on her side and closes her eyes, as well, but after a beat, she opens them, staring across the fire at Sully. After another beat, his eyes open and look right at her. Caught, she quickly turns over, away from the feeling, away from those eyes...
"You were amazing!"
"Really?"
"Yes."
Jane leaned over and hugged her daughter close. Two years was too long! "Now scoot!" Katie grinned, and turned, running up the stairs to her newly furnished bedroom. She’d had a lot of fun shopping that afternoon! It looked like there might be more shopping soon, because she still needed to get "American" clothes! Jane had hinted she might prefer to take a new friend along, but Katie was pretty sure she’d be sticking close to the people she knew, at least for a little while!
Jane stayed on the sofa for several minutes, thinking silently. Whether she wanted them to or not, her thoughts kept drifting to James Keach! "Stop it." She told herself. That did about as much good as having a leaky roof with one bucket and three holes.
"Why oh why can’t I get him out of my head!" The word "Love" passed her mind. "No No! NO! Jane Seymour you are NOT going to do this again. No more! You’ve learned your lesson three times. No way!" Jane had done her best to avoid her attraction to James. She’d kept busy at the set, she’d wrapped herself up in hobbies, and even dated Joe for a bit. None of that had worked, and as much as she really didn’t want to admit it, she’d known when she first got into it that she and Joe would always be "special friends," and that she was merely fooling herself if she thought her obsession with James was a "passing phase" "Get a hold of yourself!" She whispered disgustedly, and flung the script down on the couch, and left to go get ready for bed.
"Mum, I don’t feel so well. I think maybe I need to stay home today," Katie whispered. With an exaggerated sigh, she flopped back on her bed, and pulled the covers over her head. Jane held back her soft laugh, and crossed the room to sit on the edge of Katie’s bed.
"Are you sure it’s not because you’re nervous about your first day at school?"
"Um...Maybe that’s kind of it." Katie whispered, still hiding under the covers.
"Starting school is a big thing, but I bet you’ll find lots of friends. It’ll be just like back home. You’ll see." Jane tried to put on an optimistic front for her daughter.
"NO! it WON’T be the same at all!"
"Why ever do you say that?"
"Because it won’t!" Jane looked up, wondering what to do now. There was silence between them for a moment.
"Tell you what, go on, and if you’re really having a tough time after a week then we could try and see about getting you a tutor for a little while."
"Promise?" Katie whispered, drawing the covers away from her face. She knew it was useless to tell her mother she would have trouble no matter what, and she really didn’t want to worry her, so she merely agreed.
"I promise." They hugged for a second before Katie pushed back the covers, and a rush of slightly nippy, early morning air hit her.
"Mum?"
"Yes?"
"I saw a girl in the window."
"A girl in the window?" Jane raised her eyebrows, wondering what her daughter meant.
"Yesterday morning, when we were getting ready for church."
"Yes, what about it?"
"Well, I was getting on my clothes, and I went over to look out, and when I pulled back the curtain, I could see into the window of the red brick house. The one beside us, the big one."
"And you saw a girl?" Katie nodded.
"Well, kind of."
"Kind of?"
"Well, I saw the hem of her dress, and a flash of dark brown hair, and a hand at the curtain, but when it opened no one was there."
"I think maybe your imagination is running away with you, but it might be nice if she was your age."
"I’m not so sure about that." Katie thought, silently. Nevertheless, she began getting ready for school. Her mother had arranged for her to go to the best high school around, Malibu High, but Katie was still worried. Suppose she was behind in her classes, or what if the kids were mean? What if they teased her or if they..." Katie’s thoughts trailed off into all the things mean seniors could do to freshman students, especially new ones!
Jane seemed to read her daughters thoughts, because she handed Katie a piece of paper. "Here, this is my friend’s daughter. If you need anything ask her. She will help. She’ll make sure you get home from school, and help you get your books and everything."
Katie bit her lip, "Alright." She wondered who her mother’s friend was, but she didn’t have time to find out. School was only 16 blocks, about two miles, and Katie had decided to take her bike. She didn’t want to take any chances that someone might see her mom! "Especially if I’m going to follow through with no one knowing I’m a celebrity’s child." Katie thought, softly. Sure, she knew there were other star’s kids in Malibu, but she doubted any of them actually went to school. They probably had tutors... "Lucky ducks." Katie whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing, I had better get going or I’ll be late."
"Ok, have a good day, Sweetie. Make some friends!" Jane told her, pushing an oatmeal muffin into Katie’s hand before she ran out of the house.
"Eeeeeeek!!!" Someone squealed.
"I can’t believe you actually made the photo shoot!"
"Me either!" Beck could discern the voices of Hollie, Gaylynne, and Chrissy.
"There’s only one problem, girls."
"What’s that?"
"Rebekah Dickey is on as an extra." Beck listened harder to hear what they would say about her, as the girls ventured deeper into the chamber of stinky clothes, and showers.
"Great, Well, you’ll just have to sabotage her. Break it up, anything you have to do. We can’t have her around." Gaylynne instructed.
"We’ll just see about that, Barbie!" Beck whispered with animosity choking her voice. She wouldn’t let Gaylynne, who looked, talked, walked, and acted like the biggest, stuck up, Barbie doll, ruin her one chance. Gaylynne was queen bee at school, and Chrissy and Hollie were her favorite attendants. Together they were the worst! Beck shivered at the prospect of doing battle with them. She shot the trio of cheerleaders one last glance, and noiselessly left the locker room.
"Solve for x=3 and y=x+3 using the slope intercept method." There was a moment of silence. "Beck?" Beck finally looked up. Mrs. Clark, her algebra teacher, stood before her, holding out a piece of chalk.
"Yes?" Beck asked, still a little out of it. She’d been planning ways to keep the three stooges from destroying her life, not focusing on the slope intercept method, and whatever it involved. The class tittered softly, and Beck flushed.
"Sorry." She whispered, and took the chalk, going to the board, she wrote the problem, and scanned the text book in her hand for the passage that instructed on the slope intercept. Luckily, it wasn’t too hard. Beck quickly graphed out the ordered pairs, and found the correct answer. "You have to pay more attention." She scolded herself silently.
“Umph!!” Beck exclaimed as she went sprawling onto her face in the slick marble hall.
“I said I wanted to talk to you!” hissed an all too familiar voice. Gaylynne stood above her. Beck turned over and sat up, grabbing her books.
“What about.”
“You know what about! The new girl, dummy! You better make sure you stay far away from her or you’re going to regret it. Big time. I saw her cheerleading routine today with coach. She’s good, and she’s ours!”
“Fiine..” Beck whispered under her breath as Gaylynne stalked away. Beck shook her head. What new girl? The latest new girl she knew about was Natalie Williams, and she was new at the beginning of school last year. Beck shook her head, stood up, and walked away, not yet putting two and two together.
The bell rang again, and it was time for lunch. Beck dutifully turned and placed her books inside her locker, got her lunch, and walked toward the cafeteria. She walked over to the large table she typically sat at, with her friends - Well, kind of. They could really have done without her, but they tolerated her presence, and they were the only ones Beck really felt comfortable enough hanging around with. But when she came up to the table, Laurie Majors was sitting in her seat. “Um hi..” Beck said, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
“Oh hi.. Sorry, cheerleading meeting.” Hollie, Gaylynne, and Chrissy spoke up, plunking their trays down on the table beside Kelsey and Katie who, though were Beck’s alright friends, were cheerleaders.
“Oh! Uh, alright.. I’ll just be uh over… here.” Beck stuttered, backing away. She looked around. Where would she sit?! There was the geek table, or the slut table, or the nerd table, No! those wouldn’t do! Finally and quite resignedly, Beck sat down at an empty table in a deserted corner of the lunch room. She hung her head in her hands and sighed.
Just as she was about to pick up her lunch and go and eat with her mom in her office she heard a voice say, “May I sit here?”
Beck had never heard a voice like that before! Her head shot up. The voice was soft, and very quiet, so quiet she almost didn’t hear. There was a definite English accent. It was beautiful, the voice of an angel, just like its owner! Beck’s eyes got wide when she saw her.
The girl who’d spoken wasn’t very tall, but she certainly wasn’t short. She was quite tiny in the waist, and her long auburn curls were past her waist. She had crystal clear blue eyes, and her complexion was smooth and creamy white with the perfect blush. She was rather dressed up but…She was the picture of perfection! Just then, Beck realized this was the new girl they were all talking about! She still hadn’t realized this girl was the one moving into the house next to her.
“Sure… what’s your name?”
“Katie…”
“Pleased to meet you, I’m Rebekah, Beck for short.” Beck said, holding out her hand. Katie looked at her a little strangely and stepped a bit closer. Beck realized it was English custom to kiss cheeks in greeting, so more then a little awkwardly she did so. Then she offered her hand to shake, and the girls sat down.
“So….you’re from England, right?”
“Yes.” Katie stirred her disgusting looking meat and sauce around in her lunch tray.
“How long have you been here?”
“A couple of days.”
“Cool. So why’d your family move from England to a place like this?”
“Umm…Because we came to be with other family.” Katie said, carefully evading the whole truth. Well, they had come to be with other family, their mum.
“So, do you have your transcript and green slip yet? I’ll help you find your classes and stuff.”
“Transcript?”
“Oh sorry, grade card and class schedule. Oh you’re a Freshman right?” In reply Katie merely nodded. Gee whiz she was quiet! Maybe it was just an “English thing.”
“Do you know anyone named Jennie?”
“Yep… I know four Jennie’s, which one are you looking for?”
“Jennie Keach.”
“Uh…” Beck’s mind was at a standstill. She had no idea who Jennie Keach was, but she didn’t want to lose Katie. “I’m sorry… I don’t know her.”
“Oh, it’s alright… I’ll find her.”
“No, wait! I’ll help!” Beck said, shoving her uneaten lunch back in the her lunch bag, and chasing Katie up to where she was putting away her tray. Just then, Beck caught Gaylynne’s eye. Chrissy and Hollie were starring her down also. “Uh oh… here comes trouble.”
“What?”
“Oh um… nothing!” Beck said, then thought, “Nothing but the fact that I was informed not to speak to you! And that I’m as well as dead and buried whenever they catch me alone again.”
“Where’re we going?” Katie asked , as Beck led her down the twisty turning, labyrinth like halls of Malibu High.
“Where’s you’re first class?”
“Ummm a Mrs. Grouchstick.” Beck rolled her eyes and sighed.
“What’s the matter?”
“I hate to give you such a horrible first impression!” Beck said.
“She can’t be that bad…can she? There must be something good about her.”
“Nothing…but you won’t be alone. I have her next hour as well. Come on, let’s find Jennie while It’s lunch hour. We have almost an hour because neither one of us ate.”
“Alright.” They walked down the hall a ways. It was at that moment they ran smack into Gaylynne, and Chrissy.
“Time for trouble…” Beck whispered.
“Hello there, Katie. As president of the varsity cheerleading squad I just wanted to welcome you on behalf of my team.”
“Oh.. Thank you..”
“Well, have a nice day now.” They walked off, brushing by Beck. Gaylynne whispered. “You’re dead.. Got that?”
They continued on down the hall toward the guidance office. “Come on.. Let’s hurry, before they get back from work.” Beck urged, slipping the door open, and hurriedly dropping onto the floor.
“What’re you doing?!”
“Sneaking into the transcripts of course…What did you think I was doing?”
“Beck! “
“What?”
“What if we get caught!”
“We won’t.”
“And if we do?!”
“Well, then the guidance counselor is my mom…look don’t worry.. Just come on!”
“Fine.” Katie got down on her knees and crawled across the floor behind Beck, hardly believing she was doing it. They got about halfway to the big metal filing cabinet when the door opened.
“Alright, Tonya, I’ll get on those right away.”
“Shooot…” Beck whispered. “It’s Mark! Get under the desk!” She whispered, frantically. Mark was the other guidance counselor and her mother and he shared a workspace. They each had an office there, as did the nurse. Beck practically dragged Katie under the desk. Katie was too stunned to argue. They sat silently for a moment. It seemed hours before they heard Mark leave the office.
“Come on… we better get out of here!” Katie suggested uneasily.
“No.. we’ll just have to hurry.” Beck told her decidedly. She was not backing out now. She grabbed some keys from her Mother’s desk and opened the K drawer. She searched for what seemed hours before she found the one. “Ah ha!” She said, pulling it out.
“Mark?” said a voice from just outside the door.
“Shoot.. It’s my mom! Come on!” Beck whispered. She shoved the file into her Aero sweater, and stood up. Katie reluctantly did as well.
“Hi! Nice to see you!” Her mom greeted Beck. “What were you doing on the floor?”
“Oh… looking for my pen, but I found it.”
“Alright.. I’ll see you tonight honey.”
Beck led Katie out of the office, and as soon as they were out of hearing distance Katie whispered, “What a cool lie you can tell!”
“Not really a lie. I was looking for my pen too. I lost it in there the other day. I just didn’t tell what else we were doing in there. I’m an actress after all.” Katie caught her breath. Maybe she could have something in common with this girl yet! “In here!” Beck whispered, pulling Katie into the girls’ bathroom.
“What’re we doing in here?”
“Hiding…we’re not supposed to be ‘roaming the halls at lunch.’” Katie remained silent. Beck flipped open the folder.
Parental Signature:
They were both silent a moment. "That’s the scene." Jane whispered, taking back the script.
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"Briiinnnggg..." Beck shot up. She gave her heart a chance to stop pounding. She realized she was twisted in the sheets and broken out in a cold sweat. It took her a few minutes to remember why. There were a few. For one, if the new neighbors were now settled in, maybe if they had a 14 year old girl she would go to Beck’s school! After all, it was Monday! She had her first modeling shoot the next day. It was only the first of about 4 or 5 she’d need to be in attendance for, and plus that day they would be getting grade cards. "A Lot to be nervous about." She whispered, climbing out of her soft, warm bed. Little did Beck know just how much of a red letter day this was going to be!
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"Katie...time to get up." Jane said, softly, peeking into her daughter’s room. Katie turned over and sat up.
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"...And I’m going to be modeling for the Penny’s catalog and everything!" Beck walked into the locker room to change clothes for p.e. just in time to hear a voice say. She stopped immediately, with her hand on the door, ready to run if she needed to.
Keach, Jennie, E.
Age: 17
Sex: Female
DOB: August 15, 1976
GPA: 5.0
Grade Level: Senior
Schools: Aqueous Jr. High Academy, Memorial Elementary,
Meanwhile, in the locker room. Gaylynne, Chrissy, and Hollie were having their own little… meeting.
Beck and Katie just about both died. They were looking at different things. Beck was looking at the fact that whomever Jennie Keach was she was three years older almost four and a senior to their freshman rank! Katie, meanwhile, was having her own shock. Her Mum had told her Jennie was the daughter of a friend…this meant the friend was a man… She felt like crying.