lost and found

May 2082 - (2081/82 school year update)

*** note: there are a LOT of kids in these school updates, so remember to use the database and school enrollment page if you need it ***

"You can get pregnant! And you, and you, and you!" Jodie points to each one of them. Liza Hathe shivers, shakes her head and says under her breath, "Eeew!"

Given a recent surprise baby boom in Lake County, Jodie Larson has been asked to give a talk on birth control to the junior and senior high school students. Even though the trend is mostly happening with grown women who should know better, these are the next generation's grown women, so they figure maybe they'll educate before they get that far.

Jodie says, "Having a baby is kind of like a jail sentence, at any age. But having an oops baby when you're young is like death row! Your life is over, ladies!"

"Lucy probably didn't tell you yet, did she?" Sarah says to her cousin Melissa. Melissa shakes her head. "He wants to study abroad. It's like, on the other side of the world! She's been crying since yesterday morning, like, without stopping. I've never seen anybody cry so much!"

Jodie continues as the girls mostly ignore her.

"And these boys will tell you anything to get in your panties, trust me, ladies! I've been there! And once they've gotten what they want, they'll drop you like a cold fish for some cute little hippie tart!"

Summer and April are a little old for this lecture. They already know this stuff, and if they didn't, they'd really be in trouble by now! But all junior and senior high school girls, from all three school districts, are required to attend. So instead of taking notes, they're talking about Beau Jackson, and precisely, they're discussing the impossible alternate reality where Tyler doesn't exist, and where they'd love to be the bread in a Beau Jackson sandwich!

Melissa overhears this and sighs. "I'll never forget Beau Jackson."

Melissa says, "Do you think he's here? Do you think I might see him?"

Sarah says, "I guess you might, you know, since he goes to school here and everything."

The junior high schoolers are sufficiently mortified, which was exactly the intended result. Hopefully that'll keep their panties on for a good long while.

Jodie says, "You can get pregnant if he loves you, or if he doesn't. You can get pregnant if he only puts it in for a minute, or pulls out before he's done! You can get pregnant! Even if it's your first time, or on your period, or in the water...!"

Summer says, "So you guys did it in the lake then? How was that?"

"It's fun for the experience and all," April says. "But it's actually kind of uncomfortable. You know, a girl needs certain things not to be washed away? We've had better."

***

Lucy misses the birth control talk because she's busy crying in the bathroom. She's crying because she saw Dallas waiting for her by her locker that morning, and just the sight of him broke her heart all over again.

She found out about the scholarship from her snotty little sister, of all people! She read it in the newspaper, and maybe Sarah is the only thirteen year-old in the world who reads the Sunday morning newspaper, but she does, and it was there. Congratulations to Dallas Deppiesse, a full academic scholarship to Takemizu Academy. Congratulations indeed.

He showed up that morning still wearing his pajamas, evidently after he'd read it himself in the newspaper. Pajamas with flip-flops on his feet. She only asked him one thing, "Is it true?" And he said yes. He tried to say more, like how it would be okay, and like how much he loved her, but she couldn't hear it. He is actually leaving, and she just can't hear anything else right now.

And then he comes into the bathroom. "You can't be in here," she says.

"I don't care about that," he says.

He hugs her. Her body is dead weight, but she doesn't push away from him. "You have to talk to me," he says, but she doesn't say anything.

She sent her dad out yesterday to tell him to go home, that she didn't want to talk to him. Dallas doesn't fight, and he certainly wasn't about to fight her dad. But her dad isn't here right now, and he doesn't care about stupid bathroom rules. There are things he should have told her already, and he feels like an idiot that he didn't. So he's going to say them now.

"Please talk to me," he says.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know," he says. "Well, listen to me then."

"I've been thinking about this a long time," he says.

"I bet you have," she says.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have a plan. This can work. It's two years, and you'll still be finishing high school. I would be going away to college anyway."

"LCU is twenty minutes away."

"Lucy, LCU isn't even in the same league. It's scary, I know, but I want you to trust me. I think this could work."

"You think?" she says. "Did you think about if it doesn't?"

She leaves him there.

The problem is, even if it's a fine plan, she sees straight through the hazy two years in the middle. It's a toss-up, and he knows it too. It's a blind tunnel - they'll head into it, feel their way towards the open end, but who knows how they'll change, and how they'll come out when it's all done?

Hazel Monif is startled to find a boy in the girls' bathroom. She says, "Did you get lost or something? You're in the wrong bathroom, duh!"

***

Bluewater Township Schools:

With the addition of two new preschool students, Bluewater Township Schools' blooming student population is up to six. So they fill their space sometimes with transfer students from traveling families, like this clown that took Robbie's usual lunch seat with Liza and Fiona. And instead, he's oh so pleased to be eating with that annoying Tinker girl, his little brother, and his mom!

Connor McCullough and Shaun Hathe are the new preschoolers at Bluewater this year.

A lot of boys love Fiona McCullough, but this one is different. Eli is one of their transfer students, and she might never see him again after this year, which is a tragedy, because Fiona McCullough just might be in love! She might even forget about falling in love with Charlie Roseland... but seriously, she handed him over to Natty-patty on a silver platter, and what does she do with him but sit around talking about her dad?

Anyway, Eli's family is in town for the year, and she may never see him again after this summer. He swears to her, when he is older, and maybe has a credit card or something, he'll come back for her! He says, "If I had thirty dollars, I would totally buy you one of those rings at Walmart, you know the ones that look like diamonds, but aren't?"

Fiona says, "And I would totally wear it for you, baby!"

It isn't unusual that Robbie and Liza end up in the principal's office. This time, they were assigned to collect bugs for science class and went missing from school grounds for three hours!

Meadow says, "There are strangers out there, you could be hurt! Your parents entrust you to us!"

Robbie wants to tell the truth, but Liza told him it wasn't going to help any. But he says it anyway, "We were looking for ghosts." But Meadow stands there, unmoved by the confession.

Liza is thinking, I told him that wouldn't work.

"It was her idea," Robbie added. "She wanted to see a stupid ghost!"

"Elizabeth Hathe! You should know better!"

Robbie feels bad, you're not supposed to snitch on your friends, are you?

"No," he says. "It's my fault. I got us lost. Really lost!"

Liza says, "You know, you're a really bad liar." Robbie just shrugs his shoulders.

It's neither the first nor the last time they'll wait in the principal's office, long into the evening hours, for their parents to come pick them up from detention. Maybe they'd stop getting detentions if they didn't have so much fun getting into trouble together.

***

Lake City Schools:

Elliot is a new student at the Lake City School, and he joins Devon in the preschool class. Meadow is teaching them to swim!

Melissa Fortney is also a new student this year, and her big task in a new school has been making friends. She's been harassing April especially, though she doesn't really consider it harrassment. She just figured maybe they might have some things in common since they both think so highly of Beau Jackson. Really she just wants to make some new friends. But April doesn't seem to think they have so much in common.

Melissa actually has better luck with Beau's ex-girlfriend, Yvette.

Yvette says, "So, do you like it here so far?"

Melissa says, "I miss my friends a little."

She's really nice though, and it's too bad she's graduating this week.

Strangely, Melissa gets along best with a smarmy little fifth-grader - Angelo Shaw. He's the one pursuing this friendship though, and seems to even have a school-boy's crush on her! He's three years younger and claims he's going to be a sports star when he grows up. Either that or a rock star, he can't decide yet. Or maybe an actor.

Angelo says, "Wait, don't go baby, I just wanted to say you're looking divine!"

Melissa laughs. "Who taught you to talk like that? What a funny little kid you are."

He says, "I'm not that little, I'm starting junior high next year."

He's got a lot to learn about charm though...

***

Lakeside Heights Schools:

Even Hazel doesn't know what she's doing here!

But Dallas knows exactly what he's doing! Which is, doing a terrible job of leaving Lucy alone like she asked. She can see him in her peripheral vision, finding an awkward stance. She says, "What are you doing?"

Dallas says, "What does it look like? I'm doing ballet!"

She can't help it, she starts to smile. And he claims he's not funny?

For the record, she's still mad, but he's just such an irresistible dork! She doesn't even realize she's laughing until he says, "I can hear you laughing."

And it's the truth, she is laughing. He makes her heart smile, whether she wants it to or not.

She closes her eyes because she just can't look at him right now. Looking at him reminds her that in thirteen months, she might lose him forever. Isn't that the reality of letting him go, that he might choose not to come back?

But she reaches back and slides her fingers over his. She doesn't need to look to know that he stops still, that his pulse races a little, or that his breathing calms. She can feel the guilt lift up from his shoulders, and she wants it to - it's not his fault he's ridiculously smart. And if anyone deserves this scholarship, he does.

"But I'm still not talking to you yet," she says.

"It's okay," he says. "You don't have to."

***

The seniors graduate on a Saturday afternoon in late May. Beau knew that Yvette would be here since she's graduating this year too. It's been a year since she dumped him flat on his butt, and he expected to see her again here, but he didn't expect it to feel like ten pounds of rocks in his gut. Especially in that dress. She looks so soft and bare-shouldered, and maybe some of the shock is that she always used to cover up in those big thick sweaters. He used to have to beg her to even get into a bathing suit in the summertime.

"Wow, look at you, Beau. You look great," she says, seeming a bit surprised herself. "Hey, do you think we could talk, or something?"

He doesn't need permission from April to talk to a girl, but he looks at her anyway, and she tells him to go.

He says, "So you're not going to college?"

"No," she says. "I got a job at County Hall." She laughs. "I mean, in the cashier's office."

"Well, maybe I'll see you some time, to pay a parking ticket or something."

"Yeah, maybe you could see me without getting a parking ticket. You know, you'll be in the city, I'll be in the city, why don't you call me? Or is she...?"

"April? She's, ummm..." He doesn't know how to define what April is, exactly. "Yeah, you know what, I'll call you."

This is unlike him, but he can't help blurting out, "I loved you."

"What?"

"Yeah, I did," he says. "I didn't know it then, but afterwards I figured it out. I did love you."

"You don't have to say that."

"Well, I think I was supposed to say it before, so like, backdated, or something."

"A backdated I love you?" She laughs at him. "Well I can't say I've ever had one of those before. So, call me then?"

"I will," he says.

When he comes back inside, April's face is all contorted. "What's the face for? What, you don't like Evie?"

April loses the scowl and starts to smile. "Evie? You call her Evie now? No, I was just thinking about the burglar the other night. I told you about that."

"Yeah," he says.

"That was scary. I think I might have nightmares. And it's an old building, I think we might have ghosts too. We have owls, and their hoots are really spooky. Maybe you should come sleep in my bed tonight, would Evie mind?"

"You're such a freak," he says.

The boys invite their family and friends to the ceremony, and Summer's family too. High school graduation might be a given for some people, but these boys worked really hard for this, and everyone is proud.

Beau Jackson, graduating with a C+, and heading to LCU to study business with a scholarship in sales.

Tyler Jackson, graduating with a C-, and going to LCU on a soccer scholarship.

Also graduating this year, April Hutchins and Yvette Bachman.

The proud parents! Their grocery bill is about to get a whole lot lighter!

And a very proud girlfriend. Tyler says, "I'm glad you came."

Summer kneads her fingers into the hair at his neck. "You weirdo," she says. "Why wouldn't I come to your graduation?"

"I don't know. You're acting weird lately. Like you have six weeks left to live or something."

But Tyler forgets that he's not supposed to make death jokes with Summer. "I'm sorry," he says. "I forgot." He would feel really bad actually, except that this time she is laughing too.

Ah, noogie love, people, noogie love!

And one more noogie, for old time's sake, because you know, grown-ups don't do this kind of thing. We're sure they'll find other shenanigans to get into.

***

notes: OMG, I can't stop laughing at that picture of Hazel with the bear! What is she doing??? LOL!

Dallas came up with that ballet scene all on his own, the charming little booger! :)
And OMG, Angelo Shaw next year! TROUBLE, just let me tell you! Just wait until you see his personality goodies! He is his father's son, and that's all I'll say for right now ;)

We're going to have a HUGE grow-up post in September! We'll have three in college, five in junior high, and three in preschool! Fun!

And I don't have April in the database yet (I will soon), but in case you're wondering, she is romance/pleasure, which you might have guessed given her carefree romantic nature ;)

Beau, silly boy, dropping bombshells like that! For the record, he did love Yvette when they were dating (and thus, still does since they never exactly had a real break-up), and he does love April whether he knows it yet or not. Beau is still a little clueless in the love department, and I don't think it's about to get any easier for him any time soon ;)

*** so many funny bloopers, but this is so long already! ***

This is how mad Lucy is. Dallas says, it's okay, she's not very strong ;)

Yes, Summer and Tyler are that hot!