Chapter One: The Partier The scene jumps to a page of a year book, inside is a picture of a blonde teen, he had a toned body, and wore a white, blue and grey flannel shirt with distressed denim jeans, under the picture read the following. “Life is all about giving you lemons. You just need to know when and how to use them. Life can be the sweetest adventure, all you have to do is taste it!”
“It isn’t just another school Tobi. This is one of the finest high schools in the world.” A middle-aged woman of explained as she cut into her chicken breasts. Sitting across from her was a teenaged boy. He had dark buzz-cut hair and deep brown eyes.
The teen put on his best puppy-dog eyes, “but mom! It’s my first high school party! I have to go! Everyone is going to be there! I’m like, the only freshman that was invited, if I don’t go they might make the next four years a living nightmare for me!”
“Uh-huh. Then maybe next time you shouldn’t ask for permission. Now stop sassing your mother and eat your rice.” His mom teased.
The boy shoved his fork into the small pile of rice, “but mom!”
“Don’t make me use your full name Tobi, because I will! You are not attending a party the night before the first day of school! I’ll be checking up on you tonight, and if you aren’t in your bed… You don’t even want to know what I’ll do. Understood?”
“Yes mother.” He chewed his food. “Your cooking is really good tonight mom.” Tobi’s mother stared deep into her sons eyes. “No? Not working? I’m just gonna go,” Tobi excused himself from the table, “and shower. It’s going to be a big day tomorrow, right?”
The scene changes to an office. A young woman sat in an office chair, wearing a teal dress. Her legs were crossed and rested on desk. “What do you mean you missed your flight?” She half-yelled. “You NEED to be here for tomorrow! Classes start tomorrow! If you’re not here who will teach your classes?” Her legs kicked a framed award that read “best ravioli in the country” off of the desk.
A foreign voice spoke back to her over the phone, “I can catch the next one! I will be there! Please don’t yell! The bus had a flat tire so I was not able to make it to the airport in time!” “If you’re not here tomorrow consider yourself fired. This is the year that Trusted Duty high becomes number one in the world. And we need the best of the best! And you of course.”
“Thank you- wait!”
“Be here, or be square. Got it?” The woman hung up the phone. “Incompetent.” She stood up from the office chair and picked up the award from the ground, and wiped it clean using a tissue. She smiled to herself as she read the award. “Nobody cooks ravioli better than me, and soon, nobody will run a high school better!” The principal stared at her male assistant who was leaning against the door frame. “Can I help you?
He shrugged, “just waiting for the evil laugh.”
“Why did I even hire you?”
“No clue, but you’re stuck with me now!” He grinned. The scene jumps to local-treasure, the Hildestad Town House. A fit teen was setting up a beer keg. He looked around the dining hall, a stereo was set up in the corner ready to blast the music when the guests arrived. The blonde teen reached into the mini fridge and pulled out a can of beer and pressed it open. “What are you doing Sam?” A younger, more innocent voice asked.
“Ashley? Why aren’t you with mom and dad at Grandma’s?”
The girl had brown hair tied up in french braid, “I was studying for school, and it’s the first day tomorrow. What are you doing?” She asked again, accusingly.
Sam blushed, he wore a long-sleeve baseball tee, the pastel yellow and light grey seemed to highlight his tanned skin. “Why are you studying if school hasn’t –“ he shook his head, “never mind. I can’t believe we’re even related. I’m having the first party of the year, gotta start my senior year with a bang!”
“Yes, because having a party is the perfect way to start the year, who cares about your education.” Ashley rolled her eyes.
“Just go study in your room or whatever, ok?” Sam shoed his 8th grade sister out of the room.
As she left, Ashley grabbed a bowl of chips, “fine, I was planning on it anyways.”
The scene changed to the bedroom of freshman student, his walls were decorated with swimming medals. The teen laid in his bed texting Tobi, his youth was very apparent; he had a young-looking front comb-over, with plush cheeks. He was short, but tanned. “We need to find a way to distract our parents.” The swimmer texted.
A reply came back shortly, “we could just go? I mean really, what’s the worst that could happen?”
The boy in his bed sighed, “my parents would kill me!”
“Mine wouldn’t.”
“You can’t go without me!”
“Just sneak out! Come on Jax!”
“Fine. But if this goes wrong I’m never going to talk to you again!”
Jackson’s phone went off one last time, “meet you there at 10.” The teen stared at his phone, he couldn’t believe that he was about to do this.
“Jackson! Come down here honey! Grandma’s here! And she wants to wish you good luck for your big day tomorrow!” Jax’s mom yelled. The teen bit his lip, and looked at the time, 9:50. The scene returned to the school. “Comeon Amy, we’ve done all we can today! Let’s get some rest, the opening ceremonies will go on without a hitch!” The principal’s assistant declared.
“Mr. Saint, tomorrow the doors will open here at TD high for a new year. Students from across the globe will wander these halls. Everything must be perfect- going on without a hitch is not good enough.” Mrs. Sunshine said.
Zach shook his head, “it will be perfect. The theme this year is impossible not to love. The freshmen we invited to attend are the very best-of-the-best, and the new teaching staff is without a doubt more talented than any other school!” He eased his boss from her chair, “tomorrow will be perfect.”
“But-“ she tried to protest, but Zach refused to listen.
“You are going to go into your car and drive home. And I’ll see you here again tomorrow morning.”
The scene jumped to the busy Hildestad house, sounds blasting from the windows and beams of light dancing along the walls. Inside, teens from the renowned T.D High school danced and drank to the music. Most were seniors from the school, but there were students who were deemed ‘cool’ enough from all grade levels present. “Sick party Sam!” A teen dressed in bright colours declared, chugging down a glass of hot-pink vodka, his choice in clothes meant he could only be Dakota.
“Thanks man! Don’t forget to vote for me for school president!” He grinned handing a red cup, filled with beer to someone who just walked into the house. “This is great,” he thought to himself.
Outside of the party-house, Tobi stared at his watch, “come on Jackson, where are you? It’s ten after already!” The soccer player turned around in defeat, but walked straight into an incredibly tall teen with a jewfro. “Sorry!”
The taller teen seemed unfazed, “no worries, but the party’s this way,” he laughed as he slowly dragged Tobi into the party. A group of teens waved the tall teen over, “well cya. Have fun!”
“Where’s your friend lil’guyyyyy,” Sam slurred, as he pulled Tobi onto the couch. “It’s rude not to come to a Hildestad partyyyyy!”
Tobi gulped, the smell of alcohol coming off of the senior was strong, “He said he was coming!”
“Well he better! But hereeeeee,” Sam passed Tobi a red cup, “it’ll help pass the timeeee!” After he gave Tobi the drink, he collapsed into his lap.
A piercing voice yelled at Tobi. “What do you think you’re doing with my boyfriend!? You think because he’s drunk you can take advantage of him like that?! Huh?” The voice belonged to an incredibly small-build teen. He tried to pull Tobi off of the couch, but the tall teen from before stopped him.
“Draven,” he started, but after Draven’s eyes tried to kill him on the spot he corrected himself, “Dra.” He lifted his hands to calm him, “chill. I doubt that this kid wanted to sleep with Sam or anything. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” While the teen defended his life, Tobi ran for the stairs and rushed into the first door he saw, disregarding the sock on the knob.
Inside a blond teen straddled her full clothed boyfriend, “and then what?” she whispered.
“I don’t know Sarah…” he panted staring at the skimpy clothes his girlfriend wore.
Tobi’s eyes went wide and he mouthed the word ‘oops’ before sneaking out of the bedroom and into the next door. His eyes went wide once again. The walls in this room were covered with black and white pictures; some of bridges and towers, others of people or animals. In the centre of the room was a round bed, with a city-scape blanket wrapped around a teenaged girl. “The party’s that way,” she pointed to the door.
Tobi frowned, “I know.”
Ashley gulped, “I don’t know what you want then?” She looked up from her political science text book.
“I don’t know either.” The soccer player turned around, and began to walk out of the room. “Wait!” Ashley shouted, and pulled out the bowl of chips from beneath the blanket, “want some?” She offered. Tobi smiled and joined Ashley on the bed.
Outside of house, Jax walked up the driveway, “way to go grandma, now I’m late,” he growled and looked at his phone, but Tobi still hadn’t replied.
“What are you doing here?” A bratty voice asked. Jackson turned around and saw Nate, a freshman with a notorious reputation.
“I was invited,” Jackson replied coldly, trying to distance himself from the teen- but to no success. They reached the door together, and it opened.
Sam leaned against the doorframe for support, “Jackson! It’s abouuut timeee! Common on in!” He swaggered, spilling some of his drink. Jax took a step inside and saw everyone drinking and dancing. “But not you. You are on my do-not-let-in-list.” Sam laughed.
“What list?! You’re lying!” Nate yelled.
The senior laughed again, and lifted his tee, revealing his smooth torso, the words “DO NOT ADMIT NATE” were scribbled across his abs in black sharpie.
“But my dad’s a cop!”
Dakota joined the conversation, “before or after he was brainwashed by aliens?” Nate screamed and left the house, heading home.
Jax was in awe at everything happening around him. A teenaged boy was making out with Sam- Jackson thought that he might be the boy who used to date the teen whose family died in the fire last year, but he wasn’t sure. Asides from that one face, Jackson didn’t recognize anyone. He walked to the stairs, sat down and pulled out his phone. “Where are you?” he texted to his best friend.
The scene jumped to a different country. A young Brazilian man is shown on a plane heading towards Halifax, Nova Scotia. He had long dark hair, restrained with a band. On his lap he had a briefcase. “I can’t believe I got the job! I can’t believe my first real job is at such an amazing school! The man peeked around to make sure that no one was watching him, as he opened the briefcase and kissed a plush manatee inside. “We can do this!”
The scene changed over to the rooftop of Nate’s house. He stared intently through his telescope. But tonight, he didn’t stare up at the sky, instead it was pointed straight at the Hildestad townhouse. Where the flashing blue and red lights of police cars seemed to blend in with the lights raging from inside. “Told you my dad was cop,” he scoffed.
The officers had all the doors blocked off, so that the party guests could not leave before giving their names. “What are you going to do to us?” Sam asked, watching as his friends were escorted out of his house.
The officer laughed, “we’re just going to give your names over to that lovely principal of yours. I’m sure she’ll love to know which students are responsible for ruining the big ceremony tomorrow. We’ve checked the kegs,” he laughed again, “there’s no way you kids will be able to walk right when it comes to tomorrow. I’m sure Amy has an on-point punishment for you kids.”
As Dakota was escorted out of the house he shouted, “her real name isn’t even Amy!” Upstairs, a police officer knocked on the door to Ashley’s room. “Come in,” she replied. When the door opened and a cop walked in she rolled her eyes, “way to go Sam. Mom’s going to kill you.”
“You weren’t part of the party right?” The man asked. Ashley shook her head, “and him?”
Tobi’s face lost all of its colour, “he was helping me study!” Ashley smiled.
“But school hasn’t even-“ Ashley glared at Tobi, “oh right,” he gulped, “studying.”
“Well you should get home now, it’s late, and school starts tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” Tobi smiled, as the police officer escorted him out of the room.
The scene returned to the yearbook page, underneath the message from before was the rest of the message, “but sometimes you just need to know when a lemon is going to taste sour- or you’re in for a hell of a surprise ~Sam Hildestad”