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“Morgan Smith, please come to the office. Morgan Smith, to the office!” I looked up, at Morgan, raising an eyebrow. We were in the middle of 3rd hour, homeroom, and I had been sketching on her cast, while she rambled on about our upcoming Government essay.

“Someone’s in trouuuuuubleee!” I snickered, quietly, as she stood and gathered her books. “Hey, leave those and I’ll grab them, after class.” I smiled. Sean and I had been helping her, all morning, with her things, since she couldn’t really carry them with a broken arm.

“Thanks, Bay,” she grinned back, before grabbing, just, her notebook and heading out the door. After the bell rang, I stopped at her locker and dialed her combination, before setting her books inside. I snatched her Algebra book, as Sean approached me. Normally, the three of us had Algebra together, but Morgan wasn’t out of the office, yet.

“So, do you know what she’s in for?” Sean asked, as we carried our lunch trays, to our table. Algebra passed by agonizingly slow and I was thankful when the lunch bell rang.

“Not a clue.” I sighed, as we sat down. I bit into my pizza, listening to Sean ramble. Okay, I wasn’t really listening, but I was good at faking it.

“Hey,” Morgan huffed, sitting down by me.

“Morgan!” Sean smiled widely. I couldn’t help it, at this point; I just let it all out. Maybe my timing wasn’t good, but this was when I told them everything about the big trip, to the farm, for spring break. Explaining the situation, and reasons behind is, irritated me all over again. Sean just snickered, no doubt, at the idea of me on a farm. Morgan’s eyes popped out of their sockets. I was ready for her ‘it’s the right thing to do’ lecture.

“WHAT?!?! Are you serious? He can’t do that! That is the most absurd, preposterous thing I have ever heard! How can he be that inequitable? It’s a completely demented thing, to force something that doltish on you! What is he thinking? Just because he has legal guardianship, doesn’t mean he can be so atrocious, just handing out unconscionable demands! Why do adults think they can be so prodigious, like we don’t even get a say in our own lives! It’s ludicrous and…and…and thickheaded and…and harebrained! Every last one of them are farcical and it’s completely unfair! I can’t take the incredulous things they decide to force on us, just because they can! It’s just plain irrational malarkey!!!!”

“Wow,” I looked at her, in amazement. It wasn’t exactly the response I was expecting, from her. “Even when she throws a temper tantrum, she sounds smarter than us!”

“I am NOT smarter than you! I’m not smarter than ANYone! This is all a bunch of poppycock! Won’t everyone just lay off the ‘smart girl’ crap? I am so sick of being a geek! As a matter of fact, I’m going to join the cheerleading team!”

“Wait,” Sean grabbed her arm, as she started to stand. “I’m confused. I thought poppies were plants…I didn’t think plants had cocks.”

“Yeah. And, besides that, it’s cheerleading squad, not cheerleading team.” I added, watching Morgan’s face.

“Aaaaah!” Her face turning shades of red that I had never seen. I watched her storm off, in the direction of the cheerleaders.

“Um…do you think she’ll be even more upset when she finds out that tryouts are looooooong over?” Sean questioned, popping a chip into his mouth.

“Actually, they’re holding tryouts next week. Didn’t you hear? Samantha flunked out, in three classes, and got kicked off the squad. I thought I told you that.”

“Oh yeah, you did, and Jimbo was talking about that, too. He dated her last semester, you know.” Sean lifted an eyebrow as we watched Morgan interact with the cheerleaders. “I can’t imagine her, as a cheerleader.”

“I don’t think anyone can, Sean. I’m not sure what’s going on, with her…my issues with Nick have never set her off, like that, before.” I let my fingers comb through my curls, as I contemplated the situation. “It has something to do with whatever happened, in the office. It has to, there’s no other explanation.”

“Agreed. But, how are we going to get her to calm down enough, to talk to us?” Sean looked at me, before returning his gaze to her. We both let out a long sigh, just as the warning bell rang.

I tried to talk to Morgan, off and on, all day, but it was useless. She was doing everything to avoid the topic and would just change the subject. After school was no different, she was even slacking, when it came to our homework. Overall, she was not acting like herself, at all.

“What do you think her deal is?” Sean asked, from his position, on my bed, the following day. “You think it’s something big?”

“Beats me. I haven’t gotten her to talk, either,” I shrugged, sifting through my desk drawer. I told Mason that I would let him borrow my protractor, but I couldn’t, for the life of me, find it.

“Maybe one of us should talk to Lisa,” he suggested. “Something is seriously wrong with her…she’s gonna try out for cheerleading!!”

“I know, Sean. The tryouts are next Monday!” I slammed the drawer, before opening another. A soft knock tapped on my door. “Enter!” I shouted, not looking up.

“Did you find it, Baylee? I really need it to finish my homework!” He sighed.

“I’m sorry Mase, I haven’t found it yet. Why do you need it so bad? I thought you had one.” I spun around in my desk chair, gliding across my room, to the other desk. I had been looking in my normal desk but hadn’t looked in the drawers of my computer desk, yet.

“I told you…mine got broken, today, and I have to get a new one.” He rolled his eyes, stepping into the room.

“WOOOO!” I threw my hands in the air, before tossing the found treasure to Mason. “I knew I had one somewhere! There ya go.”

“Hey Mason,” Sean piped up, stopping him from leaving the room. “Sit down and talk with us. We’re trying to figure out the mystery, that is Morgan. Chicks are complicated…the sooner you start learning about them, the better. Although, does one ever really learn about chicks?”

“Um…okay,” Mason shrugged and sat down, by Sean. Opening the small refrigerator, Sean tossed me a soda and handed one to Mason, before opening one for himself. “So, what are you trying to figure out?”

“Morgan’s hiding something.”

“I think it’s more than that, Sean.” I rolled my eyes, spinning around in my chair.

“Maybe it’s something she doesn’t want you to know,” Mason raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not that simple. She never hides things from us…well…except one thing that she’s hiding from…you know what, never mind.” Sean fell backwards, covering his eyes, with his arm.

“He’s right.” I sighed, “there’s one thing that she’s hiding from me…that Sean knows all about. But, other than that, she tells us, both, everything. This has got to be big. Plus, she’s just plain acting, really, weird.”

“Well…” Mason rubbed his chin, “maybe it’s something embarrassing.”

Things went on like this for hours. It was really cool having Mason there, too. The three of us got sidetracked on other subjects, too, but we kept coming back to Morgan. Nick ordered us take out Thai food and we raided the kitchen, for snacks. It was well past our bed time, before we finally settled down, for bed. Mason went to his room, and Sean settled into his usual guest room, while I cracked open dad’s journal.

December 21, 2005

Dear Journal,

Hey! It’s been crazy around here! Christmas is fast approaching and the excitement is growing with every second. Baylee’s eyes light up every time he goes in the living room, and sees that big tree. Leighanne won’t let him shake any of his gifts. Don’t tell her, but I let him pick them up every now, and then. It heightens the excitement and anticipation, if you ask me!

Nick and AJ stopped by, today. AJ was about ready to hang Nick, though, because he won’t shut his mouth about Ashley. Nick has been seeing her a lot, since that day in the mall. He even picked her up, from work, yesterday! AJ’s latest chick screwed him over…big surprise…and they broke up last week. He’s been pretty sour, ever since then. Poor guy…I really hope that he finds the right girl, someday, soon.

Well, it’s been a long day. I wrote a little early tonight, and still have to get Bay into his jammies. AJ bought him a new book that we are going to read for bedtime. The book is about trains and Baylee is excited to read it. So…I am off to take care of that. Night.

-Brian Thomas Littrell