Senior Year – 1982-1983
Jayden
I can’t believe I have been here now for three years and we’re seniors. My future is all planned, and I’m excited to take the next steps of my life. I keep asking Jake what his plans are for after graduation, but he never gives me a direct answer. Come to think of it, he never answers me at all and cleverly changes the subject. It’s as if he is trying to hide something.
Jake is still my best friend, but after our kiss at the end of eleventh grade, things have been weird to say the least. Sometimes I feel like I must walk on eggshells around him, and it makes me crazy. We’d never been like that. The cool thing about being Jake’s bestie is I can always be myself around him, but now, I feel strange and it’s awkward. We saw each other several times over the summer, but not nearly as much as the summers before. I guess we are growing apart, and we have to get used to the fact we like and do different things.
There have been so many times I’ve felt I don’t belong here. Sometimes I feel so different from the other kids in my class, in a way it almost makes me feel like an alien from another planet. They have different ways of doing things than we did at my old school, and the kids in my class can be cruel. Now don’t get me wrong, my old school had a bully or two, but the kids here get in large groups and relentlessly pick on one student. Usually, it’s a kid who’s not into sports and pretty much keeps to him or herself. I try to avoid those groups as much as I can because those are friends I don’t want to have. Jake has helped with that and introduced me to some really cool people, whom I can now proudly say are my friends too.
One of the things I admire about Jake, and there are many, is when he sees bullies picking on someone. He doesn’t care what people think of him and exudes a confidence about him that makes people listen. He steps in, and with a kind word or two, the bullies stop and go on their merry way, and the poor kid getting bullied is so grateful. Jake is a born leader. People tend to hang on to every word he says, and they follow him. It’s quite impressive. He may not tell me what he plans to do with his life after graduation, but I can see him in politics or teaching.
President Jacob Starr,I think to myself and giggle. It occurs to me… if he does become president someday, I will know him. Now how cool would that be? This comes from the girl who, when she was ten, told everyone she was going to be the first woman president. I laugh. That was a long time ago, and now, seeing what I see, they couldn’t pay me one million dollars to enter into politics, let alone run for president. But Jake on the other hand… I shrug. I can see it.
The first several weeks of senior year went by fast with classes and football games. Dan and I got back together over the summer, but it’s not the same. I keep trying to get that old spark back, but there is something missing. I’ve tried to talk to Jake about it, but I remember how the last Dan conversation ended, and I’m not sure I want to go there again. But Dan and I are both seniors, so even if we just make it through the school year, at least I will have someone to go to the dances with. Okay, that was shallow. But really, how many relationships from high school actually make it beyond graduation and into marriage? I would bet very few.
Mom and Dad have also been acting strange. I feel they want to tell me something but keep holding back. They are always whispering, and when I enter the room, they shut up. Subtle, they are not. I’ve asked on several occasions, but neither has been forthcoming.
School has been great so far. I’m taking the usual basic classes, but for some reason, they seem so much easier this year. I’m sure it is all in my head, but it’s a nice feeling. I’m still cheerleading for football, soccer, and basketball. It keeps me pretty busy, and I am ashamed to say, I am not home much.
Tonight is Friday night. Varsity football starts at eight, but tonight is a special night. It’s our homecoming. We need to be at the field by seven, and the pre-game ceremonies begin at 7:15 p.m. On homecoming night, all the players, cheerleaders, band members, and their parents are invited. The students are announced and walk across the field with their parents. Also, the homecoming court is announced—well, everyone but the king and queen. We’ll find out who they are tomorrow, at the dance.
I come downstairs around a quarter till six. “Hey, you two aren’t ready?”
“Ready for what?” my mom asks.
“You guys, tell me you didn’t forget. It’s homecoming tonight.” I point at my watch. “We have to be at the field in an hour.” I feel like I am yelling at my parents, but come on. How can they forget their only daughter’s senior homecoming?
Dad looks at Mom, and she nods. He looks at his watch. “Give us thirty minutes. We’ll be ready.”
“Chop, chop,” I say as they rush past me toward the stairs.
Thirty minutes go by, and Mom and Dad come downstairs—looking rather fetching, I might add. “You guys look great! Ready?”
Mom stops at the mirror in the foyer and puts on her lipstick, like she always does. I don’t understand why she never puts her lipstick on upstairs. Every time she leaves the house, she stops at the darn mirror by the door and puts on her lipstick. I shake my head as she looks directly at me and blots her lips.
“What?” she asks.
I chuckle. “Nothing, Mom, you’re just predictable. That’s all.”
Dad laughs as we walk out of the house.
We get to the field with plenty of time to spare.
“Coach says the parents are to line up according to the roster, posted over there.” I point at the area behind the concession stand, where other parents have gathered.
I start to get out of the car, but Dad says, “Honey, wait. Mom and I need to talk to you about something. We’ve been putting off telling you for some time now, but it’s come to a point that you need to know. We wanted to wait until after the game, but we may have to leave early, and we wanted you to know why.”
“Let me guess, you’re getting a divorce,” I say sarcastically with one foot out of the car. Even though I’ve known something has been up with them, I know for a fact my parents are not getting a divorce. I hope to have the love these to share when I am married.
Dad laughs. “No, we are not getting a divorce.”
“Whew,” I reply, and they both laugh.
“Seriously though, honey, this is important.”
I sit back into the car. “Okay, I’m listening.”
Dad looks at Mom and then she turns to me. “Honey, I’m sick. The cancer has returned, and it looks like I might have to go through some chemo and radiation in the next several weeks.”
