JOSIE
"Honey, breakfast is ready" Dad is calling from downstairs. Good old Dad. He's made breakfast already. The sweet smell of pancakes and waffles float upstairs to my bedroom. My tummy growls.
" Boy, sounds like a thousand hungry lions are in there." I tap my tummy lightly for silence
"Josie. Honey. Breakfast !" Dad calls again, voice laden with impatience.
"Be down in a bit Dad. Gotta fix me up a bit." I reply even as I jump out of bed. I stretch my thick body and run my hands through my hair.I have always been lucky with my hair, it's rich and thick the only way a typical Navajo can have it. I love to consider my dark long hair as one of the lucky traits I got from Mom. I look a lot like my late mom than dad, she was a beauty. All the boys in my senior year drool over me. At least that's what Stacey tell me. I am not too sure about that.
Thinking about Stacey makes me remember how soon I have to be in school. Mr. Jeremy's History test is this morning. I groan upon remembering this. God knows half the kids in American high schools take History just to get grades good enough to get into college. I love the subject but I am fed up with being a High Schooler. I can’t wait for Spring as I would be finishing at Riverside High.
In the bathroom, I barely let the cold water run through my body before I jump out of the shower. The hot water is out again, This house, It's the least Dad can do since we moved here and I love him for it. I show my gratitude by being responsible and dedicated to my studies. I even have an after-school job at Patty's Kitchen. That way I get to support us in my own little way. I grab a pair of paint -stained jeans and a faded tee. I am not the dressy type. No make up for me either safe a dash of nude lip gloss. I hurry downstairs for breakfast, bouncing along the creaky stairs as I go.
"Morning Dad. Sorry I am late " I kiss Dad on the cheek.
"Ay, Muchacha. Slept well?" Dad replies in his mix of Spanish and English.
"Arrrggh. Night was so short. Had to study for History for the better part of it "
"You would do well Princessa like you always do" Dad has the best words to warm my heart. I lean across the table and squeeze his lean fingers in mine.
The sound of Stacey's engine pulling in the driveway breaks up the moment. She is my best friend who drives a beat-up truck that used to belong to her older brother. "Stace" as I love to call her has been my friend since I came to Riverside. She is as loud as her engine, dyed blue curls, ripped jeans, and dark make-up announces her presence wherever she goes. I love her. She is everything I am not: Bold and confident.
"Yo folks, morning. Can smell those pancakes from two blocks away." She snatches one from my plate.
" Morning Mr. Josie's dad" she says while flashing him a gold toothed smile.
"Morning Stacey. How do you do?" Dad pours her a glass of orange juice.
"Hey Josie, you ready for 101? " Stacey asks me
"I dunno. are we ever ready? Mr. Jeremy is a bore. History is plain torture." I reply while twitching my brows.
Stacey looks at the thrift watch on her wrist and yelps.
" Aww shucks, seven fifteen. We gonna be late for class." I quickly drain what's left of my juice, reach for my backpack and blow Dad a kiss, then we are out.
The drive from my home to our school takes five minutes. Stacey finds space for her truck in the parking lot. We grab our packs and join the throng of students and teachers hurrying to class this morning. I catch my reflection in the glass door and I can't help but marvel at the woman I am becoming. I have thick hips with a well-rounded behind. My full breasts are bouncing joyfully in my tee. Most girls in my school are thin, straight and tall, typical white girls. The Navajo blood in me made me curvy and not so tall. I am not too cool with this though.
I take my seat next to Stacey in class. pulling my notebook from my bag, I try to revise my notes before Mr. Jeremy comes in. The class is as noisy as any American public High School can be. I think I sight Cute Chris trying to kiss Cheerleader Lizzy in the back. I am engrossed in my notes when the class suddenly goes silent.
I look up to see the most handsome guy I have ever seen in our school. Could he be a new student on transfer from another school? Cute Chris has nothing on this guy.
"Who's this god in our class?" Stacey leans over and asks me.
"I dunno. I think one of the Greek gods escaped the history books" I reply.
Our Greek god guy is tall, maybe he plays basketball. His hair is a lustrous brown the shade of chestnut. He has the healthy complexion of one who spends a lot of time under the sun. The class is so silent that it is possible to hear a pin drop. Very unusual for this class. Even the boys are captured.
"Good morning History 101" He finally speaks. His voice, there are no words to capture its thick richness, deep baritone yet musically calm. I imagine that he sings too. Boy, am I pathetic?
"Mr. Jeremy had to go on a sabbatical and would be away for some time. Sorry you are just being informed."
" I am Daniel Winchester, your new teacher for History 101."
This announcement is met by absolute silence from the class. I am shocked. Greek god is our new teacher. This guy is so young, not more than thirty I reckon. He's freaking hot too.Who sent this dude down here? My thoughts are wandering when Stacey taps my hand lightly in an effort to call my attention back to the room. Apparently, my mates have been introducing themselves to Mr. Winchester while I was still in Wonderland. I look up to find him looking down at me. His eyes are the same deep shade of brown as his hair. They are intensely cold and distant, that chilly gaze was fixed on my face. The words catch in my throat as my tongue suddenly goes limp in my mouth."Well the class is waiting, Miss..." Those eyes hold me transfixed. It seems he has a sharp tongue too." Jo- J
JOSIESchool is out and Stacey offered to drop me off at work. I know she's doing this not because she's such a nice person.Stacey isn't a very nice person. She eats lunch at Patty's. I guess she figured she could get an extra cup of a milkshake if she saves me the ten minutes’ walk.We are standing beside Stacey's truck she prefers to call 'Reddie'. It is an old beat-up truck that used to belong to Frankie as a present for his sixteenth birthday. Well, that was years before I came to Kansas.Reddie is in bad form today and has refused to start. Stacey has this toolbox she takes around with her. It contains all she needs to fix the truck whenever it is in one of it's moods such as today. I stand by and watch her get down to fixing God-knows-what in the bonnet.
The smile that spreads across my face is genuine for the first time in a long while." Hey man!" Stan bellows " wanna spill some paint?"" Let's do it." Adrenaline is pumping through my veins. I can already feel the pleasure of holding a paint brush in my hand.The smell of a long-lasting friendship hangs thickly in the air.*. *. *I am tied to one of the dining chairs in the room. Randy is sitting on an empty beer crate before me, a can of beer in hand. The ropes cut deep into my wrists and I cry out in pain. Randy's face is a contorted mask of delight. Saliva po
Josie had just introduced me to the talkative old lady when she began to talk about Jeremy's nephew being in town. Obviously Riverside isn't aware of who I am. I don't think they know who my Mama was either. The papers, its the only way they must have known.I am blinded with rage by the time I pull up in my driveway. I had left the kitchen in a hurry leaving Josie and Patty confused. I haven't been this mad since I left Florida." I would only be the ruin of her. " I tell myself about Josie. She's young and pretty and would soon be leaving high school. Bringing my cursed self into her life would cause her nothing but pain. I am determined not to see Josie again to save her the pain and to stop myself from wanting her, only this would be near impossible to achieve.
Thinking about her makes me want to see her. I push away the thought." I don't need the girl. I don't worth her. " I say silently." What girl? " Trace asks. I must have said that aloud.My face goes red with embarrassment and I laugh nervously to hide it."Aww, Trace, nobody. There is no girl. "Trace looks at me with that cynical look of hers. I am convinced the lady is a mind reader. She laughs mockingly at me and sluggishly push her pregnant body away from the studio. I am left alone with Stan." I painted that during the one week I spent in Florida some years back" Stan says pointing to a watercolor hanging on the wall." It's be
Prom Night"Ann, Ann is that you? " Dad asked playfully upon seeing me in my mother's prom dress."No dad. It's Josie" I reply smiling" You look so much like her on that blessed night. " Dad walks up the short flight of stairs to me." Princessa, you know she's proud of you wherever she is right? " he asks taking my slender wrist in his large hand."I know. "" Good girl. So, what are you gonna do? "" Make her proud, Dad. " I reply. This has been our thing since mom died: Dad reminding me of how great I was and how mom expects me to make her proud from the great beyond. I know Dad wants me to be the perfect daughter, he's so scared o
JOSIESitting out here with Daniel is cool. I shock myself by using his first name. I feel like I have known him forever. While we talk, I can't see the clouds anymore in his eyes. His brown eyes are warm and friendly. They make me think about puppies."Josie" He calls. His voice is very small, yet deep. I look up to see him fidgety."Done the couple dance thing before? "" Uhm, no why? " I ask, genuinely surprised."Come. " He says, standing up to his feet. He stretches his hand towards mine. I think it's the timbre in his voice that does it. It calls me to him, it's beyond the simple command. It reaches out to my soul. I stand to my feet." Do you like the Judds? " he asks, wrap
Saturday morningIt is the buzzing of my cell phone that wakes me up. I had fallen asleep with the paper on which I sketched Josie plastered to my chest. The sweat on my body made the paper stay stuck. The events of the previous evening come rushing back. I smile, I can still smell her on me."Hello," I say picking up my phone"Hello Dan" It's Trace screaming at the top of her voice, she sounded traumatized."Trace, is that you? " Tension begins to rise in my chest."Where's Stan?" I ask apprehensively. How can he leave the woman alone at this time? She's near her due date for Chris sakes."Stan's not here, he has some businesses up in Detroit to handle."