Autumn Panic

Gully Heights High

I became best friends with Winter Johnson when I started Senior High School. We were both 16 and soon to turn 17 as was the norm for this grade. It was all new for me and Winter just a little more daunting for us than most. None of our immediate friendship group from our junior high had come to Gully Heights High.

I sat next to Winter as there were only a few seats left.

There was one seat in the very front row and in my experience only nerds or the short sighted normally sat there. One next to a lad of what appeared to be of European decent and because he was more than a tad larger than the normal sized schoolboy it instantly brought back memories of Mario from last year. Mario had regularly reeked of garlic when he perspired due to either heat or stress. I was feeling stressed why wouldn't he! That seat was definitely not a choice. Despite him espousing a friendly smile suggest
ing I wouldn't mind if you sat here.

Then I saw the seat next to Winter although I was yet to meet her. I first noticed her raven shoulder length wavy bordering on curly hair before seeing the glorious olive complexion of her skin. Her uniform was neat! Not pristine like mine which was on its debut mission.

It was her oversized watch on her right hand that made me think I should next to her. I reasoned she was probably left handed. A seat to her right was looking a good option so I chose to sit next to her.

We acknowledged each other with our eyes but didn't have time to say anything. A sharp clap of something wood on wood reverberated through the room preventing us from speaking. Mr Jones introduced himself to the class and started handing out test papers.

"What the" I thought as he said
"You have ten minutes to complete the papers".

When we finished we had to pass them to the person next to us to mark. Mr Jones relocated those seating without a partner so that they had one.

Most of the class only got 10 or less of the twenty questions correct. Paul, the Mario look alike, and Linda a girl of apparent Asian decent seated in the front row got all twenty correct. Winter got 15 and I got 14 correct; we were happy.

Each student was required to say their name followed by the score for Mr Jones to record. Winter gave her name and score and then I called out "Autumn Roberts 14."

The class started sniggering and guffawing led in no small way by Harry Potts as the connection of the names Winter and Autumn were realised. Immediately we became known as the "seasons". Sniggering and choked restrained laughter to avoid the teachers glare could be heard throughout the room as the joke was passed on. Despite Mr Jones on few occasions settling the class down.

Personally I thought Harry Potts was funnier was I the only one who could see the Hogwarts connection, apparently so. Boys!

Seasons was on everyone's lips when lunch time arrived and the name stuck. The fact we shared class in Maths, English and Literature walked and ate together and became good friends aided the success of the branding.

Thursday afternoon was Sport and despite her mother's disapproval Winter had played school softball since primary school. She was a good third base with sharp reflexes but her throw could do with some strengthening. Wearing the glove on her right hand as she was indeed left handed. Being left handrd aided her ability to get pick offs at third and didn't deter tag outs on steals to third.

Coach Peters identified plays at third as something he wanted us to excel in.

I had always played at short stop but in this bigger pool I would have my work cut out. It appears Donna Pettersen would be the one laying down the challenge. Donna had a magneto arm that just seemed to extend to somehow glove balls that appeared to be going past. She didn't however set properly and was sometimes exposed on bounding balls at her feet.

I had a go to style, diving and blocking balls with a quick recovery that saw few balls get past me and I took catches over a wider and deeper distance than most but no better than what Donna could do.

The truth was that with training we were both formidable players but my relationship with Winter in the end saw me secure the number six.

When Summer Adams joined the school mid-way through March; Mr McIntosh, the school principal, called me to show the new student around.

It didn't take very long for the grapevine to spread the word that another season had arrived.

Summer had all the same subjects as me and was placed in all my classes. Summer and I went to Psychology and Biology together whilst Winter did Advanced Maths and Engineering.

Summer and I had actually met last year at the Victorian School swimming championships we raced in the final finishing fourth and fifth. Her coach made us both feel better when he showed us the times Dawn Fraser a legend of Australian swimming achieved when she broke the world record in this event; one second slower than we had just swum.

Who could be disappointed with that result, we both left the pool on a high. Her school records had all her sporting achievements in it including her times for running one hundred metres.

Summer was quite tall 185 cm to be exact or just over six feet in softball measurements.

Netball had been her preferred game and enjoyed playing Goal Defence but Coach Peters needed a first base. When he heard a new student had arrived that could rival me at 100 metres and was tall he knew he had to secure this girl for the team.

The school netball team already had a strong defensive combination. Winter and I being her friends were indoctrinated to convince Summer to join the team and we were successful. With Donna now at Second base we had an almost impassable infield.

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Well want do you think of the
first chapter of my first book?
I love to here your feedback as first chapters are so important.
If you did enjoy it I really truly
would appreciate your vote.

I have re-edited so if you find a
typo can you please comment
"Typo ....." and let me know.
They're shouldn't be any but
even in professional books one
often slips through.

The book is now finished
so you need not fear it won't
be completed.

This chapter dedicated to
Samoosk for assistance.

Thanks again for reading
and hopefully its on to the next
chapter. Scott