B(re)aking Away

Chapter 1

"Did you hear about McKay Industries?" Jo asked somewhere to my left and before I could answer, Brian beat me to it.

"Yeah, it was the toy factory next to our school and it closed. You have gotten extremely slow on the news this summer, Johanna!"

I knew what would happen next and predicted the beach ball hitting Brian in the face with my eyes closed, before I heard him exclaim in surprise. It was too hot to watch his shenanigans. The city of Bray Valley is only a couple of hours south of San Francisco, but on such a hot day like this, who wants to sit and sweat in a car, when that time could be used more efficiently on our own beach? Two laughs to my right joined mine, as we heard the impact. Then Brian started juggling the ball. Jo hated to be called Johanna, her given name, and Brian knew.

"No, Bri!" Jo replied back with an emphasis on the name Bri, which Brian hated, "I mean do you know what they plan to use the building for?"

Jo's father was on the city council and occasionally had news before any other. I opened my eyes and popped myself up in my elbows and saw that Olivia, to my right had done the same. Carina, on the far right, was still soaking in the sun with her eyes closed.

"You mean, they are not going to make more toys?" Brian asked in mocked surprise and sadness and dropped to his knees while throwing his fists in the air and yelled "Noooo!"

We all looked at him with blank expressions and when he stopped Jo said "Are you done?"

"Yes" he said and began to kick the ball around again.

"Good" Oliva said and turned towards Jo "So, what are they using it for?"

"They are reopening the Tech Academy starting with the new school year and merging it with our school"

This made Carina get up as well and Brian had stopped kicking the ball around. "What do you mean merging?"

"Well, my dad asked me not to say, because the official message isn't going out until today, but I can trust you guys because you'll not tell on me" she said and started to stand and gather her long blonde hair in a ponytail. "From September 1st as of this year we will be attending Bray Valley Technical High School and as far as I could intercept, all Junior students and above can choose the new elective."

The Technical Academy had closed down a few months ago, because of various accidents and a small fire that made the build 'unusable' according to the city council. It had been a nightmare trying to relocate the students and teachers, even though the school has been part time only. Now it seemed like it was becoming full time and coming to us.

It was late summer and the five of us were enjoying some of the last summer, before Junior year of high school would begin. It was always us five: Jo, Oliva, Carina, Brian and me. We had known each other since the beginning of middle school and not much had changed.

Brian and Jo started to pass the ball between each other and I could not help watching them a bit enviously. Being as they both played for the same soccer team, what they were during was probably warm up to them, but I would surely fall flat on my face. I was horrible at sports and hated the fact. Jo was built for sport with her height and athletic body. Instead I started to discuss the possible elective we could choose now that we were going to be juniors this year.

"I heard that they taught graphic design and other creative subjects before. I would know instantly which one you would choose" Olivia said, as she fanned her bright blue short hair from her face. I found it to make total sense, she was the most creative of the group. She was practically running the decorations committee for any event at school. Despite her height, she could tower over anyone to submission.