("Living High School to the Fullest", All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2011 by SkyDancer)
(All credits for the cover go to luvpinktwilight! Thank you so much!)
Although the story is completed, VOTES and COMMENTS are highly appreciated!
So if you like the story, please let me know. It took a lot of time to write it and your feedback means the world to me. Please note that this is the very first, unedited draft. Thanks. :D
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WHAT READERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT "LIVING HIGH SCHOOL TO THE FULLEST"
(First chapter begins on the next page...)
IT IS ADDICTIVE...
XoJadeGreenXo97: Your story was amazing! I would stay up and read it till like 1, I would try reading it in class, I would read it during lunch and study hall, and I would try reading some walking home from school.
dreamer737: This is one of the most amazing stories I have ever read, it's addictive!
ReadingFanatic27: I give your story a 1000 out of 10. It was amazing, and I was hooked from the beginning.
The-True-Me: You have no idea how much I love this story, one of the best books I have ever read and I've read a lot. You know what? I'm probably gonna come back and read it again.
toryxx: So sad it's over :( BUT :D I could totally re-read this a million times and a half :D :D
IT IS A HILARIOUS...
GoofyGirl: Amazing story, I've never laughed so much reading.
nod5687: This story has been a great ride. I loved the quirky humor, the chemistry, the pranks, Lizzy, everything. And yes, it has kept me up late at night, laughing my head off!
IT IS INSPIRING...
LaneyLouAdams: I LOVE THIS STORY SO FLYING BANANAS MUCH!!!!!! This story has inspired me & my friends to create a Senior Year Bucket List, similar to the ones in the story. We've used a few ideas & added our own. Thank you so much!
IT IS ONE OF A KIND...
darkangel96: Best teen fiction book I've ever read!!!!!!!!!!
safiaa56: You wrote an amazing piece of fiction that baffled the human mind. It was original even though it had a High School setting! I didn't think that would ever be possible, but you obviously proved me wrong.
manlalakbay23: I loveeeeeee ittttt!!! It was so so so good written it could be a movie!!!!
mysterygal: This IS the best book ever! No doubt! It has so many cute moments and lots of sarcasm. Yep I loved it! In fact I loved every single element of it – every person, every task, every movie night, every seat rotation, every kiss, every Star Trek/Wars joke, every time Sarah's hormones started buzzing... I don't think I covered it all, but it's fine, just to let you know I loved it all.
IT WILL KEEP YOU WONDERING....
bornweird: Seven teams.....all with a lot of potential......can't choose :(
Also, I LOVE THIS BOOK! And one of the things I love about it is that I can't guess everything, I usually guess almost everything when reading :))
iluvmangos: I actually cried when this story was finished ;( but yay Team [???] won and I won £10 from a bet me and my friends had!!!!
IT HAS GREAT CHARACTERS....
jaisydaisy: I love this story so much. It caused me to show so much emotion – laughing, crying, intense happiness, and slight depression when things went wrong. It's so well written; all of the characters are so fully developed that they genuinely seem real.
IT MIGHT GET YOU INTO TROUBLE....
xxtuttyfruittyxxD
I stopped doing homework because of you and your awesome book.
My parents think that most of the time I am high!
I am detached from the real world, thinking about these stories most of the time.
Instead of doing my project work, I am writing this humongous comment.
Basically, in short, I am screwed and I am loving it.
shea_me925: IT ENDED! :'( But it was totally hilarious reading it. I swear my boyfriend and friends who didn't read your story were frustrated with me everyday cuz I kept bringing up references from the book and laughing to myself.
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Chapter 1
"Sarah, we need to talk."
I stopped mid track, and sighed, looking at the door. I almost made it. Almost. Well, I knew it had to happen soon. Better get it over with.
"Sarah?"
It's not like I didn't expect it. In fact, the talk was long overdue. After all, it is already the last Friday before the beginning of my senior year. I'm quite surprised that she waited this long. Just one more year of high school and then I'll –
"Sarah!"
I sighed again.
"Coming, Mom!" Looking at the door longingly once more, I turned around and made my way into our living room. There she was, waiting for me, sitting on our white plush couch and looking at me with her special smile. The smile she always wears when she is about to have a talk with you. It's comforting and somewhat scary at once, because most of the time you just don't know what she is up to.
I get to see this smile quite often. My mom just loves to talk. Nothing is too embarrassing, no topic is taboo. Not a single one. The day she won't be willing to talk about something will be the day the four horsemen of the apocalypse finally make their appearance.
She talks about everything, really.
Jobwise, that's fantastic for her. It truly is.
I guess my mom is one of those few lucky people out there who has found her true calling and gets paid for what she loves doing best: She is a psychologist.
Getting paid for talking with people all day long – a dream come true for her!
Unfortunately, she still feels the need to have lots of talks with me. Or my little brother Brad. Or Brad and me. Or my father. Or my father and Brad. Or all of us. Or any other combination of family and non-family members she can think of.
Well, at least I knew this talk was coming. It's the traditional talk before the beginning of a new school year. To be honest, I was quite curious. You never know what she has to say.
I smiled back at my mother and sat down on the couch right next to her. My eyes flickered to the glass table in front of us where a box of condoms and a box of highlighters were sitting right next to the remote.
Ah, memories.
That was one of the before-a-new-school-year-starts-talks I'd had with my mother I'd rather not talk about. Or think about.
I raised my eyebrows questioningly, looking back at my mother, meeting her bright blue eyes.
"Mom, I hate to say this, but this is a bad case of déjà vu. We did this freshman year, remember? Come to think of it, you also gave me a cell phone. – Wait, do I get a new phone?"
Actually, my cell phone wasn't that old – but what girl would say no to a brand new one?
"No. And that's not for you, it's for Brad," my mother answered.
Right. Brad is going to be a freshman this year.
Oh dear, my poor brother. Maybe I should have warned him. Then again, I didn't know that she would recycle this particular talk. It will definitely scar Brad for the rest of his high school life, at least.
I shuddered slightly.
On the bright side, it seemed to be a prop-free talk for me this year. But I really shouldn't get my hopes up too soon. I learned that lesson the hard way when I had my first period-talk.
Ugh, shouldn't think about that one, also.
"Sarah, you know, senior year is going to be a very special year for you," Mom started, looking into my eyes.
Here we go.
Remain eye contact. Very important. Shows that you care and respect the person you're talking to.
I simply nodded.
Satisfied, Mom continued: "So, tell me, what is your plan for prom?"
I didn't see that one coming.
"Prom?" I asked somewhat confused.
"Yes, prom."
Silence.
See, I expected something along the lines of graduation, college, my future career - or the good old classics drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. Then again, that would have been too obvious. I really should have known better than that.
"Mom, prom is like several months away," I replied hesitantly and took a breath, desperately trying to win some time.
What to say, what to say... dammit, I had no clue where she was going with this.
She did this somewhat lopsided grin of hers.
Oh no, wrong answer.
Mom twisted her fingers, and then put her palms on her thighs, inhaling deeply.
Lecture time.
"Sarah..." She really likes to start her lectures with your name. I guess to make sure that you know that she is, in fact, talking to you. Even if you are the only other person in the room.
"...as you know, senior year in high school is a very important rite of passage for young adults like you. It is the ultimate transition between childhood and adulthood."
I nodded.
"And you wouldn't believe how many of my patients have difficulties to come to terms with that particular part of their past. Granted, high school years are always something everyone seems to talk about during our sessions at one point sooner or later."
She sighed, shaking her head almost imperceptibly.
"But prom... oh my, prom is the worst. To be honest, I'm guessing that most of your college tuition will be paid for by dozens of prom sessions I've had with my patients. You know, 'I should have had the guts to ask this really popular girl – now I'll never know if she would have said yes' or 'I shouldn't have skipped it' or 'I really shouldn't have been drinking before because I missed most of it while I was puking in the bathroom'", Mom told me while trying - and failing miserably - to imitate some of her male patients.
She put her hands on my hands, something she always does when she is trying to get the most important part of her speech across.
Already?
"I guess what I'm trying to tell you, is this: This is your last year. This is your last prom. Enjoy it. Do what you really want to do. Don't skip it, just because your friends don't want to go. If you really want to go with a guy you have a crush on and he doesn't ask you, ask him. It's your life. Your high school life. And it's now or never –"
I chuckled and interrupted her. "You just quoted Bon Jovi."
"Sarah!" Mom scowled. "Listen to me: Make sure that you don't miss out on the senior prom experience you want to have. Or you are going to regret it later. Trust me. And then you will end up paying the tuition fee for the children of some psychologist. You can easily save all that money and go on a nice cruise with your family instead – if you just do it right." She sighed. "Please, just be one of the few people who do it right."
She exhaled and took her hands away, looking at me expectantly.
Wait, that's it? That's my talk for senior year? Huh.
Oh, my turn to say something now.
"Thanks, Mom. I will think about it. I mean, I will really give it a lot of thought," I reassured her. "Really! I promise, I will figure out what I want to do for prom. My very last prom."
Mom smiled happily, blowing one tiny strand of her blond hair out of her face. She seemed satisfied with my reply.
Could I leave already?
I cleared my throat and stood up. "Well, I'm going to Emma's now, movie night. And I'll make sure to talk about prom with her tonight, okay?"
"Sounds good, honey. Have fun! But remember: Do what you want to do for prom, not what Emma wants to do."
"Will do. Bye!"
I headed out of the living room. Wow, that was an easy one. Who would have thought?
The sound of foot steps made me look to my left where my brother was just coming down the stairs. He looked so innocent with his spiky blond hair and blue eyes he had inherited from our mother. Not fair. He is quite handsome already, whereas I am just plain looking with dark brown hair and boring brown eyes. Good thing I never aspired to become a top model or an actress or something along those lines.
Truth is, I love my brother, despite often claiming otherwise, and he just didn't deserve what was waiting for him.
Big sis to the rescue.
I frantically waved my hands, causing him to stop, while I mouthed "Run!" at him. His eyes grew big and started to fill with panic. He tried to retreat, but –
"Brad!" Our mother called from the living room.
He froze.
"Brad, we need to talk."
My brother looked at me with pleading eyes, desperate for my help.
"Brad, I've heard you. Come here."
I just shrugged my shoulders. There was nothing left I could do for him.
Brad knew he was defeated. He stared at his feet and slowly dragged his way to our mother.
Poor thing. He will never be the same innocent boy he was before.
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