If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
John Kenneth Galbraith
~CHAPTER 1 - Memories~
Roxanne
“Mom, there’s a party tonight at Kim’s house, you know, the annual farewell for all the graduates, and I was wondering if it would be all right for me to go?”
I bit my lip, hoping and praying she’d say yes. Mom never liked it when I hung out with the elder crowd. She thought it unsuitable. She preferred it when I still hung out with Mike. The boy I grew up with, the boy I secretly love. I hadn’t seen Mike in months, and I missed him dearly. He was my best friend, my better half.
“Well Rox, you know I don’t like you hanging out with those older kids...” surprise, surprise “...and besides, it’s a school night, and isn’t this party only meant for the graduates, you know, the kids who have worked hard to deserve going to this party?”
Mom’s on my case about me letting my grades fall last year, since I joined the cheer squad. She thinks academics are more important, which is true, there’s no denying it, but extra curricula’s are important too. I wanted to make something of my life, and cheerleading along with fine grades would guarantee a definite spot in a fine college.
“You’re never going to forgive me for letting my grades slip, are you mom?”
I already knew the answer to that. Mom didn’t even answer my question; she only gave me that look, trying to tell me to watch my place. I shrugged back in my chair, knowing that I was condemned by authority of my mother. Too often would I try my luck with her, but I knew when to draw back.
“Sorry Rox, but I can’t let you go tonight. Besides, don’t you have a history assignment you need to finish before Monday?”
Humph, so she was still checking on my homework with my teachers, only because my grades dropped. I was lightly annoyed with my mother, checking up on me behind my back. It somewhat hurt me, thinking she couldn’t trust me completely; I had always been a model child.
“And when was the last time you talked to Mike? You know, you two have been friends since kinder garden.” I ignored her question as if I haven’t heard what she just said.
Mom really loved Mike, he was like family. I missed him and I knew he missed me too, but we’ve both changed, grown up. We had diverse interests, and in high school, you can’t associate with the wrong group. I had a rank to uphold, becoming head cheerleader had its consequences. I couldn't think about Mike though, it hurt too much. The yearning along with the guilt tugged at my heart strings.
“Sorry, but you can’t go.” She said sternly, most probably trying to remind me that she’s in charge.
“Fine” I said, not feeling up to a fight. “I’ll just call Kim and tell her I won’t make it tonight.”
As if.
“Sorry for asking mom.” mockery stung in my tone and when my mom let out a sigh, I knew I had hurt her feelings. But if she was thinking I was going to stay away from that bash, she really needed a reality check.
It upset me when mom acted feebly towards me, and I knew I deserved some foul treatment, but punishing me until the end of my school years was not working out for me. She had to grasp what it meant being head cheerleader, it meant responsibility, and it meant duty.
* * *
I searched my rucksack for my cell phone and dialled Kim’s number. It took about three rings before she answered. I thought about what I would say, though nothing came to mind. I didn’t want to defy my mother, but I also did not want to let down my friends. I was trapped in a dilemma.
“Hello” said a voice from the other side of the receiver.
“Hey Kimmi, it’s me, Rox.” I waited for her reaction, as I knew she would hear the bad news in the pitch of my tone.
Kim and I had been best friends for almost a year; she was a cheerleader as well. She knew me too well for my own good; I wasn’t able of lying to her.
“Darn it Rox” she said. “Can’t your mom just let go of you for one night. Geez”
I didn’t like disappointing my friends, and also, I didn’t like being seen as a Momma’s Girl. It was discomforting, and embarrassing. And seeing I was head of the cheer squad, I couldn’t look like a fool.
“Hey, don’t get so worked up Kimmi, I have an idea. I’ll just tell mom I’m going to do my history project at Betty’s house, and then I’ll be set. Besides, she won’t even notice I’m gone. I’ll just say I’m going to sleep over so we can work through the night to get it done.”
I just hoped mom would believe me, but hey, I never got caught when I was up to mischief.
“Okay, if you say it’ll work, I believe you. Just make sure you’re here okay. Steve will be here you know.”
Stevie, the senior jock every girl fantasises about. I was a sophomore, so he didn’t take any notice of me. But tonight I will win his heart. I liked Steve; every girl in school did, counting even some of the teachers. All of us were engrossed in those dazzling green eyes. He was a football player, quarterback. Not very bright of course, but if someone was going to have him, it was me.
But I wasn’t in love with him like I was with Mike. Steve was just an addition to add to my popularity. The quarterback and the head cheerleader were supposed to be an item. We were the most popular students at school.
“Okay Kimmi, got to go organize my alibi with Ms. Betty and persuade mom that that’s where I’m going.” God I hoped it would work. I couldn’t face another day of grounding, and mom was not light on her penalties.
“Bye.”
After Kim hung up, I searched my contacts for Betty’s number. The only time I ever used it, was when I needed a paper written, or tutoring. Cheerleading took up a great deal of my time, most of my time. I dialled Betty’s number, hoping she’d answer.
“Hello?” said Betty.
“Hey Bets…” I might as well be polite she was doing me a favour. “...I need your help.”
“Math?” she asked as this was my trouble subject. Betty was a great tutor; I went from a C to a B in math. She was a nice girl, and maybe a while back I would have been friends with her.
“No, no…” I said giggling. “…I need an alibi for tonight. Is there any probability…” she never let me finish.
“Sure Roxanne.” she said sighing.
I felt awful for using her like that, and for a split second I considered inviting her to the bash, but I knew she would feel out of place, and Kim would have gotten a fit. I wasn’t as mean as Kim, I was a nice person. But if I wanted to be a cheerleader, I had to pay the price, even the price of losing my best friend.
* * *
Mom believed me when I told her I was going to Betty’s. She knew Betty from kinder garden. Mom was fond of her, and often encouraged me to spend some social time with her.
So all I had to do was get to Kimmi’s without the neighbours seeing me.
“No problem” I said to myself. I’d just do what I always did. I’d take the short cut through the woods. There had been rumours of people going missing in these woods for months, but I knew I wouldn’t. I grew up in these woods, alongside my best friend Mike.
Oh Mike, how I missed hanging out with him. I really did care for Mike, but, since I joined the squad, and he was in drama club, we just couldn’t hang out anymore. I had an image to uphold. He probably still loathed me. But I couldn’t fret about him right then.