Chapter 11: First Day of School

Monday Afternoon- Jason

12:22 P.M.

Man, yesterday was amazing. I got to spend the whole afternoon with Tamia! We decided to meet half-way between our houses, instead of me picking her up. She wasn't sure if her parents would allow it.

I was nervous for her to meet my brothers... and my parents. I knew Caiden was going to say something stupid— which he did— but it didn't seem to bother her. Actually, she seemed to like them! And they liked her too.

We spent most of the day listening to our songs. Honestly, I was afraid for her to listen to certain songs— mainly the ones talking about love and heartbreak. I wonder if she thought that those songs were about real girls in my life. They weren't...

That day, she learned a little bit more about me, and I learned a little more about her too. She told me that she played the clarinet in band, I played my keyboard for her.

"Ughhhh, I can't believe this!" I heard Caiden yell. Before I could ask what was wrong, he rushed into my room. "You won't believe what Ms. Rowe just told me!" Ms. Rowe was our tutor. She helps us with our studies while we're on the road and also helps making transferring to different schools a lot easier.

"What?" I asked.

"So you know that school, Roosevelt Academy, where we're supposed to be going in TWO days," he began.

"Yeah?" I asked impatiently. I anticipated him saying that we weren't transferring there after all.

"Did you know that they make the students there sign some sort of agreement that they can't treat any celebrities or celebrities' kids that go there any different from the other non-famous kids??" he asked in disbelief.

"What? Really?" I asked, shocked, but relieved.

"Yeah!" continued Caiden. "They have to treat us normally; they can't beg us for pictures or autographs... they can't even ask us to sing! If they do any of that, they get expelled!"

I have to admit, I've never been to a school with this policy. I was excited. FINALLY, I would be treated like a normal human being and not a celebrity! Caiden, however, was still upset.

"Didn't you hear me, bruh?" he asked. "We gotta be normal!"

"Caiden, we are normal," I said. "Well, minus our fame. But I think that's great!"

"I didn't tell you the worst part," he said, "If we initiate any of that stuff, we'll get expelled!"

"Caiden, you're overreacting," I said. Caiden is a natural show-off, so I know that he was being ninety percent serious and ten percent dramatic.

"This year's gonna suck," he said as he turned and left my room.

I just laughed. Now I was really ready to start school. I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait to see what classes I'd have and if any of them would be with Tamia. Should I text her again? I had already texted her 'good morning' this morning, but I wondered what she was doing right now. Was she in class? I decided to take a chance:

Hey! How's school going?

I waited. Would she even reply? Oh wait, she read the message! Okay, now she's replying.

It's okay. I can't wait for you to start!

Aww, she can't wait for me to start?

I can't wait either! So... I heard you guys will be forced to treat us normally when we start. LOL.

...

LOL! Oh yeah! I forgot that they made us sign that agreement at the beginning of the year! I forget that famous kids even go here sometimes.

...

I hope I have all my classes with you...

Wait, was that too weird to say? I decided to change the subject before she could answer:

So, what are you doing right now?

...

I'm at lunch. And you may not have all the same classes as me. I wish! But we will have lunch together. Since it's a small school, all of the high school has lunch together.

Ugh, she replied to the first text... but wait— she wishes that we had all the same classes! And we'll have lunch together? I was beyond excited now.



Monday Afternoon- Tamia

12:33 P.M.

It was now Monday and I was back in school. It was lunch time, I had yet to catch up with Morrissa and Vie. They are NOT going to believe what I did yesterday! I didn't even have time to call them because I spent most of the day with Jason and his brothers. I almost didn't make it home in time for dinner!

Just as I sit down at our regular table, my phone dings. It's Jason! I don't know why I'm so excited for him to text me. He even texted me 'good morning' this morning! Larry never does that! He doesn't even sit with me at lunch! He says that we don't need to be together all the time. Like, what?? When are we even together? It's also been a while since we've been out on a date. I look over at the table he's sitting at. It's the table for the most popular, non-celebrity kids. Larry got invited (by Starr) to sit there back in January and has been sitting there ever since. Normally, the thought of all that would bother me, but I was texting Jason now, so everything was perfect.

"Who are you texting?" Vie asked as she sat down. "I know it's not Larry," she said, motioning towards his table. At that same moment, he belted out a huge laugh, and Starr did too, placing her hand on his thigh. "Uh, Tamia?" Vie asked.

I knew she was trying to warn me about what she just saw, but I didn't even care. I was too busy texting Jason. "I know, I saw that," I said to her, "but I don't even care about that right now."

"Why...?" she asked hesitantly.

Just then, Morrissa came and joined us. Since Morrissa won Homecoming Queen last fall, she was invited to sit at the "popular" table too, but naturally declined. She can't stand how fake and shallow they are and would rather sit with her "sisters" as she calls Vie and me.

"Okay, Morrissa's here, so I can tell," I said.

"Tell what?" Morrissa asked.

"Who's she texting," said Vie.

"I'm texting Jason," I said, "but that's not what I have to tell y'all!"

"WHAT?" they both ask.

"What's better than texting Jason Draper?" asked Vie.

"Going over to his house!" I said excitedly, but lowering my voice.

"WHAT?!?!" they screamed again. Luckily, it was pretty noisy in the cafeteria so no one paid any attention.

"YES." I said. And I began telling them all about Saturday afternoon, night, early Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon.

They were in total disbelief. I even told them that Jason and Caiden were transferring to our school on Wednesday. I knew Vie would be excited to hear that part. She loves Caiden.

"Ugghhh, and I won't be able to take a picture with him!!" she cried.

"Well, not at school," I said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

I knew Caiden didn't mind the perks that came with being famous, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind getting a picture outside of school with Vie, right? "Maybe he'll be willing to take a picture with you outside of school," I suggested.

"Like, at his house?" she asked excitedly.

"Maybe," I said. Oh no, now I'm acting like I could make promises and deliver them!

"You think they'd let us visit their home?" asked Morrissa eagerly.

"Maybe," I said again. Okay, I had to stop.

"Hey, do you think Jason will sit with us at our table?" asked Vie.

"Oh definitely," replied Morrissa. "From what Tamia tells us, I think he's in love with her!"

"He is not!" I said. That's impossible. He couldn't be... right?

"Whatever," they both say.

The lunch bell rang and it was time to go back to class.