And so it Goes - Chalen D. (classic book list txt) 📗

I was standing against a pillar as My older brother talked to the man at the desk. This had to be the biggest airport I've ever seen. He thanked the guy and took a card. He made his way to me.
"Well, uh...."
"Lola." I said, looking around.
"Are you alright Lola?"
"i'm fine." I said, not making eye contact.
"Well, I thought we could go get your bags and then we could talk over a coffee."
"This is it, and I don't drink Coffee." I said, referring to the back pack I was wearing.
"Well, then how about a hot Coco? We still need to talk."
"Cool." i nodded.
He turned and headed to a cafe. I sat at a table and he went to the counter. He set down the hot Coco and I took a drink. Mmmm. Peppermint.
"So. Let's just get right to it. I have a small apartment. I arranged for you to live there. Now, I wont be there that much cause of my job." He paused to make sure I was keeping up.
This time I did make eye contact.
"I'm used to being alone."
"See, that's where I feel bad, cause your always alone. That can't be good for you." He said, taking a drink of his Coffee.
"I'll be okay."
"I set all these expectations, but now my work has cut in and..." he waved a hand.
"Setting expectations only lead to disappointment."
"Your right. I wish I could somehow be with you."
"I'm not your problem. Do your job."
"Lola-" He took out his cell phone. "Nathan." He snapped.
I drank the hot Coco slowly so it wouldn't burn me.
"Get Janner on it or your fired." he snapped the phone shut.
"Where were we?"
"I'm pretty tired." I nodded, warming my hands on the Coco.
I wasn't really tired. I just didn't do awkward very good.
"Right. Let's get a move on. Wait are you hungry?"
I shook my head, and jumped off the chair. I fixed my black and white scarf and then grabbed my Coco. As we made our way to the car he got another call.
"Well I'll tell you something!" He stepped into a puddle of melting snow.
I smiled, and ducked my head.
"Lola." he waved.
I opened the front door.
"Is your name Lola? Fix it."
He slammed his door and turned the car over. I put on my seat belt.
It was the middle of winter which meant Two things. Colds, and Me starting a new school, with kids that had been there forever. The sky was a pale gray and the trees where bare. There were patches of melting snow, and puddles of melting ice. Nathan stuck something into his ear.
"Nathan." He snapped.
"Look If you can't do it then I'll find someone who can. I'm dealing with family business. Don't call unless someones dying." He said, pulling into a lot.
The apartments where like small houses.
"What?" He snapped answering the phone again. "For Christ." he said, shutting the door.
I got out, and slung my bag over my arm. I followed him to Number 14. He pointed to a door and I went in. The room had a bed, a dresser and a desk with a lap top. There was also an empty book shelf. The bed was stripped of it's bedding. I was happy to be alone.
"Lola? i have to get to work! There's stuff in the hall closet for you, and there's keys on the table if you want to go anywhere. There's also a cell phone in your top drawer. it's in one of the night stands. There's also a credit card in there. I'll be late, or might not come back at all. Don't wait up."
I jumped as the door slammed. I took a deep breath and let it out.
"New chance Lola." I told myself.
I grabbed my phone and turned it on. Nathan's number was the first on speed dial. I shoved the phone in my back pocket and went to the hall closet. There was six pillows, and one of those bed in a bag things. I made my bed then unpacked my back pack. I went to the fridge. I decided on a grilled chicken salad. I Pushed open the French doors. The houses really didn't have a yard. It was a block of cement, then grass, then the pool, in the middle. I set up the BBQ. right across the pool where some boys. One coughed and smoke came out of his mouth. One looked over at me.
"Whoa! do you smell that? someone ran over a skunk!"
They all laughed. I grilled the chicken and put out the fire. The boys where still outside when I shut the door. They waved and I shut the blinds. Even with the lights on the house was still dim. The walls where a Gray-blue and the carpet was gray. I ate the salad and took a shower. the shower had two doors. One that led to my room, and one that led to Nathan's room. after my shower, I went to bed. Well I stared at the roof really. Tomorrow would be the day that I would be starting a new school. No matter how Much I tried I couldn't sleep. When my cell phone blasted He wasn't by Avril Lavigne, I tossed off the covers and jumped out of bed. I fixed my bed, straightened my hair, and got dressed. Nathan still hadn't came home. Good thing I saw the school on the way here. I got something to eat. When I turned to the table there was a box. I looked around and went to the box. there was a yellow post-it note on a text book.
'School stuff. Have a good day Lola.
-Nathan.'
I took another bite of my pop tart, and looked through the box. I put everything into my back pack. I took one look around and left to the parking lot. It wasn't long before I found the car. It was black, and stood out. I got in and set my bag on the passenger seat. I took the sun blocker down, and opened it to the mirror, and stared at myself.
"You got this. your going to be fine. Open the mouth that God gave you and ask Lola. You'll be okay." I let out a deep breath. " I hope." I muttered shutting the mirror and starting the car.
*******
As soon as my foot hit the black asphalt kids stopped what they where doing and began to gawk, whisper, and run to other people to gossip. I slammed the door, and slung my bag over my shoulder. With a too sharp stab of my thumb, the doors locked. I weaved my way through the cars, to the front office. The office was small and warm. There was a plump lady at the front desk, wearing a blue shirt and a warm smile. I relaxed. I walked up to the desk and took off my sun glasses.
"Uh, Lola. Lola Steele."
"Of course! Lola we've been expecting you."
She slid across her cubby in her wheely chair. She grabbed a thin envelope. And handed it to me.
"Why don't you go ahead, and have a seat in those chairs, and look over your things."
"Thanks."
I sat in the last hard plastic chair side ways, away from the door. I set my bag at my feet and opened the envelope. there was stuff for Nathan to look over and sign. I took out my classes, and a map of the school. I'm pretty good at studying stuff i want to. I looked over the map, when the door opened and the bell jingled. Soon the room was filled with laughter.
"Miss. J!" A boy said.
"Hello boys!" Miss J said, happy.
I looked up, then quickly back down. It was the boys from across the pool. they talked for a second and left. I looked up, to see the boy who coughed looking at me. He gave me a sad smile, and with a shake of his head he left. I looked at my phone. I had ten minuets before class started. I put everything in the envelope, except my classes which I shoved into my pocket.
"Thanks for all this Miss J. I'm going to find my classes."
"Are you sure, Lola? We have an excellent student guide."
"No thanks." i said.
I gave her a smile, put my sunglasses back on and pushed out of the office. The ice cold wind stung my nose but I still welcomed it. Did she think I was stupid? The new kid with the guide. As if I didn't already have a lot to worry about. The little unwanted voice in the back of my head reminded me she was just trying to help. I took a tour of the school, using the way I'd use to get to class. As the five minuet bell rang I made my way to class. I sat at the back of the class taking notes. this is the way most of the classes went. At lunch I sat under a tree. A girl sat down in front of me.
"Hey Lola." She said.
"How do you know my name?" I asked, picking a hair off my pants, and letting it fly away.
"You want something you get. Do you smoke?"
I shook my head.
"Drink?"
I shook my head.
"Have sex?"
I shook my head.
"what?" she said. "Holy shit! don't worry Lola, your secrets safe with me." she hit my knee and jumped up.
I watched as she skipped to a group of guys and gave a round of hugs. The guys from across the pool where sitting at a table, inhaling a plastic box of brownies. A girl came over and hit the guy who coughed's shoulder. He got up and followed her around a building. she backed him against the wall, and bent on her knees, unzipping his pants. I looked down at my notes. I flipped through the note book, and sprang up when the bell rang. I got dressed and sat on the bleachers in the gym. As the coach made his way in I heard feet running down the bleachers. The girl sat next to me.
"Hey Lola."
"Hey."
"Doesn't it suck having P.E. at the end of the day?"
"At least it's not hot."
"Oh I think i'd die."
The coach blew his whistle, and everyone got up. we did stretches and then ran two minutes. everyone grabbed balls or went to the weight room.
"Lola!" The girl waved from the door.
I walked over.
"Come on, lets go down to the field. they have these big light things that warm the field."
"What are we doing?" I asked, as I followed her out the door.
"We're going to Play soccer." she smiled.
we walked down to the field. I stopped, and watched as she gave the guys across the pool fist bumps.
"Captain save a hoe." One guy said, as he saw me.
"Stop it, Drew." She said, hitting the guy in the chest.
One guy pulled out a pipe and they others gathered around him. I sat under a tree.
"You want some new girl?"
"I'm good." I said.
"Mikey, I have some new stuff I want to try, you want to try it with me?"
"Sure Rosalynn." The guy who coughed said.
*****
As I came out of the locker room I froze. Snow had fallen. How did it fall that fast? How was I going to get