Author's Note: It's baaack! Yes, the sequel to "Are You Afraid to Cry" (Article ID: 9423) is finally here! The series might have breaks in it though, because I'm still writing this while it's being published. This is also very loosely based on a true story and gives some insight into my everyday life. Enjoy "Return of Spring" and leave comments in the BBS.
Spring, spring, spring!
I inhaled slowly as a breeze whipped through the open window. The sky was so blue, the grass was finally green again and I could hear lawn mowers buzzing out on the soccer field. Mm, the smell of newly cut grass.
Ms. Lahr slapped her hand excitedly on a picture of Henry VIII. I sighed. Who could bear to stay indoors with weather like this waiting for you?
Winter had been a drag, considering the high school football season was over before December and Louis wasn't the winter sport type either. It's not like the middle school had a winter ultimate frisbee league anyway, so I was forced to watch reruns of the summer Olympics from Thanksgiving until St. Patrick's. But now the air was sweet again and the soccer season was about to start.
"Grace!"
My head snapped up. Ms. Lahr raised an eyebrow and put a picture of a woman on the overhead. "Who was the mother of Mary Tudor?"
"Um . . . Catherine of Aragon?"
"Elizabeth I?"
"Oh, uh . . . Anne Boleyn?"
Ms. Lahr gave a satisfied sigh. "Just pay more attention. Spring will be here until June, you know."
I blinked, but laughed along with my classmates. The bell rang and we all quickly gathered our things together. I was about to grab my textbook when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.
"Hey, Grace?"
Joel Walters stood behind me, a mysterious look playing around his eyes.
"Hola," I said brightly, scooping up my binder into my arms. "T.G.I.F., right?"
He laughed. "Hey, everyone knows you love to play the piano. Mr. Lenn is making me get on my knees to beg you to play in the upcoming high school music fest. Will you?"
I tried to hide a smile. "Thanks Joel, but I don't know."
"Oh, c'mon!" he cried, cutting me off and moving closer. "You'll be really good! You can play that one Twilight song!"
I stuck out my tongue. "Ew, it's not a Twilight song. It's called 'River Flows in You.'" He sighed and walked toward the classroom door, me following close behind.
"Whatever," he said, holding the door open with his foot. "But please? We're really short on people this year. If it makes you feel better, I'll be playing the cello with some of my friends."
"Okay, okay," I said, ripping out a piece of paper from my journal. I quickly scribbled something down and shoved it in his coat pocket. "That's my number," I said, scooting out the door. "Call me when you figure out the date for the auditions."
Joel patted me on the back. "Yes ma'am."
A crowd of students whizzed past us, running to catch the bus in time. Joel and I were pushed against the lockers as a seventh grader clumsily stumbled over his two feet. I turned and opened my locker, Joel hovering behind me. I grabbed my backpack and shoved my binder it. I threw on my sweatshirt and shut the metal door with my foot.
"I have to run," I said, throwing my backpack over my shoulder. "Louis is picking me up, and I don't want to be late again."
Joel shook his head. "Grace, you're the only person I know who can date someone on the junior soccer team before she gets into high school."
I laughed and picked up my gym bag laying on the floor. "You've just got to be in the right place at the right time."
He shrugged. "Maybe I should date a fifth grader," he muttered.
"Now that would be creepy," I said, heading toward the front doors of the school. I could see a white van out in the parking lot and when I approached it, my heart began racing as I opened the door.
-msof57
