High School Through the Eyes of a Mormon: The Freshman Year

HIGH SCHOOL

THROUGH THE EYES OF A MORMON

THE FRESHMAN YEAR

Corey Evan

AuthorHouse™

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Phone: 1-800-839-8640

©

2012 Corey Evan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 2/15/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4670-3774-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-3773-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011917576

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Contents

Brief Introduction

Our Top Story…

A First Date

Beating the Heat

Fall Fest

Jess And Joss’ Fall Out

Pep Rally

Algebra Class

Class Trip

Midterm Madness

A Night on the Town

Dani and Guy

Dani’s History

The Sweethearts’ Ball

Watch What You Eat

Girl Gone Batty!

When Curfew Comes…

Suspended

April Fool

‘Yu’ Are Sooooo Lucky

Expelled

The Algebra Final

School’s Out For Summer!

Brief Introduction

T he following stories and characters are fictitious. The stories and situations depicted are based on real life issues which affect children and teenagers around the world. Of course, you can probably get these sorts of things from the internet faster than reading this book, but I’m certainly glad you chose to read this anyways. And I promise you I’ll try to make it all worth your time.

This series is presented from the viewpoint of a young Latter-Day Saint (A Mormon, for those who haven’t heard of us before), but its purpose isn’t to try and turn you into a Mormon. It’s intended to provide comfort to those who are dealing with most forms of personal problems, and is merely told from a Mormon viewpoint. Even if you feel your life is going good, what you’re about to read will hopefully give you an idea of what others may go through, and how you can help. However, this series is NOT intended to replace professional help. If you need help, ask a trusted adult for assistance, whether it’s a teacher, your youth pastor, or even (Gulp!) your parents. Don’t be too afraid or too proud to ask for help. Remember these words: You’re never alone. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Other than that, I thank you for picking up this book and spending a few moments of your precious time reading it. It is my hope that you will enjoy reading this book from cover to cover. Thank you very much.

Warmest regards,

Corey Evan

For my father, Trumper

Rest in peace.

Our Top Story…

O kay, before the news, before the weather, before anywhere else… I must tell you who I am. My name is Marc Ryan. I moved to Pesto Valley, California when I was in fifth grade. It was a hard adjustment to make, but somehow I made it! With a little help from my friends and family, I went through the typical rounds of school life, and graduated from Pesto Valley High School four years ago. When I was a student there, I got to meet almost all the most, and least, popular kids there. They all had such an interesting range of personalities. They also had great stories to tell. Some of them were a bit hard to stomach, but I decided to take notes to myself about at least a few dozen or so of these people, mainly my closest friends. Unfortunately, I had to put all my notes away when I started college, and I almost forgot all about them… until I ran into some of those friends about a year later.

After talking to them, I decided to take what I had noted about my friends from high school, and write about them. When I got a hold of some of them to tell them about writing this series, I ended up with more support from them than I could’ve imagined. While I do write about real and important things, I tried to touch up some things, because I don’t want you getting bored of reading this. I’m a bit involved here, but I promise you my only intent is to entertain and educate you. Okay, I think I’m as ready as I ever will be to tell you these stories…

Our stories take place in Pesto Valley. It’s a beautiful city, with rich Italian background. By that, I mean more than just lots of spaghetti or really weird accents. The city was originally founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s. Pesto Valley, formerly known as Little Sicily, is home to many famous medical and legal professionals. Of course, what would a bunch of lawyers and doctors and other smarty-pants people be without their children? Of course, not all of our heroes’ parents are lawyers; just make a note of that. Anyway, at the moment, it is estimated that one out of every eight people in Pesto Valley is somewhere between the ages of 13 and 21. We don’t know exactly how many there are, as it would make this story much longer, but this is where our saga begins.

Here, we meet Guy Martinez, a fourteen-year-old who has lived In West Los Angeles since he was born. His dad, Alberto, works for the U.S. Postal Service (a.k.a. Snail Mail), and his mom, Susan, is a nurse. If you read the names and determined that dad’s Filipino, and his mom’s white… You’re correct! Oh yeah, and he has a brother, Ray Mitchell Martinez.

You see, the four of them had lived in an L.A. apartment the whole show, while Alberto and Susan saved money for a house. If you’ve lived in an apartment, you understand the headache involved. But their luck changed for the better, when Susan got a job working for Dr. Feng Hong in Marinara City just at the end of the previous school year. Luckily, in the process of moving, Alberto was able to transfer to the Pesto Valley post office. So they decided Pesto Valley would be a perfect home base. After the move, and after an interesting summer, it was time to get the boys signed up for school. We’ll focus on Guy for right now…

This brings us to the place where all the usual suspects will meet; Pesto Valley Senior High School. For the sake of simplicity, though, I’ll refer to the school as just, ‘Pesto Senior.’

Now, every year, on the Friday before school starts, Pesto Senior holds a special Freshmen Orientation, to take students through the halls of the school and explain all their rules. This way, they don’t have to resort to asking seniors where such-and-such a classroom is. Heaven knows that the senior students might send them, on purpose, to the wrong place!

Anyway, Guy attended, as Alberto kept poking and prodding him to go. He wasn’t really looking forward to it, assuming that he wouldn’t find friends like he had at his old school. Alberto wanted to come along, but Guy insisted on going in alone. So, Alberto let him, and went ahead to the main office to make sure all the needed forms were in and accounted for… which they were.

Anyway, Guy made his way into the gymnasium, and sat on down in the bleachers. Just a minute later, a young man with bushy red hair and black glasses walked up to him. (That would be me. Yes, I’m a redhead, and I love my red hair, just so you know.)

Hey, what’re you doing sitting by yourself? I asked.

Guy replied, What’s it to you?

I continued, It’s no big thing. I just don’t like to see anyone being left out.

Left out of what?

If you wanna hangout with me and my friends, you’ll find out.

I’m not a team player. Not since I left my team in L.A.

Aw, come on man, my friends are totally cool!

Just as long as y’all aint no bunch of computer nerds.

I cracked up. We’re not.

Guy sighed, Fine. Ain’t got nothin’ better to do, anyway…

By the way, I’m Marc Ryan. What’s your name?

Guy Martinez.

Good to meet ya, man! I extended my hand and shook Guy’s.

Is everyone around here as bogusly friendly as you?

"I’ll take that as a compliment! No, not everyone around here is… at least, not my sister Lauren."

How old is she?

Fourteen, same as me. She’s older by about 55 seconds.

When’s you guys’ birthday?

June 18th.

Good to know.

But yeah, the rest of these guys are cool. Hey, how’s your summer been?

"My ‘rents both got new jobs, so they moved me and my brother down here."

Well, it is a little safer around here… at least that’s what everybody says.

I don’t know about that. There could still be pedos around here, too…

Well, it sounds like you’ve been having a good summer. Unfortunately, my girlfriend dumped me last month.

You had a girlfriend?

Ha-ha, very funny. Yeah, she and I had been going out for about a year. But last month, she tried to get me into bed to get it on. I turned her down, saying I’d rather wait until I was married, and she completely overreacted.

You shoulda gone for it, man!

I’m a Mormon. Anyway… other than that, I’ve spent most of my summer doing all sorts of stuff at church. We’ve been to the beach, to the senior centers, to the movies, all over the place really!

You say you’re a Mormon, right? Is your family Mormon?

Nope, just me. My parents were Lutheran, but last fall my dad suggested I go to church with these mormon kids. As weird as it sounds, I like going to church there, so I decided baptism was right up my alley, and got baptized there in January.

So, you can’t drink?

Nah. But it’s okay, I don’t need booze.

I’d say not. You’re gonna have six wives someday!

You’ve watched too many dirty movies, Guy.

I’m just testing your sense of humor, man.

Well, yours is a good test. But yeah, that whole polygamy thing was a revelation back in the early days of the modern church. I read about it in Doctrine and Covenants section 132. Sounds boring, huh?

"Trust me, if you’ve ever heard my dad’s music, you’d know what boring is."

Glad I’m not him then! But yeah, that was in the past…

Yes, I’m a Mormon, but we really should move on. Our conversation went on for a bit, until ASB members were getting groups together to give students a tour of the school and whatnot. So of course, we went along for the tour. Hey, neither of us had been to the school before! I’m sure you too would want to know where everything is, if you were thinking straight. Me and Guy joined my friend Joey Randle and his group, who were led by 11th grade student Allison Tidwell.

Now, as Allison walked us around the building, she gave brief descriptions of every department:

…And here, we have our English classrooms. You guys do speak English, right? Or am I talking to a bunch of Mexicans again? Figures. Gosh, there are so many Mexicans around here… you’d swear this was Baja. (Baja California, Mexico for the win!) Oh, and your lunch will be based on where your 4th period classroom is at. If you guys have 4th period downstairs, or in Phys Ed, you’ll get ‘A’ Lunch, as in you will have lunch first, and then go to class. If you have 4th period upstairs or in the Portable classroom wing, you have ‘B’ Lunch, as in class first and then lunch. Okay? Let’s move on…

A brave girl by the name of Jocelyn Paddock asked, So, where do we go to find the nurse’s station?

Why would you want to see the nurse? Allison asked.

Maybe, I don’t know, if we get hurt or sick while we’re here?

"So stay home! I don’t want you scum balls getting me sick!"

Some students laughed, as they thought she was just joking with them. Of course, Jocelyn and I both knew that she was like this all the time.

Dang, she’s such a… such a… oh, what’s a good word for her? Jocelyn said to Joey.

Snob? Yeah, that’s her! Joey replied.

We laughed at this remark before Allison turned around and shouted, Hey, shut up back there! I’m trying to give a tour here. Anyways, our science department is just ahead… So the tour continued.

Eventually, Allison led us to the football field, where the school had set up some free barbecue, a bounce house, and some random games. Me, Guy and Joey went to throw water balloons at each other, while Jocelyn went off to find her friend Jessica. The boys kept playing games until Guy’s dad decided to come by the school and take Guy to lunch.

Guy’s father, Alberto, parked his car in the student parking lot, then made his way towards the football field, where all the fun and games had been going on. He searched for Guy among all the students who had been sitting on the sidelines, but didn’t find him there. Words couldn’t even begin to describe the look on Alberto’s face when he saw Guy playing games with me and Joey. He looked like he had walked on top of a frozen lake… barefoot.

So, he walked up to the three of them and asked, Hey Guy! Who are these guys?

Guy replied, Hey dad, these are my friends Joey and Marc!

Alberto stuck his hand out and said, Hey Marc! Put ‘er there, as I shook hands with Alberto. Alberto continued, Well, I had no idea you already had friends here, Guy.

Neither did I, dad, Guy added.

So Guy, you want lunch?

Sure, just as long as these two get to come along.

Don’t worry, I’ll pay for my own food, I added, as I reached for my wallet.

Alberto replied, Guy, it’s no trouble at all. Marc, put away your wallet, I’ll pay for all of us. Though I don’t know where anything is in Pesto Valley…

You like pizza? There’s a good pizza place just a few blocks from here! said Joey.

Sure thing! Oh, are your parents okay with this?

My answer was, I just have to call my dad, as I reached for my cell phone.

Joey’s answer was, My folks won’t mind. I’ll just tell them I walked over there with some friends.

Alberto told us, No need to walk, boys. ¡Mi carro es su carro! Hop in, as we made our way to Alberto’s sedan. It wasn’t too long before we all found ourselves at Sparky’s Pizza down at Main Street and Rucker.

Let me just tell you a little bit about Sparky’s: Sparky’s is not your typical pizza place. On the inside, it looks more like a coffee shop, with nice lounge furniture in the dining area… only they don’t serve any coffee. Instead, they have what is said to be Marinara County’s best pizza, as well as other Italian foods, and even milkshakes! You get an arcade too, but that’s as conventional as Sparky’s gets… And that’s where we sat down to lunch.

So Guy, where’d you come from? Joey asked.

Guy answered, "We’re from West L.A. My mom’s a nurse, and he (pointing to Alberto) is a mailman."

Joey replied, So, how’s it feel knowing your job’s gonna be obsolete soon?

Alberto laughed. Nice one, Jose! he said, giving Joey a high-five.

Guy added, Dad, you were lucky to get that transfer and you know it.

Alberto replied, Not as lucky as your mom was to get a job with Dr. Hong.

Dr. Hong’s freaks me out, dad.

What, just because he’s Chinese?

No, because he never smiles! That, and the way he says ‘two capsule’ when he gives out his herbs.

That’s just funny! What’cha talkin’ about?

I interrupted, Well Guy, if you want me to show you around, I’m free tomorrow.

What’s there to see? asked Guy.

I answered, "We could take the train down to Marinara City. I know where everything is down there."

Guy replied, "Sounds awesome, Man. What do you think, dad?

Alberto said, Just as long as you guys don’t do anything stupid, okay?

Guy’s answer was, We won’t. How ‘bout it, Joey? Wanna come on down with us?

Nah, I’m busy, answered Joey.

Doing what? I asked.

My cousin’s in town, replied Joey.

My reply was, Oh. Sorry to hear that.

Yeah, I’m not exactly looking forward to it.

But I should say me and Guy were looking forward to going on down to the big city…

The next day, the both of us got on board the Bullet train’s ‘Square Line’ and made our way towards downtown Marinara City. Good thing we didn’t take the ‘Triangle Line,’ or we would’ve ended up in Willoughby! (Note: Japan’s bullet train and the Marinara County Bullet are totally different. Ours is much smaller, and slower. Oh, and Willoughby is all but a waste of desert land, to put it lightly.)

Why didn’t Joey wanna join us? He better not be racist, Guy said.

Nah. His family lives in Reno, and they come to visit him every summer.

Can’t he invite them to come with us?

After what he did last year, I doubt they’ll let him do much of anything this year.

What’d he do?

He picked a fight with some dude at the mall. He got taken to juvey, and his parents had to bail him out.

I’m guessing that other guy was with some gang.

I doubt it. But there were a lot of troublemakers over at Pesto Junior.

Is Joey with any gangs?

Not yet, but let’s hope he doesn’t join one.

Anyway, the train ride to M.C. was pretty fun. At least we thought so… until the train stopped.

What’s going on? Guy asked.

It’s probably another holdup at the Central Avenue station. It’s happened before, was my answer.

A voice came over the train’s intercom;

ATTENTION BULLET PASSENGERS: WE’RE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE BUT THE TRAIN HAS STOPPED DUE TO A BREAKDOWN ONBOARD ANOTHER TRAIN. WE HOPE TO BE ROLLING AGAIN WITHIN HALF AN HOUR. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE.

"Nuts. Another train’s broken down," was my response.

How does that work out? Guy asked.

Easy. A lot of these trains are over twenty years old, by now.

Isn’t this one new?

Yeah, but they still have a whole fleet of old ones. You can tell how old some of the others are, because they haven’t painted them since they first bought them.

You know how bad the economy is when the train owners can’t even afford paint.

Oh hey, there goes one now! I said, as an old 1985 model passed by us, heading back towards Pesto Valley. We both started laughing when we saw how much graffiti was on the side of it.

It looks like they’ve got a ‘hoodwinked’ theme going for them! Guy exclaimed.

I think our laughter started to annoy a few of the other passengers, but in the end the train began moving again. When it did, several passengers applauded this motion, including me and Guy.

It took us an extra fifteen minutes to get there, but we eventually landed at Pacific Rail Depot, where we got off and began exploring beautiful Marinara City. We had fun racing each other down Vienna Boulevard, and chancing it across 3rd Street on account of the crosswalk (or ‘Pelican Crossing, as my friend Artie always called it) not working. On the