Clover Town: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Clover Town, a small town in California. A town no one has heard of. The town where I grew up in my whole life. Ever since I was little I always thought people who were born in Clover Town would spend the rest of their lives there. My world is a small one. I know what everyone is thinking, what big event is about to happen and the only people I needed in my life were just two important people.

My best friend and the eye candy of the school Noah Power. I have known this guy even before I can walk. He’s been at my side through everything life has to offer. Even now when he reeks of popularity. Girls threatening to kill me if they see me with him or guys I date think I am cheating on them with Noah. At least that’s how it was, but not anymore. Since high school started its just been me and only me... while I watch Noah Power rise to stardom.

So I guess you can say I can only count on one person in my life and that is my Uncle Rocky. My parents left me with him at a really young age, so to this day Uncle has been my dad, mom, and my best friend. Uncle still thinks Noah will one day realize who is true friend is, but watching him now spending time with his so-called friends is the proof I need to know.

I am alone in this school. No one to turn to and no one to call a friend. I guess they were right — the friends you walk in with will no longer be your friends. I walk pass Noah and his crowd. Not only seeing him, but the others who were also my best friends when high school started.

Liliana Baker has been labeled as the Christian girl of the school, but to me she will always my LB who was just curious about the world and loved it when we called her LB. Jesse William has labeled himself as the rock star of the school. Just as popular as Noah. Annabelle Duncan now just has her face in the books and is trying to prove herself to her parents. Victor Rodriguez who we haven’t heard from actually. We know he’s still in the school, but he’s more like a lone wolf now. He ditches school and if you want to find him you might want to check the stoners' den. Scarlet Michealson is known as the bad girl of the school. If you get in her way she isn’t afraid to punch you in the face and tell you straight up. Which she has always been ever since we were little girls. Last, but least is Chase Riley who is still hanging out with Noah, on the football team together and only caring about themselves half the time.

Lastly there’s me Janella Gomez. The girl who tried to hold it all together, but sadly once Chase left everyone soon followed after. I try to reach out to them. Even though it does get me a broken rib every time.

“Janella,” I hear someone call my name.

I smile as I see my only friend I met after everyone left me. I walk up to the beautiful woman in front of me as I link arms with her.

“Trans,” I hear one of the jocks say as all of them watch.

Even Noah and Chase clearly have changed. I look at Vada who looks annoyed, but I don’t blame her. No one at this school just can’t understand she’s special, but I do.

“Screw them,” I tell her as I block them. “They’re just jealous that you can rock all this while they can’t.”

Vada smiles as we walk away heading to our secret hideout which is the light beam above the theater stage. Being smart and the over-achievers of the school we are allowed to ditch without getting in trouble.

“I can’t believe you were friends with Chase Riley and Noah Power,” Vada implies as we were eating food and watching rewatching Les Miserable.

“To be honest I find it hard to believe all eight of us grew up together, but we do and we still will be seeing each other during the holidays and vacation trips,” I reply.

“You should bring me to these things,” Vada adds.

“I agree, but I gotta go,” I tell her.

“The one class you can’t miss,” Vada groans.

“I’ve committed to it, so now I have to go with it,” I respond as I get to the class to see all of eight of them in here.

We all chose to join a cooking class being the only class we’d have together, but that now is just our most awkward class.

“Janella, I’m going to need our help today,” Mr.Ray tells me. “We’re going to be using our sharp tools today.”

“Sure thing, Mr.Ray,” I respond as I grab my apron and go to my lab table.

“Hey partner,” Chase says as he joins me.

I smile as I didn’t say anything.

“You still aren’t talking to me?” Chase asks.

“Yup,” I respond. “It's only fair seeing ignored me whenever I’d see you in the hallway.”

“I don’t mean to,” Chase tells me.

“No you have to, because people like you forget your real friends,” I say.

“Janella,” Chase speaks.

“Trouble in paradise?” I hear Noah say as he joins us.

“Everything okay?” Scarlet asks as she joins us.

“Nice to know you care,” Jesse adds.

“What’s going on here?” Annabelle asks as she, Liliana, and Victor join us.

“I’m leaving,” I tell them.

“You don’t have to,” Chase implies.

“Why not, you all did,” I respond as I make my way up to the theater to see Vada had left.

I went back down to the stage and start to play on the piano for a little bit. I can still remember coming here after the first day of school with all of them. Now we’re halfway through our freshmen year.

After leaving the theater, I just went home. Once I got home I sat on my porch to see all of them coming home at the same time. Like always, we all make eye contact before going inside. I go in to see Uncle leaving, for another meeting.

“Have fun and don’t burn the place down,” Uncle tells me.

“Don’t worry it’s just going to be me here by myself,” I imply as he leaves.

I go ahead and go into my living room. I feel my dog Aslan jump on me as we sit there watching anime. Hard to believe we would all come here after school, but all that has ended. I see a picture of all of us on my wall and even a picture of me with Chase. I still find it hard to believe he and I dated back in middle school. All of this feels like it was years ago.

“I miss you guys,” I say as I go up to my room.

I climb to the top of my roof and look up to the see the sun beginning to set. I never thought how much I’d miss all of them, but just that moment in class was nice.

A little reunion. It wasn’t planned, but it was better than nothing.

~*~

“What are you even doing here?” I see the cheerleaders asking Vada.

“Hey leave her alone,” I say as I push one of them.

“Who do you think you are?” One of them asks.

“Human,” I respond.

“Is there a problem here?” I hear Brent ask as he and the rest of the football team join the cheerleaders.

“This girl just pushed me,” Hanna complains to Chase.

I look up at Chase and Noah to see them staring at me intensely.

“Forget you’re not worth the sweat,” I tell all of them as I link arms with Vada. “You’re makeup still looks better then all of them combined.”

Vada and I look back to see a lot of the cheerleaders with caked-on makeup. “That I do.”

We go ahead and go to our lockers. I walk in to see the dance team this time picking on Liliana this time. I can feel my blood boil. I walk over.

“Do you guys have anything better to do?” I ask them.

“Or does your life just suck so much you have to pick on others?” I hear Scarlet ask as she joins me.

“What are you two going to do about it?” Tahnee asks.

“You don’t know what those two can do together,” Jesse adds.

“If I were you guys will leave,” Victor says.

“Please,” Annabelle implies.

“You’re lucky Christian girl,” Felix says as he and Tahnee leave.

“Thanks guys,” Liliana tells us.

“Anything, for you LB,” I respond.

“Janella,” I hear Scarlet say. “We all talked minus Chase and Noah, but we’re sorry for leaving you the way we did.”

“I guess we got caught up in the social circle, so when Chase and Noah left,” Victor adds.

“We miss you,” Annabella says.

“Forgive us?” Jesse and Liliana ask.

I can’t help, but smile as we all go back to my place ditching school. Enjoying life as if nothing has never changed, I’ll admit it still felt weird not having Chase and Noah here.

“Do you guys remember this day?” I hear Liliana ask as she finds a picture of two years ago.

We all were camping with their parents and my Uncle. We all snuck out of the camping site to see the sun rise. Honestly that was a beautiful moment. One I can never forget.

“I’m hungry,” Victor says.

“Finally someone said it,” Jesse responds. “Let’s go get some Joe’s I’ll pay.”

“Jesse’s paying?” I ask in surprise.

“Are you okay Jesse?” Liliana asks as she links arms with Annabelle.

Jesse laughs sarcastically. “You guys are so funny.”

“Come on children,” Scarlet says as we all follow her out her car.

“I am so jealous that you’re the only one who has their license,” I comment.

“Perks of being a late starter,” Annabelle says as she takes the back seat with me.

“Can we please get before we die of starvation?” Victor says speaking for him and Jesse.

We all laugh as we head over to the diner, jamming to our songs we’d listen to on a daily basis. Once we get to the diner we see good old Joe waiting for us behind the counter.

“I see my favorite teenagers are reunited again,” Joe comments.

“You can say we kissed and made up in a way,” Scarlet tells him.

“Aren’t you missing two more?” Joe asks.

“They don’t really want to be seen with us anymore,” I respond.

“Oh well, guess shows who your real friends are,” Joe implies as he shows us to our booth.

We’re Joe’s regulars to the point he made sure that our booth was always available for us. Once we sat there I hear the door open.

“Speaking of the two,” Victor comments as we all turn to see Noah and Chase walking in with the football team and the bitch squad.

We see them make eye contact with us surprised. Soon Megan and Brent see us and walk over to our booth.

“You’re in our booth,” Megan says to us.

“No we aren’t.” I tell them.

“Get out,” Brent demands.

“Make us,” Scarlet says as she fist bumps me.

“No none of that,” Joe tells Brent and them. “This is their booth and yours is over there.”

Brent and all of them walk to a different booth while Chase and Noah stayed behind staring at us.

“Chase Noah come on,” Tahnee calls them.

“Your friends are waiting,” Jesse tells them.

The two didn’t say anything as they joined all of them. I look at everyone else.

“Let’s have a fun night,” Scarlet says.

We all smile as Joe bring us our usual shakes.

“Time to move on,” Annabelle comments.

“Together,” Victor replies.

“Forever,” we all say as we clink shakes.

I can’t help, but feel Chase staring at the back of my head. I didn’t care. My best friends are back and we are reunited once again.