| Subject: Story of Joanne - P1 School Matters |
Author:
Rose
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Date Posted: 07:13:32 09/17/02 Tue
~Chapter One~
The Party Disaster
10-year-old Joanne Beckley was shooting free throw at the basketball goal in her back yard. Her dad had given it to her for her fifth birthday in hopes she would be the sporty type of girl. So far he had succeeded.
Joanne had three passions in life; sports, books, and cooking, in that order. She knew at least the basic rules of every official sport, and she played all of them. If, by some chance, she didn’t play, she would try it.
Her second love was books. She loved to learn new things. Joanne had learned several languages including, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese.
Her third love was cooking. She was amazing in the kitchen, considering she was only 10 years and 11 months old.
She was counting down the days until her eleventh birthday. She had been accepted into an exclusive all girls school that offered an excellent education as well as an excellent sports program. She was not looking forward to going to this school, however. The girls at Durington Girls’ Academy were almost always pretty socialites. On the rare occasion, a girl would be accepted just for her athletic or academic talent, not her family’s wealth and class. Joanne considered herself to be the exception. Others saw the beauty she truly was, but Joanne neglected to see it. She saw her pale skin and dark red hair where others saw a perfect complexion and promising hair that needed some attention. She saw short where others saw petite.
She didn’t dwell on this however. She slapped her hair in a ponytail or braids each morning, and hoped for a blessing of height to improve her jump shot. Most people were kind enough to overlook her sports obsession. The exception was her bratty next-door neighbour, Nicholas Stanton.
Joanne hated Nicky with a passion. Her dream was to impale him on their picket fence. He constantly teased her about playing “boyish” sports, made fun of her hair, and called her “small fry”. That irritated Joanne the most. She hated it when people brought her height deficit to attention. She didn’t think 4’11” was too short for an almost eleven year old. After all, she would grow more eventually.
The Stanton’s were an unusual family by the Beckley’s standards.
The Stanton twin children, Nicky and Gen were home schooled until the age of eleven, then they were sent to an elusive boarding school. Their children were turning eleven today, and Joanne was going to be forced to spend four hours of torture at their birthday celebration. Joanne would have given anything not to go, but her parents had resorted to bribing her. If she stayed at the party for all four hours, and remained reasonably polite, they would take her to a hockey game, and get her the pass to meet her all time favourite hockey player, Nicoli Sanatini. Joanne’s parents were very proud of her, so if their favourite daughter wanted to meet him, then they were going to let her, only after she had fulfilled her part of the bargain.
Joanne gritted her teeth just thinking about having to spend four God forsaken hours at the Stanton residence, listening to their devil sent child belittle and tease her for the entire party.
Joanne made a grim resolve to remain polite though, she wanted to meet Nicoli, and she would give her eyeteeth to do it. She whooshed another three-pointer right as the dreaded neighbour came strutting through the gate that separated their yards.
Nicky grinned in his cheeky way as he brushed back his scruffy black hair with one hand.
She would have loved to permanently scar him with her softball bat sitting by the back stairs.
Nicky said with complete arrogance, “Well, I got my letter of acceptance to the school my family has attended since we became the Stanton’s”
“Well how nice. I know I would be absolutely thrilled to be accepted at St. Barkley’s School for Terminally Scandalous Boys!” Joanne laughed.
“Ha, ha, funny. I’m sure you’ll be laughing when you’re sent there.” Nicky told her meanly.
“That’s it Stanton. This means war.” Joanne told him devilishly.
“Ooh, I’m scared.” Nicky said in a falsetto voice.
“You should be. I will show NO mercy, and take NO prisoners.” Joanne told him, but she neglected to say, starting after your party.
Joanne then threw her basketball at the retreating Nicky, catching him squarely in the back.
“Just remember, you’ll be on my soil tonight Beckley!” Nicky called out.
Joanne continued shooting, then decided to get ready for the party that was in a couple of hours.
First, she cooked something for her to eat; she wouldn’t put it past Nicky to poison her.
Afterwards she showered and changed into a clean “Lucky” shirt and matching jeans with a pair of scuffed Doc Martens. These were her best clothes; she refused to buy girlie stuff like her sister, Lucia bought. She came downstairs about twenty-five minutes after she had gone upstairs, to her mother’s absolute mortification.
“Joanne! You can’t wear that! This is a dressy party! Wear the dress that I bought you today, its laying on your bed.” Joanne’s mom told her.
“MOM! A DRESSY PARTY FOR TWO ELEVEN YEAR OLDS?!!!” Joanne shouted in disbelief.
“Exactly. Go get changed now, and I’ll fix your hair.”
Joanne went reluctantly upstairs and changed into the emerald green sleeveless top and khaki skirt her mum had bought her. Then her mother insisted on taking Joanne’s hair out of the perpetual ponytail, and actually curling the ends of it, sending shudders down Joanne’s spine. She thought she did look remarkable nice. She could only imagine what kind of teasing Nicky would have in store for her because of this.
Joanne and her family, excluding Lucia who had been staying the week at a friend’s house, walked through the Stanton’s door at exactly 6 o’clock, punctual as usual.
“Oh, you look lovely!” Mrs Stanton told Joanne sincerely.
“Thank you ma’am.” Joanne thanked politely, “I’m very happy to be invited to your party.” Immediately earning infatuated smiles from every adult in a 10-foot radius.
She saw Nicky and immediately wanted to choke him with his bow tie. Actually, she could think of no greater pleasure. The only thing between Nicky and being strangled was the three boys surrounding him.
Joanne had no one to talk to, but she was used to this, so she went to the Stanton’s library, which was opened to the guests, and sat down with a copy of “The Chosen” written in French. She pretended not to notice four boys staring at her from around the door.
They all stared at this lovely girl and finally one of them asked,
“Nicky, do you know her?”
“Yes and no. I know the girl who lives next door and wears jeans, not the one who dresses up and looks nice.” Nicky whispered back.
“Well, beat me with a wet noodle and call me goofy, Nicholas Stanton isn’t being incredibly rude for once.” Joanne said sarcastically. “After all, its your fault I had to come to this stupid party, and get dressed up like a ham for Christmas.”
The three boys with Nicky couldn’t believe their ears. Although Nicky was just eleven years old, girls fell all over him. This one wasn’t.
Joanne continued, “I also thought you would be wise enough to stay out of my way tonight after what you said to me. Watch out, I might loose control and choke you with that ugly bow-tie of yours.”
Two of the three boys started laughing, and the other cowered with apparent fear.
The boy that was Nicky’s height with neat black hair and grey eyes said, “Hi I’m Ben Winters. I’ve never seen a girl stand up to Nicky like that.”
“Nice to meet you, Ben. I’m Joanne Beckley, and I live next door.”
“And I’m Daniel Brown, nice to meet you Joanne.” the boy with dark brown hair and chocolate eyes said.
“Hi, Daniel, nice to meet you.” Joanne told him, he seemed very nice.
“And this is Nathan Peterson,” Ben said, motioning to a short boy with blonde hair and glasses. Joanne nodded her head; the boy was still cowering with fear.
“Uh, Joanne, you look nice tonight. Thanks for coming.” Nicky said politely.
“You’re not welcome you moron. I only came because my parents bribed me with the chance to meet Nicoli Sanatini.” Joanne said, still smarting from Nicky’s stinging words from earlier.
“Really, oh wow! I’ve seen him a few times on television. You are lucky Joanne.” Nicky said with awe.
“Well, then Nicky, you most certainly may come with us when we go to visit him next week.” Mr. Beckley said, coming in on the tail of the conversation.
Joanne groaned. She knew her dad thought Nicky was a good kid, but this was going too far.
“Papa! Nicky does NOT want to go.” Joanne said in a voice that usually got her anything she wanted from her parents.
“My dear, that is up to Nicky.”
“I would love to go Mr. Beckley.” Nicky said triumphantly.
“Excellent, you may also bring your friends here if you wish.” and he walked out of the room.
“Hey Ben, Dan, Nath, do ya wanna go?” Nicky asked.
“Sure.” both Daniel and Ben said.
“I have to go home.” Nathan said, and actually left immediately.
Joanne growled at them causing Nicky to smile angelically. “I believe its time for cake and ice cream. Let’s go to the dining room.” Nicky told them.
Joanne wanted to dump the cake on Nicky’s (oversized) head.
She sat down at the table, to her complete disgust, between Nicky and Daniel. She was very tempted to switch the place cards.
Nicky had a chocolate cake, and Gen had a white cake. They both blew out their eleven candles without a problem whatsoever.
Joanne chose chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream, but as soon as she got the food, she had to clench her hands together to keep from decorating Nicky with it. She ate only a small amount of the cake, and she just stared at the rest. To her surprise, the cake flew out of the bowl as she accidentally knocked the rim of the bowl, and the cake splattered onto Nicky.
She quickly put her hands in her lap.
Everyone in the room turned quiet at the display in front of them. Joanne turned horrified at the guilt, but yet gleeful eyes to Nicky. She couldn’t help it she just burst out laughing. Shortly after her, Daniel and Ben cracked up with laughter too.
Nicky slowly started wiping the cake from his face, and then said, “Oh, my God! You’re gonna pay for that you evil witch!”
“That’s it! I am tired of you calling me names and picking on me!” then Joanne grabbed her ice cream and rubbed it on Nicky’s white shirt, then picked up Daniel’s third slice of cake and smashed it on Nicky’s face and walked calmly out of the room to her house.
Joanne slammed into her room and changed her clothes. It was still early, so she left a note for her parents. It was a safe neighbourhood, so she went running. Running, not jogging. Her purpose was to expend all of her energy just so she could resist the urge to go into Nicky's house and finish the job she started. She would set him afire, or maybe she would wrap him in the tablecloth and toss him in the river. She started grinning at this idea, and she was laughing so much, caught up in her dreams that she didn't see the group of people heading into her direction until she ran right into them.
Joanne all decked out in Adidas running pants and shoes with a matching top ran right into Nicky Stanton and his crew, sending all of them flying to the sidewalk. Joanne was pleased to see that Nicky had ended up cushioning her fall, rewarding him with a scraped arm. She scooted so that she was sitting on her own on the sidewalk and looked at Ben and Daniel.
“Sorry you guys, I was plotting Nicky's death, and I didn't see you.” Joanne said as they were getting up.
“No problem, here, let me help you up.” Daniel told her, extending his hand.
She accepted it and went to stand up, but collapsed again. She looked down at her ankle, and it was already swelling up.
“Oh, no! My trick ankle!” Joanne wailed.
“What?” all three boys questioned clueless.
“My ankle, it can injure rather easily, especially compared to my active lifestyle. I will never be able to compete at the tennis tournament this weekend now!”
“Uh, that's disappointing, but maybe you ought to concentrate on getting home first Joanne.” Ben said.
“Would you guys go and get my dad. He'll be able to carry me back to the house?”
“I'll go I guess.” Daniel said, leaving Nicky and Ben looking helplessly at Joanne.
“Umm, Joanne, when I called you a witch earlier,” Nicky said calmly. “I didn't mean it. I was just rather angry that’s all. You see, I loose my temper from time to time. Ben and Daniel and Nathan we’ll know what I mean, because they have to put up with it.”
Joanne didn’t say anything just nodded her head slowly.
“We're all going to Canton Castle this year.” Continued Nicky, “You'll probably won’t see us as much if you’re going to be at that Girls’ Academy, maybe we can spend more time together.”
Joanne made a face, “As if!”
Nicky scowled at her and crossed his arms tightly across his chest.
“Okay, I’m sorry I got so mad then.” Joanne sighed. “You're usually so mean to me, I just didn’t expected you to say it with a mean spirit.”
“You're right, I have been rather mean to you. All of our lives in fact. I apologize, truce?” Nicky questioned.
“Sure, you're probably the only person I know around this neighbourhood who’s any good at sports.” Joanne said, signifying the start of a new friendship.
Joanne looked up and saw her dad running down the sidewalk, with a panting Daniel trailing after him.
“Did papa's princess get hurt?” he asked Joanne, who was obviously his favourite child.
“Yeah, its my ankle again.”
Logan Beckley kneeled and examined his daughter's ankle, “Sweetie, it looks like you've really done a number on it this time. You're lucky it’s not a break, but its pretty close to it. Don't put any weight on it for two days at least.”
“PAPA! I HAVE to compete in the tournament Saturday.” Joanne pleaded, as if her father could magically make it well.
“Sorry, Princess, but I can't make it better overnight. I'm no magician.”
Joanne turned her eyes to Nicky and Ben, hoping they had any ideas,
“My mom might be able to do something for it.” Nicky told his new friend. “She’s a nurse at the local hospital, so she might know what’s best.”
Mr. Beckley carried his daughter to the Stanton residence and explained the situation to Mrs Stanton.
Nicky’s mother was very helpful and bandaged her ankle and gave Joanne some special ointment.
“There,” Said Mrs Stanton, “Just give it exactly 12 hours and this should do the trick. This lotion is a very special cure for this type of thing and you won't have this problem anymore.”
“Thank you very much, ma’am. Wow this is great!” Joanne said enthusiastically.
That Saturday, the three boys; Nicky, Ben and Daniel were sitting under the boiling sun, next to Mr. and Mrs. Beckley and Lucia watching Joanne on the tennis court.
Joanne was currently beating the pants off of the reigning champion. She finally finished off the match with an ace, receiving a standing ovation from her parents and friends. She shook hands with her opponent, then the judges, and then jogged to the locker room for a quick shower before the awards ceremonies. Thirty minutes later she came back up, wearing a black pair of shorts and matching white top. Her braids were decorated in honour of the occasion with metallic emerald ribbons. She stood on the podium and accepted her trophy, grinning for her parents' pictures.
As soon as she was allowed to leave she ran to her parents for the first time since before the match started. She hugged them, still clutching her trophy. In fact she was so happy she was hugging everybody. She even hugged Lucia and some strangers. The boys didn't get out of her way fast enough and she hugged them, then moved on to some of her father's business associates.
The next weekend they did indeed meet Nicoli Sanatini, then went out to eat pizza. There they marvelled at Joanne's ability to eat an entire medium pepperoni pizza on her own.
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