{"id":4585,"date":"2020-06-11T11:14:50","date_gmt":"2020-06-11T15:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whitefire-publishing.com\/read\/?p=4585"},"modified":"2022-08-10T13:58:06","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T17:58:06","slug":"taking-chances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whitefire-publishing.com\/read\/taking-chances\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking Chances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Melody Carlson<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Zoey knows her days are numbered. At least when it comes to remaining in Cedarville. So when Louisa coaxes her to be part of a garage band, Zoey tosses her insecurities aside to make music with her friends. And she even goes out for the basketball team. But what will happen when her mom shows up and pulls the plug on everything?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Chapter 1<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Early January<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not that I hate boys. I just don\u2019t like them so much. And it gets tricky when you\u2019re trying to \u201clove your enemies\u201d like the Bible says we should. But I have to admit that some people are really hard to love. Take mean girls\u2014and I\u2019ve had some experience with them. To be honest, I\u2019d rather love a stupid boy than a mean girl. And I\u2019ll never admit this to anyone, not even my BFF Louisa Cardwell, but Jefferson Combs isn\u2019t too horrible\u2026for a boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as Louisa and I walk home from school on Friday afternoon, I\u2019m still fuming at Jefferson\u2019s best friend. Mason Peterson is a royal pain in the you-know-what. And Mason Peterson is the reason Louisa and I are arguing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stand him,\u201d I growl at her. \u201cI don\u2019t even want to hear his stupid name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re overreacting.\u201d Louisa frowns at me as we pause outside of her house. \u201cHe was just trying to be funny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMason Peterson is a first-class jerk.\u201d I tug down the stocking cap that Mason ripped off my head a few minutes ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow was he supposed to know your hair was like that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I try not to remember the embarrassing wad of sweat-tangled hair that Mason revealed to half of the sixth-grade kids. Even though it\u2019s a surprisingly warm winter day, I put on my ski cap to cover the results of an overly exuberant soccer game in my PE class at the end of the day. I planned to shampoo it at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was just teasing you, Zoey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo I noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMason only teases you because he likes you.\u201d She frowns a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I roll my eyes. \u201cYeah, right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Louisa stares down at her red canvas shoes. Like my favorite blue tennies, hers are faded and worn. But that\u2019s how we like them these days. Artistically shabby has become our signature style. We wear baggy T-shirts, slouchy jeans, and old Converse. It\u2019s a comfortable sort of cool. But my frazzled PE hair, not so much. \u201cI wish Mason would tease me like that,\u201d she says quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReally? You want<\/em> someone to make fun of you?\u201d I demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She looks up then shrugs. \u201cSure. If it was Mason. I wouldn\u2019t mind. Especially if that meant he liked me.\u201d Her freckled cheeks get rosy, and I know it\u2019s not because of the weather since it\u2019s not cold today. \u201cAnyway, it\u2019s just how guys are,\u201d she adds quickly, like she wants to camouflage what she\u2019s just insinuated about Mason\u2014before I accuse her of crushing on him. \u201cI mean, my dad does stuff like that all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour dad humiliates you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot exactly. But he does tease me sometimes. Just for fun\u2026you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but he\u2019s your dad, Lou. You know he loves you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnyway, your dad\u2019s not a dumb boy.\u201d I\u2019m studying her closely now. Unless it\u2019s my imagination, Louisa has been acting differently lately. Ever since she turned twelve a couple weeks ago. Like she thinks twelve is so grown-up. And if it is, I should be worried because I\u2019ll turn twelve next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou mean a dumb boy like Mason\u2026.\u201d She sighs again, but this time it\u2019s in a dreamy sort of way that\u2019s seriously disturbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you really want Mason to humiliate you?\u201d I don\u2019t know why I\u2019m pressing her about this, maybe I just want to know. What is going on with her? \u201cAnd you honestly think that if he teases you, it\u2019s because he likes you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nods with a half-smile. \u201cAnd maybe he does like me. Remember how he sat by me at youth group last weekend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, well, that was the only seat left.\u201d However, I do remember it\u2014and how I thought it was pretty weird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd Mason and I used<\/em> to be good friends.\u201d Her eyes light up. \u201cWe used to have play dates together, you know, because our moms are friends. In fact, they\u2019re still friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh huh.\u201d I\u2019m trying not to look as concerned as I feel. Seriously, is Louisa crushing on Mason? I think about the girls at school who are boy crazy. Lou and I usually make fun of them\u2014not to their faces\u2014but just to ourselves. We both think boy-crazy girls are lame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnyway, if Mason didn\u2019t like me, he would\u2019ve just stood with the other boys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d I\u2019m feeling lost now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt youth group, you know, when he sat by me last week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, yeah, right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, you just never know,\u201d she says this in a way that suggests she does know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre we still doing music tonight?\u201d This is my effort to change the subject from dumb boys. It\u2019s funny too because I used to drag my heels about doing music with Louisa. But after my Uncle Ned gave me his old drum set for Christmas, I\u2019m really into it. Playing ukulele was okay, but drumming is way better. Lou and I did music together for most of winter break, and then every weekend since then and, unless I\u2019m imagining it, we actually sound pretty good together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d Louisa nods eagerly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd my grandparents said it\u2019s fine for you to spend the night like we\u2019d planned. They\u2019re still going to their cuisine club tonight, but it\u2019s not like we\u2019re little kids that need a baby-sitter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, especially considering I\u2019m old enough to baby-sit my brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlus Uncle Ned\u2019s home,\u201d I add. Although, knowing my laid-back uncle, it\u2019s not like he\u2019ll even show his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo is it okay to bring my new amp over? It\u2019s really awesome, but it\u2019s kinda loud. Will Ned care?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think sound from my room makes it clear down to the basement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHope he\u2019s not sorry he gave you that drum set.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah. And if he does hear it, he\u2019ll probably just put on his headphones. He just gave me a drumming lesson last night. He says I\u2019m improving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor sure. I can\u2019t wait to hear us with my amp tonight.\u201d She frowns at her house. \u201cI asked my parents about using our garage for a band practice space, but they say it\u2019s too crowded in there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrams and Gramps don\u2019t mind us using my room. I mean, even if they are home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood thing your bedroom\u2019s on the third floor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd that both my grandparents are hard of hearing.\u201d Although I do wonder what they\u2019ll think of Lou\u2019s new amplifier. What if that\u2019s too much for them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Louisa gets a funny look now. \u201cSo\u2026did you know that Mason\u2019s into music too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d I can\u2019t believe it\u2014she\u2019s talking about Mason again?<\/em> What is up with her anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, last week, after youth group. I overheard Mason telling Brent that he plays bass guitar. Sounds like he\u2019s been taking lessons. He even offered to play backup for Brent at youth group sometime. So I guess Mason must be pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh huh.\u201d I scowl at her. \u201cSo why are we talking about a dumb boy again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI, uh, I don\u2019t know.\u201d She shrugs then glances back at her house. \u201cWell, I gotta go. I\u2019m supposed to baby-sit my brothers while Mom gets groceries. But as soon as she\u2019s back, I\u2019ll come over. I mean, if that\u2019s not too early.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnytime is fine. And Gramps said he\u2019d fix us something to heat up for dinner.\u201d I wave good-bye then head for my house. Really, my grandparents\u2019 house, but it feels like mine too. As I go up the porch steps, it hits me again\u2014how grateful I am to still be here in Cedarville\u2026still living with my grandparents. Sure, I might have to move back to Seattle with Mom by the end of the school year. Something she firmly reminded me about when she came to pick up her car right before Christmas. According to a conversation I overheard between my grandparents (okay, I was eavesdropping), my mom wants to have me with her for long enough to claim me on her taxes. So much for motherly love. But I\u2019m trying not to think about that now. After all, June is more than five months away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere you are,\u201d Grams calls out to me. \u201cJust in time to help your grandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHelp with what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She slips a wrench into her tool belt. \u201cHe\u2019s making some special dishes for the culinary club tonight and he can use a hand. But I need to fix that leaky faucet in the upstairs bathroom before we go. Don\u2019t want you and Louisa springing a leak while I\u2019m gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay. I\u2019ll just go put my stuff away and come back down.\u201d I run up the two flights of stairs, toss my backpack and jacket onto the floor\u2014knowing my neat freak self will insist on picking them up later\u2014then race back down to help Gramps. As I wash my hands, like he\u2019s taught me, I remember how I used to hate kitchen work. But now I kind of enjoy it. Gramps has taught me so much about cooking\u2014and he\u2019s helped me to try some new foods. He still calls me a picky eater, but I\u2019m way better than I used to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019re you making?\u201d I ask as I watch him stir something syrupy in a saucepan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCherry cheesecake right now. But I still need to work on the broccoli casserole, and I don\u2019t have enough hands at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust tell me what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStir this.\u201d He hands me a wooden spoon then nods to the saucepan. \u201cWhen it starts to bubble, turn the heat down and then add those cherries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he chops vegetables, I keep an eye on the saucepan, stirring carefully. As usual, he asks me how school was today. As usual, I just shrug and say, \u201cOkay.\u201d I never know how to answer that kind of question. Should I tell him that going to middle school is kind of like walking through a mine field? Does he really want to hear that sometimes everything is okay and the next thing you know it blows up in your face? I don\u2019t think so. To be honest, I don\u2019t enjoy telling my grandparents about how some mean girl bullied me in PE or how Mason Peterson thinks it\u2019s okay to torment me. I\u2019d rather put it behind me once I\u2019m at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gramps asks if Louisa is still coming over tonight and I confirm she\u2019ll be here after five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s that leftover stew you girls can heat up. And my homemade bread.\u201d He nods to the cookie jar. \u201cAnd I made some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks, that sounds great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll clean everything up when you\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course.\u201d I nod. I know how particular Gramps is about his kitchen. I don\u2019t plan to disappoint him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you and Louisa practicing your music tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. She got a new amplifier for her guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His brows arch. \u201cYou won\u2019t be too loud, will you? We don\u2019t want our neighbors to complain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLouisa\u2019s parents are neighbors too,\u201d I point out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He chuckles. \u201cWell, if they can hear you, we\u2019ve got trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, we won\u2019t be too loud.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you girls are a two person band?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI guess so. For now, anyway. Louisa is hoping to discover another girl or two to join us. But so far, she hasn\u2019t come up with anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m sure the right girl will come along in time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah\u2026I guess.\u201d I don\u2019t admit that I hope we don\u2019t find another girl. I like it better when it\u2019s just Louisa and me, just playing around. And even though Louisa has been getting me to sing more\u2014when it\u2019s just the two of us\u2014I\u2019d be too self-conscious to sing in front of another girl. Especially if she was really musical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Louisa entertains these oversized dreams of becoming a real band that plays for a real audience someday. In fact, she\u2019s been hinting about the spring talent show, which pretty much scares the beejeebers out of me. It was bad enough playing Sandy the dog in Annie<\/em>. But doing a duet with Louisa, well, I just don\u2019t think I can go there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But knowing Louisa, she\u2019ll keep pushing. Still, I will keep insisting we need lots more practice before going public. Months and months. Maybe I can hold her off until it\u2019s time for me to go back to Seattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though that thought makes my heart feel heavy. I don\u2019t want to go back. And then it reminds me of my mom. It\u2019s weird to remember how enraged I got when she dumped me with my grandparents in order to pursue her music dreams of touring the country with her grunge rock band. It\u2019s almost funny now\u2014how I thought I\u2019d run away. I hated the idea of her being part of a stupid band. Even though she\u2019s no longer pursuing her music career dreams\u2014because her rock band hit the rails\u2014I still don\u2019t want her to know that I\u2019m getting involved in music. I\u2019m certain she\u2019d make fun of me. After all, I made fun of her. But since I haven\u2019t heard from her in several weeks, I don\u2019t think I need to be too worried. It\u2019s not like she\u2019ll come blasting back into my life anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, with my mom\u2026you never know. Anything\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n\n\n