6. Senior Payne's
The Northwood Academy debate team went to Southeast Regional Debate Championships at the end of the fall semester of her Payne's senior year. Payne and her partner Agnes were to present the rebuttals for their four-member team. Agnes was not beautiful, but she was far from being ugly. They had been through many debates together. Each added to the other's strengths and shored up the others weaknesses. At their own school, they were referred to as, "Uglier and ugliest, or simply 'The Ugly Sister'." However, when it came to debating, they were among the very best.
Many teams were eliminated from the competition as the weekend went on. The two finalists for the southeast region debate championship were Northwood Academy and Geese Creek High Schools.
During a break in the competition and before the final rebuttal arguments, Payne and Agnes overheard the four Geese Creek team members talking about them. "They are so ugly," one said," Shit comes out of their mouths when they speak." The other three members laughed and continued throwing vile epithets at both Agnes and Payne. Filthy words coming out of the mouths of people, who should know better and be better than that.
Payne had to grab Agnes by the mouth to keep her quiet. She took her hand and found the proctor of the Geese Creek team. They told him what they had overheard and they asked him that no matter what he decided to do, he not do it until after the competition had been decided. Win or lose, it was Agnes and her right to face them down, on their own. The proctor agreed.
Forty-five minutes later, after the judges had tallied their scores, they announced that Northwood Academy was the tournament winner and called the team up to present them with their trophy.
After the polite applause had died down, the judges called for the Geese Creek team to come up and get the second place trophy. As the Team stood up and approached the dais, their proctor stood up and told the judges that his team was disqualified. They were going to be suspended from school, for a minimum of five days due to immoral conduct and other disciplinary action may be taken, later. He asked that the trophy be given to the third place team or be withheld completely.
After the short Christmas break, Payne knew the remainder of her senior year was going to be hell. Agnes had moved to Fresno, California, because her father, a naval aviator, and he had been transferred to the new Naval Advanced Training and Weapons Base there. Lemoore Naval Air Station was the Navy's new "Top Gun" training base and Agnes' dad was chosen to be as an instructor. He would relocate there for three years, so his family had to relocate with him.
Payne lost Agnes, the only person who would openly talk with her. She was the only female remaining on the debate team and she decided that it was too much maladjustment and too much testosterone for her to deal with on her own, so she resigned. She had not heard from Cynthia since the day she left her house. She had not seen her at school, either. However, that was not unusual because of their schedules and different classes. She decided to give her a call and see what was going on.
As Payne looked around her high school campus, it looked like everyone had been bitten by the "Love Bug!" It appeared that everyone "Gay or straight" was paired up now. Steve, was always paired up, "But, boy was he paired up now," Payne thought. Julie was not only the head cheerleader but also, the homecoming queen." Payne grinned when she thought at how many hearts she must have broken when she picked Steve. As far as Payne knew, this was the first time she had seen Julie, openly holding onto a boy, in public. Her brother must be something else, entirely!
The more Payne looked and walked around the campus, the lonelier and more isolated she felt. She was still the butt of everyone's insults and jokes, not that she had not heard them thousands of times before, but now they came as pairs walked by her. Payne decided on a course of action that was radical for her. She was going to try to raise her grade point average high enough to be class valedictorian. She was ranked fifth in the school now, so she would really have to put in some hours on the books to get to the top. She would have to change some classes to college level courses also, to pick up some extra points, but that would be no problem. Payne was determined to stand at the podium, make her speech, and end it all by saying to her classmates "For what you have done to me, during my high school years, Fuck All You Lowly Bastards!"
7. Dycke's Party
In his community, when a teenager was invited to an 18th birthday party, the parents were invited also. It has been this way ever since he could remember and tonight was no exception. There were rules that worked to the benefit: both the teenagers and the parents.
Rule #1: No teenagers allowed inside the house unless escorted by a parent.
Rule #2: No parents allowed in the backyard unless escorted by a teenager.
Rule #3: Teenagers are not allowed to leave the lighted areas of the backyard at any time!
As long as these rules were obeyed, a limited amount of beer and wine would be supplied, along with the non-alcoholic beverages, food, and desserts to the teens.
"Happy Birthday" was sung for Dycke and the age defined groups headed to their individual parties. Dycke had twenty-three people at the outside party and as he looked around, he saw that there were more girls than boys at his party. He felt that should work in his favor. There was a dance floor set up and Dycke had his Bose Sound System blasting the music they all loved.
His neighbors Wesley and Grover were doing what they best "Eating" and anyone would think they had not eaten in a week; by the way, they were going at it. Roger was dancing with his girlfriend, Seneca. Donald and his steady, Paloma, were making out. Several other people were trying to hook up with some other girls from the neighborhood and Dycke was standing alone, as usual.
Steve Temple walked over to Dycke, shook his hand, wished him a happy birthday, and asked, "What college Dycke was going to attend."
Dycke told his running rival that he had not committed yet, and why did Steve want to know.
Steve told him that he wanted to make sure not to go to the same college as Dycke, just so he could race against him again and beat him into the dust!
Dycke asked Steve if he was going to remember to look over his right shoulder the next time they raced against each other.
Steve flinched and said, "Did you have to bring that up?"
"It's my birthday I can do or say anything that will make me happy!"
Steve said, "Remember Dycke, you only beat me in the mile by 1.4 seconds. I can pick that up in a heartbeat."
Dycke said, "I hate to burst your bubble Steve, but I started coasting at the three quarter mile point!" As soon as Dycke said this, he started to run for cover.
Steve playfully yelled "You son of a bitch!" and sprinted after him. Dycke tried to avoid a girl seated at a table by far side of the pool but when Steve grabbed him, they both fell right over her and took her with them directly into the pool. There was screaming and yelling all over the backyard.
The girl yelled "Steve, you idiot, look what you've done to my dress and shoes! I'm going to kill you for this."
Dycke was trying to get over to the girl to help her out of the pool but she wanted no part of him.
Steve started helping her up the wall of the pool but both of them slipped back into it. Two large hands grabbed her from above and pulled her to safety. After she was safe, Dycke's dad grabbed him by his arm and pulled him out. Some person grabbed Steve and pulled him out of the pool.
Dycke looked down and this poor girl, who was still covering her face. He wanted to say that he was sorry but his dad held him back, as both his and her mother took the soaked girl into the house.
Mr. Schneider told the kids, in the backyard, to continue to have a good time and that his son 'might' be back, later. The two culprits were then ushered into the house, for interrogation.
After a quick change of clothing, Steve gave a detailed explanation of what had happened to both fathers.
Dycke corroborated Steve's story and said that it was as much his fault as Steve's.
Mr. Temple asked Steve "What are you going to do about your sister? We basically had to drag her here."
Dycke looked at Steve. "That was your sister? Boy you are up the Creek!"
Steve looked right back and asked, "What's wrong with my sister?"
Dycke looked at Steve questioningly. He then said "If he ran over either one of his sisters, he would still be running."
