The story is still going!

Ah I love writing this story. I wonder how long I'll keep it going for?

Anyways! Now we take a bit of a jump forward into high school with Shannon! I already know where this is going so I can't wait to write it! Naturally when I know where something is going the writing is a little more coherent and concise!

Enjoy the next installment of Shannon's story!


After the summer was over Eddie moved back in with Fredrick and Meredith. This became a yearly custom. He'd move there for school and in the summer move back home. Over the years Shannon and Eddie became closer friends to the point that they would confide in each other everything.

The years passed and soon Shannon and Eddie were in high school. The first day of high school came quicker than anyone expected. Shannon and Amanda sat on the swing set of the nearby park.

"Can you believe high school is finally here!? We're like, adults now!" Amanda was more excited than anything about it.

"We're still in school though." Shannon reminded her.

"Oh yeah, but only for 4 more years! After that we'll be out on our own! Seeing the world! Meeting people! Starting our LIFE!"

"And perhaps going to college? Or university?" Shannon was eager to grow up too, but she wanted to study as long as she could. Amanda was a little more free spirited.

"Well, maybe for smart people like YOU but I'm more interested in going off on adventures and seeing the world!" Amanda plopped down onto the swing seat and stared at the darkening night sky. "Think of all the wonderful things going on out there."

"You sound like Eddie." Shannon giggled, "and how he talks about all his sci-fi nerdy stuff!"

Eddie had grown increasingly more and more geeky over the years. It started with a sci-fi movie he saw and eventually spiraled out of control into full blown geekdom. He was passionate about it at least.

"Well, what's wrong with wanting to explore?" Amanda pouted.

"Nothing! I just think we should figure out what we want AFTER we finish school. Who knows, 4 years from now you might hate the idea of travel."

"Well, that's fine for you, but I know what I want now." Amanda jumped up. "I want to get some sleep before school tomorrow. I'm so excited I doubt I'll get much sleep, so if I try NOW I may get a few hours!"

Shannon shook her head. "Ok, Amanda, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"We're all walking to school together, right? Me, you and Eddie?"

"Eddie's not back yet. He'll be back next week. His dad is driving him in."

"Oh ok. See you tomorrow then!" and with that Amanda tore off. She still had way more energy than anyone Shannon knew. She often wondered how she always had energy to spare.

Shannon walked home slowly admiring the night sky. Tomorrow her and Amanda would walk to school together. Something they hadn't done since grade 5. Their middle school was far away from where they lived so every morning Fredrick would drive Eddie and Shannon while Amanda's parents drove her. But the high school was just a few blocks away from their old grade school so they'd be walking to school together again.

Shannon finally reached home and made herself a cup of earl grey tea. She sat down at the kitchen table and opened a book to read.

"Oh, you're home now!" Meredith had walked into the kitchen.

"Yep. Getting settled for the night. First day of high school tomorrow!"

"Excited?"

"Very!" Shannon smiled. She liked school a lot. So much she wasn't sure what to do with herself after she was done school.

"I was never very good in school. Fredrick on the other hand was always so smart." Meredith sat down across from Shannon. She seemed to glaze over in nostalgic thought. "Fredrick and I met in high school, you know. We've been together ever since."

"How did you manage that?" Shannon joked.

"By learning how to cook! When am I going to get you cooking on your own!"

"When I absolutely have to!" Shannon had tried cooking before on her own but it turned out a disaster.

"Well at least when Eddie gets here I'll have some help around the kitchen." Meredith stood up. "I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late!"

"I won't" Shannon went back to reading, and when it finally cooled a bit, drinking her tea.

Shannon didn't sleep at all, she was too excited to start high school. She got up even before the sun rose and got ready. She was waiting at the kitchen table reading again when Fredrick sleepily awoke.

"You're up early. Excited to start high school?" He yawned as he spoke.

"Yep!" Shannon didn't take her gaze off her book.

"I remember high school. I wasn't very good at it. Meredith always thought I was so smart for some reason." He made breakfast for the two of them and made coffee. After the two ate he gave Shannon a kiss on the head. "Have a good day at school." He said as he grabbed his suit case and left for work.

Shannon finished her chapter and put her book aside. Meredith wouldn't be up for another hour and Shannon had to leave to meet up with Amanda. She turned off the coffee pot and headed off. The sun was barely up but you could hear the birds chirping. The sky was a lovely shade of blue, one Shannon hadn't seen before. She slowed down and eventually came to a stop.

What was high school going to be like? Would she meet her true love like Fredrick and Meredith had? What if it was too hard? More importantly, what was she going to do after. Everything started to dawn on Shannon. She'd mostly gone through life not worrying about the future but now it was felt like it was rapidly approaching. It was still four years away but it felt like tomorrow. Shannon stood there contemplating this for a moment.

"Shannon! Snap out of it!" Came the distant voice of Amanda who was waiting at their meet up point a few feet away. Shannon hurried over.

"You off in la la land? That's not like you."

"Sorry. I was thinking about the future." Shannon admitted, not entirely focused on what was going on.

"Let it sort itself out. The future will do its thing while we do ours."

"Yeah, I guess." Shannon said not entirely convinced this was the best plan of action. The two walked to school, Amanda talking the entire way while Shannon gave one word answers, still focused on the problems of the future.

"Hey! Snap out of it! The entire way here all you've done is say 'uh-huh.' I'm trying to talk to you!" Amanda snapped at Shannon when they reached the school.

"Sorry." Shannon apologized again. "Lets get to our home room."

"Right!" Amanda made a sharp turn left towards some stairs.

"Um. Our home room is on the ground floor, I thought."

"No. It's upstairs. Room 223 remember?"

"Thats the geology class! We're in 140, the math class."

Amanda dug around her backpack and pulled out her schedule. Shannon did the same.

"See, room 223! Just like I said!" Amanda pointed to the first class on the schedule.

"Mine says 140." Shannon showed her schedule to Amanda.

"Wait, we're NOT in the same home room?" Amanda looked at Shannon confused and a bit hurt. "But, we're always in the same class."

"Eddie's in a completely different class. I asked him already." Shannon added. "This is the first time none of us has been together."

Amanda looked at Shannon and gave her a hug. "I'll find you at lunch!" then she ran up the stairs.

Shannon felt alone and for the first time afraid to go to class. Having Amanda in the same class always meant she never had to try and make new friends. She wasn't sure if she could. She looked around at the other kids who were walking her way.

A couple boys who wore sports jersey's. Their pants were hanging below their hips and they were all talking in slang. To her left were a few girls with short skirts and tight fitting tops. They were talking about some movie star she'd never heard of. None of these people she felt comfortable striking up a conversation with.

She walked into room 140 and looked around. There were no desk just tables pushed together in groups. The familiar plastic chairs that are in every school were at each of the tables. One table in the corner had a few goofy boys who looked nice enough but no room for another. Another table had an over weight boy with greasy hair and dark clothing sitting next to a thin boy who wore glasses with a plaid shirt and khakis. In another corner was a pale girl wearing all black. Shannon chose to sit next to her. Well, not next to, but at the same table as.

The rest of the class filtered in, the same girls that were talking about movie stars in the hall took the last free table and a few misfits sat at Shannon's table. They all sat awkwardly while they waited for the teacher to arrive.

A few moments after the morning bell and in walked Mr. Newport, the math teacher.

"Settle down everyone." he said needlessly as everyone was already silent. "I know you're excited about your first day of high school, so I'll go easy on you. I'm..."

"Um, excuse me, is this room 140?" The teacher was interrupted by a student at the door. Everyone turned to see who it was. Shannon had her back to the door and had to turn completely around to see.

In the doorway stood a boy with short blonde hair and was well dressed. He was the most handsome thing Shannon had ever witnessed.