To Those Who Wait by Sarah Stoflet (black male authors .txt) 📕

Prologue

The memory comes back to me for what feels like the millionth time that day. I don’t know why I’ve been thinking about him so much, lately. He doesn’t deserve my constant thoughts, but I guess I’m not in complete control of what I think about. During this time, I lived with my Aunt Taylor and Uncle Don for reasons I still don’t quite know.

I was in Mr. Mills’ science class. It was my last week before I moved back to Alaska with my mom. He had us copy the notes from the old-fashioned chalk-board while he searched frantically for a paper he must’ve misplaced. I was surprised that not a single gray hair moved on his head.

Van King came tiptoeing in, late as usual. His attempt to not be noticed apparently didn’t work because Mr. Mills handed him a detention slip.

He chose his seat right beside me. It was amusing watching him fumble with the computer cords as he tried to get to the seat.

When he finally sat down, he looked straight at me.

“Hey, Korra. What did I miss?” Van asked. It was funny how innocent he sounded.

“Do you really care?” I pester, raising my eyebrows.

“Not entirely.”

“Then why are you asking? And most importantly, why are you sitting there?”

“I have one answer that will apply to both of those questions.”

I stare at him, eyebrows raised, waiting for his answer. Eventually I give him a hand motion, telling him to continue.

“To talk to you.”

I glared at him and looked down at my notebook. “I’m not giving them to you.”

“Fine, but tell me this; Are you going to the dance tonight?”

“No, I don’t dance.”

“That’s a shame. You should really consider it; you might get to dance with that one special guy.”

He pushed a red strand of hair behind my ear and smiled. There was something about the way he flipped his dirty-blonde hair and his green eyes glistened in the sun.  I was puzzled by the way I felt.

I did go to the dance that night, and there I realized something very important.

I’m crazy about Van King.

 

Chapter 1: Sophomore Year

 

Okay, well, I’m Korra Grace and this is my experience with romance. My love story is not a very pleasant one. It’s no Cinderella story, but it’s a little more realistic. How often do you see death and heartbreaks in fairytales? Exactly. So I could tell you some totally fake story of a prince and a princess who fall in love and live happily ever after, or I could tell you what really happened. But in order to do that, we have to trace back to sophomore year.

*****

I walked in from the rain, leaving a trail of footprints on the hardwood floor as I walked into our small home in Alaska.

“Mom, I’m home!” I shout.

No reply. Why isn’t she ever here?

I re-tied my red hair and replaced my contacts with thick, bulky prescription glasses, making my green eyes look ten times bigger than normal. I walk over to the laundry and take off my old, sweaty volleyball uniform and switch it with a fresh outfit.

Ring ring, ring ring.

“Hello?” I say as I answer the phone.

“Korra, you need to leave.” my mother whispers.

A wave of emotions overcome me. I felt confused, scared, and shocked all at the very same time. I guess I felt more sad than anything, cause tears started falling down my cheeks.

“Korra, talk to me!”

“Where do I go?”

“I already called Taylor and Don. You need to pack tonight and get on the earliest plane you can tomorrow morning. I will be fine, but you to catch that plane, got me?”

“Yes.”

We say our goodbyes, bawling. This was really happening, I was going back to Reels, California. Where Van King is. My life is going to change, and I am unsure weather it is for better or worse.

Chapter 2: The Arrival

 

Despite the fact that I was extremely tired on the plane, I could not sleep, which gave me about five hours to think, so I came up with a pros and cons list.

Cons: I am leaving my home, mom, and volleyball team behind.

Pros: Reels is where Van, Contessa and Mac live, and as much as I love her, I don’t have to deal with my mom twenty-four-seven, and I don’t have to deal with the tormentors at my school anymore.

Maybe a fresh start won’t be so bad.

*****

When I finally got off the plane, I waited at the baggage-claim for my aunt Taylor to get me. To my surprise, she brought everybody: Hazel, who’s 15, like me, the twins Parker and Winter who are both eight, and Shay, who’s an infant at only two months old. Needless to say, the ride home was not a very quiet one.

*****

Everything had changed. Nothing about Reels was the way I remembered. My aunts house even seemed bigger, which is odd since they added a puppy, Sky, and a baby since I’ve been here last. My Aunt must have been working pretty hard last night, because the room had a desk, bed, nightstand, shelves and dresser for me, with the same furniture on Hazel’s side of the attic. I began pulling things out of my carry-on, my laptop first. The beginning of a new life.

Chapter 3: Reels High

I tiptoed up the stone staircase into the small school. By the looks of it, there’s no way the school had more than five hundred students, but that didn’t change the fact that I was petrified of Reels High. I know most of the kids are nice, if not all, and it’s comforting knowing that I won’t be the only new kid to the school since it’s the first day of school, but I’m still scared to walk down halls where I was a stranger.

I took a deep breath, and pushed open the doors. My friends, Tess and Mac, come running toward me. How do they recognize me?

We’re all as different as friends could be. I’m the smart one (technically) with red hair and brown eyes, Tess (whose full name is Contessa) is the preppy cheerleader of our group and has darker skin and blue eyes with short, curly dark brown hair. Last but not least, Mac (whose full name is Mackenzie) is the military girl with short, black hair and brown eyes.

We took some time to reminisce and then the bell rang for first period. AP English. Fun.

*****

“Willow,” Mac whispered, “Van’s looking at you.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Don’t tell me you still like him,” Tess asked.

I blushed.

By this time it’s seventh period. I had realized two things: one, way more people remember me than I ever thought possible and two, Van would not take his eyes off of me.

“Hey, there.” I heard a voice say. I jerked around, trying to see who it was. Immediately I recognize Van’s old friend, Jacob. He, too, was taken by surprise when he saw me. “Wow. You’ve changed.”

“Is that a good thing?” I chuckled.

“Oh, yeah! You’ve changed-but in a good way.” He blushed.

“It’s fine, I knew what you meant.” I said, chuckling again. “I can definitely say I’ve made a few minor changes since sixth grade,” I say, thinking about my old hair, glasses, and braces.

“Well, you look great.” He smiled.

“Who are you flirting with now, Jacob?” Van joked. “Wow. Korra, you look amazing.”

“Thanks. Apparently four years does a lot to a girl.” I teased.

Van laughed.

As if on queue, a girl (who definitely didn’t live here in sixth grade) flaunted her way toward the group.

“What are you doing, Van?” She demanded.

Van’s eyes widened again, but this time with fear. “Sorry babe, just catching up with some old friends.”

“Who is this?” She asked, trying to act kind and sweet, but something didn’t seem right.

“Brenna, this is Korra. She just moved back to Reels.”

She shook my hand. “Hello, Korra. I hope you’ve liked your first day at Reels High.”

“Thanks.”

“Of course. A friend of Van’s is a friend of mine.”

“I should go catch the bus. It was nice catching up with you guys!” I exclaimed, awkward with the situation. Quickly I ran to the buses.

 

Chapter 4: Truth Damages

 

Aspin: I know who you are. I’ve heard a lot about you and your “thing” for my boyfriend. Grace: You don’t even know what you’re talking about. Aspin: Yes, I do. Everybody does. Don’t try to play it off like it’s some game. Look, you can’t come to this school and try to steal somebody’s boyfriend. That’s how you’ll make a lot of enemies. Including me. Grace: I’m sorry you think that’s what I’m doing, but it’s not. I’m not even interested in dating right now, I’m focusing on school and getting used to Reels again. Aspin: Stop trying to play dumb with me. Don’t come around him again and don’t show anybody these messages, or you will regret ever coming back. I will make your years at