Crash [Chapter 1]

I stare at the blank page in front of me. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happens here in South Port, New Jersey. Sure, maybe we’ll get the occasional news- breaking storm or the minor shoplift arrest at the local supermarket, but other than that, life is pretty boring around here. I spend my summers hanging out at Marti’s Pizza Palace with my two best friends, Jennifer Angivine and Nicole Pierce. A pizza house isn’t the most exiting place to hang out anyway. In the winter when I’m not in school, I’m at one of my friends’ houses. We practically live at each other’s houses. We don’t really do anything, just hang out. That’s about how I live. Not really doing anything. I just kind of go wherever my life takes me, which usually isn’t any farther than school.1

You see, my English teacher, Mr. Thomas, wants us to write an autobiography. But the hard part isn’t coming up with life facts about Kate Shay. Actually, he wants us to add in a section of exciting things that happened to us. I’ve been stuck on this topic for a long time. I need something “thrilling, new, and exciting”, as Mr. Thomas put it. Sounds simple enough, but around here, in my house, nothing “thrilling, new, and exciting” ever happens. 2

South Port is a small, nearly uncharted town in New Jersey. No more than 900 people live here. If you ask anyone who doesn’t live here, they wouldn’t be able to tell you where South Port is on a map. That’s how small and dull this town is. Jenn, Nicky, and I always joke around about the population here. We call it a “ghost town”. Think about it. How exciting can a bunch of ghosts partying actually be? My point exactly. What party?3

I decide to give it a rest. Glancing at the clock, decide it would be a good idea to let my mind rest for the night and hope I can think of something tomorrow. After all, the autobiography is due in two days. I slip on my favorite pajamas. They’re the blue ones with pink hearts on them. They are my favorite because my aunt got them for me for my 14th birthday last year. That was right before she died. Aunt Sarah and I were really close. I used to spend at least a month with her every summer at her house in the Keys. She never visited New Jersey though. Honestly, I don’t know why. I would guess because she said she was terrified to fly. Well, a year ago, my mom finally convinced her to come up. But she never made it. And they never did find the plane. They guess it went down somewhere off the coast, but no one is sure. I miss her a lot, and wearing her gift makes me feel like she’s still with me, somehow.4

I go down stairs to grab a snack before bed. My mom is sitting on the couch watching CSI. I try to sneak behind her so she doesn’t see me. I usually don’t stay up this late.5

“What are you doing up at midnight?” she questions, “And how about that paper you were supposed to be writing?” 6

How does she know what I have to do for school? I didn’t tell her about that. I guess it’s just one of those freaky mom things. 7

“I’m just getting a snack,” I reply.8

“Oh. And the paper?” she says.9

“It’s going just fine,” I lie.10

I couldn’t tell her I hadn’t even started it yet! She would flip out. I don’t want her to keep going so I hurry out of the kitchen.11

“Good night, I’m going to bed,” I anxiously say. I run upstairs to my bedroom. My dog, Max, follows me.12

I finish up my snack and give the rest to Max. Max is a lab and a great friend. Even my friends love him. We just got him last month and he’s just a little puppy. But he’s such a little devil.13

I crawl into bed and switch off my light. I’m really tired, and I hope to fall asleep fast. I find myself wandering through my life, searching for something to write about. But I’m too tired to think, so I give up. I can feel myself drifting into sleep, getting closer to morning.14

[To be continued] 15