Missing Pieces of My Forever-Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

in it. I felt like a new person!
     
    Maddie had saved me a seat at her table that also included her steady boyfriend David- yes, the same one from freshman year.  Who knew that they would stay together all this time?  So I guess that flirt with Jame in the hall earlier wasn’t what it seemed.  Oh, why did I care anyway? 
     
    “Cath! Trade me your banana for my apple. I can’t eat this with my braces.  Thank God they’re coming off in a few weeks.  Right, David?”  She gave him a wink
     
    “Yeah, Mad, I’m really getting tired of your braces. Know what I mean, Cath? Ha ha!” Yes, David you are so funny in reminding me all about yours and Maddie’s tongue/kissing episodes that she’s told me about in great detail.
     
    “Cath, did you see Jame? I mean, he’s all so cute and tall and big muscles!  If it wasn’t for you, David, I’d go after him!” Maddie nudged David and snuck him a quick kiss.
     
    “Yes I saw him, Mads.  He’s in my first three classes! Yuck!”
     
    “What do you mean yuck?  It’s good.  You can get back together with him!”
     
    “No way, no how, Maddie.  Don’t even think that.  I have to study this year,” I told her in no uncertain terms.
     
    “Yeah, but you’re not dead.”
     
    What Maddie meant by that I don’t know.  But as I saw Jame come in the front door of the cafeteria, I slipped out the back to go visit Sister Margarita, my savior and friend.
     
    “Hey, Sister M!” Wow, was I happy to see her and breathe in all those heavenly smells of the art studio.  I felt like I was home.
    “Cath! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. You’re in my seventh period class too.” Her smile was so warm and inviting.  I knew I had a forever-connection with this woman who understood me probably better than I understood myself.
     
    “I just wanted to thank you for getting me into the summer college program.  It was the best!”
     
    “Well, I did think you would get some benefit out of it, Cath. “
     
    “I learned so much about writing! I want to be a journalist and write for big newspapers or magazines or even television news shows! And I can still keep up with my art and photography too.  If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known that.  I appreciate all you did.”  I didn’t want to get too sappy, but she really did help me see my future instead of throwing it away on drinking and stupid boys.  She helped me find some value in my life again.
     
    “Great, now scoot to your next class and I’ll see you seventh period.”
     
    Sixth period was Journalism with Mr. Goldberg who used to work for a newspaper but now was going to law school at night.  I looked forward to showing him what I had learned this summer and to have his help with my articles. 
     
    My seventh class passed in a dream with my hands getting all smudged in charcoal again and claiming my usual seat at the art studio table where I’ve sat and created for the last two years.  I wanted to prove myself again to Sister M and show her in my artwork that I had grown up a lot. Except for having Jame in my first three classes, the rest of the day went fine and I felt like I could breathe again.
     
    My last class was math.  Now, I’m not a great math student but I can hold my own.  At least I do better in math than in science. My junior year math was pre-calculus.  I was a little nervous because I blew off a bit of the Algebra 2 last year in what I was now calling my “lost year.”  But I was confident that I could catch myself up and forge ahead.
     
    Jesusmaryandjoseph ! Not again! There sat Jame in my eighth period pre-calculus room carrying on a conversation with Sister Jeremiah. I shook my head, let out a deep breath and sat as far away from him as I could.
     
    That day I vowed to avoid Jame Patterson forever and ever.

Chapter 15
     
    I was afraid to leave the house.  I worried that Jame was stalking me in the bushes, waiting for me to come out of my house where he could