The Pink Sneakers Club
Christian Bertoni
Copyright 2012 Christian Bertoni,
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0775-3
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions there of in any form whatsoever.
For my mom, who always read everything I wrote.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The realization of one’s goal takes hard work and believing in what you’re doing during the tough times, but it also requires the assistance and kindness of others. As a first-time writer, I am extremely grateful to so many wonderful people who helped me make this project successful.
To my wife Sandi – who is always the first to read my writing whether good or bad. To my daughters, Aryelle and McClane for their constant support and enjoyment in reading this book.
To Heather Chavez, Susan Anderson, Amy Cook and her daughter McKenna Cook for their unsurpassed loyalty and razor-sharp comments on this book. If they only knew how much it meant to me.
To Brenna Berry my first real fan who helped me realize I was on the right path.
A special thanks to Warren Barrett who gave me some wonderful feedback as well as designed the cover for this book.
Part 1: The Pink Sneakers Club Or The day everything changed forever!
Randi
Chapter 1
Hi, my name is Randi with an “i” Guseberri, and I live in New Charlotte. I know what you’re thinking New Charlotte implies that there was an Old Charlotte; well you’re wrong if you thought that. It’s a big town, compared to the towns near it, nothing like Westville. Anyway, we live near some mountains. It’s very peaceful. We get a lot of tourists because of our view of the mountains, of course other towns have a view as well, but we have all the shows and shops as well. Last year it was Rent, every year Disney On Ice and this year we’ve got Cirque Du Soleil. I hope I’m saying that right. Enough about that though, let me introduce you to my three closest friends in the whole world. Again I know what you’re thinking, I haven’t been all over the whole world so how can they be my closest friends, please stop taking me so literal.
There’s Kaye with a “y e”, she’s our Goth girl. Always in black save for her hair and shoes, which I’ll get to in a moment. Now, about her hair, it is her one inconsistency in her otherwise mundane life here at New Charlotte High. Shoulder length, straight and black with chin-length bangs, which are always a dark purple, her favorite color. Her body is slender, because she doesn’t eat a whole lot. Her skin is pale, which makes her dark make-up and slate-gray eyes stand out. She always wears black eyeliner, lipstick, and fingernail polish. She’s got a few piercings, nothing too ostentatious mind you, two small loops on her left eyebrow and one on her right brow. She also has a piercing on her nose, and of course one on her tongue. She’s also got a few cool tattoos. Her personality is almost always covered in sarcasm and quick wit.
She’s an absolute whiz when it comes to computers. She’s created this really cool program called the Grim Reaper. It allows her to copy somebody’s hard drive, giving her complete access and control of that person’s computer. It’s pretty hi-tech stuff. Kinda over my head. Don’t let her cold demeanor fool you; she can be very sweet, but only to those she cares about.
Next we have Caren with a “c”, with her ballerina posture and stolid gaze, she’s often pegged as arrogant or aloof. Tall, sparkling blue-eyes a hot body and big boobs. She’s got thick blonde, wavy hair. All kidding aside it’s a little intimidating when we hang out by the pool. She’s always saying quotes, which I think half the time is made up, but whatever, you’ll understand soon enough.
Then we have Deirdre, just Deirdre. She has long light brown hair, very straight that’s always falling into her face covering her light-brown eyes. She has some very light freckles on her cheeks and a small overbite. She’s not model pretty, but she’s cute, sweet and kind and always polite, but not outgoing. She’s always had difficulty making friends.
I guess that brings us to me, you could say I’m the leader of this motley crew. I’m okay looking, I guess. I’ve got shoulder length hair with a mixture of colors. My natural color is light brown I’ve added some highlights to create my look; I usually wear it pulled back into a ponytail. I have blue eyes, and I’m a little short but that doesn’t detract from my; as my father would say; fiery personality. I’m a tomboy of sorts, and not afraid to get my hands dirty. I created, and named us the Pink Sneakers Club. Why? It’s simple really we all wear pink sneakers, even our resident Goth girl, Kaye. Remember I said I’d tell you later about her shoes. Anyways, I plan parties, little events, trips, sleep over’s, mall outings, just for us four.
I practically grew up with Kaye and Caren. Deirdre came into the picture later sometime in middle school. I remember when the three of us met in kindergarten. It’s pretty funny. Our teacher, Miss Hammings had assigned us to the same worktable.
Don’t tell Kaye I told you this, but she was crying at the time. She used to be pretty sensitive if you can believe it. She thought that her mother had given her to Miss Hammings for keeps. It took her about a week to figure it out. The three of us became friends instantly I don’t know there just seemed to be that instant connection between us. You know what I mean?
On the first day of school, Miss Hammings asked us to draw a picture of our family. Caren drew a cat.
“Uh, Caren honey that’s a very nice picture of a cat,” she said. “But are you sure you understood the project? You were supposed to draw a picture of your family.”
Caren just smiled happily and nodded.
Later we learned that cats were the only things Caren could draw. By the end of the year, Caren drew pictures of her family with cat heads.
That brings us to why I’m telling you all this. At some point in our lives there will come a moment when everything changes forever. Sometimes it can be a moment when we admit our weaknesses, or a moment where we rise to a challenge, or accept a sacrifice or let a loved one go. At exactly 3:05 p.m. on Thursday the Pink Sneakers Club changed – forever. So did each of us.
Thursday, 7:20 AM
I don't need to tell you all how many annoying things there are in life. I'm sure you have a top ten (at least) list. I know I do. But somewhere in the tenfold is getting a song stuck in your head. Don't lie. It's happened to you.
I was sleeping soundly dreaming of Bradley Stikes. God, Bradley. He’s so hot it makes me wanna bake cookies on him, ymmmmm. Blonde hair, great big blue eyes and a hot body to boot. He’s a football player and when he smiles his face turns into a constellation triangles.
My iPad’s alarm went off and instead of getting the usual: Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne or any other popular group du jour I got:
"It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all. It’s a small, small world."
First off, the moment I wake up, this song is the last thing I want to hear in my head all freakin’ day! Second, I’m going to kill my little brother. Third, I’m going to kill my little brother. Did I mention that? Good ‘cause it’s either that or wish him into the cornfield, whichever’s easier. I would’ve even settled for maybe a Britney. Oops, she's gone and done it again, poor misguided thing.
Why is it though, that