Chapter One

The start of my life happened when I was seventeen, a senior high school, a doubtless graduating student, the five-year class president, and a fighter for my consistency as a valedictorian. As you saw my description, I bet your first impression that I was a multi-tasker and a born leader. But first impression sucks. And that was something I learned when I met this guy.
Since I’m in the start of my afflicted life, let me introduce myself. I’m Kristen Coleman. My second name is Cody, dad gave me that name. He always wanted to have baby boy�"unfortunately I’m a girl�"although I’m not that girly. I’m an only child of a doctor and a chief blah-blah-blah. It’s my dad. He’s a policeman, and I don’t know what his rank was, ‘coz I don’t care about it and why would I care about it. Dad’s job was the reason he’s acting dilapidated and cause of why I’m always unavailable in hangouts and parties with my classmates and friends. However, I should be counting on mom. But mom left house early and comes home in midnight.
Maybe you’re asking what happened before I was seventeen or my years when I’m sixteen and below. I answer nothing. It’s not that I’d been in a car accident or bumped my head on hard objects and got amnesia or I was a miraculously or literally down-to-earth girl at the age of seventeen, or someone drowned me in the River Lethe then my memories were swept away. It’s simply that my life became challenging and lived with people who kept on judging and judging that were all wrong. That’s why I called first impressions sucks. You gave mischievous opinions to people or a certain person that your eyes saw that they were vicious. I was also fooled when I met this guy who I thought a murderer or something, but he’s quite the best human species that change my whole being.
As I was saying, it’s the start of my life. It’s a cold morning in Chicago�"snow started pouring outside and I’m still wrapped in the cover. The alarm went off three minutes approximately 7:10. I have fifty minutes to prepare to school but I’m concretely frozen in my multi-purposed bed that serves as my companion whenever dad locked my room door so I have nothing to do but study. Oh, yes, my dad. If I didn’t unattached myself on the bed until 7:15, I would constrained to ride his police car and the Streeterville neighbourhood forsooth I’m an underage criminal that shouldn’t be away in sight of police. I’m too implacable to take the shower but I’m sure the water was warm.
Mom left early this morning so I was left with dad in breakfast. He was reading Daily Tribune while drinking black coffee. I drank milk and a peanut butter jelly. I brushed my teeth and tell dad I’m going off to school and I slammed the door without him saying, have a good day or take care or I love you and other embarrassing lines of parents when their children would leave the house.
The day was good for walking down the road to school. Next week would be the winter break, and this week was killing me. I met my friends along the gates, Scarlett and Rachel. I think the reason we became friends for years because of we’re both should be awarded for our leadership. Scarlett was this auburn-haired girl I met when we were in sixth grade. She’s the student council’s vice president-external. Her parents were both attorneys that’s why their family was close to ours. As a VP External, she has funds to make an event or parties outside the school. Rachel and I were lucky, as you see; we’re VIP in Scarlett’s parties. On the other hand, Rachel was the president of the Chem. club. She joins mathlethe competitions and scholastic decathlons. I don’t have time to join her and the club. I was used in studying alone or else my dad would be furious if I don’t maintain being the batch’s valedictorian.
We’re heading to our locker and took our precalc book. All three of us should study this week, because on Monday, the periodical exam for this semester will be held. The worst thing about the end of semester, projects in different subject were coming out of their shell. So every week of the end of semesters would be stressful.
“I want some time to enjoy. . .” Rachel sighed. “Scholastic Decathlon would be held after the winter break. The beginning and the end of vacation will be the cause of my brain to explode.”
“Me, too,” I agreed with her. “I am too wounded to fight for the first honour title.”
Scarlett chuckled. “That’s okay, girls!” she stepped in front of us. “We have the last Friday to enjoy before the periodic! There are many ways to have fun. Do you want to go shopping for Christmas? Or do you want to have a house party? Choose!” she explained with excitement, like she would do the party even we hesitate to.
Rachel and I locked eyes. “I wish my dad would allow me to.” I passed Scarlett. “Maybe that’s the effect of having too much pressure in Student Council’s platform.” Rachel followed.

We sat at our cafeteria table during Lunch time. Rachel was reading this chemistry book which serves as her pleasure reading while Scarlett kept on texting in her iPhone, giggling without a particular reason. Me, I was eating a small plate of lasagne which was a limited edition dish in the cafeteria.
Ms. Madison, our PE teacher, sat beside me while I was about to suck a fork of my food. “So, what are your plans this Christmas, role models?” she asked. “Oh, Ms. Madison,” Scarlett suddenly talk. “I want to have a party at my house this Friday. Funds are all on me.” Ms. Madison smiled. “That’s a great idea!” she approved. “Besides, students could study in Saturday and Sunday after that Friday night party.” Scarlett stood up. “Let’s inform the Principal and post about the event on bulletin boards!” Ms. Madison stood from her seat then grabbed Scarlett’s arm.
“Are you going to the party?” I asked Rachel.
She stopped reading then glanced at me. “If it’s the only way to have fun before the exam and if Mrs. Watson (our principal) insists, then, yes.” She opened her book and continued reading. “Don’t tell me you’re not going?” she added.
“I don’t know how to convince dad. You know, a week before the exam, he always pursues me to study and study.”
“Don’t worry, Kristen.” She comforted. “Scarlett’s mom and dad could tell Mr. Coleman to allow you to join the party.”
Scarlett and Ms. Madison came back five minutes later. I could notice in their face that Mrs. Watson approved their permission to let the students to party in Scarlett’s house. Ms. Madison was pulling Scarlett’s arm running towards us to bring awesome news for them. Seriously, they both looked like an outgoing best friends. Ms. Madison was young, she, maybe in twenty something. I bet she wasn’t thirty already. She has this copper blonde hair with chopped bangs. She always wore a polo shirt and tennis skirt, her hair was braided every day, and she treats her students like friends. Ms. Madison was the nicest teacher ever. Not just because she’s few years older than us, she’s kind and sweet. And she could see or tell if one of her students couldn’t do things she commanded.
“Mrs. Watson also likes to have a party to our dear students!” Ms. Madison said. “Everything’s set! All we need to do is to paste some posters in the bulletin boards to inform the students about the before-exam-week party. Everyone’s welcome! I’ll come as well! I’m sure you’re also coming, Kristen and Rachel.”
“Uh, actually, we have a sort of a problem, Ms. Madison.” Rachel said. “Kristen isn’t sure if she could go because her dad will force her to study this whole week.” Ms. Madison just laughed at Rachel. “Do you really think that’s a problem?” she cackled. “I’m a teacher! I will tell Mr. Robert Coleman that the principal and a PE teacher like me allow Kristen to attend the party, eh?” I agreed a bit. “Then how can you persuade my dad to give me permit to the party in a night two days away from the periodical exam?” I questioned. Ms. Madison tapped my head and smiled. “Don’t worry, Kristen. Just leave it to me.

Ms. Madison accompanied me on going home. She changed her gym-teacher uniform to a red blouse tucked in an above-knee-length black skirt and heels. She tied her hair into a bun while a Louis Vinton hanged in her arms. Ms. Madison now looked like a genuine professor that would ask permission to a chief policeman to green lighted her daughter to come to the party. “Come, Ms. Coleman.” She said, walking with a perfect posture, heads up, and her luxurious bag was hanging in her forearm.
“Do you think this’ll gonna work?” I asked, anxiously. “I mean, are you prepared to answer dad’s interrogation and avoid his lying detector? Let me tell you one story. It’s a case that called my first and last lie. Back when I was thirteen, my ex-boyfriend, Josh Hemsworth . . .”
“�"oh, he’s a very good basketball player. I watched their training with Coach Harris and he was damn, damn, damn, hot.” Ms. Madison said, waving her hand fast like a fan when she mentioned the word hot. I cut her complement and continued my story. “So, I told dad about that I would go to Scarlett’s house with Rachel for a group review in Biology. The truth was Josh and I would hang out anywhere where would our feet take us. We rounded the Lincoln Park. When I got home, dad questioned me where I went and how Mr. And Mrs. Kwiatkowski were. I told them they’re okay and we studied about the Animal Kingdom. I pretend the best as I could and suddenly he said, ‘you know my job, Kristen Cody. I handle the police staff in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. I asked one of my men to go to Attorney Kwiatkowski and ask if my daughter was studying there with their daughter and Rachel Jefferson. When they told me you’re not there, they searched the whole Lincoln Park and they found you in Clarendon Park with Josh Hemsworth.’ After that incident, I was not allowed to go anywhere for two weeks and I should be home fifteen minutes after school.”
Ms. Madison chuckled. “You should memorize the unique lies in USA to avoid your dad’s detector. Or maybe you could hangout outside Chicago.” She advised. “Let’s start with this.” She continued. “Pretend that you don’t have any idea that I’m inviting you in Scarlett’s party. Okay?”
I exhaled. “Okay.”
The street to my house and the whole place was silent. All I could hear was Ms. Madison’s heels. We’re meters away from the house and I could see in Ms. Madison’s face that she’s thinking about her dialogue. She’s mouthing something. “We’re three houses away.” I told her. Her expression surprisingly changed and now she looks like more confident. “Calm down, girl! I got this.” She said, assuredly. “Maybe I’m the one to tell you to calm down.” I said. Ms. Madison smiled like she was agreeing with me.
“There.” I pointed my house. Dad’s police car was parked in front of the garden so I’m sure he’s there. I opened the gate and let Ms. Madison entered in. She fixed her blouse and breathed heavily. “Let’s do this.” She said. We stepped on our two-foot stair and I opened the door.
I saw dad drinking coffee in the living room preternaturally with mom. Ms. Madison acted like she was critiquing our house.
I greeted my parents and introduced Ms. Madison. “Mom, dad, this is Ms. Madison. She’s my teacher. She told me there’s something that she will ask you something.” Mom made another coffee for Ms. Madison and insisted to sit down with us. Dad placed the cup on the coffee table and locked eyes with Ms. Madison. “Who are you?” dad asked. “I’m Ms. Jane Madison, a senior teacher, studied at University of Chicago.” Her head’s up. “Teacher of what?” dad sipped another coffee. Ms. Madison swallowed and sudden loosed her confidence but it returned in few seconds. “Physical Education,” she said, proudly. “I trained every student to be fit and their cardio.” She added.
“And what got you here?” dad eyes became sharper. “Why are you formally dress? I know that PE teachers were not pretending to be professors.” Ms. Madison coughed. “This is my favourite attire, Mr. Robert Coleman.”
“Then what’s got you here?” Dad finally questioned. “The Lincoln High School’s principal, Mrs. Watson approved the uhh party in Attorney Kwiatkowski residence which was planned by the SC’s VP External on the day after tomorrow.” Dad didn’t respond for seconds.
“Then why did the school planned to make a party in a night few days away from the semester’s periodical exam.” He sipped again.
“Studies said. . .” Ms. Madison explained. I was surprised to it. She continued, “That a student should have a time to interact with their mates to increase their performance. A stressful week was a struggle to a normal student. So the school made a party to let the students enjoy before a tardy weekend.” Dad exhaled heavily. “I guess the incident before that Cody said that she would study in Scarlett’s house but she go with this boy Hemsworth.” Ms. Madison and I waited for the answer yes. Dad sipped another coffee. “The principal planned it so, go, Kristen. But don’t forget to study the whole weekend, okay?” Ms. Madison pretended that it wasn’t a big deal, “Thank you for giving permit for your daughter to attend the party and thank you for your time. I’m only here for an answer and I wouldn’t stay long. Thank you, again.” She stood up and said goodbye. I told my parents that I would accompany Ms. Madison just outside the gates so that I could express my real expressions.
I opened the gates. Ms. Madison was back to her true self. “I told you, Kristen. Just left it to me,” She hugged me. “Well then, see you tomorrow and get ready to tell Rachel and Scarlett that your interrogative dad allowed you to go.” I thanked her again for the disguise and the persuasive speech. Ms. Madison stepped outside the gates and waved her hand goodbye. I also thanked my parents especially dad for giving me permission to attend Scarlett’s party. I also promised them that I would get the first honor title for the pleasure.