August 27

 

After I got off the phone with Sierra, I started to wonder if AJ actually believes her story that Samantha came on to her.  Sierra has told so many tall tales, but Samantha's track record leads me to believe that this actually happened and Sierra is telling the truth.  After all, AJ caught her with a girl once before and took her back.  How many times does she have to do this for him to get the point?  And this time, she stoops low enough to come onto his own little sister.  Ugh. 

 

Speaking of which, Sierra tried AGAIN to convince him that she's telling the truth.  Can't say the girl isn't persistent. 

"You don't believe me, do you?" she said. 

AJ managed a slight little chuckle.  "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, AJ.  About your girlfriend coming on to me."

 

 

"What do you mean she 'came onto' you?"

"AJ, did you hear a word I said?  She flirted with me, in front of everybody.  It made me very uncomfortable.  I reminded her that she is dating my brother and I wouldn't do that to him."

 



 

"Come on, Sierra, maybe you misinterpreted her.  Maybe she was trying to be nice.  You are my sister after all, maybe she --"

 

 

"AJ, I know what she was doing.  She was flirting with me. I got uncomfortable so I left the party.  I can't believe you, you're going to believe some whore over your own sister."

 

 

"Sierra, I believe you, it's just -- it's just so -- why would she do this?"

"Why would girls do anything, AJ?"

Will the real Sierra please stand up? Part 3

I decided the way to answer Miles and Hank was to work my tush off.  
 I spent long hours in the gym, using every ounce of energy I had, doing whatever I could to maximize my workouts.  

 And it wasn't just about the gym.  I had to put in the work in the classroom, too.  

 

Down time is pretty hard to come by.  I wanted to use the dorm TV to work out, but someone was watching a show on it... so I flew off the handle.  I couldn't control it.  The rage had just built up inside of me and I let out a primal scream. 

I went back up to my room, took a gulp of elixir, and calmed myself down.  Like they taught me at the hospital.  I decided to look at the trees swaying outside my window.

 

The next day, I was walking to class when I was struck by lightning.   But unlike the unfortunate Jake Sammon, I survived the lightning strike.

After a workout, I did some light stargazing, but the clouds and hail got in the way. 

Kaz Nasri was a little surprised that I was using the men's room... but I used the excuse that I was in a rush.  Honestly I prefer it to using the ladies' room.

Oh, and remember that girl Sarah?  She and I have been getting to know each other over the last couple of days.  
"So you're Sierra Cheesman, right?" she asked me over coffee. 
I nodded my head.
Sarah's a computer science major, and when I told her I was majoring in physical education, she said she hoped to get into video game design. 

"You beat Richard Randall in the chess competition?  Wow!  He's won that two years in a row."
"Really?" I said, "I didn't know that."

"Where are you from, Sierra?"
"Sunset Valley via Hidden Springs and Moonlight Falls - it's a long story."
"Good, I've got all day."
I was pretty sure if she researched our family she knew all of this already, so I didn't feel like telling her again.  So I just said, "Mom's career took us all over the place."
"I read, your mom sounds awesome.  I wanted to take her class last year but it was full.  Traveled to Egypt and China and France, and then came home and caught ghosts."
"My dad played pro soccer for 7 seasons for the Llamas," I said.  "He quit when I was born to raise us."

 

Sarah took a few more sips of coffee. "So let me guess, you took your sporty side after your dad and your brainiac side from your mom."

I didn't say anything.

Will the real Sierra please stand up? Part 2

"The fireworks weren't over once the party ended, Sage.

The next day AJ came to campus to pick up his report card and do some other last-minute things. 

We decided to play a little frisbee while he was waiting for Dr. Simlius to arrive. 

After AJ got his stuff and freshened up, he and I met at Barnstormer's for pizza.  He started telling me that he was thinking about marrying Samantha.
I said, "You know, AJ -- you might want to rethink that idea."
"What do you mean?"
"Your girlfriend came on to me at a party last night."
I wasn't sure he believed me.

That evening, Aaron met me in the game room.  He came in while I'd been playing.  "Wasn't sure you'd recognize me without my swollen left eye."
"Oh, hi, Aaron," I said while mashing the controller.  "I'm sorry about those hits."
"Your arm is actually pretty strong, though the accuracy isn't quite there yet."

"So, where'd you learn how to throw like that?" he asked me.
"I've been throwing all my life," I told him.  "When I was little I used to go outside with my dad, my brother, the butler - anybody I could find - and throw with them."

With me throwing passes in Madden, Aaron said, "The football team needs a quarterback, theirs went down with a season-ending injury."
"Really?" I asked.  "And just where are they going to get this quarterback?"
"Actually, I was thinking you should give it a shot."
"Me!?!" I asked.  But I'm a -"
"Were you about to say you're a girl?"
"I'm a freshman, they'll never let a freshman toss balls."
"You'd be surprised.  I'd give it a shot myself, but as you saw, I'm no athlete.  You, on the other hand, are."

He reminded me that he'd seen me sleeping on the bench outside the stadium one night.  I told him that I just like sleeping outside sometimes. 

 

Imagine, Sage ... me on the football team.  Me quarterbacking the football team.  Way too tempting for me to even think about.  

Jake's ghost made an appearance that night.  Needless to say, I was overjoyed.  I still need to try to figure out how to bring him fully back to life, though.  I know there's a way.  I just need to find it.

Will the real Sierra please stand up? Part 1

So, the next morning, after Kyle went to work, my sister called me.  "Did you read my email?" she asked.
"No," I replied, "I didn't finish."
"Well, I didn't get to tell you about Aaron --"

Aaron Matthews was in Lincoln with AJ and me.  I think he was a technology major, but barely went to class.
"When I was in the weight room at Henry, Aaron was there.  He told me he saw my name on the list and asked me if I was related to AJ.  

 I said, 'yeah, he's my brother.'

"So, I hear you've got a pretty good arm, mind showing that off to me outside?"

 

I was leaping at the chance.  Unfortunately, one of my passes landed in his left eye.  

"Oops, sorry!"

We continued to throw and he missed just about every pass I threw.  "You should really work on your coordination," I noted.  

 

That night Samantha (as in AJ's girlfriend) invited me to a bonfire party at her place, and, Sage, I swear, she was looking me up and down.  It made me feel really uncomfortable. 

She looked way too happy to see me.

I told her I thought she was cute, but I also reminded her that she's dating my brother and that's a line I won't cross.  



Ewwww, I thought.  Sam came on to Sierra?  Sheesh.  The juice must be strong.  I thought about telling this to Kay but then decided against it.  

August 26 (cont'd)

I couldn't get my sister's email out of my head. And I hadn't even finished reading all of it.

There were some things in it that really, really bugged me.  These two frat guys, Miles and Hank, that Sierra is trying to ingratiate herself with.  Their attitude toward her is pretty neanderthal, actually.  Just because she's the only girl in their class, means she has to put up with their sexist stuff?  I call nonsense.

My sister is not as nearly as tough as she pretends to be.  I mean, she's barely seventeen.  How could she be?  She listens to kiddie music.  :-)

Oh and her allergies are acting up again, so I reminded her via text to go to the campus infirmary and get her shots.

The way she treated that Jerry Wheeler character was just downright rude.  She could have at least said hi to the guy. Even if she wouldn't actually date him (imo he is cute).  And Sarah? Sarah knows a little too much about Sierra and our family, I think.  I mean I know info about us is online all over the place but still...

And the fact that she's talking about trying to resurrect someone just sends chills through every pixel I have.
 
I haven't gotten a reply back to the email I forwarded to Mom.  I always knew she favored Sierra because they were so much alike as kids.  I think that's part of the reason why Sierra got away with the stuff she did for as long as she did.