Broken Ties

By Michelle Ongaro

Growing up isn't much fun…
Laurie is dreading the start of high school. She wants things to remain the same, her friendships to stay constant, and her life to be familiar. But the encounter with a tall, blue-eyed boy changes all that for her when she attends her very first house party. Love is definitely on the horizon for Laurie, but as her life progresses, she barely recognizes the girl that stares back at her in the mirror.
Is this what growing up is supposed to feel like? Such confusion and heartbreak? Sometimes the young girl turning into a young woman craves the idealistic world she used to live in. As time flies by, Laurie realizes that the old world she once inhabited no longer exists, and she is forced to embrace all that comes with her new life, whether it is the excitement of a new boyfriend or the sadness of losing a loved one. Laurie has never felt such a dichotomy in her life before, and she is definitely not mature enough to handle what comes next.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jul 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645368281

Michelle Ongaro

Michelle Ongaro is a mother of two who has longed to be a published author since she was a young girl. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, son and daughter, and her fluffy fur baby named Charlie.

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Broken Ties

Michelle Ongaro

Austin Macauley Publishers

Broken Ties

About the Author

Dedication

Copyright Information ©

Acknowledgment

About the Author

Michelle Ongaro is a mother of two who has longed to be a published author since she was a young girl. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, son and daughter, and her fluffy fur baby named Charlie.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my wonderful mother who passed away late last year. I will never forget your words of wisdom and encouragement while I wrote this book. You were so excited and proud of me when I told you all about this endeavour. I miss you dear mom but your words and the memory of your beautiful smile are with me always. I love you.

Copyright Information ©

Michelle Ongaro (2020)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information:

Quantity sales: special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloguing-in-Publication data

Ongaro, Michelle

Broken Ties

ISBN 9781643785950 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781643785967 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781645368281 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019916880

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published (2020)

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 28th Floor

New York, NY 10005

USA

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Acknowledgment

Special thanks go out to my girls…my greatest friends in the whole entire world. Without the four of you in my life, I don’t know where I would be. Your encouragement and love have been true lifesavers and I will treasure our friendship as long as I live.

To my parents, whose unconditional love and belief in my abilities made me into the person I am today. Thank you for all that you are, and all that you do.

I can’t believe it…summer is finished! This thought races through my head as I stand at the bus stop waiting for my school bus to pick me up. It is my first day of high school. Wow! Wasn’t it just yesterday when the whole gang of us said goodbye to elementary school, to boring old grade eight? But what an absolute dream night that was…the last night we were all together!

As I stand at the bus stop waiting for the bus to arrive, thoughts of my last moment of grade filter through my mind. The school was set up for our end-of-the-year dance and it looked magical. All the decorations were so amazing and they even had a DJ playing music for us. Oh yes…there was magic that night because that was the night I got to dance with Tommy Gray, my one true love. He was…is…my reason for living. It’s not that he feels the same way. In fact, I doubt he even knew I existed until we had that dance together, but what a dance it was!

That’s what made the night so amazing for me. After loving Tommy for years from afar, I finally got the chance to dance with him. Of course, it all happened by mere accident. He was talking with Roger, who kept looking at my best friend Mary. So when Roger approached us as the next slow song came on, Tommy followed, not realizing that Roger was going to ask Mary to dance. Once he did, Tommy looked at me and said the most amazing words I have ever heard!

Well, um, I guess we should dance too or something.

And dance we did…to my absolute most favorite song in the world! Like I said… it was magic!

But here I am now. Summer is over and another school year is about to begin. Only this isn’t just any school year…This is THE school year. Grade nine! The big times are here. ‘Where the heck is the bus,’ I wonder, ‘and where the heck is Mary?’

Oh crap…I hope I haven’t missed the bus on the first day of school, I mutter to myself, but then relief washes over me as I see Mary approaching the bus stop.

Wow! You’re here early, Laurie.

I gape at Mary, hardly recognizing her. She is wearing the tightest blue jeans I have ever seen and a shirt that shows off her assets, if you know what I mean. And her makeup? We’re about to start high school at an all-girls catholic school. Who needs makeup?

What? Why are you looking at me like that, Laurie? She sounds annoyed, but she has a huge grin on her face.

We are going an all-girls high school, Mary. Why do you need to wear makeup?

I don’t know. She shrugs her shoulders, which causes her risky t-shirt to fall off her shoulder.

And don’t you find it too cold out here to be wearing a shirt like that?

Mary rolls her eyes at me, completely at ease with her wardrobe choice.

It’s still summer technically, Laurie, and I like what I am wearing. Since tomorrow we have to start wearing our school uniforms, I thought I would live it up for today.

I sigh. Mary has been my best friend since we were the tender ages of two, but lately she has become so different, almost brazen in her attitude. It kind of makes me feel uncomfortable and almost childlike compared to her.

Stupid school uniforms anyway. Why did our parents decide that going to a catholic high school was the best choice…an all-girls high school at that?!

Mary’s facial expression leaves little to the imagination. She is obviously very annoyed at the idea of spending the next four years at an all-girls school.

Mary, we’ve been going to catholic school our whole lives…Why wouldn’t we go to a catholic high school? Besides, it will be okay. There’s less pressure this way.

Mary scoffs at me, thoroughly disgusted by my acceptance of our fate.

What horrible wrong did I commit in my life to deserve this destiny? she moans at me.

I roll my eyes at her this time.

Aren’t you being a little melodramatic right now?

"Melodramatic? How are we supposed to meet boys if we’re stuck at an all-girls school?

Thank God for high school dances or else we would never find boyfriends!"

Boyfriends? I squeak. The only man in my head is Tommy Gray. No other boy matters.

Yes, Laurie…boyfriends! I can’t wait to find the man of my dreams this year.

Mary, aren’t we a little young to be worrying about boyfriends?

Oh, Laurie, you are so young. She smiles rather condescendingly at me.

‘Young?’ I think to myself. ‘We’re the same age. In fact, our birthdays are just a couple of weeks apart.’

I raise my eyebrows in protest.

Don’t get all mad at me. She says when she notices my reaction. It’s just that you still look like you’re in elementary school. I mean, look at what you are wearing.

I glance down at my khaki pants and pink sweater. She has a point.

And you don’t even have a stitch of makeup on. Not even lipstick or gloss for that matter.

I don’t like wearing makeup. You know that. I am beginning to feel exasperated by her. Just because we are starting a new school, okay…high school, doesn’t mean everything, including the way I dress and whether or not I wear makeup has to change. I resent the change Mary is so obviously okay with and embracing. It intimidates me.

Laurie, grade nine is a huge difference from grade eight. We are maturing, getting older. We have to look the part now.

And wearing tight jeans and makeup looks the part? I mumble this under my breath.

Mary shakes her head and sighs.

Trust me, Laurie, when we go to our first high school dance, you are going to want to be wearing makeup. I am positive that all the other girls will be wearing it. And as for the tight jeans, they are comfortable and that’s all that matters.

I glance at her attire. I doubt very much she is comfortable! It looks like they could split right down the middle if she so much as bends over.

Suddenly Mary starts jumping up and down, almost squealing in delight.

Here comes our bus. Grade nine, here we come!

Suddenly I feel very nauseous and very homesick for grade eight.

The bus ride seems to take forever while my heart races and my palms begin to sweat. That was the good thing about elementary school…good old St. John’s. We were so close to it that we could walk. But now we are in high school, and it is too far away from us, so we have to take a bus, a stupid, stinky bus. I try and halt my mounting anxiety, but it comes at me in huge waves and I am victim to its insinuation.

Laurie! Earth to Laurie!

I glance over at Mary who is sitting right by the window. She knows I like window seats!

Ummm, ya?

What are you thinking about? You look like you are constipated or something.

Thanks, Mary!

Well, what’s wrong with you?

I don’t know. This bus stinks. I wrinkle my nose in distaste.

Mary looks around, frowning.

You’re right… It does stink on this bus. Let’s hope it doesn’t smell like this every day.

I sigh, trying not to let my fear of grade nine overwhelm me.

Laurie, cheer up. We won’t be on here forever. In fact, we’re almost at school.

Her delighted squeals are starting to irritate me. Does she have to be excited about everything today?

Oh Laurie, this is going to be such a blast. No more recesses, like little kids. We get spares and we can even walk down to the mall and do some shopping when we’re on break. I hope we have most of the same classes together. It would be great if we even had our spares at the same time. But if we don’t, that’s okay. We always have lunchtime to skip and go downtown for a while.

What the heck is she talking about? Spares and going shopping? We are starting school. We are supposed to be learning! But that is the problem with Mary. She focuses too much on the fun part of school and not enough on the hard part…the educational part. I mean, grade nine is so different from grade eight! We have different classrooms for each subject and even different teachers. And the school, Notre Dame, is so big. I am bound to get lost there at some point. Oh God, what if I do get lost and then I am late for a class? Then I will have no choice but to go to the office and get a late slip. They mentioned that when we took our tour of the school last February. Oh no… I can’t go to the office and get a late slip. I will be mortified.

Laurie! shouts Mary. She pulls me out of my thoughts as I glance at her. We’re here. Wake up, lady.

Oh God! We are here. This is really happening. I have to walk into that school, meet new people, and learn new things. Tears spring to my eyes as a wave of panic washes over me. I want to go home so badly! I want my old life back, a life I am used to. I hate this change thing. I am not very good with change and this one is huge!

Mary gets up and forcefully pushes me out of the seat. I have no choice. I have to move.

Otherwise Mary will walk right over me! But then, gently, Mary grabs my arm and links it through hers. Suddenly, I feel a little better.

Chin up, sweets, she says to me. You’re going to be just fine.

I smile nervously at her and walk toward the front of the bus. Glancing down at my drab-looking pants and silly-looking top, I suddenly wish I had chosen something a little more grownup…but it’s just not my style. Ready or not, here I am, Notre Dame.

The first day of school is almost over and I have survived. Not only have I survived, but I have almost enjoyed myself. It is nothing like I expected. The teachers are helpful and I didn’t get lost once. The only real drawback is that Mary and I don’t have our spare together, but we did get to hang out at lunch and we even have a couple of classes together. As I sit here, in my last class of the day, I can consider Day One to be a success and I suddenly feel a weight lifting off my shoulders. Suddenly I am starving. I was still too nervous at lunchtime to eat anything I packed for myself.

The bell rings, and my first day at Notre Dame is over. I sigh in relief. Yes…I can do this! As I walk out of the class, I run into Mary.

So, Miss Pessimist, how was your first day? she asks. She still has that look of excitement in her eyes.

Once again, I wish I was more like Mary, throwing caution to the wind and not get so worked up about a little bit of change in my life.

Not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be, I reply with a grin on my face. The fact that I can say that and mean it gives me such a wonderful feeling of liberation. There was no more anxiety, not for today anyway!

See! I told you it was going to be awesome.

Take it to Mary to take my comment and turn it into awesome. I shake my head at her and then grab her hand and off we go to our lockers to grab our bags and get ready for our bus ride home. As we round the corner, we see the dreaded grade-twelve hall. We’ve been told by friends and strangers alike to stay clear of that hall, go around a different way or avoid it totally…but to not walk down that hall until having reached the pinnacle of high school career…the last year.

Ah shoot! says Mary. If we go around, it’s going to take forever. Why can’t we just go down this darn hall anyway?

I look at her in complete horror. Not even Mary could be impetuous enough to walk down this hall! It is so much for the day ending on a positive, anxiety-free note.

You know we can’t, Mary. We’ve been told only grade twelves can go down this hall. Besides, we’ve got time to go around.

That’s not the point. She makes a face at me. Why should we have to go around just because we’re not in grade stupid twelve?

I look at her with complete apprehension. She can’t possibly think it is a good idea to go down here?

Mary, come on. Let’s just go the other way. I don’t want to get in trouble for being somewhere we’re not supposed to be.

Mary rolls her eyes at me. It’s not like it’s a school rule. It’s just the dumb grade twelves who enforce this farce.

It’s a tradition, Mary. They had to wait their turn and we have to wait ours. Come on…let’s just go around.

I grab her arm and attempt to drag her in the other direction. She’s not an easy person to persuade. But she finally relents, and we turn and bump right smack into a grade-twelve student!

What are you doing here, minor niners? The girl standing in front of us is massive. She is tall, rather large, and she is extremely intimidating. Even Mary looks frightened of her.

This hall is for us grade twelves. Not you puny grade niners. Take a hike.

I feel like I may vomit.

Ah, ya, sure. Yes, we were just turning around, I mutter to the incredibly foreboding face in front of me. I grab Mary’s arm, turn us around, and we start to hastily walk the other way.

Oh my God! Did you see the size of that girl? Mary whispers to me as soon as we are out of earshot.

I know. I think she was bigger than the two of us put together, I reply.

Mary starts to giggle and I turn to look at her with dismay written all over my face. Has she completely lost it?

Don’t laugh, Mary. We could have been killed back there. We need to respect the traditions of this school and stay away from that hall. This isn’t St. John’s, you know!

Oh relax, Laurie. The danger is gone. No reason to get all in a tizzy about it now.

And for probably the fortieth time that day, I roll my eyes at Mary and sigh. She is able to bounce back from a catastrophe in record time! And yet again, I wish I was more like her.

The first week of high school flies by. I really can’t believe how fast it has gone. I have grown used to my new schedule, my new life, and if feels good. The change wasn’t nearly as horrible as I made it out to be in my mind when I thought about high school starting all summer long.

Now we are about to embark on our first weekend as high school students. Laurie and I have made a couple of new friends in our first week, so now I am feeling a little better about being in high school. Making a few friends wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be, and sure it is new and all, but I think these are some pretty great people Mary and I met…people we could have a great time with. The only thing that sucks about being in grade nine, about being in an all-girls school is that I don’t get to see Tommy anymore. That really sucks. I miss him. I miss the sound of his voice and his cute little dimples when he smiles. I miss his blond wavy hair that drives me crazy and I miss how awesome it was to watch him play basketball at the school tournaments. I would do just about anything to see Tommy again, but short of a miracle I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

Mary and I have been invited to go to the movies with Jennifer and Monkia, two of the new girls we met at school. I am not sure if my parents are going to let me go. Mary wants to take the bus there, not get a ride from one of our parents. She claims it will be too lame if we show up to the theater that way, but I don’t think my parents are going to be too keen on the idea of me taking a bus there and back home, especially since it will be late by time the movie lets out. Did I mention that my parents are super overprotective? It gets really annoying sometimes.

Suddenly my thoughts return to Tommy. I wonder how he is doing, how his first week in high school went. He decided to go to a public high school…no catholic school for him anymore. I feel jealous, jealous that he is with a bunch of new girls who aren’t stuck wearing a uniform every day and who get to see his gorgeous face every day. I wonder if he ever thinks about me. Does he remember that amazing dance we shared together? I shake my head to clear my thoughts. He probably forgot it even happened… and now my spirits are dampened.

I look around my room and suddenly feel a little claustrophobic. I really want to go to the movies with everyone, but persuading my parents it’s a good idea to take the bus is tricky.

Okay, so I am in high school now, but I am still only thirteen years old and I know, in their books, that makes me too young to venture out without some kind of parental guidance. For the first time in forever, I begin to resent their hold over my life and this takes me by surprise. I have never been one to rock the boat, so to speak, so for me to suddenly feel such rancor is very different for me. I walk out the door and head toward the living room so I can broach the subject with my overprotective parents. I hope for the best but expect the worst.

Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. What’s up?

They are sitting in their chairs, each reading something on their iPads and watching something on the television. I look at them, thinking they lead incredibly boring lives, but I don’t like feeling this way… It seems so condescending and they are my parents after all!

"Oh, just going through Pinterest right now, Laurie. What are you up to?" My mother barely glances up from her screen.

"Ummmm, well, that’s what