My Unforgettable Senior Year

By Cipriano Arroyo

Embark in an UNFORGETTABLE and heartwarming Novel!

Where you get to know Marcos a High school senior. Marcos was a brilliant student; unfortunately he didnt enjoy the fun and exciting parts of high school had to offer.

Soon that was all going to change! Marcos made up is mind to make his Senior Year of High School one to remember and fun Marcos best friend Zack was the perfect guy to help him with just that. Unlike Marcos shy and quiet ways Zack was loud and spontaneous.

Join Marcos as he navigates his senior year of High School. Where he finds love and experiences lost. Where he discovers himself and the meaning life! Youll fall in love with Marcos gentle heart and powerful soul.

Uncover Marcos UNFORGETTABLE story!!!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781514429754

Cipriano Arroyo

CIPRIANO ARROYO’s interest in writing began at eight years old, when he won a poem contest about rabbits in the San Luis Obispo County District for elementary students. Later on his life, he wrote a poem titled “To Be Free” and submitted it to poetry.com. He won Editor’s Choice Award for his submission. My Unforgettable Senior Year is Cipriano’s first novel.

Book preview

Chapter 1

W hat a beautiful clear sunny blue day , I thought to myself. The lively sun was shining with no clouds in sight. Most of my classmates were outside getting ready to go home after a long day of high school, while others were hanging out and catching up with friends.

It was the first week of high school; thus, there were still lots of commotions in the halls. However, that wasn’t the case for me. I was stuck in the library, busily working on my homework. I had tons of homework. Most of the classes I was taking in high school were AP and honor classes, which required a lot of work and time.

I was an excellent student. In fact, I obtained the highest GPA in my class since my fresh year in high school, and I had every intention of keeping it that way.

It was an incredible and outstanding accomplishment that many students would be very proud to achieve, and I was no exception. I felt extremely proud of myself for being a good student mainly because of my parents. I loved my parents, and I felt great making them proud, especially my father.

My father always told me with hard work and determination, anything was possible. My father didn’t just simply say that to me; he also demonstrated it to me with his own success.

He was raised in a poor family who didn’t have much. He lived in a home that didn’t seem to provide a promising future for him. But remarkably, my father’s humble upbringing didn’t stop him from achieving his dreams and goals. In a way, it helped shape the person he was now.

My father was a man of justice. He witnessed a lot of corruption and violence due to his humble surroundings. Back then, my father didn’t have the power to fight for justice; but he vowed that one day, he would. And sure enough, my father made that one day a reality.

My father ultimately managed to graduate from Stanford University with his master in law and now was a thriving layer.

Knowing what my father accomplished and all the hard work it took him to get to the place he was now inspired me to do my best in school. I felt like it was my obligation to do so.

On top of that, my mother was also very successful. She was a well-known interior designer who traveled all around the world, designing rooms to top-of-the-line stores. She traveled to China, Egypt, Paris, Italy, and Mexico—pretty much everywhere. My mother loved her job. She loved getting the opportunity to explore new place all over the world. She didn’t view her job as work; instead, she viewed it like an adventure waiting to happen.

I felt incredibly fortunate that both my parents had successful careers; thus, they had the means to provide me with a comfortable life style. Money wasn’t an obstacle for us.

We lived in beautiful small ocean town named Cayucos. Cayucos was indeed very small and beautiful. It was like time stood still in Cayucos as the waves crashed peacefully, and cool ocean breeze filled the air.

Although Cayucos was very small and charming, there were times when I felt like it was too small. Everyone knew each other, and there weren’t many places to hang out if you were a teen. Nevertheless, Cayucos was where I lived. It was the place where I learned to love and the place I called home.

As I was saying, I felt incredibly fortunate to come from a successful family. However, at the same time, I felt obligated to live up to my parents standards. I felt like I had a lot to prove to my parents, particularly to my father.

My father had very high expectations from me. He wanted me to grow up to be a lawyer just like himself. I knew nothing in the world would make my father feel prouder or happier if I become a lawyer. It was my father’s dream. I swear it was like as if he had that dream since I was born. It was all I remember him talking about since I was a kid.

Being a lawyer was a great career, and I know I could become one if I wanted to. But it wasn’t me. It didn’t interest me whatsoever, and I definitely didn’t have the same passion toward it like my father did.

Furthermore, I already knew what I wanted to be. I wanted to be an author and not just any author—I wanted to be one of the best. It was my dream ever since I was eight years old, and I still wanted it more than anything in the world.

I loved writing; it was my biggest passion. There wasn’t anything else I love to do more than writing. I know this might sound a little cheesy and overrated, but I honestly felt like I was born to write.

Unfortunately, my father strongly disapproved of my writing. He didn’t want to hear anything about it. He thought it was a complete waste of my time. He was convinced that I was a lot more capable of just writing and insisted that my writing wasn’t going to get me anywhere in life. He constantly said to me, "You can’t write your future, Marcos, you must work for it.

Overall, father acted like my writing was nothing but a joke. He simply saw it like a pastime. He didn’t understand how much it truly meant to me nor took the time to even care.

It upset me deeply that my father disapproved of my writing especially because I looked up to him more than any other person. He was a great man, and I was his only son; there was no way I could let him down.

So that’s why I tried to forget about my dream of being a writer and instead follow my father’s footsteps of being a lawyer.

I stopped to take a quick break from my homework, and I couldn’t help staring outside the window to which I was sitting right next. The window was big, and it provided a perfect view of the school’s quad.

As I distractedly stared outside the window, I noticed all the fun my classmates were having. I saw a group of guys hacky sacking in a big circle. It seemed like a lot fun but very difficult to do.

Meanwhile, some girls were simply sitting on the school’s benches, chatting and laughing away. Several other guys where even running around and chasing each other. All of them seemed to be having fun—a lot more than I was, that’s for sure. Seeing all the fun my classmates were having made me realize how much I was really missing out in high school.

I was a compete outcast; it was like I didn’t even exist. I hardly had any friends nor did I took advantage of the fun and exciting things high school had to offer. It was all schoolwork but no fun for me. I never went to a single football game, let alone to a school dance. I didn’t even have a girlfriend.

It was quite sad; I had been in school high for three years, and I couldn’t remember one exciting thing I had done. Not even one, I disappointingly pondered to myself. I was somewhat aware of my lack of social life in high school, but I never really paid too much attention it.

However, this time was different. I was a senior now. I only had one year left in high school. And I was going to make it count, I determinedly thought to myself.

Granted, I was still going to keep up with my grades as usual, but I also wanted to have fun and enjoy high school. After all, I was only going to be a teenager once in my life. It was about time for me to start acting like one and start enjoying high school. Luckily, I had my friend who I knew could help with that.

His name was Zack. Zack was my best friend. He was seventeen years old like me, but he was just a couple months older. And as far as the looks department was concerned, Zack was white, tall, and solidly built. He had beach blue eyes and light sun brown hair. Zack looked like a total jock, and boy was he one too. Zack loved sports and was a great athlete. He was the star football player of our school, and he also played basketball and track.

Like I said, I didn’t have that many friends in high school, or out of high school for that matter. But that was okay, because having Zack as my friend was more than enough for me. I loved Zack.

He was an incredible guy and an even better friend. He always smiled when you talked to him, and he had an amazing attitude toward life. I swear I never had a dull moment when I was around Zack. He was just such a nice and cool person. But yeah—if anyone could help me live up my senior year, it was Zack.

When it came to personalities, Zack and I couldn’t have been any more different. Zack was loud, spontaneous, and extremely outgoing. Almost everyone in our high school knew him. Mostly, it’s because of all the sports he played and because of his enthusiastic attitude. Zack was just the cool guy with whom everyone wanted to be friends.

There were some times when I wished I could be a little bit more like Zack. It seemed like he wasn’t afraid of doing anything or nothing. He lived his life to the fullest with no worries whatsoever. Even as a kid, Zack was very brave.

I remember when Zack and I use to be kids, and we frequently went to the beach. Zack swam so, so, so far into the beach. He went all the way inside where he couldn’t even touch the sand and where the waves were gigantic and dangerous.

Come on! Marcos, don’t be such a baby. Nothing bad will happen. I remembered how Zack use to egg me on when I was afraid to go as far into the beach as him.

No, and I’m not a baby. I just don’t think it’s a good idea, that’s all. I rather stay here where it’s safe. I mean, what if something bad happens? I used to tell Zack in a fearful voice as I looked at the gigantic waves crashing in the distance.

Nothing … bad will happen. Trust me, Marcos, Zack said to me. And with those reassuring words, Zack always managed to convince me to go as far as he did into the beach.

To this day, things didn’t really change that much. I still was the shy and fearful one while Zack was the outgoing and brave one.

But despite my timid ways, I didn’t care; my decision was all made up. I really wanted to change, and I wasn’t going to let my insecurities get in the way.

It was over an hour, and I was still in the library busy working on my homework. I felt exhausted and ready for a nap.

It was the first week of the high school, and I was surprised of all of the homework I was assigned. I took a deep yawn to ease my tired brain after a long day in school and homework I just finished. I also stood up to stretch my aching body from sitting down all day. I felt so good stretching my arms into the air.

On that relaxing note, I decided to call it a day and began packing up. As I was putting homework away, I heard Zack calling my name. Not too far away from where I was. I immediately recognized his voice.

I knew I could find you here, Marcos, Zack told me as he as sat on the empty chair beside me.

Yeah, I was working on my homework, I said to him as I finished putting it away and sat down next to him, so we could talk. I had lots of homework. But thank God I almost got it all done. I just have a little bit left to do, I told Zack with a huge side of relief.

Man, you’re so smart, Marcos. I like never do my homework, Zack told as he lightly pushed me.

You’re smart too, Zack, I pointed out in a friendly voice. You just need to dedicate yourself more to school, that’s all, I suggested to him, knowing that Zack was smart indeed. He was just a lazy when it came to his schoolwork.

No, I’m not, and that’s okay, Zack said with no remorse in his voice. School is just not from me. Besides, there is a lot of other ways to be successful in life. School isn’t the only way, he quickly pointed out like he always did whenever we had this discussion.

I guess you’re right, Zack. School isn’t the only way to be successful in life, I agreed with him. But you should at the very least graduate from high school. I don’t want to graduate high school without you. You are like my only friend Zack. And I would feel very sad if we didn’t graduate high school together, I sadly told him, thinking about that scenario.

Don’t worry, Marcos. I am not that stupid, Zack broke out laughing. We are going to graduate high school together. I promise, Zack definitely said to me.

Good, I smiled. At least we will graduate high school together. Besides, I know that you are going to be successful, Zack. With or without school.

Thank you, Marcos, Zack happily said to me. You are like the only person that honestly says that to me. I’m glad you don’t only view life in one way. You see the whole picture.

Well, you know what they say. Great minds think alike, I cleverly told Zack using one of my favorite quotes.

You got that right, Marcos, Zack quickly agreed with me.

Anyways, I told Zack, as change our conversation, how is your first week of high school going so far? I mean your senior year! I corrected myself, adding more emphasis and excitement.

It’s actually going pretty cool. My classes are okay, I guess, but the best part is our football team. We have amazingly good new players in our team! Not to mention, I’m going to be team captain this year, Zack bragged to me as he proudly pointed at himself with both of his hands.

Given these unstoppable circumstances, I really think we might have a chance to be CIF champions. Can you imagine, Marcos? CIF champions! Zack yelled with even more excitement as his light blue eyes lit up with joy thinking of the possibility.

I was surprised that the librarian didn’t come right that second to tell us to lower down our voices or to kick us out of the library for that matter. She was probably too busy working on something or didn’t hear Zack yell, I thought to myself. If she did, she would have definitely done something.

The librarian was old and awfully strict. She had zero tolerance over any type of mischief. It was so bad that student’s nicknamed her the Grumpy Fossil.

Yeah, that would be very cool, I told Zack in low voice, hoping he would lower his voice too.

Yes, it would. It would be the best, Zack excitedly but quietly said to me. So what about you, Marcos? How is your first week of high school treating you? he asked me as he settled down.

Before I could even answer Zack’s question, the librarian announced the library was closing in five minutes. So Zack and I exited the library.

When I stepped outside the library, my green eyes squinted as they gradually adjusted to bright sunlight. The sun was a drastic change of light compared to the dim lights inside the library, and that wasn’t the only drastic change I noticed.

I looked around and saw that the school’s quad and hallways were empty. There were no students in sight. There was no noise either; it was dead silent.

The deserted atmosphere made me feel lonely and reminded me how fortunate I was to have