Disclaimer: The characters mentioned here are owned by Hanna Barbera. (Darn.) I did not have anything to do with their creation and I am definitely not getting paid for this. (If I was, I wouldn’t have to baby-sit my bratty cousin next weekend.) Don’t sue me. I have no money. (I only get paid five bucks for sitting with Tristen. I should go on strike.) THE FRESHMEN by Chrissy Bennett Jessie Bannon walked into the living room of the Quest Compound. "Jessie, what are you doing?" "JONATHAN BENTON QUEST! ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME HEART ATTACK?" "Well, not just everybody is awake at three a.m." "Jonny, you know I’m a night owl." "So? You usually stay in your room." "Well, I needed a caffeine break. I was going to get some coffee." "Oh." "Why are you up?" "Can’t sleep." "Wanna stay up with me? I was going to pull an all-nighter." "Sure." The two of them walked into the kitchen where Jessie put a pot of water on to boil to make instant coffee. "So, Jess, I was wondering…" "No, Jonny, I will not do your chemistry homework for you." "That isn’t what I was wondering. I was wondering if you would go to the freshmen-sophomore dance with me." The freshmen-sophomore dance was held every year on Christmas eve. Say yes, say yes! Jessie was speechless. He can’t possibly know I have a crush on him. "As what?" "I dunno. Friends, I guess." You’re lying, again, Quest. "Sure." It was the night of the freshmen-sophomore dance. Jessie was wearing a camouflage skirt and a hunter green T-shirt. Jonny wore jeans and a black and red striped T-shirt. When they arrived at the party, one of Jessie’s friends immediately dragged her to the mosh pit. Jonny soon joined them. The Cranberries’ "Salvation" was playing, and the teenagers jumped and shoved and knocked people over to the intense beat. After about three songs, the DJ played "Long Way Down" by the Goo-Goo Dolls and Jessie left for the more subdued section. She joined her friends, Tricia and Tatchyana, in non-violent dancing. The DJ continued to play some of her favorite songs, so Jessie stayed on the dance floor. When he played the Bush’s "Machinehead", she left because her feet had died. She found Jonny sitting in a chair and she joined him. "Hey, man. What’s up?" "Nothing. Are you tired?" "Yes." They sat there for awhile, not saying anything. "All right, everyone, here’s the first slow song of the evening," the DJ’s voice said. Jessie recognized the opening notes of her favorite song, Verve Pipe’s "The Freshmen". "Hey, Jonny, wanna dance?" "What?" "Wanna dance? I can just see Valeria Montel crying right now." Valeria was the most popular girl in school and she had the world’s largest crush on Jonny. "Okay, sure." They got up and made their way to the dance floor. Jessie turned to face him and draped her arms around his neck as Brian Vander Ark began singing. Jonny put his hands at the small of her back. when I was young I knew everything and she a punk you rarely ever took advice now I’m guilt-stricken sobbing with my head on the floor stop a baby’s breath and a shoe full of rice Jonny thought about the first time he saw her. She seemed like such a rebel. Plus, she was a tomboy. She was not all mushy like the other girls he knew. I can’t be held responsible cause she was touching her face I won’t be held responsible she fell in love in the first place Jessie thought of when they had accidentally blown up QuestWorld. They had each tried to blame it on each other. for the life of me I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we’d never compromise for the life I cannot believe we’d ever die for these sins we were merely freshmen Jonny thought of how he’d thought he was so smart and that they should do something his way whenever they had done something dumb. my best friend took a week’s vacation to forget her his girl took a week’s worth of valium and slept now he’s guilt-stricken sobbing with his head on the floor thinks about her now and how he never really wept he says Jessie thought of how Jonny had been when his last girlfriend, her cousin Cassandra, had broken up with him. He had been so devastated and he had come home and when she asked him what happened, they wound up talking until midnight. I can’t be held responsible cause she was touching her face I won’t be held responsible she fell in love in the first place Jonny thought of when they were leaving the island near Nova Scotia after they had been possessed by John Legér and Lady Caroline. Jessie had joked around about the kiss. for the life of me I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we’d never compromise for the life I cannot believe we’d ever die for these sins we were merely freshmen Jessie thought of when they first fought Ezekiel Rage. She had thought Jonny was dead, and was willing to die to kill Rage. we’ve tried to wash our hands of all of this we never talk of our lacking relationships and how we’re guilt-stricken sobbing with our heads on the floor we fell through the ice when we tried not slip we’d say Jonny thought of when Jessie had been trapped under the ice in Siberia. He had been so scared, but tried to be strong for Race. I can’t be held responsible cause she was touching her face and I won’t be held responsible she fell in love in the first place Jessie wondered if Jonny would ever love her for more than a friend. She was not sure she could handle seeing him love someone else and get hurt. for the life of me I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we’d never compromise for the life I cannot believe we’d ever die for these sins we were merely freshmen Jonny remembered when Cassi had asked him out. He had said yes to try and make Jessie jealous. He should have just said no and asked her cousin out. for the life of me I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we’d never compromise for the life I cannot believe we’d ever die for these sins we were merely freshmen we were merely freshmen we were only freshmen Jessie looked into Jonny’s eyes. They had moved closer to each other and their faces were now merely inches apart. "Jonny, um, would you go with me?" "Sure." Jessie grinned and kissed him. Valeria Montel saw them and ran screaming from the room ************************************************************************** "Salvation" by the Cranberries, copyright 1996 "Long Way Down" by the Goo-Goo Dolls, copyright 1995 "Machinehead" by Bush, copyright 1994 "The Freshmen" by Verve Pipe, copyright 1997 (c) Christina Bennett 1997