Skylar Guitarrezz, is seventeen and just wants to have fun. But when she falls into a frozen lake by accident with her friend, Mckenzie, her life is turned upside down. Skylar is sent to the hospital treated for hypothermia, but things aren't the same. She can't seem to get warm, her friends won't call her, and her parents seem distant. That's when she gets a knock at her door at home during school, it's the FBI. Her best friend is missing, and she was the last one to call her.
Skylar stood up from her desk in crammed desk and approached the podium in the front of the class. She moved a stray hair back in its place, she took a deep breath, looking at her note cards.
"Good morning," she said softly. "my speech is about my family and myself. Although that does sound selfish, most of you don't know who I really am."
She gripped the note cards tighter.
"My name is Skylar Elizabeth Guitarrezz, I am seventeen, and the oldest of four. I have two brothers, Peter and Simon, and my only sister Sophie. Some of you know Peter, the funny extrovert who loves to make people to laugh, who was the lead for the Halloween play. Peter is my brother and isn't that funny if you ask me. Simon also loves to make people laugh, unlike Peter he likes to play sports. He's very excited for baseball season. Sophie likes sports too, she's in the junior high basket ball team and is going into track. Me and Sophie are very close, we are pretty much best friends. And to tell the truth, I am thankful for that. There aren't that many people who don't have the relation ship that we do and for that..." She leaned back to look at her note cards. "I am blessed and thankful."
Her teacher leaned back in her leaned back in her leather swiveled chair holding a clipboard and pen, she raised her hand.
"Yes Ms. G?" Skylar stuttered.
"What stories do you have with your family that your willing to share?"
Skylar chuckled setting her note cards on the podium.
"When school was dismissed early two years ago for snow, our power was out when we all went home."
Everyone cringed; power out in January? In the snow and ice? Granted it didn't snow much in Texas, especially in Weatherford. But when it did, the ice melted before noon, or it took two days for it to drive without having the feeling you were going to crash while driving.
"We played board games all day, I was in my nice pajamas and when it did start to get dark and cold, my mom found her old wedding candles. We lit them up so we wouldn't use our phones for light, and when we were hungry, we couldn't use the stove because there was no power. We had pizza right when the power came on. It was a good day."
Skylar smiled faintly thinking of the memory, she looked up and noticed that she was still in the podium.
"Um... well... that's all I have to say. Thank you for listening."
"That was great Skylar." Ms G said. She scribbled in the clipboard Skylar looked at her books in anticipation. "Anyone else want to go next?"
Skylar put her note cards in the front pocket of her black backpack. The students' shoulders rose, no one was making eye contact.
"Emily wants to." Someone said in the back row.
The bell rang, everyone picked up there backpacks, heading for the door.
"Adrien, you're going next. I can't wait to see you on Monday. Everyone, I want all your speeches done by this coming Monday. No excuses."
The students herded out of the classroom, Skylar shortly following them holding her library books. She went through the small maze of hallways, full of royal blue lockers and open classrooms. She made her way through the hallway madness to her locker, 3027.
"How was it?"
"Terrible," Skylar said opening her locker. "I'm seriously reconsidering my dream job."
"C'mon." She said. "You know if speaking is your calling."
She sighed.
"You're right Mckenzie, but I just..."
Skylar softy hit her head against her locker, "I can't find anything worth saying."
"Sounds like you need a sleepover."
Skylar felt her heart skip a beat.
"A sleep over sounds nice."
"You can come after your shift at Elliott's Cafe. I'll have hot chocolate waiting."
"Thank you Mac," She said softly. She turned to open her locker. "You're not doing this because of speech are you?"
Mckenzie shook her head, and opened Skylar's locker.
"No," She said. "We just don't have any classes this year and never speak to each other. School is rough, and I want a sleepover. Are you in? We can watch Netflix." She leaned forward, smirking. "Come on..." she said singing. "you know you want to."
Skylar smiled, setting her books inside.
"I was going to say yes." She said laughing.
"Alright!" Mckenzie smiled, zipping her black rodeo jacket.
"I'll see you at my house!" She said. Mckenzie walked to the side door and screeched. "Gosh, it's so cold!!!"
Skylar smiled closing her locker, thankful she didn't have agriculture for a class.
"See you there.
