Chapter 16
The game on the radio was over and Lahainaluna had scored another huge win, defeating Kamehameha Maui 35-3. The Lunas were now 7-0 on the season and had already secured a spot in the state playoffs. The next game was against the school rival Baldwin and most of the boarders were excited since they would be able to ride on buses to go watch it in person. Indeed they were having a historic season.
Peter walked down the hallway of his dorm, but he still could not feel the floor. He seemed to be floating down the hall. He was completely wrapped up in ecstasy and happiness. When he reached his room he did not go inside since he noticed from the window Vince was not in there. For some reason he did not want to be by himself. He was too ecstatic at the moment. He wanted to spread that feeling or at least share it. It was the most amazing thing he had ever felt. He almost felt like roller skating down the hallway and letting the breeze blow across his face. He laughed at the thought of it and wished he had some skates.
Instead he floated further down the hallway where he found Fin sitting in front of one of the shared computers. Vince and the Kapule brothers were fooling around in the boys’ lounge as well. They were throwing rolled up wads of paper at an empty wastebasket across the room. It was nearly time for lights out, but they tried to savor as much free time as possible. Besides, it was Friday night.
Peter plopped down on the sofa and smiled broadly. “What’s goin’ on, fellas?” The small blanket rested on his lap. He lifted it to his nose again and inhaled the sweet aroma of Kaila’s perfume. He nearly melted in his seat.
Vince smacked on some gum while aiming a paper ball at the wastebasket. “Where the hell you been? Out romancin’ again? We’re playing for champion of the universe. I make this and it’s all over but the shoutin.’” He took a shot but the paper ball bounced off the rim of the wastebasket. “Dang it!”
“He was over there hangin’ out with his girlfriend again,” Kai piped up.
Peter smiled unapologetically. “Sure was. It was great too!” Vince gave him a sly look as if he knew what had happened.
Oki stood up and took his shot at the makeshift goal. “Now it’s up to me, boys. I’m the champion of the universe if this goes in. Here it comes losers, the fat lady is about to sing.”
“I’m tellin’ ya,” Vince said assuredly. “She ain’t fat.”
“Whatever,” Kai droned.
Oki took his shot and the paper ball went straight into the basket. “Swish! Nothin’ but net!” Vince and Kai both groaned in defeat.
Peter laughed out loud at them. He looked over his shoulder to see what Fin was up to. “What are you doin’, Fin?”
“What else?” Vince interjected. “Gawking at Katniss Everdeen on the internet.”
Fin sat at the computer nodding approvingly. “She’s so sleek,” Fin said, elated. “So quick with the bow. And she looks hot in that black outfit.”
Vince walked over and stood behind Fin with his arms folded. “You gotta get over this Jennifer Lawrence thing, man. You’re driving us all nuts.”
Fin was unfazed however. “Just look at her. Such grace and style. She can take me to a cave in the forest any day.”
Vince had had about enough. He grabbed the mouse from Fin and started doing a quick search online. “Look, let me show you something, dude.” Within seconds he pulled up images of another character Jennifer Lawrence had played in the recent movie X-Men: First Class. Across the screen were dozens of images of her dressed as the comic book character Mystique. “See that, Fin?”
“Uh-huh,” he said befuddled.
“That’s your favorite actress playing another character. She actually does act in other movies you know.” All the other boys gathered around the computer. “That’s her dressed as Mystique in all that blue.” Indeed the character was blue from head to toe. “And you know what?” Fin shook his head in silence. “That ain’t no costume. It’s all body makeup. No clothes, no nothin’. Just her and all that blue.” The boys gawked at the screen and Kai even leaned in to get a closer look. “Blue or not, this is where she looks freaking hot, pal.”
Fin just stared at the screen in amazement. He slowly clicked through each image with his mouth agape.
“You’re welcome,” Vince said wryly. He could see he had Fin in a trance.
The call came for all boys to head to their rooms for lights out. Everyone left the room except for old Fin. He had to hang around for a few seconds more.
On Monday morning, Kaila sat in Mister Tran’s English Literature class. All the students turned in their proposals as they entered the class one by one.
“Thank you. Thank you,” Mister Tran said to each student. “Hope everyone had a nice weekend.”
She noticed Mister Tran scanning over each proposal as each one was turned in. She watched nervously and was wary of what her choice had become and was second-guessing herself. She knew she had to make a good impression in his class in order to get a leg up on possibly getting a commendation for journalism school. And Mister Tran was her best shot since he had an extensive background in the field before becoming a teacher.
“OK,” Mister Tran continued. “It looks like everyone has turned in their proposals. Very good. I will look them over and let you know by Wednesday if they look good enough to proceed. Now let’s pick up our discussion from last Friday.”
Kaila tried to breathe a temporary sigh of relief as she listened to the lecture. At least for now she had a reprieve. Good, I can breathe until Wednesday, she thought.
Yet she found herself daydreaming now with Peter evermore on her mind. She kept thinking back to how wonderful their first kiss was last Friday night. The thought of it just gave her butterflies. She could not help but smile. She felt closer and closer to him each day. She recalled working with him at the pig pen earlier in the morning and how the little pigs squealed with joy as they scampered around his feet. She laughed quietly to herself as she thought about it. There was something about Peter that she truly adored. In fact, she felt herself craving to be with him. It was all so foreign to her. No boy had ever affected her in such a way. Even though the times with him were so happy and wonderful, this new feeling was a bit scary as well. She never knew another person could make her feel like that.
At the end of class, Kaila collected her books into her backpack and tried to slip out of class unnoticed by Mister Tran. But she could feel him training his black-rimmed glasses in her direction as she passed his desk. She thought she had made it past when suddenly Mister Tran called out to her.
“Kaila, a moment please?” he asked.
She froze in her tracks. Oh no, she thought to herself. This is not supposed to happen ‘til Wednesday! “Um, sure,” she said reluctantly. “What can I do for you, Mister Tran?” She tried her best to act casual. But she knew what was coming.
Mister Tran pulled her proposal from the stack of papers. Kaila could not help but notice hers was right on top. Oh great! she shrieked inside her mind.
“Kaila,” he began. “I glanced over your writing proposal for senior paper and I was a little disappointed.”
Kaila’s spirit sunk. “You were?”
“The history of whales in Maui?” he asked sarcastically. He held her paper up like it was yesterday’s trash. “Come on, Kaila. Where did that come from? That’s something I would ask sixth graders to write.” This is exactly what she did not want to hear. She was looking for the nearest window to go jump through. “Please tell me that’s not the best idea you can come up with.”
“I don’t know,” she stammered. “I suppose it’s not the best. I…I guess I had a hard time coming up with one. I don’t know why.” She knew why, but she sure wasn’t going to tell Mister Tran. Her reason smelled of pigs each morning just as she did, was from the Big Island and was totally gorgeous. “What should I do?”
“Ah, you know what you should do, Kaila,” Mister Tran answered. “You are the best writer in the class. The best I’ve seen in years here at this sc
hool. I know you have real talent in you and I know you want to enroll in journalism school next fall.” She looked at him with a smile. She appreciated his accolades. “So now’s your first moment in your career to shine. I want you to challenge yourself for this paper, not just write up something I’ve read a hundred times already. Challenge yourself. Surprise me.” He paused for a moment to make sure he had her attention. “OK, fine. If you want write about whaling history in Maui, do something different with it.”
“Different?” Kaila said, blinking her eyes and trying to focus.
“Yes. Be the journalist. Do your research. Any kid can go to that museum at the Whaler’s Village and turn in a report on what he or she saw there.” She felt a bit embarrassed knowing he had guessed part of her research plan already. She then realized how typical her idea was. “If you want to go there, fine. It’s a good place to start. But read those passages on the wall. And I mean really read them. Study those artifacts they have on display. Use your imagination. I know you are a great story teller. Try and put yourself there in the days when those men were hunting whales. Think about Lahaina as it was in the whaling days. Really put yourself there. Act like you were a journalist during that time. Make it fun and exciting! If you do that, then I’ll accept your proposal.”
Kaila thought about it for a while. He could tell the wheels were turning in her head. He smiled, as he knew he had gotten his point across. “OK,” she said. “You gotta deal. I’ll do it.”
“Great,” Mister Tran said. “Then you go to it. Just remember, never settle for ordinary. Go for the extraordinary!”
“I will Mister Tran. Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“You bet,” he said as she rushed off to her next class.