Get a Life Read online

  Get A Life

  Rita Hestand

  Get a Life

  Rita Hestand

  Copyright© by Rita Hestand

  Cover by:

  ISBN# 9781370285808

  Book Cover by: Artistry Book Covers

  License Note

  This book Get a Life is is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without express written permission of the author. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy or copies. If you did not purchase this book or it was not purchased for your use, please go to Smashwords.com to purchase your personal copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this

  author.

  Get a Life is a work of fiction. Though some of the cities and towns actually exist they are used in a fictitious manner for purposes of this work. All characters are works of fiction and any names or characteristics similar to any person past, present or future are coincidental.

  ~Dedication~

  Your Mom ever get on you about using your cell phone too much? Texting during driving, this is dangerous. But the cell phone has become a big part of our lives. Sometimes you can miss out on real life by not paying attention. So get a life, and participate some. You'll be surprised what comes your way! LOL

  God Bless

  Rita Hestand

  Chapter One

  "Mom, what do you want me to do?" Kelly Webster cried as her mother stood over her with dismay. She came into her room and caught her on the phone again, texting. But everyone did it. And Kelly especially liked the fact that she could say things she wouldn’t normally say on the phone in a text message.

  "I want you to get your nose out of that phone and do something with yourself. I want you to join some clubs or activities at school where you actually get out and participate in some kind of sport or event. It's not healthy your nose stuck in a phone all day, just texting."

  "A club? What kind of club?" Kelly protested.

  "I don't care, one that gets you out of this house and in to doing something. I want you to check the curriculum out at school and see what they offer. When you come home tomorrow from school I want to see some evidence of you joining something."

  "Alright, alright. I'll join something." She griped.

  "Good." Her mother left the room to give her time to think about it.

  Instead she texted her friend Heather and asked her what kind of clubs were still open this time of year at school. Heather texted her right back. She only knew of one that was open for more students. It was a nature backpacking adventure club.

  Kelly sighed. "You got to be kidding." She texted her back.

  "Nope, that's all that's open, why?"

  "Mom wants me to join something so I get my nose out of the phone all day. Have you ever heard of anything so lame in your life?" Kelly protested. "I mean she's just not with the times. Everyone texts."

  "Parents just don't understand us. But all the other clubs are full up this year." Heather told her. "What are you going to do?"

  Kelly sighed. "I'll check it out tomorrow. Thanks."

  She went into the living room and glared at her mother. Why was her mother so opposed to her texting, she didn't get it? There was no harm in it. She wasn't doing anything wrong or illegal, so why was she always so upset about it.

  The next day Kelly went to the science room and waited until everyone left the class then she walked up to the male teacher. He had his nose in a book and paid little attention to her. He was short, thin headed and wore glasses but he had a pleasant smile.

  "Is there still room for the backpacking adventure club?" She asked.

  "Sure is. Mr. name is Mr. Peters." He glanced up and over his glasses and gave her a slight smile. "You sign up here," He pointed to the list of people that had signed up. She didn't know any of the kids too well. Most of them were Seniors, she was a Junior. She put her name on the list. "Now what do I do?"

  "First week after school, you'll be called and given instructions on what we will be doing this summer. I'll give you a hint that this trip will be one of the most exhilarating hikes you've ever made. We'll be gone a little over two weeks. Be sure and put your phone number down."

  "Okay, thanks." She left shrugging her shoulders. "By the way, this is my first backpacking trip."

  "I'm glad you told me." He smiled.

  The rest of the school year her mother was on her case to get rid of her phone. But finally school let out and she almost couldn't wait to get out on the trail away from her nagging mother. Surely backpacking couldn't amount to much.

  She was ready to get out of Jacksonville, Oregon anyway. It was a beautiful old historical town in the south end of Oregon, near the Rogue River. She'd been here all her life, gone to the Medford schools all her life. She was bored and so discontent, and equally tired of her mother nagging her over the texting thing. She might understand if she was doing something really wrong, but texting?

  Sometimes she just wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there. Even though she managed good grades in school, she certainly wasn't popular like other girls. In fact, hardly anyone noticed her. That was okay with her. She didn't want to stand out in the crowd.

  When her father died in Afghanistan they had announced it on the intercom at school. She hadn't even been told yet and the shock had hit her so hard, she couldn't do anything but cry. The school thanked him for his service. She couldn't talk, or listen to the teachers the rest of the day. At lunch she had gone into the girl's bathroom and cried her eyes out. It was the one thing she could not face, his death. And to find out that way, broke her heart. She knew she was in denial now, but she couldn't shake it.

  A year later, she was still in denial of his death.

  Mr. Peters called exactly one week after school, just like he said.

  " Okay, Kelly our destination is Yosemite National Park. We will be taking a 6-day backpack hike through the Northern Yosemite backpacking trip. You don't have to buy many supplies yourself, most everything is furnished through the park itself, but you'll need a camera and plenty of snacks to last a couple of weeks, you'll need good hiking shoes and all weather jacket and I'd recommend a flashlight. We'll leave mid-week on the twenty-fifth. Since this is a rather large group you will be assigned a partner. Your partner will be Billy Williams. You'll need to get in touch with each other. The trip will cost approx. thirteen hundred dollars. Your hike will include some of the most profound peaks and canyons, streams and waterfalls. You'll actually camp in the Upper Slide canyon beneath Sawtooth Ridge. It will be a spectacular trip for us all." He told her. "Now, got all of that? Remember, even though this is expensive, everything is included except snacks, clothes and meals. So you end up with about the same expense as though you paid for all your supplies. We will have a Guide with us and of course Park Rangers throughout the trip. We will bus to the Park and we will be gone approx. 10-14 days depending on the weather to our destination and take a shuttle to the Park. Any questions?"

  "No sir," Kelly was writing it all down and wondering what her mother would think of this shopping bill.

  "Good, see you in front of the Medford High School on the twenty-fifth at nine o'clock."

  "Alright, thanks." She hung up and went to tell her mother.

  " Well, Mr. Peters said we'll be going to Yosemite Park and on a six-day hike, we'll be gone 10-14 days, we'll go by bus and shuttle to the Park, all equipment is paid for by the park, but the price is thirteen hundred dollars. And we might have to pay for some meals. I'll have a partner, a Billy Williams from school. So if that is too much, I'll stay home."

  "It's expensive, but my goodness Yosemite, that's fantastic and a chance of a lifetime trip. So I'll take money from your college fund and reimburse
it through this year.

  Wow, Yosemite, that's a beautiful trip Kelly. Try to enjoy yourself while you are there." Her mother encouraged.

  "I guess." Kelly shrugged.

  "Some girls never get such an opportunity honey. You should be very happy it's such a good trip."

  Kelly shrugged.

  Kelly called her friend later and even her friend was jealous. "Wow, that's some trip. If I'd have known about where they were going, I might have joined too. Take lots of pictures, so I don't miss anything."

  "Sure," Kelly sighed. She was quite prepared to be bored to death by the time she got back home. Hiking!

  "Aren't you excited?"

  "Never been much on the great outdoors, but it will get me out of here for a while," Kelly complained. "I'm so bored. Nothing to do."

  "You'll love it."

  "Yeah, sure." Kelly wasn't so sure though. She thought about the bugs and having to go to the bathroom outside, and the fact that she had a male partner.

  "Who is your partner?" Her friend asked.

  "Billy Williams, a senior." She wailed.

  "He's cute."

  "He is?"

  "Yeah, he's a hunk. Wish I was going with you."

  "Me too."

  She hung up and decided to give this Billy Williams a call.

  "Hi, this is Kelly Hunter, I'm assigned to be your partner in the Yosemite backpack event." She told him.

  "Hi, well, I'm pretty excited about it. I've already got my clothes ready and a few extra things I like to take and hey, on this trip we don't have to have our own tents. That's great. This is a first class trip."

  "Great. Well, just thought I'd call and introduce myself and find out about the tent thing." She said dully.

  "It's gonna be a great trip." He sounded so keyed up.

  "Yeah…" She couldn't muster any enthusiasm for it.

  "Well, see you on the twenty-fifth then." He told her.

  "Okay, bye." She put her phone down.

  She curiously went to get her year book so she could look this Billy Williams up.

  She finally found him, he was quite handsome and built like a logger or something. She had to admit, it perked her up a bit. However, she knew that her sour attitude wouldn't win him over and she had no chance whatsoever with a Senior.

  Her negativity was showing.

  "Hi, this is Kelly Hunter, I'm assigned to be your partner in the Yosemite backpack event." She told him.

  "Hi, well, I'm pretty excited about it. I've already got my clothes ready and a few extra things I like to take and hey, on this trip we don't have to have our own tents. That's great. This is a first class trip."

  "I'd think they would pair you with another girl."

  "I don't know how they do it. I didn't ask. I don't even know this Billy Williams, he's a senior. That's all I know." Kelly informed her. "I called him, and he said he already bought the tent, so we didn't have to bother about that."

  "That's nice. Well," Her mother seemed to consider it. "I can see why they would want girls paired with boys. Girls are usually easier to scare and less knowledgeable about hiking than boys. So probably for safety sake. And that's very wise of your teacher to figure it out."

  Kelly stared at her mother, "You're really excited about me going aren't you?"

  "Yeah, it sounds like it will be loads of fun. And its high time you were actually having fun. You can't honestly tell me that texting is fun."

  Kelly sighed. "I guess."

  "And you are not taking your cell phone with you." She informed her.

  "But Mom, I'd be lost without it."

  "Look, you are going to be hiking in unfamiliar territory. You'll need your wits about you. A lot can happen if you don't pay attention and follow all the rules. Do you understand?"

  "Yeah, I understand." She just couldn't get into this.

  Two weeks in some God-forsaken country where bugs ruled and no soft beds to sleep on. Sounded terrific, like a last nightmare to her.

  "Just go and have a good time honey. You might be surprised."

  She rolled her eyes, but nodded.

  While they drove home her mother glanced at her, "You know, your father and I used to hike through the woods a lot when we were younger. We had a really good time of it. I learned so much from him." Her words drifted off as though she were thinking about him.

  Kelly glanced at her mother, "Really, you and dad? I can't imagine you camping mom."

  "Yes. We didn't have a lot of dating money back then and so we'd spend our weekends going hiking. Had a blast too. He knew everything. I knew nothing. But I got an education. I learned to bait my own hook when I fished. I learned to build a fire and cook over it too. It was a lot of fun. One of the things that made me fall in love with him."

  "What was?" Kelly asked with interest.

  "Your father was so protective of me. He taught me everything about it and showed me how to enjoy it and have a good time."

  "Yeah, bugs and all." Kelly frowned.

  "Oh, better get some bug spray for you too."

  "It's hard isn't it?" She saw the look in her mother's eye.

  Her mother stared at her, "Yes, I still miss him like crazy, every day. I find myself talking to him out of the blue sometimes." She said almost sadly.

  "I wish he was here, I miss him too?"

  Her mother sighed, "It doesn't get easier as time goes on. I know that much. But we knew each other so well, I can almost hear his voice telling me how he feels about things. I'm sure he'd love to know you are going on a hiking trip."

  "Yeah, dad loved the outdoors, didn't he?"

  "Oh my yes. Fishing, hunting, hiking, everything outdoors fascinated him. I got a feeling he's going to be with you on this trip. Watching over you honey."

  "Oh Mom, that's so sweet of you to say." Kelly's voice faltered and a tear slipped silently own her cheek. One of the few times she had cried since the day they announced it over the intercom. But despite her frustration with her mother, she loved her dearly and knew she hurt even more than herself.

  "It's alright to cry for your father." Her mother's voice faltered too. "I still do it myself."

  Kelly swallowed hard, forcing the hurt and memories down.

  "I'm never getting married." Kelly insisted wiping her eyes.

  "Oh now Kelly. Not all marriages end this way."

  "Mom, I couldn't bear what you've been through." Kelly said drily. "I remember how much you hurt, and I remember how I felt. It took a long time to be able tell anyone what happened to him, too. I still can't talk about it. It's been nearly two years since they announced it over the intercom."

  "I was so angry when I found out they did that. It was insensitive of them."

  Kelly swiped her eyes again. "You think he'll be with me, huh?"

  "Yes, I do. I truly do. In time you will get over this, just as I will. Well, maybe the right guy will come along for you and he won't go in the service." Her mother smiled at her.

  "If the right guy ever comes, I won't let him go in the service."

  When they got home, Kelly laid out all her clothes. Shorts, pants, t-shirts, underwear and one bathing suit. The shoes were nice looking and so was the jacket. She had one sweatshirt too. She couldn't believe she was going on a hiking trip. How had she gotten herself into this?

  But before she went to bed that night she went into her mother's bedroom, crawled up into the bed where she was reading, laid her head down on her shoulder and cried for her father. Her mother cried with her. It was a night she'd remember forever. She'd never felt so close to her mother as that night.

  Chapter Two

  Kelly had no real expectations of this trip. She was doing it to please her mother. And it astonished her that she really cared so much about her mother. But except for the phone thing, they got along fine. Her mother bugged her about going to the prom this year and finding a boyfriend to take her. Kelly had balked at everything lately and she just didn't understand herself. For some reason, she wasn't happy. And
she hadn't been for a long time—at least the last two years.

  What was even stranger was the fact that she was leaving her mom for at least two weeks. She'd never left her for any length of time. The one thing that stood out in her mind now as she and her mother were headed for the school bus to make the trip to Yosemite Park was how really close she was with her mom. It was like when her father died, she felt she had to protect her mom, somehow. Who would protect her while she was gone? It worried her.

  But standing among a crowd of other kids, she couldn't cry or act that torn up about leaving. She had to be mature now. And sometimes being mature sucked!

  "Bye Mom, I'll be back in a couple of weeks." She leaned to kiss her cheek.

  Her mom smiled, "Try to enjoy it, dear."

  "I'll try."

  Mr. Peters was shuffling the kids in the bus now.

  He saw her and motioned her to follow him.

  Kelly watched her mom leave and wished she suddenly wasn't going. But it was too late now. She'd look like a real woos if she didn't go through with it.

  "Everyone has assigned seats with their partners, so find yours and sit down." Mr. Peters instructed as he spoke to the bus driver for a moment.

  It took a few minutes but she finally found Billy Williams and sat down next to him. Heather had been right; he was really good looking. He had short cropped dark hair, and dark blue eyes with even darker lashes that framed them. He had an athletic build, and was a bit taller than she, she surmised as his long legs were in a crunch to sit in the seat. His smile was sort of sexy too.

  Funny that she used that word to think of him.

  He seemed so gung ho for this trip, she could just imagine him gushing at how wonderful it was going to be.

  But she glanced around and most of the kids seemed quite excited about the trip.

  Did she need an attitude adjustment? The majority of kids were happy, and here she sat miserable. She wanted to curl up in a ball, and go to sleep.