After receiving a lot of support following the release of Chapter 1, I'm happy to continue to share the book that I wrote as an 18-year-old living in Southern Alberta, Canada.

Preface

I wrote a book when I was 18. It was inspired by a cigarette pack on a coffee table that I noticed at a house party.

My eyes were drawn to the Health Canada warning on the box of smokes.

I think the statistic about tobacco-related deaths was supposed to be the scary one. But, for some reason, I was more alarmed by the fact more people died by killing themselves than by getting into car accidents.

I never did anything with the book I wrote. Looking back, some of the amateurish writing makes me cringe. But, the concept of The Popular Depression is an important theme for us to think about.

If the Steemit community seems to like this content, I'll keep posting chapters. If not, I'll take the hint and keep this 54,000 word document filed on my computer, where it's been sitting for 10 years.

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Chapter Two

Ethan walks up to the front door of the Hollingsworth residence and rings the doorbell. It is 8 a.m. on the first Monday in September. A slight coldness lingers on this morning accompanied by a wind that has picked up noticeably since the previous night. The temperature acts as a reminder that summer is officially over.

Ethan is wearing a short-sleeved, black, American Eagle collared (collar down) tee. A small white eagle soars above his left breast pocket. His legs are covered by brand new Guess? jeans, which are held up by a DKNY belt. Two sprays of Hugo Dark Blue embed the threads of the shirt. A tanned left wrist is what a white Diesel watch clings to.

Just as Ethan is about to ring the bell once more, Liberty opens the door, sporting a look of grouchiness.

“Mornin’ sunshine,” Ethan tries.

“You are hilarious,” Liberty says.

She moves past him, beginning to walk toward his truck and says, “Let’s just get this day over with.”

Liberty’s back to school outfit includes: a tight-fit pair of jeans from Hot Gossip, a long sleeve, white, logo-free shirt that is underneath a black vest (both from The Gap) and no-name woven sandals from Payless. The scent of Still by Jennifer Lopez lingers.

Ethan opens Liberty’s door for her, watches her get in, closes it, goes to the drivers side, gets in, starts the ignition and slowly backs out of the driveway.

On the journey from the westside of Lethbridge to Catholic Central, the conversation is limited. Ethan is focused on the road while Liberty scans through Ethan’s CD binder. She finally decides on No Doubt’s, Beacon Street Collection.

Ethan and Liberty arrive at school just as Greener Pastures concludes. Ethan parks his truck in the student parking lot and then he and Liberty walk towards the school, hands held, prepared for anything.

The two go inside and get their class schedules. As Liberty had feared, they are in no classes together. Ethan’s schedule: Math 30, Physics 30, Lunch, Social 30, English 30. Liberty’s schedule: Physics 30, Math 30, Lunch, English 30, Social 30.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” says Liberty.

The bell rings. Liberty and Ethan kiss each other, tamely open-mouthed, and then disperse for their separate classes.

Ethan walks into the Math room and prepares for his first class of the day.

Inside the classroom, the appearance is basic. The door Ethan walks through is at the front of the room. As Ethan scans for an open seat, he inspects the rest of the classroom as well. Five rows are set up with seven desks in each row. An inspirational poster hangs at the back of the room beside the clock. The poster reads, “A Positive Attitude + Hard Work – Bad Habits = Guaranteed Success.”

Ethan continues to survey the room, and in the back corner he notices Jared Winston.

Ethan moves to the back of the room and chooses the desk right beside Jared.

“Tate? Oh man, I haven’t seen you since June! What you been up to buddy?” Jared asks as he shakes-hands-with/hugs Ethan.

“I had a busy summer dude. I was lifeguarding over at Max Bell, and hanging out with Liberty tons,” Ethan says as he pats Jared on the back to conclude the hand-shake/hug greeting.

A brief announcement comes on the intercom. It welcomes students back, promising, “another roaring year as a Catholic Central Cougar.”

The announcement goes on, introducing new teachers and welcoming a new batch of students.

Jared and Ethan have played basketball together since their Junior High days at FLVT (Father Leonard Van Tighem School). Both have been playing senior varsity basketball since grade 10. Though they both are very good athletes, Ethan has been the one who has gotten most of the glory, as he was the recipient of ‘rookie of the year’ in grade 10, as well as ‘MVP’ in grade 11. Ethan has always thought of Jared as slightly under-rated, but he would never tell Jared that for the fear of expanding the already bloated ego.

The announcement ends.

“You and Hollingsworth are still together? Oh man, she is smoking! But in that cute/innocent sort of way. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just would rather have a chick who is a little more wild. There’s a lot to be said for those badass chicks Tate. I’m not talking about the imposters who act like they’re risqué - but then fold under pressure. I’m all about the ones who skip the charades. The ladies who are truly badass turn me on in a big way. Anyways… Oh man, I can’t believe you two spent the whole summer together! Tate you slut, I bet you two have fucked so many times you can hardly stand strai-”

"Calm down, Jared," says Ethan.

“Well I’m right aren’t I? Like, you two probably have sex on a regular basis…”

“Come on, you know I can’t talk about that shit.”

“Who am I gonna tell? You know what… don’t even tell me, just wink if you've had sex with her in the last week.”

Ethan sits there, staring at Jared. A few seconds go by.

A few more.

Ethan blinks.

“I knew it!” says Jared, then, “just to make sure, you did wink a few seconds ago, didn’t you? Or was it a blink?”

“ … ” - Ethan.

“Dude, just let me know! Have you slept with Liberty?”

“So you promise you won’t say a word?”

Jared nods.

Ethan leans into tell Jared the truth just as the Math instructor announces that class is about to start and begins to handout course outlines.

“You got Physics next?” Ethan asks Jared.

Jared nods and Ethan explains that he will inform Jared of the Ethan/Liberty-sex-situation in Physics class.

Ethan struggles to concentrate for the rest of math class as he focuses on how he will be able to tell Jared he is a virgin while still appearing to be cool.

Ethan isn't in a rush to have sex with Liberty. At this point, he would rather wait. Ethan has grown up going to church; therefore, he has been taught to not have sex until marriage. The standard is one that Ethan feels will be nearly impossible to achieve, but he has always felt that it is important to at least try.

Though Ethan’s reasoning makes sense to him, he thinks that a guy like Jared Winston would probably laugh at such an idea. Ethan heard rumours that Jared slept with one of the girls from the varsity volleyball team in his junior year. Ethan wouldn’t even be surprised if that was not the first girl he slept with, either. Jared is an attractive guy, and is pretty popular with the ladies. His short blonde hair is usually spiked perfectly in place thanks to a wide variety of hair products. Jared’s light stubble is an oddity for the high-school scene, but he utilizes it as an asset.

The bell rings and though the teacher has not officially dismissed class, everyone packs up their stuff anyways. Ethan hopes that Jared forgot about the Ethan/Liberty-sex-situation, and attempts to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“I seriously can’t wait until November, our varsity team is gonna be unstoppable this year, eh Winston?” Ethan tries.

“Screw basketball Tate. Remember… you and Liberty… something you were going to tell me…”

Ethan and Jared continue to walk down the hall until they reach the Physics Lab. They go inside, sit at desks beside each other and Jared looks over.

“Well…?”

“Okay. Uh, well, the thing is. Liberty and I haven’t, uh, actually done, uh, that much.”

“What do you mean by that much? You haven’t nailed her dude? You idiot, what are you thinking? You at least got a blowjob right? I can respect a good BJ. Tell me you got the BJ Tate.”

Ethan sits there in silence.

“You haven’t? Ethan, you, my friend, are a pussy.”

“Shut up man, it’s not what you think."

“Spoken like a true pussy,” Jared says.

“You’re a prick Winston.”

Jared stops laughing, regains his composure and responds…

“No, no, I’m just bugging you man. Listen, if I was you, I don’t know how I could be content with just making out.”

A brief pause.

“Oh my God Ethan have you even made out with the girl?”

“We’ve made out!” Ethan snaps back.

“Anyways… I don’t think I could just settle for the make-out. But take it from me bro, sex is one of those things that you’re going to have to do eventually. You can either have sex with someone you care about… like Liberty… or you can be stubborn, hang on to your virginity for what remains of your high school days, then lose it the first time you’re drunk at some random college party. Trust me man, it will only help your relationship.”

Ethan thinks about what Jared has just said. The Jared that is speaking to Ethan seems genuine, a rare trait coming from the self-proclaimed gift-from-God-to-women. Ethan senses Jared is honestly trying to help him out. At first, Ethan questions Jared’s motives, but then decides that his former teammate is just being a nice guy. He wonders if he will regret it if he and Liberty don’t have sex eventually. He then wonders how he can possibly bring up such a conversation with Liberty? Will she understand?

“Yeah, well, uh, I’ll consider it. Thanks though Jared… for the advice.”

“I’m here for you bro,” Jared says, but it somehow doesn’t sound right.

The rest of Physics class seems like somewhat of a blur, and when the bell rings, Ethan and Jared pack up their stuff and leave. Ethan heads to Liberty’s locker to see how her day is progressing.

As Ethan approaches Liberty he sees her talking to her friend Denise Kosiak, a red head who is wearing an outfit entirely purchased from Walmart. She is slightly shorter than Liberty. Denise points to Ethan and Liberty looks over and smiles at him. As he approaches her she gives him a hug and kisses him lightly on the mouth.

“I’m assuming the first day of your senior year isn’t the Hell you assumed it would be?” Ethan asks.

Liberty sticks her tongue out.

“If you think this is the part where I say that you were right, you’re sorely mistaken.”

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