S.R. Whittington (Steph)

***

"Rise and shine! You don’t want to be late for your first day in high school!" Laura Hardy called out as she came in to her youngest son’s bedroom. Opening the blinds, the last of the summer’s sunlight illuminated the room, nearly blinding Joe.

"Why didn’t Frank wake me up?" Joe asked grumpily. He liked it when Frank woke him up. All he did was yell at him, shake him and then if Joe timed it right, he missed the usual stunt of the covers being ripped off of his bed. But his mother made it to where there was no way he could go back to sleep even for two minutes!

"I thought he deserved a nice break from the chore," She said with a smile. Joe finally sat up and looked at his mother, whom was still standing there staring at her blond haired son. Joe noticed the look immediately. It was the same look that mothers gave their children when something monumental was happening--- monumental for the parents that is. The first word, the first step, the first bike ride, the first day of school and now, the first day of high school for Joe.

"Mom, it is not like I am going anywhere! I still have four years and you went through with this with Frank last year!" Joe muttered recognizing the look.

"I know, but you are my baby and I can’t believe that you are going to high school! At least you two will be under the same roof now," Mrs. Hardy doted again, still looking at her fifteen year old son. He was the spitting image of her own brother with his hair tossed and in his flannel shorts.

"Mom! I don’t think I am a baby anymore. I mean we do help solve mysteries and work on cases now," Joe said, getting up to find something to throw on from his closet.

"I know, just like your father. I am going to be the mother of two famous detectives that are as well known and respected all over, just like their father," Laura quipped, crossing her arms.

Joe smiled and turned to look at his mother. It was true. While his mother wanted her sons to get regular jobs, she knew that it was a hopeless case. At least her sons had each other. Frank, who with his dark hair was the spitting image of his father, made a great partner for her youngest son. The brothers were very close, especially since Frank was just a year older. As a matter of fact, they had helped their father on some of his cases and even solved a few of their own and they were barely in high school. But Laura did wish for a safer life for her sons since she worried about their father, Fenton Hardy. He was a former New York City cop that decided to move to a more smaller town to raise his two sons and start his own private investigating business. It proved to be a successful move for all since the small town of Bayport was perfectly situated within distance to New York along the East Coast.

"Why thank you mom! In that case, couldn’t we just skip this…" Joe started to say, but his mother cut him off.

"You will become famous after you graduate high school. And in order to do that, you have to get there on time with food in your stomach. So get moving!" Mrs. Hardy said with a quick-witted smile. With that, she walked out of her son’s room so he could finish dressing for his big day.

As she stepped out in the hallway, she nearly ran into her husband. He had a big grin on his face as he sweetly kissed his wife on the cheek.

"What?" she said, looking at the look that her husband was giving her.

"I have always said it and I am going to say it again. Joe gets his sense of humor off of you my dear. He might look like Steven, but he has your personality," Fenton replied.

Walking up to Fenton, Laura stood there with her hand on her hips. "And my dear, what is wrong with that?" she said cocking her brow upwards.

"Absolutely nothing," Fenton said as he brought his wife closer and gave her a longer kiss. They were so entranced in the moment that they did not see their oldest son standing by his bedroom door.

"Frank! Ready for school hon," Laura said, looking at her son proudly.

"Yes and I am looking forward to driving myself to school," Frank pointed out.

"That is right. We did agree to let you start driving the old station wagon to school," Fenton said, remembering the agreement that he made with his oldest son. A client, a car dealer in town, had given a car to Fenton as part of a reward for discovering who was stealing his shipments. Instead of selling his car, he gave his small sedan to Laura and then moved the old station wagon into the hands of Frank. He would have to share the car with Joe when he was of driving age, but until then Frank was to be Joe’s personal escort. Frank did not seem to mind that since Joe and Frank did most things together. In return, Joe helped use his mechanical skills to keep the old car on the road.

"Frank is a careful driver and I am sure that he will use good judgement with the car," Laura spoke up. Frank had always been the serious minded one of the two brothers. He relied on facts while his brother relied on instincts and emotions. "Well, we had better get downstairs and eat breakfast so everyone can get going."

With that, the three walked down the steps to the already set table. Since her volunteer work did not require her to be at the Red Cross center until later, Laura always had breakfast ready to go for the family. They were nearly done by the time Joe Hardy stumbled down the stairs with his football pads in tow.

"Better hurry! You will need to leave in fifteen minutes!" Laura said to Joe, who sat down and quickly ate his cereal and downed his orange juice. He was finished in five minutes to his mother’s amazement.

"Growing boy," Fenton mouthed to his wife with a grin.

"So when should we expect you two home?" Fenton said, laying down his newspaper.

"Joe has practice until five. So while I am waiting for him, I am going to do my homework and go to the cross country meeting," Frank added.

"So you are going out for the cross country team?" Joe asked, almost in disgust.

"Yeah, why?" Frank asked, noticing his brother’s tone.

"It is just usually people who join the cross country team are… are…" Joe was trying to find the words for what he was going to say. Frank did have good grades, perfect actually. He was at the top of his class. Joe, however, got average grades, mostly because he did not apply himself as much as his older brother. The only sport that the brothers played on the same team was in baseball in the spring.

"The nerds?" Frank said.

"That is not what I mean Frank."

"Now Joe, while football is a tough sport, cross country takes stamina, dedication and great strength," Fenton reminded his sons.

"I guess you are right and I am sure Frank will do well in it," Joe said, smiling over at his brother. His dad was right. He could never run a marathon.

"Time to go! Come on Joe, don’t want to be late!" Frank said, getting up from the table. Their father gave them each a hug and their mother a simple kiss on the cheek. Then both parents stood at the doorway as they watched their sons go off to school. This was going to be some year with both boys in Bayport High School.

Frank liked the idea of driving to school now. Finding a large enough space for the huge car, Frank parked the car and handed his brother a spare key to the door.

"Now you know where everything is, right?" Frank asked Joe as he got his football gear out of the backseat.

"Yes Frank," Joe answered.

"You know who you have for homeroom right?"

"Mom told me last week. I am in there with Chet and Tony."

"And Iola Morton!" Frank said with a sly tone. Chet and Iola were siblings and lived on a farm on the outskirts of town. Chet was the Hardys’ best friend and often helped on their cases. Chet was originally in Frank’s grade, but he was held back in kindergarten.

Joe shot his older brother a vicious glare. "And what is that supposed to mean? Chet is going to be my locker partner."

"You like her and you know it!"

"Do not, she is just … really… cute," Joe said, trying to save himself. Over all the years, Joe always teased Iola and terrorized her. But last year she started to look a little different to him. That long black hair and pixie complexion almost melted his heart. But there was no way Frank was going to know that.

"Joe has a crush! Joe has a crush!" Frank taunted in a low voice as they walked across the parking lot.

"Well what about that Shaw girl you have been hiding from," Joe pointed out.

"Hiding! I have not been hiding from her," Frank said, stopping to face Joe.

"Yes you have. She has made every signal in the world to get the point across that she likes you! Don’t you find it strange that she is always there when you would pick me up from football practice this summer," Joe stated. "She does not have any brothers or sisters so you put two and two together."

"She is writing and getting pictures for the yearbook and school newspaper," Frank replied.

"Then she would be concentrating on us instead of you in the bleachers," Joe muttered.

Frank was about to say something, but stopped. He did like Callie Shaw, an auburn sophomore at Bayport High. I guess I do like her. But she wouldn’t be interested in me? If she were, she would just tell me. Besides, what can my fifteen-year-old brother know about girls that I would not know?

"Trust me Frank, she likes you," Joe said, spotting Chet, Tony Prito, Biff Hooper and Phil Cohen by the flagpole.

Frank just chucked at his brother’s comment, sighed and walked on to meet with the rest of the gang. After agreeing to meet in the lunchroom at lunchtime, the chums split up to go to their homerooms.

Classes went fine for Joe. He had most of his classes with Chet, who sat next to him when the teacher arranged the rows in alphabetical order. Expecting to see Frank more, Joe was disappointed to not see his brother at all the entire morning. But Bayport High was a lot bigger than the junior high wing of the Bayport Elementary. And the lunchroom was much bigger as well. The group found a table near the back of the cafeteria and got caught up on the morning’s happenings.

"Hey, we made it through the entire morning without getting even in the slightest of trouble!" Chet remarked. While Frank never was in the principal’s office, his brother and best friend was quite the mischievous pair.

"Let’s keep it that way. It was nice to not have to hear Joseph Hardy and Chester Morton, please report to the office," Phil spoke up, remembering their days at Bayport Elementary/ Junior High.

"Besides, Mr. Robinson would eat them up," Biff spouted off with a chuckle. "Mr. Ironsides."

The whole table chuckled as Joe and Chet made a face at their buddies.

"So what are you doing while Joe is in practice? The cross country team meeting will only be a few minutes," Phil said. It is going to be great to have a buddy of mine on the team with me."

"I am going to help Callie Shaw with her Geometry in the library," Frank said as he finished off his cheeseburger. The whole table got quiet. Big huge grins were worn by each of the boys, especially Joe. "What!" Frank muttered. "I am just helping her, that is all."

"After only the first day of school!" Chet spoke up, starting on his second cheeseburger.

Tony patted Frank on the back. "Either she is really bad in math, or she likes you."

"Sounds like my big brother finally has a date," Joe chimed in. Frank was turning red.

"It is not a date."

"Frank, it is a date. A study date."

"Since when is my love life your business, my snoopy little brother," Frank fired back. "I mean, I think you should concentrate on asking Iola to the after the game dance this Friday."

Chet almost choked at the comment of his sister. "Iola? Joe?" he finally was able to whisper after washing the food down with milk. "You are going to ask my sister to the dance this Friday!"

Before Joe could even comment anymore, Chet continued. "That is great! My best buddy and my sister! She has been dying to go out with you for a year!"

Joe looked at Frank, who lowered his head to hide his grin. Then his face looked serious.

"Well she is pretty, that is for sure, but…" Joe said, but then he noticed Frank’s look and stopped talking.

"OH JOE! That would be wonderful!" a voice shrieked behind the blond haired Hardy. "I take it that Frank will be picking us up after he picks up Callie."

"I will see you then," Joe said, turning to face the excited fifteen-year-old girl. Even though it was not what he had planned, he could not think of spending his time better than with the beautiful Iola Morton.

"Picking up Callie uh?" Tony said, after Iola left the table to go and tell her friends of the news.

"She asked me to the dance as a friend," Frank finally confessed. The rest of the boys all in unison went "OHH!"

RRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!

Before the teasing could go any further, the noon bell rang dismissing the kids back to their afternoon classes. For Frank, it was a blessing.

The afternoon went well and soon Joe and Chet were getting ready for last period class---gym. They dressed into their shorts and Bayport Wildcats football shirts and went to the field. Iola Morton came out soon after, dressed in similar attire.

Wow! She looks really hot with her hair pulled back! Joe thought to himself. Maybe this dance thing turned out for the best. I have liked her for a while and Chet does not seem to mind. He seems happy about the arrangement. I can’t believe that I am taking out my best friend’s little sister. But my, my, my, that little sister sure has grown up over the summer!

"Hey Hardy!" Get your head out of the clouds and get ready! We need our "freshmeat" out on the field to practice on," Steven Miller grunted across the locker room. He was a senior at Bayport High and the current star of the team in his position of quarterback. He had been teasing and riding the freshmen for the past two weeks of practice. Even though there were only seven freshmen on the team, Steve Miller and his friends seemed to have made life miserable for the most of them. Four of those freshmen opted to play on the junior varsity team instead to get away from Steven and his group of mindless followers.

Choosing to downplay his behavior once again, Joe just smiled and laughed the comment off. Biff also helped ease the mood by offering words of encouragement. It was nice to at least have one other friend on the team with them.

"Great! Now they are going to start on us!" Chet said, putting his jersey on over his T-shirt.

"Yeah, but we can take it," Joe muttered. "I am in training to be a quarterback and I am not going to get that training on the junior varsity team squad."

"Well, I want to be the best defense for you. Just like Jonathan Black," Chet replied. "We had fun on the junior high team and we will here too."

But those words were soon history as Coach Miller, Steven’s father, started out the class with warm ups. Then he split the class up and while the football team worked on their plays, he started the other students on their running trials around the track.

Things were going well for Joe and Chet, at least until the coach would turn his back. That is when the hitting, poking and tripping would start. But Chet and Joe simply took their knocks and bruises and went on like troopers. Then Coach Miller dismissed the gym class to get dressed for the end of school and the football team to take a break before suiting up in their gear. Iola waved over at Joe right before he went into the locker room. Feeling warm and tingly inside, Joe waved back.

"This is so great! You are going out with MY sister," Chet said as they entered the locker room area.

"Did I hear you say that you are dating Iola Morton?" a familiar voice boomed behind the two friends.

It was Steven Miller.

"Yes, Joe here is taking her to the dance after the game this Friday," Chet spoke up.

Steven’s little crowd of followers consisting of a very stocky Mike Walton, an enormous Jonathan Black and the running back, Clayton Martin made their way in behind them as the other players went out to get a small snack before practice.

"Sorry, but I guess you have not heard about the little rule that this team has about that," Steven said, sitting down on the bench behind the boys.

"What rule is that?" Joe asked.

"The seniors always ask out the hottest freshman to the first dance," Jonathan explained.

"Yeah, we sort of ‘break them in’ to high school," Mike said with an evil grin. Then he playfully punched Jonathan.

"Break in?" Chet asked.

"Yeah, isn’t every girls dream to go to the first dance of her high school career with the starting players of the school’s football team," Steven said in a dreamy voice and held his hands up to his face.

"Not if you guys are their choices," Joe fired back, taking his shirt off.

"Yes, besides that is my sister you are talking about," Chet said, standing up and looking down at Steven Miller.

"I know and just for you she will get the red carpet treatment," Steven remarked innocently.

"I know, because Joe is taking her out," Chet replied.

"Didn’t you hear what he said," Mike said, knocking on Chet’s head. "The date is off. Iola is on the hot list and we are going to welcome her to womanhood."

"You lay one hand on my sister and I will…" Chet started threatening, but Mike and Jonathan instantly pushed him back up against the set of lockers.

"HEY LET HIM GO!" Joe said as he leaped into action, but he was pinned to the floor by Clayton and Steven.

"Let’s get this straight. You are freshmen and you will do what we say if you want to stay on the team," Steven coyly muttered into Joe’s face.

"And if we don’t act like your little puppets?" Joe said, acting tough. He did not want them to think he was the slightest bit scared.

"Then that is when the fun begins," Steven said with an evil grin. "Give them a demonstration my friends."

With that, Jonathan hit Chet squarely in the stomach while Mike held him back. Chet slumped to the floor, doubled over in pain and trying to get air back into his lungs. Joe tried to come to Chet’s aid, but Steven and Clayton still had him pinned to the cement floor.

"Looks like pretty boy doesn’t have enough battle scars from this week," Steven said, looking over the small bruises on Joe’s chest and upper arms. "Let’s give him something he will have to think about a little more." Joe did not have the chance to dodge Steven’s fist flying at his face complete with a huge class ring. The hit struck the younger Hardy on the right side of his face. Then Clayton smoothly gave Joe a thunderous hit to the chest. The air exploded out of Joe Hardy’s lungs, leaving him gasping for air.

As the boys lay there trying to regain their dignity and composure, Steven looked down at Joe.

"As for Iola, I will let her decide. She can either go out with the star of the football team or a mere nobody," Steven said. Then the group laughed and walked off, leaving Chet and Joe lying on the floor in pain and humiliation.