Stepping Stones

“Everything Happens
for a Reason.”

By: Casey Wells

 INTRODUCTION

Humans go through a series of events throughout their lifetime. Good or bad the results always

make a huge impact on ones life. I believe that everything happens for a reason. The universe has a

plan for everyone. That everyday of our life we learn something new, from our happiness and our

mistakes. We grow into who we’re supposed to be through the events and people who impact our life.

I am the person I am today because the series of events and people who have come in and out of

my life. From the good things and the bad. I’ve learned. It’s only made me stronger and wiser.

Thank You for the good and the bad.

For making me who I am today.

~
 “THE SNITCH”
It was a very rainy and muggy day. I attended McMillan Middle School. My math

teacher, Ms. Brandt was pretty easy going. Her class was my favorite class. We were doing

practice problem on the board and showing our answers on mini white boards. A student in my

class was acting a little stranger than usual.

He was drinking something out of a Mountain Dew bottle, but it wasn’t mountain dew.

He walked over to Ms. Brandt and asked her if she wanted to try some of his famous mix. She

smelt it and denied his offer. “Sorry I’m drinking coffee.” Later, everyone went on a bathroom

break but me and my friend Cherokee.

After math class we all had homeroom, with Ms. Brandt. During the passing period she

disappeared into the hallway. Her face wasn’t as cheerful and smiley as usual. At the beginning

of homeroom when she came back security was with her to escort the boy out. The whole

classroom was curious on what was going on. When security and Ms. Brandt exited the room

again, a student, Tony jumped up and yelled, “Who snitched.”

As the class gossiped, Cherokee and I were texting back and forth about what’s going to

happen to him. How he could get expelled. Another teacher came in and watched our class while

Ms. Brandt was in the office. Students started to blame him getting caught on Cherokee and I

because we never left the classroom when others did. The office started to one by one call people

out of our class for interviews.

When I was called down, I was seriously terrified. There were four different police

officers in the front office supervising different interviews with administration. I had to sit in an

office alone for a few minutes while my Administrator, Mr. Jones, turned paperwork into the

principal. I felt trapped like I was inside a handicap bathroom. Was I in trouble? I’m a good kid,

I’ve never been to the office before. What are my parents going to think? I’m feeling an urge of

tears start to build up, using all I have to hold them back.

When Mr. Jones finally came back into his office, he shut the door behind him. His office

was all glass, so I can feel the tension from others watching me. He started to ask me questions

about math class today. “Tell me what all happened in class today.” As I begin to explain, he

started taking notes. Writing almost everything down I said. After I was finished, he asked me to
go into the principal’s office. I had to fill out an incident report, but luckily Cherokee was in

there as well.

We sat in there just the two of us, talking about what was happening. Cherokee usually

gets the run down on the drama going on. Already missing my science class, Cherokee and I

make our way to our next class. Walking side by side, we receive an obnoxious number of dirty

looks. People talking about us around the halls. Cherokee receives a text message. “Better watch

you’re lil white girls back, yall got it coming for ya.”

Cherokee grabs my wrist and storms back towards Ms. Brandt’s classroom. Handing the

phone to her. I was lost. I’m supposed to be in class. Ms. Brandt had a plan period, so her

classroom was empty. She told us to stay in her classroom and she was going to report the threat.

Why do people think we told on him? He got himself in trouble.

I took out my phone to call my mom to pull me out of school. I was overwhelmed and

ready to just go home. I was kind of scared for my life. “Why didn’t the school call me to tell me

this was going on?” I can hear the mixed emotions in her voice. She was mad but also concerned.

Mom told me to wait it out people will forget about it by lunch time.

Lunch time came around and Mr. Jones exhorted Cherokee and I into the lunchroom. As

we were waiting in line someone yelled Snitches from across the cafeteria. I was nervous

constantly tapping my foot, frustrated. Knowing people are talking about me behind my back,

they don’t even know the whole story. I did nothing wrong. Cherokee and I ate lunch in the staff

conference room. When we went to throw our trays away in the cafeteria, three girls tried to run

up on Cherokee and I. My first instinct was to run. I was not getting into a fight for one, and

defiantly not going to fight knowing I’ll get my ass kicked. After that moment, I wanted to call

my mom again. She didn’t answer so I just went back to the conference room. Cherokee and I

just sat talking about the situation. Cherokee was going to get called out for the day and her mom

was determined to have her transfer schools.

After Cherokee left, I was alone. Waiting for my mom to call or text me back, I just sat

doing some homework. After about twenty minutes, I got up to go to the bathroom. I was in there

alone, thankfully, but before I knew it, I heard a group of girls’ merge in. They were talking

about the situation. Talking about Cherokee and me. I stayed in the stall hoping they’ll leave

soon. They didn’t. Luckily, I had Ms. Brandt’s number in my phone. Having personal contact
with a teacher is not appropriate but Ms. Brandt and I were kind of like besties. She was there for

me when my Aunt passed away a few months prior to this event.

“In main floor bathroom, scared to leave stall because of some girls in here.” I didn’t

hesitate to send it. About three minutes later, I thought they left so I walked out and went to wash

my hands. One girl was still in there, saw me and yelled out the bathroom to the other girls.

Minding my own business, I continued to wash my hands and dry them. Next thing I knew I was

surrounded by about 4-5 girls being pushed into the wall. The only thing going through my mind

right now is I’m about to be beaten to death.

Security came into the bathroom and broke the girls away and I left the bathroom so

quick. Going back into the office, my mom was there, and man was I so relieved to see her. That

means I can go home. After my mom talked to Mr. Jones about the situation, my mom became

angry because I literally did nothing wrong.

When I got home and logged onto Facebook, it was unbelievable the amount of post that

were about Cherokee and I.

“Those girls don’t know what’s coming for them.”

“Snitches get stitches.”

“Wait til I see those girls tomorrow.”

All these students trying to defend their friend for drinking alcohol at school. He got

himself in trouble.

The next day, I didn’t want to go to school but my mom said people would forget

overnight. Well they didn’t. My counselor took my passing periods away for my safety and class

time I would just keep my earbuds in. I would be walked to and from the bus every day. After

about a week it did go away. Cherokee transferred schools. I later found out she was telling

people I was the one that snitched so she wasn’t a target. The boy was put into the Douglas

County Youth Center for the rest of the school year.

 TEARS OF JOY
My alarm went off at 6:30am. I had to be at the courts by eight. As I lay in bed scrolling

on Facebook, I start to debate on what I want to wear. It’s mid-April so it’s hard to say if it’ll be

cold or not.

I finally get up and start to get ready. My mom packed a cooler of Gatorade, water, and

some sunscreen because I burn easily. I worked this tennis tournament before, so I know what to

expect. Northwest Varsity Tennis Team hosts this tournament for the Junior Varsity every year.

I arrive at Koch Tennis Center and there were eight different teams warming up among

the courts. My teammate, Tymyce and I had to run and go put score cards on all twenty-five

courts. It was cold. I was wearing a t-shirt, hoodie, jeans and wrapped in a blanket, yet I was still

shivering. It was cloudy, and a breeze was coming from the south.

“I wish the sun would come out, it’s too cold for these girls to play in skirts,” said

Tymyce.

The girls and I were called into the clubhouse at 8:20am to get instructions on what our

jobs were for the day. I was score keeper for courts 21, 22, and 23. The number two singles

bracket was playing on my courts, so I had the same girls each match. If you don’t know tennis,

singles is one verse one. Number two is just how they’re ranked on the team.

As the first matches started, I began to play on my phone, wrapped in my breast cancer

awareness tie blanket, lounged in the bleachers. After each match the girls would report their
scores to me, then I would walk all the way to the clubhouse to give score cards to Coach Avila

to update the bracket. I would then grab a snack, warm up for a few minutes and walk back to

my position.

Thank goodness for Spotify Premium. Listening to music is really the only was I’ll make

it through the day without being bored out of my mind. Tennis is fun to play but super boring to

watch. I’d rather be sitting her than be in school though.

Around lunch time is when it got really busy, more fans were showing up. Delivery

driver after delivery driver, dropping off sandwiches or pizza to teams. The lunch break was at

noon, so after the matches we all went to meet up with our teams and eat. Coach Avila bought us

stuff to make our own sandwiches. As I start the make my sandwich, the varsity girls sit behind

the desk and Boo Meh pulls out a deck of UNO cards. We all circle up and play until our lunch

break was over.

Tymyce and I stand together close to our courts waiting for the next matches to end. With

only a few more matches to go I start to lose my patients. I’m ready to go home, I’m bored and

my phone is going to die.

I start to make my way to the clubhouse to turn my scorecards in to Coach Avila. On my

way up the stairs, my teammate, Nina, comes running up to me.

“Have you checked your email recently?” asked Nina.

She starts to explain that the Susan Buffet scholarship is sending emails to the winning

recipients. Listing a few friends of ours that have already received the email, I get nervous. I

hand my cards to coach as I start to scramble onto my phone to check my email. Nina’s loads

before me and she jumps up in excitement seeing the email in her inbox. I become frustrated,

why is my phone is not loading.

I give Nina a big hug and congratulate her. We start to walk out and once we start

walking down the stairs, there it is. It loaded. I stop and just look at my phone. Nina looks over

my shoulder and starts to jump up and down shaking my arm in excitement. I don’t know how to

feel, I won. It was like a reality check, I’m overwhelmed with emotion. I’m obviously excited

but I’m really going to go to college. It just hasn’t really hit me yet until now. We start to walk

again, the Junior Varsity Coach, Mr. Kingston walks up to us and asks how everything is going.

Nina starts to tell him about the scholarship. After he congratulated us, Nina started back

to her assigned courts. While I stayed and talked to Mr. Kingston. “How does it feel.” He asked.
“In all honesty I don’t know how I feel, like obviously I’m excited and grateful but for some

reason I’m getting and urge to cry.” I had Mr. Kingston as a teacher freshman year, and as a

tennis coach freshman and sophomore year so he was a pretty big deal in my high school

experience. Seeing his excitement and generosity really made my heart warm.

I soon go to call my mom, but of course she doesn’t answer the phone. Nor did my dad. I

then decide to call my grandma because she will defiantly answer. As I passed on the good news,

she told me my cousin Brook also received the scholarship. “It’s awesome that both my

grandchildren won!”

My mom finally called back, and I told her. Let me tell you, my mom is the most over

dramatic person ever. She started crying and walking around her office telling everyone! “Okay

Mom I have to go.”

I started to text a few of my friends, but first I had to email Mr. Herman. Mr. Herman was

another pretty big deal in my high school experience. Honestly a huge deal. I had him for three

years, he was the teacher that listened, that helped me, that pushed me to become someone I

never thought I could be. He was our Newspaper sponsor, he helped the staff run and submit all

our issues. He wrote one of my teacher recommendation letters. He has made such an impact on

my life, I just had to thank him.

I go sit back down and one of the mothers congratulated me. I was so happy, I honestly

didn’t really know what to do. I was ready to break into a happy dance just to get all my jitters

out, but I didn’t.

After the tournament, as I drove home, I felt like a bad ass. Windows down, music load,

sunglasses on. Nothing could kill my mood. I was ready to take on the world.
 CONFESSION
Dear Friend, I miss you.

I know I saw you yesterday, but that’s not what I mean. I know you’re happy, but

sometimes I wish things were different. Like back in the old days, where we basically lived and

did everything together. But now you have a boyfriend, well you have for a year now. Oddly to

say it’s my cousin. I’m not mad about it, I was the one that set you guys up. Though it’s like you

guys are conjoined at the hip. I miss time for just us. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the three of us

hanging out, but he’s like my older brother. Somethings I just can’t talk about around him.

Don’t you miss me too? You never really notice how much someone means to you until

you don’t have them anymore. At least that’s what it feels like, I lost you. Yet I see you all the

time, things are just not the same.

You have luscious long light brown hair, with bold brown eyes. Your personality is as

bright as the sun. You’re a natural beauty, but also have an amazing talent with a makeup brush.

You have an issue with not giving herself enough credit for who you are.

I remember we met freshman year in English class. Started a bond over the craziest thing.

You always had strawberry or smores and I had fudge or chocolate chip cookie dough. Most

mornings we would trade. It’s funny to think a lifelong friendship started over pop-tarts.
 The most selfless person I ever met. You raised your siblings as your own. You didn’t

have the easiest life. Having to grow up sooner than your peers. I remember we always tried to

convince your parents to let you go to Zestos after the football games with the student section,

but they never let you.

You helped me get my first job. We were servers in the dining room at Immanuel Village

in the independent living facility. Working with your best friend is fun, until you get in trouble

for talking too much. All the residents knew we were best friends so when one of us didn’t work,

they would ask where we were at and how we are going.

You’re book smart, ranked top 10 in our class each year in high school, cheerleading

captain and varsity athlete. Received a scholarship to Creighton University. Part time worker and

full-time student, working 30 hours a week. Having to pay for everything you own.

My junior year in high school, I took a CNA class and when it came time to state testing,

I panicked. I didn’t know how to prepare myself, I didn’t know how to study. I was never taught.

But you spent the whole day before my test and helped me prepare. Hours on creating flashcards

on Quizlet and then studying them over and over. Thanks to you, I passed.

You’re a great cook. Having to grow up cooking dinner for her family every night, you

just become a natural. My favorite dish is Beef Stroganoff. When you first made it, It looked

gross. It had mushrooms in it, which made me not want to eat it. Yet I did try it and it was the

best thing I ever had.

I don’t think you realize how much you mean to me. You always keep me on the right

path. Like the beginning of Junior year. I started to hang out with the wrong people because I felt

cool. I wasn’t just a girl in the halls anymore. But that led to trouble and you even said it would,

but I didn’t listen. But you never gave up on me.

You give the best advice. I don’t always take it. It always comes back and bites me in the

butt because, you were right. You seem to always be right, and it drives me nuts. We fight, but

what friends don’t. I can get so mad at you, but most of the time it’s when you’re being honest

with me. I’m just afraid of the truth, I guess.

Summer of 2015, I took you to your first concert. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever

been to. River Riot was insane. Rock music isn’t my number one or number two choice, but we

went to see one band and had the time of our life. You wanted to go crowd surfing with me so
bad, but we’re terrified of what your parents would think. All day concerts are a blast, seeing

multiple bands and discovering new music. I wouldn’t want to spend that day with anyone else.

You know me to my core. You know what makes me smile and what ticks me off. You

can tell in an instant when I am upset and then continues to do everything in your power to make

me feel better. You understand my cheesy sense of humor and my obnoxious sarcasm. How do

you put up with me? Listening to all my dreams in life and encouraging me to chase them.

You’re a safe place, a free spirit, a shoulder to cry on. You motivate me to be a better

person. Your friendship is the best gift I have ever received. I want to thank you for the past

couple of years.

 BEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR
The car ride is an hour long. I don’t mind the drive, it’s just all corn fields and a few

small towns. Definitely when I drive alone, I can listen to whatever music I want without my

parents complaining. Once you drive through North Bend, Nebraska, you just know the time of

your life is about to begin. We go out to our cabin almost every weekend during the summer, but

this weekend is the best.

Once I pull off the highway onto the dirt road, I roll my windows down. You get a certain

smell of cornfield, lakes and fresh air. You drive across this bridge over a creek that connects to

the Platte River. Keep following the road until you see a boat sticking out of the ground and turn

left. Follow it until five cabins down and mine is on the left. My Grandma’s cabin is across the

road, Aunt Leslie’s is next door and Aunt Donna and Jeanette’s is straight across the lake.

It’s about 7pm and Uncle Steve already has his bug zapper turned on. The boys have

already mowed the yards and picked up sticks to throw into the fire pit for later. Now you might

think my family is just like any typical redneck family but we’re a little different. We all have

that one weird Uncle who always drinks too much and thinks he knows everything, well that’s

kind of all my uncles and second cousins. We can’t have a party without beer in my family. Why,

I have no clue.
 We have a total of five four-wheelers that we use all the time. Now all my cousins are

around the same age. So of course, we do all the stupid stuff together. Down the road about a

mile is an abandon house that we like to hang out at. Is it safe to be inside there? Probably not.

Outside this house is a pretty big yard. We do donuts and the boys created a jump to launch the

four-wheelers about three feet off the ground.

One the way back to the cabins, there’s an airboat ramp that leads into the Platte River.

There’s tons of sandbars we can drive on. Sometimes it’s not even sand, more like mud. The

boys created a trail we drive on and it always turns into a game of who can get the dirtiest.

“Casey, there’s a mud hole at the end of that sand bar. I bet you’ll be the one to get stuck

in it” said Devon.

“Bet I won’t.”

We eventually return back to the cabins and it’s already dark. Steve has a fire going. All

the kids grab a lawn chair and we make our way to the fire. We sit by the fire for hours. Listening

to music or just talking about everything and anything. My head starts to get heavy. I support it

with my hand and continue to glare at the fire pit listening to Uncle Steve’s lecture about how

messed up our generation is.

“Casey wake up or go to bed!”

“I’m not even asleep. I’m just resting.”

“Bullshit.”

Now a lot of my cousins can stay up until 3 or 4am, but not I. By 1:30-2am, I’m ready for

bed. I’ll take a shower in the bathhouse, so I don’t wake anyone up inside the cabin. I sleep in my

grandma’s cabin most weekends because I’d rather sleep in a bunk bed than an air mattress.

Saturday morning, we have our annual Fourth of July parade. This year our theme is

Mario Kart. We had to be awake at 9am to start decorating our float. Of course, my grandma and

I are the only ones who wake up on time to actually put the float together. We had a pretty cool

set up. We decorated individual boxes to look like karts and all the cousins bought their own

costume to match a kart.

The parade usually last about 20 minutes. We throw out candy to the kids and some older

folks as well. After the parade we always have a picnic with all the neighbors from around the

lake and family. My grandma hosted the picnic this year since we won first place last year. The
guest will vote on their favorite float. We have floating trophies that we’ve had since I could

remember.

We usually go swimming. We have two lakes we can swim in. We have a rope swing,

paddle boards and a dock that keeps us busy. My family always create a competition out of

something.

“Who can do the best back flip off the rope swing? Casey and Kylie are the judges!”

yelled Kyle.

Later in the day, more family has arrived. One of my favorite things is being surrounded

by family. It’s never a dull moment. The adults made teams and created a bracket for a bean bag

toss tournament.

One of our neighbors have a party every fourth of July. Always has a huge turnout and

puts on one of the best firework shows you’ll ever see. The yard is filled with tents and campers.

Their beach has over 50 lawn chairs. When dusk hits they start to set the shore of their beach up

with tables and fireworks.

A warning shot is sent into the air to announce that the show will start in five minutes.

Uncle Steve grabs a lawn chair and walks down to the dock. Unhooks the motor from the boat

and sets it up to the dock. All the kids and a few of the adults grab cushions or a lawn chair and

we pack as many people onto the dock as possible. Aunt Leslie has a cooler full of water and

beer. Cousin Stacy grabs an arm full of snacks and off we sail to the middle of the lake.

Sitting on a cushion with my feet in the water. Looking up at the best firework show I’ve

ever seen. The water is perfect, and the air is warm with a cool breeze. Seeing all the colorful

sparks. Surrounded by the people I love. Life can’t get better than this.
 FIRST LOVE
We met at a bonfire at Cunningham Lake. It was the weekend before school started. I was

a junior in high school, and he was an incoming freshman. I remember the moment I saw him, I

knew he was something special. His name is RJ. I didn’t believe in love at first sight until I saw

him.

During that school year we were just acquaintances. Talked occasionally. We had many

mutual friends, so we reconnected quite a bit. It all started to come together during baseball

season. My cousin’s boyfriend played so I went to all the games with her. That’s when I started

to really connect with him.

I remember our first real conversation. I was trying to convince him to join the school

newspaper staff.

“We’re really low staff this year, and it’s not really hard either.”

“I would love to join but my counselor might not let me transfer in.”

When you talk to him, he gives you his undivided attention. It’s one of the things I

admire most about him.

 Fast forward to my senior year. We were good friends. Talked off and on through the

school year. He was dating this girl Kayla, who hated me. He couldn’t text me because she

would throw a fit. Luckily, she went to another school, so we could still talk in the hallway.

Kayla and RJ started to have issues. Poor Kayla was struggling with depression and

would only bring him down with her. RJ started to come to me for someone to talk to. It was a

toxic relationship, and all I told him is it’ll be better for him to leave her. To focus on himself.

Now I’m going to be honest, I really wanted them to break up. I wanted to shoot my shot.

After you become close with someone you have feelings for, it’s hard to hide it. Flirting becomes

natural.

Eventually their relationship was fixed, and I became an outcast. She made him block me

on everything. We stopped talking in the hallways too. It hurt. We were such good friends and

then bam, it’s like we didn’t even know each other anymore.

The summer after my senior year; he randomly reached out to me one day. Seeing his

name pop up on my phone made my heart happy. We ended up talking off and on for a few days.

Sadly, he was still with Kayla.

I asked him if he wanted to go to a College World Series game with me. We parked far

from the stadium on Creighton’s campus. I used my mom’s parking pass to get free parking. We

had a good walk to the stadium. We were going to attend the two o’clock game. We arrived to the

east gate. The general admission line was really long.

“Want to walk to the Old Market” said RJ.

As we started walking up 10th street, I started to think of places to go.

“Have you ever had Juice Stop before?”

He gave me this look and laughed.

“What’s Juice Stop.”

I was amazed, he had no clue what Juice Stop was. So, we started to walk to 11th and

Jackson to take his juice stop virginity.

Now if you’ve ever been to Juice Stop before, you know what I mean when I say heaven

in a cup. What sucks about it is your first time going you have no clue what to order. The menu is

like twice the size of a regular menu.

After we got our drinks and sat down, he started to make fun of some of the names of the

drinks.
 “Scissor Kick? Free Style? Sounds like sex positions.”

I nodded my head and laughed. We oddly sat on our phones for a few minutes and

occasionally looked up at each other. I couldn’t help but to smile. I’m sitting with him, and we’re

having a great time so far. Is this a dream?

When we got back to the stadium, we got in the general admission line and sat down. We

still had an hour and a half until the next game. I don’t think they’re was a time when I was with

him that I wasn’t smiling. There was quite a bit of flirting going on and I was totally okay with it.

“To bad you have Kayla.” I said.

After the game we went to Cunningham Lake. We sat up above the dam and listened to

music. He turned it into a game. I had to guess the title or the artist name. I was pretty damn

good at it too. Now I’ve always had a very broad taste in music. I can listen to rock, pop,

country, and rap. You name it, I listen to it. It’s nice to say he is the same. I felt comfortable

around him. He’s kind of like me, but a male.

A few days later, I was invited over for dinner. I’ve met his sister and his mom before, but

I was still nervous. This night changed my life. This might sound crazy, but I felt comfortable.

Like I knew these people my whole life. Was this a sign?

We were all sitting in the garage just talking. RJ went inside with his dad for a minute.

“You really like my son, I can see it.”

I felt my face turn red. I couldn’t help but to blush.

“You know, I haven’t seen my son this happy in a long time. Casey, you’re the answer to

my prayers. You’re an angel. I can’t stand him being with Kayla. He’s miserable with her.”

“You know Tricia, I totally agree with you. I don’t want him with her either. I’ve met a

different side of RJ lately, and it’s just making me fall for him even more.”

RJ walks into the garage smirking.

“You’re talking about me aren’t you.”

He eventually broke up with Kayla. It was kind of official. We were a thing. Now let me

make something clear. He didn’t cheat. We were friends never kissed or hugged or even held

hands until after they broke up. He waited to break up with her because of her depression. He

was scared he would be the reason she would off herself.

It was the fourth of July. My favorite holiday. RJ and I bought make almost $200 worth

of fireworks together. His family had some friends over. We the boys created a mini firework
show before it started to rain. I will remember this day for the rest of my life. Sparks literally

were flying. This was the day we became official.