CHAPTER 7

“Looks like somebody is having a good afternoon.” I turned to look at the person even though I already knew who it was, Ashley.

“And why would you say that?” I asked suspiciously not approving what she just said, but she was right I was having a not so bad day. It was better than most.

“Because you always put your hands in your pocket and you are not running your hands over your hair after every five seconds.” She explained, and I wasn’t surprised she actually observed every tin tiny detail about me, some things I wasn’t even aware myself. I guess you might call her over protective sister or something like that.

“Okay that’s enough doctor.” I smiled and opened the door for her.

She got in and I rushed to the driver’s side and got in as well. I started the car and just before I could take off I heard a tap on my window. Somehow that was odd for me because I didn’t have lots of friends who came to me anymore, especially after school. I looked to the side and I guess I should’ve known it was the Blondie. She signed me to lower the mirror down, and I did but what she wanted this time around was still a puzzle for me.

“Hey, you forgot you textbook.” She raised her and I saw my history textbook. How she happened to have it? I had no idea, but there was no time for asking.

Knowing Ashley, she must’ve been peeping over my shoulder attentively to see her so that she could make fun of me later. So I made it as quickly as possible for the Blondie to leave.

“Thanks, goodbye.” I took my textbook and started to rise the window back up quickly, then the Blondie waved from the other side and walked away. Ashley was looking at me with her eyes furrowed and that got me confused somehow,

“That was rude.” She curtly snapped at me,

“I don’t understand.” She shook her head sadly,

“Jesus Steve, that girl was helping you. You shouldn’t have treated her like that, she was cute by the way. Who is she?” that was exactly what I was avoiding. For her to stop making assumptions.

“She was a girl, didn’t you see?” I replied in a duh tone and raised my eye brow a little.

“You know that’s not what I was asking. What I meant was, who she is in details; like her name, where she comes from, how you became friends or how do you know each other! That’s what I meant.” She explained while her hands were moving from one end to the other. And I on the other hand was trying hard to find an excuse because I knew she wouldn’t believe me if I would tell her that I didn’t even know her name. But at the end I ended up empty, so I just pretended to concentrate on the road. And acted like I didn’t hear her because I was paying attention on the road, while I wasn’t.

“Come on Steve, just tell me already.” She pleaded with those adorable blue eyes of hers and her long brown hair on her face, she looked so lovely when she put on a puppy face,

“Alright.” I gave up,

“Okay tell me, who is she?” her face lit up, little gossip she was. But the excitement soon vanished.

“Unfortunately I don’t even know her name.” I said sadly,

“What? You are lying.” She snapped and moved her face close to me and tilted me to look at her, but then she discover I was telling the truth. I could call it her super power or something because she always knew when I was lying or telling the truth.

“Fine, but how is that possible? Because from the look on her face she’s quite fond of you.” She soon drifted into a depth of thought and I knew what she was thinking about. She was looking for a way to help me get close to the girl, as if I wanted her to.

“Alright, we are home, stop whatever that you are doing because I will not do it.” I told her while I was parking the car to the garage.

“No, it’s not over yet.” She tapped her index finger on her lips,

“What’s not over yet?” she slipped out of the car and went inside the house, while I was still wondering what she meant.

I followed her afterwards but we didn’t talk about it because that’s how we were used to. We never talked about our school problems while we were home. I didn’t want to talk about it mostly because I didn’t want to worry mom with all the things that happened.

My school life was hell, I was a freak and a people’s killer or whatever that was happening to all those people. The people that were once my friends and my girlfriends. And if mom was to find out about what was happening in school she would have moved me to another school in an instant, and I didn’t want that. First I was kind of used to be around the school and I was fond of it despite my suffering. Second, I didn’t want to be separated from Ashley because she always stood by me. By joining another school I would’ve been lonelier than ever.

I was in my room lying there while I was thinking about tomorrow and Veronica. To finally see her healthy again and full of life. Some part of me wanted to leave her to live her own life because being with me only brought her trouble and I didn’t want that for her.

Actually, I brought trouble to everyone not just her. But a larger part of me wanted her back real bad, to hold her and kiss her and feel her soft lips against mine.

“Steve, dinner is ready.” Ashley startled me after barging into my room as her usual style and cut short my illusion.

“For once, can you just knock the door before barging in?” I yelled out of rage because I didn’t want to be interrupted from the few good thoughts that I hardly had.

“I’m sorry I thought you might be sleeping.” She apologized and seemed like she was surprised with my reaction, and from the look on her face she was hurt too.

“Look, I’m sorry I yelled at you. It’s just that you startled me and I got angry.” I got off the bed and held her hands with mine.

“It’s okay,” she blushed, yah, she always did that when I got all sensitive and stuff, “let’s go mom is waiting.” She said, I nodded and she led the way downstairs.

At the dinner table mom already prepared everything and today she went all Chinese, there was this weird Chinese soup and pasta. By the look of it I wasn’t going to have anything than pasta. You see, my mom and Ashley liked to taste all these kinds of food. Different kinds of food, but not me. I couldn’t keep up with them, I found it hard to taste all those weird food there were eating.

While Ashley and mom were commenting on all the stuffs they were stuffing in the mouth. I had nothing to comment about. I just enjoyed eating pasta with some juice and that’s it, my dinner was over. I went to my room to get some sleep for tomorrow. But before I could fall asleep the Blondie popped up in my mind and how she smashed Bratton earlier. And the way she said that I was the reason she did it.

Who the hell was she? And what did she want from me? By the way how did I not know her name? Out of nowhere I found myself interested with her, but I pushed the idea away. If I would try to get too close to her and something bad was to happen to her too it would be unforgivable on my side. So I let go of the idea and the whole thing, waiting to see what she was going to do next. Without even realizing it I slowly drifted to sleep.

The next thing I realized there was a sound of something beeping and automatically I knew it was the alarm. I got up lazily and headed to the bathroom. As usual I followed my routine; bath, brushing my teeth and dressed up, ready for school.

Thinking of school, the Blondie popped up again and I found myself thinking about her more than I was supposed to. I stopped myself though because there was no place for new people in my life. Even for just a simple friend.

“Steven, hurry up I don’t want to be late today,” Ashley called from down the hall, which snapped me back to reality and quickly I rushed downstairs for breakfast.

“Morning mom, Ashley,” I greeted after I’ve seated down at the dining table.

“Thank god,” Ashley sighed, “at least today he was on time.” She didn’t have to explain why she said that, so I just smirked at her reaction because I knew how much she hated not being on time.

“Morning honey, sleep well?” mom responded while busy finishing up with the pancakes she was making.

“Yes, I slept well. And how about you mom? How are you?” I was always sensitive with mom even though she always gave me the same answer. Sometimes I even thought she was perfect. Because not once did I ever hear her saying she was sick. And today it was the same.

“You know me Steven. I am always fine. Thanks for asking though.” I wasn’t surprised, so I just let the topic die and we were quiet for a while until Ashley busted out,

“Mom, can we have our breakfast now? You are taking too long,” she yelled, but we were not bothered with her attitude. She was always on edge in the morning; you probably don’t want to cross her at that time because things would get ugly.

“Calm down, it’s almost ready,” mom said calmly and settled breakfast on the table at last.

Well, breakfast didn’t take long with Ashley reminding me how much time we’ve left every five seconds. After breakfast, I collected my books and my bag then joined Ashley who was waiting in the car.

“Hey, you are okay, right?” she asked warily and that was one of the good things about her. She always cared about me even about the tiniest things.

“Yah, I’m okay it’s not like I’ve committed a crime or anything.” I tried to be amusing, so that I could prove to her that I was fine. But inside, I guess I always got nervous when I thought of going to school. In reality I was still pretty worried.

“Okay, what about the girl?” of course she remembered and I hopped that she wouldn’t but I guess I underestimated her.

“I have couple classes with her,” I answered awkwardly because I didn’t really want to talk about her.

“Okay so.” I stopped her before she could ask what she was going to ask because I didn’t want to hear it,

“Look, honestly I don’t want to talk about her. So, can you please drop it already?” I snapped, I didn’t want to but I had to. As I knew Ashley she could be pretty prying sometimes.

And thank god she didn’t push it. That was a relief because I wasn’t really comfortable with the topic. But that didn’t stop my mind from thinking about her. There was something suspicious about her. She didn’t seem like she was interested in me the way I was thinking, it was more like she wanted to find something from me.

Although she tried to cover it from me but I was good at reading people’s intentions. So, her job didn’t seem like it was going so well with her. The more I thought about her the more I discovered something new. She was like this big puzzle I needed to solve, just like the way I was to her. Some part of me wanted to know what she wanted to find from me; but some other part wanted me to keep a good distance from her. Because sometimes it starts like that and then at the end things get serious and I would get in trouble. I didn’t want that.

We arrived at the school while I was still thinking about the girl and what I would do with her. But I had to stop thinking about her too much because I didn’t want to be too attached to her, since it wasn’t good for either of us. But still I let the time decide what would happen next. If she was going to be my friend I was going to let her close enough to find out what she wanted from me. After that I was going to end it right away for her own safety.

“Have a good day and take care, alright?” Ashley said before she walked out of the car with a wide grin on her face, and I thought maybe she saw something.

“You too Ashley,” I ignored her expression. Assuming maybe she saw one of her friends when she got out.

But I was wrong she had that grin for me, because it was that same girl that I’d been thinking about all night and all morning. She was standing couple cars away at the parking lot and looking at my car eagerly. At first I thought of staying inside the car for couple more minutes so that she could go away, especially since being late didn’t affect me like Ashley. But then again I thought, what if she doesn’t leave. I wasn’t going to cower away from her. I suck it up and I got out of the car because I was never going let her have power over me. Once she saw me she gave this wide grin, which I didn’t know what it was for. I ignored her and headed to the entrance, and she followed right away.

She was pretty persistent, I could give her that. Although everyone practically talked ill of me, she still wanted to be with me. She must’ve been sick or something, and that’s exactly how people saw her. It was that way because no one, I mean no one wanted to be my friend anymore but she kept insisting. Even though I tried so hard to push her away.