YAL rewrite "Looking for Alaska"

應外三乙 A0227118 林琇洆

If I could rewrite the story "Looking for Alaska", I would make Miles grab all the opportunities to cherish Alaska, or even make him speak himself out. Like, in the chapter 29 "two days before", when they got together and shared the worst day in their life, it's really the best timing for Miles to comfort Alaska after the whole chatting. To a girl, it's never the best time to be comforted until she confesses the deepest fear or regret to you, so the plot after Alaska said that, "the day after her mom took her to the zoo, she found her mom fallen over at the kitchen table after school. Alaska started screaming and crying and didn't call 9-1-1, just sat there with her mom; and her dad came home an hour later and asked why she didn't call 9-1-1, but it was too late—her mom was dead of an aneurysm." Should be:

Two days before.

Silence. Everyone else is shocked. Alaska kept this secret from the Colonel and Takumi for years. Miles now knows that the death of Alaska's mom was the central moment of Alaska's life.

After a silent while, Colonel suggests some more beer and he asks Lara if she wants to go with him. Actually it's easy with friends going out no matter he or she is seeing someone.

Miles feels so nervous and excited at the same time. He can't help but want to hold Alaska tightly with no reason. He's not really into Lara, so when it comes to the best moment for now, he wants to do something crazy.

"Um, hey, wanna talk with me a little bit more? Um… I mean… about the thing you just told us." I said.

"No, thanks. It's not a big deal to me now." Alaska answered with a soft voice.

She looks so weak when she speaks. I don't know why. I shrug my shoulders with hands inside my pockets, feeling a bit awkward. About thirty seconds later.

"Actually, I really wanna talk more about it." she said, standing up right after her voice disappeared.

I am too surprised to react, so I stand still for a while, looking straight at her. I wonder why she changed her mind after only thirty seconds. However, I think I'm just getting used to it ─ girls are way too complicated.

We walk out to the playground where no one would be during the vacation. I suddenly come up with an idea.

"Maybe you should come home with me or I could go home with you. You know, my parents will be glad to see my friends from school. And after, you can introduce me to your father. Sounds good, right?" I said without pause. I'm still so nervous, but I want to let her know that I care about her.

"Sounds good." She answers without thinking, I guess.

"Miles." She stops walking and stares at me closely. "Are you really into Lara? "

I was shocked. Why did she ask that? So weird.

"Um…you know we're seeing each other for not a short time, but…"

"But what? You are not really into her, right?" she interrupts me.

I think it's a good timing for me to confess. Seems like she wants me to tell her the truth. Does she like me?

I stand straight and face her directly. "You know I care about you all the time. Since we first met, I've always been thinking about you. At first, I thought it just because that you are so mysterious and pretty. It confused me for such a long time and actually sometimes you are so cold and hard to approach, making me feel so depressed. However, the further you keep yourself away, the more I want to get close to you. I like the way you talk when you talk about the bad things. I also like the way you try to be cool when you know you're about to collapse. These are all the things about you. I like all the time when you think you're not good enough or not cute. You are who you are. And that's why I'm so into you. I'm sorry that I date Lara out for trying to be cool as you. Because you make me feel so confused all the time, I don't really know how to deal with you. But…I guess…..i like you. " I made it. I can't even believe my ears. I even forgot what I just said. It happened way too fast. Jesus.

"Miles…" she says softly. Not sure what is going to come out.

"Come home with me. Tomorrow. Please." I said. "We can still be friends if you feel like to. Anyway, I don't want you to be alone." I said.

"Okay. I guess it's a good idea." She smiles.

"What?" I can't believe that she just approved.

"You know what? Now I finally find a guy who cares about me the most in the world." She keeps smiling.

After that night, Alaska tells me that she originally wants to break up with her boyfriend then, and she has planned to drive to his place right after that night. It's I that stop her to do that. She says that she doesn't need to talk to him face-to-face because he has wasted her too much time.

I broke up with Lara right after that night. I didn't tell her that it's because of Alaska. It isn't. I still think I need more time to figure out some other things. I won't fall in love or accept others that easily anymore. Although I'm still a teenager, I can be more grown-up from now on, I think. Alaska and I are still friends. We hang out with all guys as usual. However I know there's something different between us after that night, but we want to treat each other in a mature way. Who knows what is going to happen in the future. At least we won't leave any regret now.