When I left Mr. Eves' calculous class sixth period, I went straight to my locker and shoved my bag in. I slammed it with a bang, and several students near me jumped and stepped away. I stomped through the halls and straight into the girls bathroom by the exit.
"Hey, Girl," Hachiko said, flipping her jet black hair over her shoulder. Her real name is Melissa, but we both agree that she's more a loyal dog statue in Japan than a generic girly-girl. Her hair is long and layered and shiny. It went with her midnight eyes in a way that made her look like a raven, despite her dog-like personality. She's taller than most girls-nearly 5'10"-and has a super model body style.
Her family is loaded like most families in Cleverson, Ohio A/N: Cleverson, Ohio probably does not exist. I made it up because it sounded cool. It really made me wonder who her parents send her to a normal school like Samson Clever High School, when they could send her to Severson Casan Academy. Severson is a prep school just outside the city limits with school buses picking up kids each morning, and dropping them off in the afternoon. Hachikos parents had sent her older brother Justin to Severson since the beginning. I think Hachiko had told them that she wanted to get involved with the more local community to get them to let her go to a public school. Personally, my family had wanted me to go to Severson as well, but I'd told them that I wanted to go to Samson, and they agreed without a second thought. Since Hachiko and I were only sophmores, I was pretty sure that her parents would soon pull her out to go to Severson.
"Hey, Hachiko," I grinned. "How was your Friday?" I asked.
"Could've been better," She shrugged. "How 'bout you?"
I shrugged too. "Same. I can't wait to get home. Mom told me that she had exciting news for me when I get there." I was bouncing up and down with anticipation.
"You think she finally got you a car?"
I laughed. "Maybe. I actually think she probably figured out where we're going for Spring break next week."
"Oh yeah! I forgot that that was after the weekend." She put her hands up, palms facing me, in a signal that looked like surrender, but her smile was really big. "No homework!"
"Amen," I said solumnly. We laughed.
Hachiko and I headed out to the parking lot. There were still a few kids out, but the buses had left. We went straight to the flagpole where our boyfriends stood conversing.
"Hey Andre," I grinned. He turned to look at me, and I gave him a kiss.
"Hey Collete. You ready to go?"
"Yup," I nodded.
Andre and I had been going out for the entire year. He was pretty cool. Messy sandy hair, sky blue eyes, a deep tan, and muscular build, along with a light scar on the left side of his right eye. He used to be involved with a bunch of bad stuff-drugs, alcohol, violence, graffiti... Well, the week we started going out, I was walking around downtown toward my favorite bookstore and cafe, when a bunch of guys jumped me. They tried to take my money-$60-and my phone, but I hit on in the mouth clumsily. I had been taught basic self defence, but I'd never had to use it. I elbowed one guy in the stomach, and managed to knee a guy where the gold is, before another guy pinned me tight against a wall. I cried out as another slapped me, and screamed when another guy suddenly appeared behind the guy who had pinned me. Andre. He'd pulled the guy away, and hit him. He'd hit a few others before one guy-the one I'd kneed-brought a switchblade to my throat. I'd frozen. In the end, Adrian had gotten the knife away, but had gotten a deep cut that made a perminant scar.
I loved Andre to death, and couldn't imagine not being with him.
Everyday, Andre, who is a junior, drove me home from school. On most days, he stayed with me a while, and we'd make cookies or watch a movie. But today, he had other plans, which consisted of taking his mom out for her birthday. Adrian always pays for girls, no matter who it is. His family has money too.
When Andre dropped me off, I leaned over and kissed his mouth before getting out. He drove off. I took a deep breath before stepping into the house. The house keeper, Jane, poked her head out of the kitchen.
"Hai Collete!" She grinned. She did home school, and was no older than me. Her parents had disowned her the year before, so my parents had adopted her, letting her live with us. Jane had insisted on being our live-in housekeeper to repay us, and nobody had objected-all it meant was a new mouth to feed, and someone to do our cleaning. Easy as pie. Jane was nice, and also really pretty. She was cool to have around, and we'd become practically sister in the time that she'd been living with us.
"Hey Jane." I put my bag on the stairs that led up to my room. I basically have the whole top floor to myself, being an only child. Jane sleeps in the guest house, which is a small house attached to the main one by a small hallway in the kitchen. It had its own bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen, so it was like living on your own. Being the housekeeper was basically paying rent. "How was your day?"
"Great!" She said. "The plumber came in today and fixed your sink. Stan came in after turning on the sprinkler. I let him have a glass of lemonade and paid him for the week. I also did the dishes and dusted the potery in the living room."
"Thank you." I grinned. "Hey, do you know where Mom is?"
"Out back, drinking lemonade. I'll be at home if you need me." She left through the kitchen. I liked how she called her little place home. It was, in fact, pretty home-like, after all.
I headed out back and saw Mom sitting with Dad at the picnic table. They sat on one side, and I sat on the other. A plastic cup sat beside the pitcher of lemonade, so I helped myself. After taking a sip, I looked at Mom. She looked excited, but also nervous and worried.
"You okay?" I asked.
She nodded. "Collete," She began. "I know that you will really want to hang out with your friends over the break, since, you know, they're your friends,-"
"I don't mind," I interupted. "Most of them are all going out of state anyway."
Mom looked relieved, but worry and nervousness came back immediatly.
"Lora!" Dad whispered. "Just get it out! You know how she'll react anyway!"
Mom nodded. "We're moving over the break." Mom buried her face in Dads shoulder.
When I didn't react, Mom slowly came out of hiding.
"Where are we moving?" I asked calmly. I'd known this was coming. I'd entered Dads study and seen him going through houses in differant areas. Mom had been too, though I'd seen her searching on the toolbar as I typed in my web addresses. I'd prepared.
"Japan," She said. "Tokyo."
Dad looked confused. "How are you so calm? We've been mentally preparing for your rebelion!"
I shrugged. "I'd seen your searches."
"And you're okay with it?" Mom asked.
I shrugged again. "I'll be better once we're in the air." We were all silent for a moment.
"Jane coming?"
"Yes. She already knows."
"Where will I go to school?"
"Saint Lobelia Academy. It's a local boarding school. We're moving in just down the street, so you can come home whenever you want. It's more freedom for you and for Jane."
I nodded, more to myself than my parents. "All girls school?" I asked, guessing by the name. They nodded. I sighed.
"I'll go pack." I got up and went inside, nodded when Mom said to put valuables in bubble wrap and boxes, which were both on my bed. Clothes in suit cases. Other things in a box.
I grabbed a granola bar and a Mountain Rush and headed up to my room. Personally, I've always prefered genaric brands to the real deal, with everything. However, Royal Crown Cola is pretty good. Shasta just doesn't do it for me in that area, and neither does Coka-Cola.
When I got to my room, I turned on my computer, a Mac, and IMd Hachiko, who was online.
Hach123: Hey! gld ur on!
Collie: sme 2 u.
Hach123: guess were im goin for the brak?
Collie: cali? florda? NY?
Hach123: cloze but no.
Collie: were?
Hach123: Paris! where else? cali is for poor ppl! lol jk
Collie: maybe ill c u there...
Hach123: u goin 2? AWsum!
Collie: akchly no
Hach123: were thn? london?
Collie: im not doin the vay-cay thin this yr
Hach123: campin? lol
Collie: call me? plz?
I felt like I was going to cry. I could barely keep the tears in as I listened to my cell ring. singing some white trash version of shania karaoke!sounded in Hachikos voice, perposfully screechy.
"Hey," I said. I pulled a box off my bed and set it up. I wrapped my ballet jewlry box in bubble wrap, and put it in the box. I repeated the proccess with everything on my shelfs.
"Collie, are okay?" Hachiko asked.
"You'll always be my best friend, right?" I asked.
"Yes." her voice was cautious.
"And you'll always be there when I need you?"
"You're pregnant!" She shouted. "Please deny it!"
"I not!" i told her, giggling. She was the only one who could cheer me up without meaning to.
She sighed with relief. "Oh good. What's wrong? I'll stick by you 110%. Unless you're deciding to go off and be a famous person without me."
I giggled again, then sobered up. "I'm moving." I said.
"WHAT? WHY? WHEN? WHERE?" She screamed.
"I'm moving. Mom and Dad want a change of senory. Friday, I think. To Japan." I answered her questions in order. In the short time that we'd been talking, I'd finished packing my first box, and had cleared the shelfs. I pulled out another box and packed up my movies, minus the ones I wanted to watch before leaving.
"Why Japan?"
"I don't know. Maybe Mom and Dad want a cool colture." I shrugged.
"You know, Japan is where they slaughter dolphins. In Taiji."
"I'm going to be in Tokyo."
"Like Tokio Hotel?" Tokio Hotel is our favorite foreign band.
"Tokio Hotel is German," I told her, rolling my eyes.
"Oh." That stumped her. "Well, whats in Tokyo?"
"Not sure." I finished with my movies, but left the box open since there was still room in it for the movied I'd left out. I started on my books, all of which I'd read.
"But you're just going to move there?" She sounded outraged, like I was crazy.
"Yeah. I've always wanted to travel, and so has Mom. This will be an adventure."
"If you leave, who's going to be my lab partner in Bio? Who's going to give me answers on the homework? Who'll go with me to the limits of town just for the sake of driving to Severson to make fun of the preps? Who'll hand me the ball in basketball just to piss everyone off because I couldn't throw, let alone dribble if my life depended on it? Who will buy my soul-food when Kiki runs away?" Kiki was her cat who always got out, but always showed up a week later. "Who?"
"Um, your boyfriend, maybe?"
"Kyle doesn't know anything but archry!" She complained. "Any why do you get to move to Japan and see the statue of Hachiko?"
I sighed and sealed my book box. I stuffed my clothes into a suit case, save for the ones I'd wear, which I'd already laid out. "Hun, Hachiko is near Okaka, or something. not Tokyo."
"Do you even know Japanese?" She demanded.
"I've taken it every year since I was twelve," i reminded her. I'd always loved the language and characters.
"And your parents?"
"I'm sure they know it, since they're moving us there."
"Have you told Adrian yet?" Hachiko asked. Her voice was low, afraid of what he would say.
"No. You're my best friend. Of course I told you first."
She perked up a bit. "Girls before guys, chickes before dicks." She giggled. "Men are like purses anyway-frilly, full of crap and can always be replaced."
We laughed. After a few more minutes of joking, she had to go. Her parents had schedualed their flight to Paris for 'well, in a few hours' and wanted to have some family time since no one would be up for talking on the plane.
I got back on the computer and immediatly went on Facebook. I put my statues as, "missing Cleverson already :( text me". Then, I logged off and checked my IM window.
Collie has logged on.
Andre has logged on.
Collie: Hey Andre
Andre: hey babe! did u hear where Hachiko is going for the break?
Collie: ya. i just got off the fone with her.
Andre: i wish i could go to paris! my family may have $ but the rentals dont feel like going places with me, let alone tell me to my face that theyr goin.
Collie: they leave u a not again?
Andre: they txtd me 'just got on a plane. u kno were the cash and crd r. c u in 2 weekz. give callrz our cell.' no. 'luv mom' or n e thing!
Collie: lame.
Collie: it could be worse tho.
Andre: i could have had to go with them n not gotten to chill with u? :)
Collie: u cud hav my rentals.
Andre: wat hapnd? they ground u 4 the break?
Collie: no
Andre: gd cuz tht wud hav sukd.
Collie: itz worse.
Before I could type out what had happened, he called my cell. He's a, good time Coybow Casanova- I picked it up, not wanting to waste time listening to Carrie Underwood. Not that she isn't wonderful, I just wanted to tell Andre the news ASAP.
"What happened?" Andre demanded. "Did they kick you out? Steal your cell-oh wait. You're on your phone now. And you were on your computer-what happened?"
"Andre, calm down!" I told him. "Deep breath. It's nothing too bad. If I wanted to stop it, I could have thrown a fit or asked to stay with Hachiko or someone."
"A place you don't wanna go for the break?" He sounded relieved.
"Please don't freak out."
"This, it isn't about break is it?" The tension was back in his voice.
"No. Hold on."
I pulled my phone away and sent a text to my mom 'going out. luvs'. I brought the phone back. "Meet me at the Usual Spot." He agreed, telling me to wear something cute, and we hung up.
I went over to my closet. Going through my clothes, I found a 'cute' top. It was a purple mini dress, which I paired with a pair of dark straight-leg jeans and black heels. I put my green hair in a messy clip, and put on a bit of eye-liner and mascara. I put the makeup in my clutch, along with my favorite lip gloss, and went down the stairs.
I met Jane on the way out. She appraised me. "Going out?" She asked. "As though it isn't obvious."
I smiled at her. "I told Andre to meet me, and he told me to wear something cute."
Her eyes got really wide. She glanced around, then lowered her voice when she looked back at me. "Is tonight the night then?" She asked.
I shrugged, making it seem like I didn't really care, or didn't think it likely. "Maybe," I told her. "Maybe he just wanted me to look cute." I left.
Although I'd made it seem like no big deal that it might, I was anxious. I wanted to have sex with Andre, and my heart raced at the thought. We'd talked about it in the beginning-how we were both virgins, how we wanted to have sex, how we thought it would be/feel like-since we have a more open relationship. We don't date others, we are just open with each other. We know that we can tell each other anything and everything. I'd been nervous to tell him that I was a virgin, him being a junior to my sophmore, but I wasn't so nervous when he told me that he was too. It made me feel like I could relate to him better knowing that he hadn't been with another person like that.
When I got outside, I hopped into my car-a silver 1992 Honda Prelude, my little sports car-and drove toward downtown Cleverson. Since it was such a small town, it didn't take very long to get there. Our Usual Spot was a little Italian resteraunt, Local Verona, owned by my friend Juliets' family, who are actually Russian. Her father, Paul, had been born in Moskow, but had spent his teen years in Italy before moving in with his grandfather back in Russia, where he met Sonia, Juliets' mother. Juliet was a pretty cute girl, a senior with light brown hair, brown eyes, and a nice tan. She had a pretty nice figure, curvy and thin, which was good because she was a bit on the short side-only 5'5", a bit shorter than average hight. She was dating a boy named Diego, a nice guy from Spain, but rumers said that she was also dating a girl from Severson, but Diego was confident that she wasn't because she'd had sex with him after the Winter Formal. I'd talked to Juliet about it, just out of curiosity because we're good friends. She told me that she wasseeing a girl from Severson, but didn't want anyone to know because it was just a curiosity thing. She's said she was pretty sure that she was straight, but still sort of liked the girl. I'd understood, having known the feeling back in middle school.
When I got to the Usual Spot, I didn't see Andres' car, so I went inside and talked to Juliet, who was welcoming people into the resteraunt today. It was a local favorite, but not very busy tonight. In fact, the only people there was a small family of three who were just leaving. When they got to their car, the mother retrieved her purse from the trunk, which was filled with suit cases.
"It was full a little while ago," Juliet told me as I approached her. "Everyone's going on vacation, and stopped here for a bit before catching their planes." She shrugged. "Holiday breaks are our busiest times. And sporting events." We giggled. "Table for one, Miss Collete?" She asked, still giggling.
"Two, actually, but not right now. Andre's on his way, but I kinda want to catch up." I gave her a look. "Are you still with that girl?"
She shrugged, looking a bit sad. "Yes. Suzie is going to New York City to see a ballet for her birthday. She'll only be gone for the weekend, but I miss her so much."
"Getting attached?" I asked. "It's cool. Was she here tonight?"
Juliet nodded. "Yup. She brought her two older brothers and her parents with her to meet me. I was off after I showed them their seats, so I sat with them while they ate."
"Do your parents know?" I wondered.
"Yes. They were a bit shocked when I told them about her, but they were even more shocked when they connected the pieces that said I'm cheating on Diego. My brother told them that I wasn't technically cheating because it's an experiment. I still felt kinda bad though." She looked really sad.
"It could be worse," I shrugged.
"True." We laughed. "Oh! Hachiko was here a bit ago. She was a bit red in the eyes. Did something happen?"
I nodded. "My parents decided to move me and Jane to Japan. We leave next Friday."
Juliet looked horrified. "JAPAN?" She squeaked. "Why?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. I didn't really ask. I just called Hachiko and told her while I packed my bigger stuff."
"That's sad. You're going to be a junior next year! You're on your way!"
"I know."
"And you also have the most perfect BFF in the world, and the coolest boyfriend-well, besides mine. But I meant best boyfriend for you."
I nodded. "Yeah. And I plan for it all to be like that while I'm gone. I'm going to be coming back for major holidays anyway. I'll see everyone on Independence Day." We laughed at my kinda-sad-ish joke, just as Andre walked in.
I gave him a sweet hug and kiss, and he smiled sadly at me. Juliet led us to a table in the back and handed us menus, then left to manage the door again. Andre and I cuddled together in the round booth, and shared a menu. When we'd ordered our food, Andre looked at me sadly again.
"I'm going to miss you so much!"
I'm going to miss you, too." I told him. I leaned down and pressed my head against his neck, cuddling again. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and I wrapped mine around his waist. He was soft and muscle-y at the same time. One of his hands stroked my hair, making fuzzyz grow on my skin.
"How are we going to work if you're across the world?"
"I'll visit a lot. Skype. Texting. Email. Instant messaging. Phone calls. Letters." I rattled off everything I could think of, pausing briefly to make sure he heard. With each suggestion, he nodded.
"Can I visit you sometime?" He asked. "For a weekend maybe?"
"In Japan, the weekend is only Sunday. Not sure why we don't have Saturdays too." I'd never understood.
"So I could go to school with you." He shrugged.
"All girls school." I sighed.
"At least I know you won't be dating some guy from school while you're there. Unless it's like the opposite of that Hana-Kimi manga where the girl goes to that all boys school to meet her idol-high jumper Izumi Sano!"
I giggled. "You know that Hana-Kimi is Shoujo, right? It's pretty chick-y."
"Yes it is. But I learn a lot more about girls that way." He laughed.
"Mizuki isn't really girly though. Pretending to be a boy makes you less feminine."
"So if a gay guy went to an all boy school, he'd become less girly and eventually become straight?"
I rolled my eyes, not caring that he couldn't see. "No! A gay guy would just stare at the guys until they kicked him out for sexual harassment." We laughed.
Our school was pretty gay-friendly, gay boys and girls, so gay jokes were common. Everyone knew that the anti-gays didn't actually laugh, but still made jokes that were mean and not funny. Pretty much everyone looked down on those people, who were few, thank GOD! I hate people who can't respect people just because of who they're attracted to. None of the gays focus on straight students, but on other gays. Some gay guys flirt with the straight girls to make them feel better about themselves. Some gay girls flirt with straight guy to make themselves feel better, and because they like being the guys best friends to teach them more about girls. It's pretty cool how everyone gets along. Unless they're stupid. We don't have any 'special' students at Samson, so most people say 'retarded' and not 'stupid' because no one feels bad about possibly hurting someones feelings. I'm pretty sure that if we got a 'special' student, everyone would switch to 'stupid' instead of 'retarded'.
"So you want to stay together even though you're moving?" Andre said.
I was so shocked by his question, that I jerked away to stare at him, horrified and angry. "Why would you even think that I'd want to break up?" I demanded. "You're the best boyfriend in the world, and I can't even imagine not having you to talk to when I'm sad! I love Hachiko too, but I could never call her and say 'I love you' in the way I do with you! And besides, I know that you would never cheat on me, and I would never cheat on you! We'll be together until our feelings fade!"
"Which will be never," Andre muttered.
I gave him a worried look. "Do you want to break up?" I asked, more nervous than I had ever been around him.
"No! I just wanted to make sure!"
"Okay." I snuggled back into him, and sighed contently.
Shortly thereafter, Juliet came back with our food and drinks, and Andre and I talked about 'happier' things. What I would miss most about Samson, where we would go for dinner when I visited, what I looked forward to most about moving, when he would visit me, where he would stay when he did, where I would stay when I visited, what I would do in Tokyo, what kind of soda they had, how Pocky would taste there compared to here, what kind of music I would share with him, what TV shows I might watch, what kind of person I would meet at school, after school activities, what manga I would read first, which mangas I would buy, what else I would buy, what I would send back to him and Hachiko and Juliet, what they would send to me, and other stuff like that.[ The answers, by the way, are as follows: The friendship of everyone, Local Verona, new people, just before school started for either of us, a spare bedroom or guest house, with Hachiko, wander the streets, RAMUNE!, better, Tokio Hotel or SS501 or Jinsu or Epic High, anime, someone nice who was street/hall smart, drama/dance/other, Hana-Kimi, Chibi Vampire, sake, yummy stuff and cool manga and pictures of me and my friends and my school, pictures and Mountain Rush and hugs, etcetera.]
When we were done eating, we talked with Juliet until Sonia told her to wash the dishes that her brother hadn't finished. She'd sighed, but called to her mom in Russian, hugged us both and left. When we left, Andre walked me to my car.
"You want to come over to my house? You can't stay the night, but..." He trailed off, leaving an open invitation.
I smiled. "Yes."
He grinned. "Great. You can follow my car to my place, that way you aren't left walking when I don't feel like driving you home."
We set off. Before getting out when we got to his house, I texted mom, telling her that I was staying with Hachiko for the night because she was leaving the next day. I told Andre this so that he knew that I could stay all night.
All night. Just Andre and me. Exactly what I'd dreamed it would be.
Sorry, but I'm not going into detail. Imagine it. She's leaving and they're in love. Ouran is coming in the next chapter. Prepare yourself for the upcoming drama between Collete, Andre, and the Host Club-not to mention the White Lilly League!
Until next time, my readers.
~EyslynMykal~