Chapter One
I stared at Damon Hearken; He looked back at me with teary eyes.
"Dude, what chick-flick are you watching now?" I asked shaking my head, showing I had absolutely no pity for him.
"The Note Book." He said his voice in a quiver.
Great, I thought, I interrupted his sappy movie.
"Why do you watch that shiz? We are MEN. Hence 'men'." I continued clearing my point.
"Jeebus, when did 'Star Wars' or 'Lord of the Rings' fall out of place with you?"
He wiped his eyes, and then looked back at me.
"Nah, it didn't....... Orlando Bloom had a gorgeous butt in that movie." He shrugged.
"Oh, so you think Darth Vader had a nice ass too?"
He closed his eyes, pending his answer depending on his feed back of his 'little knowing' of the topic.
"Didn't get a good view...." He finally answered.
"Have you EVER considered starring at Pamela Anderson's boobs?' I blurted.
He opened his mouth like he was about to smile, but he clenched his teeth and his lips curled funny.
"I did once, but only to convince my Vati [his dad] I wasn't gay," he muttered, with little hesitation.
I interrupted with a simple question. 'How did it work out?' seemed to slip from my disobedient lips.
"Let's just say it's hard to convince your dad you're not gay when you have stacks of men illustrated sports magazines' and say 'HER BOOBS LOOK HOT' then it will NEVER work." He changed his quirk-ish smile to the little boy one I have known for months.
"Erik, Shall we go to the Pub and grab a beer? It's only eight and this house makes me feel well, like I'm in a house." He sighed. Probably getting bored of whatever nonsense that was flashing on the screen. Well, that was what I was hoping.
"Gay people like beer?" I said sarcastically.
"No shiz. We get to drink," He paused to smile and suck in a breath. "And gawk at the male bartenders!"
Yes, knowing Damon, like when we go for a walk in the park, and he blurts 'HEY! LOOK AT THAT GUYS ASS!' is hard to follow. I don't even know why I am friends with him or even try to make an effort even after he had made moves on me.
Sure I've had fifteen girlfriends, 7 make-outs, and89 French kisses, hey, who's counting?
"'Kay fine. I'm up for a beer, but you are so not driving." I made clear but stupidly he opened his mouth and 'Blah-ing' came out.
"But why?" he asked.
"Because," I started, "We could end up in a ditch because you saw a guy in a tank-top." I said CLEARLY stating world statistics on Gaynisum.
"Hey, it could be a tree."
"What's the difference from a tree or a ditch, we would still crash." I got up from the beanie bag chair I was sitting in and got the keys from the hanger. I knew Damon was following because of the flopping of his 'Man sandals' whatever the hell that meant. I got to the welded-shut door of my beat up blue-Toyota truck. (I meant welded because at first I thought that a bunch of frackin' gang welded it, but turns out it was my dad because he was completely wasted.) So now I have to get through the window like I was a race car driver. Damon slipped through the passengers' seat and started talking. Big mistake. Luckily I had my iPod Touch and was blasting Rob Zombie because it was thrashing enough to tune him out. The head phones were completely covered by my shaggy black hair and my pale skin.
I was thankful of my iPod, without it, I would probably be a gaydar and be converted to being like him.
We pulled into the pub and I parked in a space.
"I said 'Pub' not 'Bar'" Damon made himself accurate.
"Old farts go to Pubs, and younger people go to Bars." I said with what seemed like more knowledge.
We walked in to what looked like a herd of monkeys fight over a rotten Banana. But what stuck out most was an average height girl with long blond hair and gray-ish black eyes. She was looking at me.
The waitress came, and I could blearily hear her over the crowd.
"Sorry, Mr. Fancy Knickers is in a trance. Hel-lo, you there?" He pinched my arm that was lifelessly hanging.
I broke the stare between the goddess to look at the waitress. "Valley gold beer please." I mumbled.
She walked away and I looked in the direction where the goddess would be sitting, but she wasn't looking at me anymore, more of the ground.
"Dude, buy her a drink." I heard Damon whisper as the waitress brought us our order. "But details first." He ordered me.
"SHE IS SO HOT." I gasped telling the truth. "Don't you think?" I pointed her out for Damon.
"Dude, I'm gay." He paused, "But she has the cutest outfit!"
I looked at him. I gave him the 'What the Hell Are You Doing' look.
"Aha, Well, Um... She does have attractive qualities?" He lifted and eyebrow.
The goddess looked up again at me, but I knew what she was seeing. A Dark haired, green-eyed dude dumb struck and in awe.
"One more thing..." I said to Damon. "You got money?"
"I will be back." I said, before I could chicken out. I made my way through the crowd, and ended up at her section on the bar.
"Can I get you a drink?" I asked.
She held up a can of Coke.
"I'm good." She held her breath. Then sighed. "But you can join me."
What was it that the beautiful golden voice said? No? I thought. But I just took a seat next to her.
"I'm Erik Milne." I said with a casual tone.
She replied right after. "I'm Kristen Lafond."
We talked for about an hour. I found out that she is 1.) An only child, 2.) Loves music, 3.)Hates 'Girly Girls' and she is a Cheerleader.
Then the mistake happened. I asked about her family.
"What about you Parents?" I asked. "What do they do?"
She hesitated but then answered shrilly. "Mom's dead, and Dad's a drunk."
She paused, I was about to apologize, but she continued. "He thought it would ease the pain that her death left."
"I'm sorry." I whispered. Shiz. There was step one. The look. Second: The lean in... And last the kiss.
As soon as our lips touched, Hell broke loose.
A. Bar. Fight?
I turned to see Damon sitting on a chair. Great. A. Moron. On. A. Chair.
"Oh, No need to fight over me!" I heard from his mouth as he waved away a couple fighting jocks.
I turned to see Kristen's expression, but thin air was all that was left of her.
Ha Ha. A napkin......... Muffled like melting cheese. Wait, when the hell did cheese have to do with a napkin. Or bar fights? I picked it up and threw it in my pocket. I walked over to Damon, just in time. A Jock was just about to nail him in the head. First I hit him in the neck, not knowing what that would do, but he (Obviously) turned around. BOOM. Damon flung his fist to the jock's jaw, (Who knew Gay's could fight, although then again, UFC might have Gay's in it because there is contact with others. EW. I've been converted. How did I know that anyway?)
"He may be gay, but he is MY gay guy." I paused re-thinking. "Wait that came out wrong"
I laughed and gave him our SUPER FREAKING SECRET HANDSHAKE (A high-five) and we ran like hell to the truck. We were out of there before the police arrived. So it looked as if we were just randomly passing by. Ha. RANDOMLY.
Ah, hell. I'm getting wasted over a SIP of beer.
At least I wasn't driving funny.
We swung through the door laughing.
"Here, you get a movie going; I'll get snacks and some brown pop." I went upstairs into the 'Fab' kitchen and fetched some Nachos' and melted some cheese over it (Again with the cheese.) But then I remembered the note. I fished it out. (Ha, still muffled.) And held it in my hand. Wanting to know what it says, but hoping for a build in excitement. I knew, by heart that Kristen was different then all of the Ho's I have dated. They only loved me for them to look better, having a 'Hot looking boyfriend' to make themselves look superior. And yes, I AM hot. Hee hee. Nah, whatever they think. I'm just a dude with hair, skin and eyes.
I opened it, holding my breath, and clenching my teeth.
Erik, Sorry. Meet me here tomorrow. Same time.
~K
I stared at it.
*Beep* *Beep*
Damn Microwave.
I placed it back into my pocket and got the chips and pop. I walked down stairs, and into the VERY colorful living room. It looked as if a herd of cheerleaders ran-sacked our rental house. Man, there was fuzzy and colorful stuff everywhere you looked. Although, I kinda like it now. (I blame Damon)
After setting it on the PINK coffee table I looked at Damon fumbling with the wire to the flat screen.
I ignored his 'Stupidity. And. Lack. Of. Knowledge.'
"What movie?" I asked.
"You're NEW favorite... PROM WARS!"
I laughed, "Ha, so your favorite new 'Crush' is Percy?" I mutter with a hint of laughter.
"No I suit the gay guy" He laughed, "You know, the one in pink?"
"'Kay, whatever." I walked around the corner to get the stack of mail I have been ignoring for quite some time....
I returned and sat in my usual spot, but I realized I have never thought about Kristen before, IN THIS CHAIR. Ha, Now I have.
I took the first letter, and torn the envelope to expose the letter inside. I opened it.
Dear Erik Milne,
We see you've met a girl at the bar. So you like her?
WELL ALL HELL KNOWS YOU DO. AND YOU DITCH HER!
You are freaking lucky she left you a note. A hint, A HINT that she likes you. Or does she? Maybe she wants to meet you to slap you for your stupidity.
Elbow typing. Do you do that? DO YA WANNA SEE? Here is space for you answer. Thanks for your co-operation, but you have to. Here: Hey th3ere smat fellar. - Brilliant hey?
No time to waste. You're a Douche bag. Say that to yourself. YOU Douche BAG!
Now. Read on and shall FOREVER feel guilty for BLOWING UP THE WORLD!!
Gawd, you read on. BOOM. Your dead. You Dead Douche.
Great. Now heaven's gone too, are you happy with yourself?
Now if you read on then, just stop reading. YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE LAYERS OF THE
EARTH.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
There, Now Hell is gone too. Are you happy with yourself?
Dead-faced-douche-bag.
Well. You pity me.
Will insult you later. Oh, wait, I can't. YOU'RE DEAD!
Unknown Mysterious Person Society.
P.S. EAT THIS LETTER NOW. RIP IT UP AND EAT IT. I mean it. I would shoot you, but you are already dead.
Have fun not being on Earth/Hell/Heaven. Good luck in you pitiful life.
"Huh. Damn people."
I finished the stack of letters from the housing board and some from the school. I guess you could say we went to a boarding school, except it was slightly different. We lived at least three blocks from school.
Damon finally got the TV working and I set down the letters. I sat still, and watched.
X X X
There she was. The golden girl. She sat under a huge willow tree. The wind was breezing and the skies were grey. She shone like the sun, even in black-and-white. It was like her pale skin had a glow, I stared at her, she was looking back at me with the corners of her mouth curved up. She had a beautiful smile.
I leaned in....
*Beep* *Beep*
"Ah, hell." I moaned, having my voice croak.
Mhm... 7:45. Why couldn't have had this dream at two in the morning?
I DRAGGED myself out of bed and headed for the door. I had the only room in the house that wasn't colorful, fuzzy, or fluffy. None of those girly things. I only had stacks of CD's and a huge stereo and obviously a bed.
Damon was up before me and he had already fixed up breakfast.
"What's today's special?" I ask picking up an apple and shoving it in my bag.
"Crepes" He replied with a happy smile. He cleaned up the spilled flour and handed me a plate of thin cooked dough. I have got to say, I love living with Damon. He is by far the best cook I have ever met.
Damon and I made it to school just in time to get a good parking space. There it hit me; I see the jock I had punched last night. He wasn't hard to pick out, with his black eye and all. I had Metallica blasting, and I tuned out whatever the hell Damon was saying.
I grabbed my bag and my text books.
Okay, I wasn't 'Cool' and I wasn't a Loser, but I was every girls dream date. What does that make me? A hot loser... Okay.
Damon was shockingly quiet and then he spoke. Although I was shocked when I heard him.
"Look, there." He was pointing towards the tree. Under it was Kristen. Shiz, she was looking at me. What do I do? Walk up to her? Or talk to her later?
I took out my head phones and looked at Damon.
"What the hell do I do now?" I asked in a low tone.
"Dude why are you whispering? No one here cares about your love for her, But, I do love that guys lips......" he started, I began t tune him out and unthinkingly walked towards her. She had two girls talking to her probably blabbing about the upcoming dance. They automatically stopped as I approached.
"Hey, didn't know you came here." She said while holding a beautiful smile.
"Yeah, so what are you guys talking about?" I asked. I looked at Kristen; she was wearing navy shorts, a golden white knitted sweater that looked like spider webs, but with a more fashionably design and a rich gold ballet flats. Man, I am already turning into... into a GAY guy.... Wait, no I cough myself, if I was, I wouldn't like her.
"Hey, do you have a date to the dance?" Kristen asked. It was like the wind was knocked out of me when I saw her face.
"No, no. I don't. Don't." I said, but I knew it came out like "Nuhh-nuhh , I duhh, dun't." Man, I must have sounded drunk.
"Great! Do you wanna, you know, go with me?" She asked in a giggle. The other girls there looked kinda, MEAN, HATEFUL and mostly jealous.
"Yeah, Sure." I tried to say nonchalantly, and not over excited.
"Hey, class is about to start, I'll see you tonight." She said she gave me a smile and picked up her bag. She began to head for the doors and she looked over her shoulder, still holding the angel face.
Until then... I thought, that night I would be dancing with Kristen.
I realized I have been standing there for about two minutes looking like a moron, with my face all relaxed and my mouth hanging open like my jaw was broken. Crap I was going to be late if I can't get out of this trance.
It would be like one of those dreams where you just stand there waiting to die, you don't even move, you just waste your freaking time.
Ha! I broke it; I was in the room before Mrs. Santieago. I sat beside Seth who was already zoned out and talking to Dylan. They were both in the football team and were bragging about how they won Union.
Class felt utterly short because I was off in 'I Heart Kristen Land.'
Finally it was lunch time and I got to kick back, and stare at Kristen across the cafeteria.
"Ah, ha. Now, imagine yourself right beside her, looking in her eyes. Now, imagine Damon calling you an ass." Damon said while taking a seat next to me.
"Oh, I don't like that image." I said in a daze.
"Well, you ASS, how's that?" He said with a laugh.
I had my iPod cranked listening to The All-American Rejects... Man, I love the song 'Give You Hell,' I think it suits me very so.
I noticed a stir in the room. Some people stiffened and all looked in the same direction. I paused my iPod and Patrick (My Science teacher) walked in with an average height guy with medium brown hair with blue eyes.
"Listen up; we got ourselves a new comer named Tyson Bennington, so..." he looked awkwardly through the window, "Yeah, carry on!" He gave Tyson one of his quick smiles and rushed out. I thought it was gross when one time I heard a bunch of girls gossiping about him and how 'Hot' and 'Attractive' he was. Nasty.
Tyson stood there for a minute. He finally moved after a while and headed in our direction.
"Hey." He said shyly as he sat down.
"Hi, I'm Erik, and this is Damon." I said looking down in my hands at my iPod, wondering if he was as annoying as Damon.
"Hey." I heard Damon mutter. I knew it was uncomfortable for him to tell others that he was gay.
"Quick poll, what do you think about Gay people?"I asked him. Giving Damon the look [not the look I give Kristen, just the 'I'll. Help. You. Look.']
"Totally fine. I don't care." He replied. He didn't say it as in 'I do give a shiz' he just said it in a springy way, but not that he was obsessed.
"Cuz, I'm gay to let you know, if you want to run, I'll give you fifteen seconds to flee." I heard Damon say as he sipped his Tim Horton's coffee.
"No, I honestly don't mind, you seem like a cool dude to hang with. You guys aren't..." He paused. "You know..." I had to think, it started out as 'What the Hell?'
"Oh, No, Ha, Nooo...." My lips spat out. I heard Damon muffling something about the same as I did.
After that it was ___________________________________________________. (Awkward in case you didn't get it...)
