Chapter 7

Changes

16 years ago

February 2013

"You and my brother?" Mia's jaw hit the floor as soon as I told her that Christian and I got together yesterday. We were standing by the hallway and right in front of her locker. My hands were shaking as I told my best friend the truth. She looked extremely surprised and I couldn't blame her. Christian and I had been hanging out right under her nose.

"Mia, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. We've been hanging out for the past couple of months. He gives me a ride every day when I go home from your house," I told her the truth and she stared into space. She tried to connect the dots. I instantly knew that she finally understood why all this time I insisted she didn't need to walk me out of their door.

She reprimanded, "Of course, it's weird, Ana. Don't get me wrong. You are my best friend. You are my fierce, beautiful, smart, and kind. Why would you settle for my brother?"

"Mia, he's not that bad," I defended.

"Ana, he's a party animal and he makes out with different girls almost every week. He goes to school without his school jacket and he doesn't even bring a bag! Who would go to school without bringing books or bag!"

Mia had known Christian all her life so it was difficult to counterattack all of her statements. It really didn't make me feel good that she thought so lowly of her brother and expected so less of him.

"Just give him a chance, Mia," I pleaded.

She almost replied something but our attention diverted into something else when some girls gasped. Mia and I turned around and both of us were stunned at what or who we saw. Right at the end of the hallway was Christian . . . in his school uniform, properly wearing it. He used to leave the jacket behind and just come in with his inner white polo shirt clearly not ironed and without any school materials with him.

Right now, he looked completely different. He was in his school uniform with his leather school bag. His right arm carried two textbooks and he looked like a new person while he walked along the hallway. His copper hair remained messy but it was a nice touch, just proved that he's still playful despite his new appearance.

He slowly walked his way and stopped when he reached me and Mia. Just like every other student, I was too shock to move.

"Is it just me or did all of them just see a celebrity?" Christian laughed to himself. He looked around and said, "Hey guys, stop drooling. It's just me. A school boy, alright?" He tried to playfully get everyone's attention off him but all of us were still so stunned.

"Shall we, Ana?" He offered his hand.

I was too dumbfounded to move. I felt Mia nudge my back and I got back to reality. Everyone was looking at us and without any hesitation, my hand found his. Our fingers entwined, fitting together like they're meant to be. We walked out of the hallway hand-in-hand. Mia was following us from behind and I could tell that she's finally giving him a chance.

-page break-

News broke fast and before we knew it, everyone in the whole St. Croix knew that we were together. The entire student body was aware and that meant that the faculty knew too—Dad knew too.

I went home that night with a tremendously upset father who threatened to ground me for days. He went completely ballistic as he kept on rumbling how Christian is trouble personified. He reminded me of how he was the worst kid he knew at school.

"You know better than that, Ana."

I told him as calmly as I could, "Yes, I know better, Dad. I know him better than you so that's why I gave him a chance. Dad, please trust me on this. I know him better and I know I made the right choice."

Dad was speechless. I knew he wanted to get back at that statement and prove me wrong, but he can't. I knew he trusted me and he knew that I was sensible when it came to this.

"Fine," Dad gave in even though he still hated my dating his least favorite student.

I smiled and gave him a hug.

-page break-

Valentine's Day

It's our first Valentine's together and I expected us to take a ride in his car, watch the sky, and eat quesadillas by the streets. However, here we were: sat by his furnace with books sprawled across the floor. We were studying and honestly, I didn't like how we were spending the night. We were alone in their manor while Mia was "getting married" to Ethan in the Marriage Booth.

We sat on the brown fur mat and surrounded by beige and white pillows. Piles of papers scattered because I couldn't seem to know what to write about.

He read with his head low and I had never seen him so focused.

"Have you forgotten the day today?" I asked him.

"Hmm," he just hummed. What? Did he just "hmm" at me? As a girl who'll spend her Valentine's with someone special for the first time, I wasn't happy that this didn't turn up the way I anticipated it too. I was so pissed at him.

"Fine, then! Happy Valentine's Day to you too!"

I stood up and almost walked out but he dropped his book and asked, "Wait, what? Ana, come here," he was quick to stand up and his hand caught my wrist.

"Hey, hey," he whispered.

He touched my cheek and turned my head to look at him. I scowled. To my dismay, he laughed! He seriously laughed!

"What's so funny, huh?"

"You look so cute when you're pissed at me," he pinched my nose and I gave him a darker state.

He pecked my face, my nose, and my lips over and over while he explained, "I did not forget, okay? I greeted you first thing in the morning and gave you roses."

I looked at the roses rested on their leather couch.

"But—"

"Baby, I know that it would be nice to go out and take you somewhere nice tonight, but I have to study because of this quiz tomorrow."

He looked down and gave a small smile when he shyly said, "It's your Dad's class and I just want him to like me now and prove myself worthy to have you."

His gray eyes met mine and when he said that, I quickly scolded myself for acting so stupidly. I didn't even realize that he was reading Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the same book my father was referencing this morning for his difficult quiz tomorrow. Damn it! I was being unreasonable.

"I'm sorry, Christian. I'm acting so clingy and demanding and whiny and—"

He interrupted me with a chaste kiss. He smiled, "You're acting like my girlfriend."

I gave him another kiss before he led us back to the furry mat and we were wrapped in a wool blanket. He continued the book but this time he had a highlighter. I, on the other hand, read Jane Austen. I looked at him from time to time and smiled at how his lips curled in full concentration.

Seeing him this way, purely determined to impress my father, made this day the best.

-page break-

March 2013

"Ethan is still calling you?"

Mia's phone vibrated as we sat across each other in the library. We were trying to find the answers for our science homework and I could tell that Mia wasn't herself. It had been a month but her spirit was still quite low.

She turned her phone off and told me, "I don't know him."

I didn't push the conversation further.

After they "got married" last Valentine's Day, Ethan straight up told her that she annoyed him and the he didn't feel the same way. Mia went home crying that day and she didn't go to school for an entire week. Christian and I took every power we had just to convince her to go. She was really devastated.

What I didn't understand was the fact that Ethan still tried to contact her.

"Mia, maybe you can answer the call and ask him why he is still calling you?"

"Why would I do that?" she frowned.

"Because I know you're wondering why," I answered. She's my best friend and I knew her too well.

"Shhhhhh!" As expected, our conversation didn't go any further since Mrs. Grimes shushed us once more.

Mia and I decided to just concentrate on our research. As usual, two seniors sat behind our table and I didn't mean to but I kept on hearing what they're talking about.

"Christian's no fun anymore, Dude. Like seriously, he hasn't been to any house parties anymore."

"Fuck, no. Where's the fun in that? He was the most fun to punch when drunk."

"Yeah, tell me about it. He's turned down all invitations to what? To fucking focus on school? What a loser."

"He got a boring girlfriend so he's missing all the fun."

"SHHHHHH!" Mrs. Grimes' shushed louder than usual and the two seniors immediately turned silent.

I didn't care if they thought I was a boring girlfriend. All I cared about was Christian and the changes he currently going through. He was trying his best and if I didn't know any better, I knew he liked himself better now. He seemed happy now—not the attention seeking and fake happy, but the sincere happiness that he deserved.

-page break-

April 2013

My phone buzzed and I couldn't help but smile as I read Christian's message.

Christian: I can't sleep.

Me: Why?

Christian: I miss you.

Me: You're clingy.

Christian: I can't get enough of you.

To be honest, I can't sleep too. He just dropped me off a couple hours ago after we had a good time eating quesadillas, but I still craved to be with him. It was sort of a celebratory night since Christian aced all of his exams today. He got a perfect score with almost all subjects and I was so proud of him.

I pulled my blanket tighter as I continued texting him.

Me: I miss you too.

Christian: I know.

Me: Wow. Too cocky, eh?

Christian: Well, you're crazy about me so …

Me: Excuse me?!

Christian: Chill. I just wanted you to blush.

Me: You're the crazy one.

Christian: Yeah, I sure am crazy about you.

I did blush and even though he's not with here, I knew he saw the tainted red on my cheeks.

Me: You need to sleep now. We still have class tomorrow.

Christian: I can't sleep without listening to music.

Me: What kind of music? A Thousand Miles?

Christian: Hey, that's my driving playlist. I got a sleeping playlist.

Me: You've got a sleeping playlist? Haha.

Christian: I'll give you my playlist tomorrow. It will help you sleep when you're missing me at night. Hehehe.

Me: Whatever.

Me: When I was a child, I couldn't sleep without Wooly, my lamb stuffed toy. I was eight when I lost him.

Christian: Why? Where did he go? Was he eaten by the wolves?

Me: Witty. Haha. But no, he wasn't.

Me: Ella was a sickly infant and we can't buy her medicine. We had to sell a lot of stuff and I had to say goodbye to Wooly.

Christian: I'm sorry to hear that :(

Me: No, it's okay.

That was so long ago but it still hurt me. Wooly was a huge part of my childhood. Dad would tell stories about him before I went to bed. When I saw another kid took him, it was like my happy days and imaginations died. Until now, there was an ache just thinking about it.

When Christian noticed how sad the conversation was getting, he changed the subject and we talked about other things.

Christian's changing and I was happy not for me, but for him.

Thank you so much for reading. :) Please leave a review & don't hesitate to send a private message if you want to.

- Cloud