Kay Bennet sighed as she looked over just in time to see
Miguel make another googily face at Charity. It wasn't fair she was here first.
It had always been Kay and Miguel, Miguel and Kay. Now Miguel rarely said more
that two words to her and one of those words was usually Charity.
"Because you are the most stubborn girl I know." Kay jumped at the voice and turned around.
"Simone you scared me!"
"Well if you weren't so busy stalking Miguel you would have noticed me."
"I wasn't stalking him. He's in my backyard!"
"Yes with Charity!"
"Well can I help it that she is his only reason for being. I mean it is so not fair not only are they together but they are always here together. Can't they go to his house just once?"
"I'm sorry Kay hey you want to get out of here?"
"With pleasure." Simone and Kay turned and walked out of the Bennet house.
"Let's go to the book café there is a new boy there and he is so cute."
"Sure Simone" The two traveled to the book café ordered a couple of lattes and sat down.
"Kay I've been meaning to ask you. The school is running a trip to New York in two weeks. You have time for shopping in the afternoon and at 8 we see a Broadway play."
"Sounds like fun what are we going to see?"
"Les Miserable"
"That's depressing."
"Oh come on Kay it's New York, Broadway and for one whole
day you won't have to stare at Miguel and Charity."
"All right count me in. I would go to Mexico to get a Charity free day."
-----------------
Two weeks later as Kay was sitting on the bus two seats behind Charity she was ready to kill Simone.
"I'm sorry!
"I can try. If you had not convinced me to come on this stupid trip I could be having a Charity-free night at home!" At the mention of her name Charity turned around.
"Did you call me Kay?"
"No." Simone said "We were talking about Celebrity Who wants to be a millionaire. They are playing for their favorite charities."
"Oh okay" Charity said as she went back to holding hands with Miguel.
"Be careful Kay don't talk so loud."
"Well I wouldn't have to worry if I wasn't here!"
"Kay I'm sorry." Simone said with a pleading look on her face. Kay sighed.
"I know it's not really your fault. This was a good idea. A nice outing and I'd get some time away from Harmony and all my problems. You couldn't have known she was going to come but this is just another thing in the line of millions that I should get to myself and I have to share with Charity. Just promise we one thing. That we ditch them when we get to New York. If I have to spend the whole day with them I will scream."
"Okay don't worry." The bus arrived at New York and Mr.
Johnson, the
"Okay get your tickets on the way out. The show starts at 8 but you should really be at the theater by 7:30. Okay have fun and stay in at least groups of two."
All the students filed out of the bus.
"Oh Charity I can't wait to show you central park." Miguel said
"oh gag me." Kay mumbled "Come on Simone."
Kay and Simone started to walk past Charity and Miguel when Charity started to speak.
"Hey where are you guys going? Do you want to walk around with us."
That was more than Kay could stand.
"Kay that was kind of rude."
"Sorry but I told you there was no way that I was going to hang out with them."
"And what am I allergic to?"
"I don't know. It doesn't matter. The point is we're free of blondie. Come on let's go to Rockefeller center and then there are a couple stores that I want to go to." Kay and Simone spent the afternoon walking around laughing talking and shopping. Kay had almost forgotten her troubles till she got to the theater and realized that their seats were next to Charity and Miguel.
"Great 40 people on this trip and we get stuck sitting next to them!"
"We could trade seats."
"Yeah but Miguel and Charity would want to know why. Let's just deal but you sit closest to them."
"Alright."
The four of them sat in a row Kay, Simone, Miguel and Charity as the curtain went up.
Kay had never seen Les Miz before but as she watched she
felt it had been a copy of her life. She was Eponine. When Eponine was young
she was happy loved by her parents. But when she got older she was poor. Her
room had been taken from her, But still she kept her spirit. Eponine was in
love with a wonderful man named Marius. But in one chance meeting Marius saw
and fell in love with Cosette and from that moment on poor Eponine did not
stand a chance.
Kay did not even notice the tears that were falling down her face. That was her life she loved Miguel on her own. And he didn't know wouldn't know. His world would go on turning as long as he had Charity. Watching the rest of the play was pure torture. Even in her pain Eponine was willing to help Cosset because by helping her she helped her true love Marius. And what did she get in return? She lost Marius and her life. Kay was oblivious to her surroundings and did not even realize the lights had gone on until she heard Miguel's voice.
"Kay why are you crying what's wrong?" Simone had stood up to clap and Miguel had noticed the tears on Kay's face. It worried him because for as long as he had known Kay he rarely saw her cry.
"What?" Kay asked uncertainly, reaching up to touch her face to see if the tears where there. Charity looked over.
"Oh Miguel Kay is just crying over the play." Simone stopped clapping and noticed what was going on behind. She knew exactly why Kay was crying she sympathized with Eponine.
"Yeah Miguel Charity is right she crying cause the play was so sad."
Miguel smiled "Well it is called Les Miserable. Besides it
wasn't all sad Marius and Cosset got together in the end." At those words a
fresh set of tears
"Kay what's wrong?" Simone knew that it was time for her to intervene.
"She's fine Miguel. We're just going to go the bathroom and then we will see you on the bus." Simone took Kay's hand and pulled her away. Simone was worried. Kay almost never cried and to cry in front of both Miguel and Charity. They got in the bathroom and Simone handed Kay a tissue. "Are you okay?" Kay looked at herself in the mirror and nodded. "Yeah I'm fine."
"Okay well we have to get on the bus are you sure?"
"Yeah I just don't feel like talking about it right now."
"Okay."
"What have I become? Day in and day out I eat, sleep, and
drink Miguel. I would die for him! But he doesn't care. He is not even my
friend anymore! He never calls or asks me to hang out. I used to be fun loving
now I am bitter I spend most of my time hating Charity, hating myself for not
being Charity, even hating Miguel for loving Charity. But no more tonight is
the last night that I shed tears for Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald. I love him. I
know I do and I know I always will love him, but I have to let him go. Not just
for his sake but for my own. I need to be proud of the person I see when I look
in the mirror and I am so sick of seeing a lovesick schemer." Kay sighed and
gave one last look at the couple in front of her. It was so hard to say
goodbye, but she didn't want to be like Eponine, following her love around no
matter how little he cared for her.
Miguel looked over at Kay. Something was wrong she wasn't usually this quite.
"Did you have a good time Kay?" Kay looked up in surprise Miguel had actually spoken to her a week ago she would have taken this as a sign that he was about to admit his undying love for her, but now she knew better.
"Yeah it was fun sorry if I am quite. I'm just tired."
Miguel nodded taking her answer at face value. They got to the Bennet house and Kay said goodnight. She walked up the stairs not staying to see their goodnight kiss, as was her usual habit.
Kay went upstairs she washed the makeup off her face,
thinking "I don't even like wearing makeup. I won't any more. I just did it for
Miguel starting tomorrow I am going to start living for me."