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In My Face
by
Alyson Grant
Chapter Six
" I'm sorry but I just can't believe that." Andrew stated simply.
" Believe it." Darien sighed resting one hand wearily against his face.
"You." Andrew said slowly pointing a finger at him "Were actually nice to Serena , she started screaming at you, and then ran away from you?"
"Which part do you find so hard to believe?" Darien asked with impatience but was slightly curious.
"You actually being nice to her." Andrew admitted in a light tone but there was a faint shadow of seriousness reflected in his eyes.
"Thanks a lot!" Darien said making a face, "I just don't understand it." He mused.
"What's so hard to understand? You are unbelievably cruel and mean to the girl. Then out of the blue you act nice for a minute or two and then expect her to come running to your arms?" Andrew shook his head as he thought of it.
" That's not right or fair. Even you see have to see the logic to that."
"I didn't expect her to come 'running to my arms' as you so eloquently put it. I was just being nice for once. Isn't that what you thought I should do?" Darien said defensively and then almost accusingly to him..
"Yes I admit that I did say that you should be nicer to Serena. It's just a shame that you being nice to Serena is like a boy crying wolf. She has no way to tell if you are being sincere or having some fun at her expense." Andrew mused.
"It was so odd, that afternoon. I felt that she was going to open up to me about something and I don't have a clue about what it might have been. That's when she freaked. I think she was upset about something. There was this weird moment when she looked at me and I don't mean in this normal way but like she was staring right through me, as if she were searching for something. I just can't imagine what she was thinking about at that moment. I can't really describe it."
Andrew was finally sitting down and was listening to his friend talk about what happened that day. The way he spoke about that day with this barely hidden frustration in his voice but also with this tiny glimmer of love or friendship in his and about her made him immediately think somehow of love. "How sweet. It's just a shame you are to late." Andrew said in a low voice. It also made him think about loving and losing and about that old as time itself question : Is it better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all?
"To late? What are you talking about?" Darien asked sharply.
"It's not really for me to say." Andrew said shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
" Andrew what is it? This is about Serena right? You have to tell me what it is."
"Sorry. You are one of my closest friends and all but I made this promise to another close friend of mine. I love her like she was my sister and I always keep my promises." Andrew said seriously.
"Hey! Who do you love like a sister?" Another voice asked cheerfully and then a mock sad voice continued dramatically," Andrew should I be jealous? Don't make me start crying!"
Andrew glanced up and broke into a smile. "Oh hey Lizzy. Aww is my little sister jealous?"
"Hmph. I don't know if I feel like talking to you right now." And she turned around with her hair in it's neat ponytail flying around her face and nose toward the ceiling, "Really! The insult of it all."
Darien watched the two siblings have a playful argument. He couldn't help but feel that Andrew seemed a little too relieved by the arrival of his sister. What was he trying to get out of saying? Plus if it had something to do with Serena it really shouldn't he know about it? Or maybe he really didn't have the right to know whatever the whole secret was about as Andrew had in his own subtle way implied.
..........................................………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………
The next day:
One day before I am scheduled to leave I stop by the arcade. Mostly to clear my head and on the large part to say goodbye. My room looks so empty and bare because almost everything is already overseas. I too will be like almost most of my belongings, away from home and overseas.
Dressed in light blue jeans with the dark blue fringe at the bottom , white cap sleeves tee-shirt, and white sneakers with the blue streaks I walk slowly toward the arcade. I feel a little sad seeing as how I'm saying goodbye to what was practically my second home but I mostly feel excited about a new start at school. I mean how lucky can I get? My ultra cool cousin Chloe is practically making it her mission in life to take me under her wing and from what I hear is one of the most influential girls on campus. My best friend Molly is going to the same high school with me and can I just say the two most important words: No Parents. I think I'm beginning to see the bigger picture here and I have truly seen the light. It's just golden. Golden.
..........................................………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………
"Darien, no matter how much you plead I'm not telling you." Andrew said in a strained voice. He glanced over at his friend while wiping the counter. He didn't seem to notice that the spot he was rubbing was gleaming because it was so clean and his so called friend didn't seem to care about the fact that he was a distraction to him.
"I need to know." Darien said shutting his eyes for a second with both of his palms raised like a prayer..
"Why don't you ask Serena?" Andrew suggested while wishing upon wish that Darien would do just that.
"She would never tell me." Darien said.
"Your right. And would you guess whose fault that is?" Andrew agreed.
"Andrew?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up. Please for the love of God just shut up."
"You really want to know whatever is going on with Serena?"
"Yes. Yes I do." Darien said hurriedly knowing that his buddy Andrew would crack and tell sometime soon. And wonder of all wonders the time was now!
"Okay." He beckoned Darien closer "Ask Serena what you want to know because for the absolute and final time I. Will. Not. Tell. You."
"Andrew you are plain cruel you know that?"
"So were you and that's the reason you don't know about Serena going to-"
A soft voice interrupted Andrew "Serena going to what?"
..........................................………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………
Andrew and Darien both turned around in surprise. I raised a warning eyebrow at Andrew. "I know I overheard my name."
"Yeah we were just talking about-" Darien started to say.
"I don't really care about what you were talking about." I said coldly to him.
"So what's up Serena?" Andrew asked.
I then smiled at Andrew. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Remember?"
"Tomorrow?" Andrew glanced over at the calendar. "I didn't think it would be so soon!"
"Yes you did!" I laughed a little. "I'm going to miss you so much Andrew!"
"What would I do without my little sister?" Andrew asked affectionately.
I wrinkled my nose slightly. When I used to like Andrew I would have died of heartbreak to hear him refer to me as his little sister but now it's okay. Now I just went over and hugged him tightly. Maybe that's a part of life. Having a crush on someone for a long time, realizing it's never going to happen and then just loving them for who they are. In Andrew's case he would be not just a really cute guy who works at the arcade but a friendly boy I think I will always cherish.
" Don't let Lizzy hear you say that!" I warned him with my face burrowed against his chest and then we finally broke apart.
"Am I missing something here?" Darien asked looking even more confused.
"Missing something? Whatever do you mean?" I asked sweetly.
"Are you going somewhere?" He asked. He suddenly had a uneasy feeling about this situation.
"Yes I am." I said, "Not that it's any of your business."
"Wait a second-"
"Andrew I have to go but I'll write you okay?" I said to him ignoring my enemy.
"Okay. Serena I was going to stop by your house tonight to give you this but since you came here." he trailed off while going into his pocket and pulling out a small gray box with a tiny silver bow on top. He placed it in her hands and said warmly "Don't open it now but on the first night you arrive and think of me okay?"
"Thank you Andrew." I hugged him again and then put the box in my small bag.
"Bye Serena." Andrew said.
I said goodbye to Andrew almost tearfully and when Darien in a really confused tone said goodbye also I almost did start crying. I kept myself in check and gave him a cursory nod. I glanced around the arcade with almost weepy eyes and quickly had a flashback of almost ever y important memory. For example it was near the Sailor V game where I had countless fights with Darien. On second thought we fought almost everywhere in the arcade. It was in that booth one evening when I finally realized that Andrew was a lost cause for me in the romance department. This entire place was like hallowed ground for me. Do you ever think about the people who are really religious and whenever they step into a church, temple, or shrine or wherever they worship they feel content and at peace with themselves? This was how I always feel when I'm at the arcade. I don't care how weird that may seem because that's how I truly feel. Now I'm leaving my sacred place. I have to remind myself that I'm not leaving forever. No not forever… just for a little while.
It's time for new people, new things, and even a new me. I'm ready and prepared. Life is not a game to me anymore and I can't hide when things get tough. Not anymore. So I say goodbye one last time and glance into Darien's eyes for a brief second. Goodbye Darien. Goodbye Andrew. Goodbye Crown Arcade. Or rather should I say instead of goodbye how about see you later? I won't be gone for long and when I do return I guarantee I won't be the same. So say bye bye to crybaby Serena because she is never coming back. In her place will be someone new and then everyone who has ever said a cruel word to me will be choking from those bitter words. I walk out of the doors and look up at the blue sky and shield my eyes from the sun. Let's get ready shall we? Let's get ready for a whole new kind of game.
In My Face
by
Alyson Grant
Chapter Six
" I'm sorry but I just can't believe that." Andrew stated simply.
" Believe it." Darien sighed resting one hand wearily against his face.
"You." Andrew said slowly pointing a finger at him "Were actually nice to Serena , she started screaming at you, and then ran away from you?"
"Which part do you find so hard to believe?" Darien asked with impatience but was slightly curious.
"You actually being nice to her." Andrew admitted in a light tone but there was a faint shadow of seriousness reflected in his eyes.
"Thanks a lot!" Darien said making a face, "I just don't understand it." He mused.
"What's so hard to understand? You are unbelievably cruel and mean to the girl. Then out of the blue you act nice for a minute or two and then expect her to come running to your arms?" Andrew shook his head as he thought of it.
" That's not right or fair. Even you see have to see the logic to that."
"I didn't expect her to come 'running to my arms' as you so eloquently put it. I was just being nice for once. Isn't that what you thought I should do?" Darien said defensively and then almost accusingly to him..
"Yes I admit that I did say that you should be nicer to Serena. It's just a shame that you being nice to Serena is like a boy crying wolf. She has no way to tell if you are being sincere or having some fun at her expense." Andrew mused.
"It was so odd, that afternoon. I felt that she was going to open up to me about something and I don't have a clue about what it might have been. That's when she freaked. I think she was upset about something. There was this weird moment when she looked at me and I don't mean in this normal way but like she was staring right through me, as if she were searching for something. I just can't imagine what she was thinking about at that moment. I can't really describe it."
Andrew was finally sitting down and was listening to his friend talk about what happened that day. The way he spoke about that day with this barely hidden frustration in his voice but also with this tiny glimmer of love or friendship in his and about her made him immediately think somehow of love. "How sweet. It's just a shame you are to late." Andrew said in a low voice. It also made him think about loving and losing and about that old as time itself question : Is it better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all?
"To late? What are you talking about?" Darien asked sharply.
"It's not really for me to say." Andrew said shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
" Andrew what is it? This is about Serena right? You have to tell me what it is."
"Sorry. You are one of my closest friends and all but I made this promise to another close friend of mine. I love her like she was my sister and I always keep my promises." Andrew said seriously.
"Hey! Who do you love like a sister?" Another voice asked cheerfully and then a mock sad voice continued dramatically," Andrew should I be jealous? Don't make me start crying!"
Andrew glanced up and broke into a smile. "Oh hey Lizzy. Aww is my little sister jealous?"
"Hmph. I don't know if I feel like talking to you right now." And she turned around with her hair in it's neat ponytail flying around her face and nose toward the ceiling, "Really! The insult of it all."
Darien watched the two siblings have a playful argument. He couldn't help but feel that Andrew seemed a little too relieved by the arrival of his sister. What was he trying to get out of saying? Plus if it had something to do with Serena it really shouldn't he know about it? Or maybe he really didn't have the right to know whatever the whole secret was about as Andrew had in his own subtle way implied.
..........................................………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………
The next day:
One day before I am scheduled to leave I stop by the arcade. Mostly to clear my head and on the large part to say goodbye. My room looks so empty and bare because almost everything is already overseas. I too will be like almost most of my belongings, away from home and overseas.
Dressed in light blue jeans with the dark blue fringe at the bottom , white cap sleeves tee-shirt, and white sneakers with the blue streaks I walk slowly toward the arcade. I feel a little sad seeing as how I'm saying goodbye to what was practically my second home but I mostly feel excited about a new start at school. I mean how lucky can I get? My ultra cool cousin Chloe is practically making it her mission in life to take me under her wing and from what I hear is one of the most influential girls on campus. My best friend Molly is going to the same high school with me and can I just say the two most important words: No Parents. I think I'm beginning to see the bigger picture here and I have truly seen the light. It's just golden. Golden.
..........................................………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………
"Darien, no matter how much you plead I'm not telling you." Andrew said in a strained voice. He glanced over at his friend while wiping the counter. He didn't seem to notice that the spot he was rubbing was gleaming because it was so clean and his so called friend didn't seem to care about the fact that he was a distraction to him.
"I need to know." Darien said shutting his eyes for a second with both of his palms raised like a prayer..
"Why don't you ask Serena?" Andrew suggested while wishing upon wish that Darien would do just that.
"She would never tell me." Darien said.
"Your right. And would you guess whose fault that is?" Andrew agreed.
"Andrew?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up. Please for the love of God just shut up."
"You really want to know whatever is going on with Serena?"
"Yes. Yes I do." Darien said hurriedly knowing that his buddy Andrew would crack and tell sometime soon. And wonder of all wonders the time was now!
"Okay." He beckoned Darien closer "Ask Serena what you want to know because for the absolute and final time I. Will. Not. Tell. You."
"Andrew you are plain cruel you know that?"
"So were you and that's the reason you don't know about Serena going to-"
A soft voice interrupted Andrew "Serena going to what?"
..........................................………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………
Andrew and Darien both turned around in surprise. I raised a warning eyebrow at Andrew. "I know I overheard my name."
"Yeah we were just talking about-" Darien started to say.
"I don't really care about what you were talking about." I said coldly to him.
"So what's up Serena?" Andrew asked.
I then smiled at Andrew. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Remember?"
"Tomorrow?" Andrew glanced over at the calendar. "I didn't think it would be so soon!"
"Yes you did!" I laughed a little. "I'm going to miss you so much Andrew!"
"What would I do without my little sister?" Andrew asked affectionately.
I wrinkled my nose slightly. When I used to like Andrew I would have died of heartbreak to hear him refer to me as his little sister but now it's okay. Now I just went over and hugged him tightly. Maybe that's a part of life. Having a crush on someone for a long time, realizing it's never going to happen and then just loving them for who they are. In Andrew's case he would be not just a really cute guy who works at the arcade but a friendly boy I think I will always cherish.
" Don't let Lizzy hear you say that!" I warned him with my face burrowed against his chest and then we finally broke apart.
"Am I missing something here?" Darien asked looking even more confused.
"Missing something? Whatever do you mean?" I asked sweetly.
"Are you going somewhere?" He asked. He suddenly had a uneasy feeling about this situation.
"Yes I am." I said, "Not that it's any of your business."
"Wait a second-"
"Andrew I have to go but I'll write you okay?" I said to him ignoring my enemy.
"Okay. Serena I was going to stop by your house tonight to give you this but since you came here." he trailed off while going into his pocket and pulling out a small gray box with a tiny silver bow on top. He placed it in her hands and said warmly "Don't open it now but on the first night you arrive and think of me okay?"
"Thank you Andrew." I hugged him again and then put the box in my small bag.
"Bye Serena." Andrew said.
I said goodbye to Andrew almost tearfully and when Darien in a really confused tone said goodbye also I almost did start crying. I kept myself in check and gave him a cursory nod. I glanced around the arcade with almost weepy eyes and quickly had a flashback of almost ever y important memory. For example it was near the Sailor V game where I had countless fights with Darien. On second thought we fought almost everywhere in the arcade. It was in that booth one evening when I finally realized that Andrew was a lost cause for me in the romance department. This entire place was like hallowed ground for me. Do you ever think about the people who are really religious and whenever they step into a church, temple, or shrine or wherever they worship they feel content and at peace with themselves? This was how I always feel when I'm at the arcade. I don't care how weird that may seem because that's how I truly feel. Now I'm leaving my sacred place. I have to remind myself that I'm not leaving forever. No not forever… just for a little while.
It's time for new people, new things, and even a new me. I'm ready and prepared. Life is not a game to me anymore and I can't hide when things get tough. Not anymore. So I say goodbye one last time and glance into Darien's eyes for a brief second. Goodbye Darien. Goodbye Andrew. Goodbye Crown Arcade. Or rather should I say instead of goodbye how about see you later? I won't be gone for long and when I do return I guarantee I won't be the same. So say bye bye to crybaby Serena because she is never coming back. In her place will be someone new and then everyone who has ever said a cruel word to me will be choking from those bitter words. I walk out of the doors and look up at the blue sky and shield my eyes from the sun. Let's get ready shall we? Let's get ready for a whole new kind of game.