Hello. I was wondering about the first chapter I wrote for the story called, `In A Era Of Innocence' and the number of reviews I received for it. It makes me wonder if I should continue the story or not. What do you think? I'm just a little doubtful. Reading a story and telling me what you think about it is still appreciated people. Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate it. Thanks.
If you have any questions to ask or any comments or suggestions to make you can e-mail me at AlysonGrant@yahoo.com . You can also say what you feel in form of a review for:
In My Face
by
Alyson Grant
Chapter Ten
I never thought I would see the day when I saw him in a different light. Never did I think my feelings toward him would change...
After today I realized I was right. I never will. I'm just stating the obvious.
..............................................................................................................................................
"I don't understand that girl." Kengi said.
"What's don't you understand about Serena?"
"That attitude of hers. She's become too reserved, distached, and polite. She's changed. She acts the same yet something about her has changed that I can't quite put my finger on. It's just something I've noticed in the years past."
"She's just growing up. Accept it. It's a part of life and isn't something we can control or modify.."
"She's still my little girl." He grumbled as he shifted in the bed. "I want her to happy as she always was." Anxiously he asked his wife a question he wondered if anyone but his daughter could answer. "She is isn't she?"
"She is happy and she still is your little girl." Ilene insisted as she looked at him. She sighed as she looked up at the ceiling. As she looked back at her husband she understood the aniziety he was feeling. "She's just a little older and more mature. Don't you see the wisdom in her eyes?"
"Yes I see it," He mummered, "I just don't like it."
"Well I'm sorry if the fact scares you but as our daughter gets even more older, there will be things that you won't like. Did you honestly expect her to stay your little girl forever?"
"No." He admitted. "I've just hoped that I would never have to face the inevitable."
................................................................................................................................................
I had walked into the Crown Arcade with my anger in a deep dark shell, hidden inside of me. Then before I knew it, it all came racing out of me. It overflowed and made swimming through it's murky waters impossible.
No, anyone who dared would just drown. Slowly, unexpectedly, but yes, surely. I didn't even know why I was in such a iffy mood. It was just one of those days when I was on warpath with anyone who tried to mess with me.
I was sitting there waiting for everyone else to arrive when he came over to me.
"Hey Meatball Head."
"Don't call me that Darien." I said in a bored tone as I barely glanced up at him. Here we go again. Why do I always have to deal with him?
"Why? It suits you so well." He asked as he slid into a seat across from me.
"Oh really?" I said sharply as I grabbed a few strands of my hair. It was cut shorter and was loose. "How's that possible?"
"It's how I think of you." He said earnestly.
"Oh that is so sweet!" I said in a voice filled with happiness and then he started to smile at me as if he really thought I meant it. My God I knew he was a little slow with learning a girls name but this is just ridiculous. I rolled my eyes and said snidely, "I don't even think so. Don't give me stupid nicknames when you don't even know me."
"I do know you." He said.
"No you don't, not in the way that truly matters. You couldn't possibly know me because you have never tried. No, you were to busy taunting and teasing me to get to know mw so don't even try it."
"What would you say if I said that I want to get to get to know you."
"Why would you want to?" I asked suspiciously.
"Well I-"
"You know what? Don't bother. I don't even want to hear it." I cut him off and stood up.
"Why don't you want to hear it? Are you afraid of what I might say?"
"No." I said as I narrowed my eyes. "I'm afraid I might fall asleep from the boredom."
"You wound me."
"You say it like you expect me to care."
"Maybe I do. You should." Darien said defensively and then asked, "Aren't we friends?"
"Friends? Ha! Define a friendship." I said as I gestured between us. "This isn't a friendship."
"Well, shouldn't we have one.? We've known each other for a long time."
"And you made me miserable for most of that time. That's not a act of friendship. You obviously can't even begin to understand the real meaning of the word."
"That's not true. I can if you'd let me."
"I need to make one thing clear to you and one thing only. I don't like you. I despise you. You must be the most irritating person that I've ever had the misfortune of knowing. Now, if you don't want to get slapped today I suggest you get the hell out of my way." I stood up and pushed my chair in. I raised my face defirnly to meet his gaze where not one drop of emotion could be seen. I saw the slightest flicker of admiration before I blocked it out and looked as his chest where he was blocking my path.
"Well if your going to get all violent on me..." He leaned in and put both of his arms aross my body so that the palms of his hands touched the cool tabletop and I stepped back instinctively as he did so. He slowly made a perusal of my body ending with a dangerous look in his eyes as he met the fierce glare held in mine. He smiled slowly as he kept my gaze.
"You want me to get violent? I can get violent. Don't mess with me Darien!" I said angrily " Keep on talking and I swear in less than a second I'll-"
"You'll what? Serena you intrigue me. Truly you do."
"Whatever," I gestured to his hands which were still very close to my body. "Just move and get away from me."
"Ouch. Do you do this intentionally or do the knives come out just with me?"
"Whatever, Darien. I think only with you. Move!"
"Now why would I want to move away from you? I'm enjoying myself just fine right now."
"That would make you the only person in the situatuation who is." I said moving back as far as I possibly could while giving him a wary look. I was finally backed up against the table with him as close as one could possibly be.
"I know you can't mean that." He said with a voice as smooth as silk.
"Oh really?" I raised one eyebrow. "Would you just leave? I know that you don't think I'm seriously going to let you box me in like this, talk to me in anyway you please when you don't even know me like that and not expect to get hurt in the end. I told you before Darien. Don't fucking mess with me. What part is so uncomprehendable? How stupid do you think I am? And if you answer that question in a way I don't like I swear to my Lord that my knee is going to connect with your," I deliberately looked straight into his eyes before my gaze went suggestively down. "Got that?"
"Okay, okay." Darien said as he slowly moved away from me. " I'm leaving. Satisfied?"
"No. I won't be satisfied until you fall right into the lakes of fire but until then this'll do."
"Serena." He laid one hand on my shoulder and while I shivered at his touch I still managed to look annoyed.
"I'll think I'll leave before I do something I'll regret." I muttered to myself.
"What would that something be? Causing one of your nearest and dearest bodily injury?" He asked me.
Give me a break. "Oh that's right!" I slapped my forehead in mock amazement, "When it's concerning you there is no limit to the bodily damage I can do to you. I doubt I'll regret a second." I brushed passed him with a flip of my hair and a swish of the hips. The movement was all about attitude and when Andrew waved goodbye, I waved back distractedly and then stepped through those doors. It's hard to believe I used to consider the place my haven when I'v been through so much drama there that it's not to be believed. With a quick intake of breath, I shut my eyes and leaned against the cool surface of the building.
................................................................................................................................................
"What did you do?" Andrew said as he sat down at the seat Serena had just vacated.
"Nothing!" Darien was sitting in the chair he had sat in before and had his
"Yeah right. Your nothings will get your ass kicked one day."
"I think your right about that. She is so-"
"Hey I warned you." Andrew raised his hands helplessly. "You never listen. You do whatever you want to do no matter what I say and then when your way goes wrong you are always left wondering why."
"I hate it when your right. How come she's so sweet to you?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm actually her friend."
"That's what I thought I was to her."
"Your kidding right?" Andrew laughed shortly and raised one dubious eyebrow at his friend in question.
"No."
"You didn't actually say that to her did you?"
"Yes." Darien said simply.
"Oh brother! Your hopeless. When will you ever learn?"
"Hopefully sometime in the next millennia."
"With you it's bound to take longer. You just don't understand Serena."
"Your right I don't. I want to though and that's the problem. She won't let me try."
"With good reason. She's only so guarded around you because you hurt her. That's not how she really is but you always have seemed to bring out the worst in her." Andrew said with a wry smile as he remembered a few incidents of where Darien's taunting had given Serena the ammunition to explode at him. It's really a shame that with the years that have gone past that childlike ammo had gotten more razor edged.
"Hurt her how?" Darien asked as he looked down at the table in dismay.
"Would you really like me to refresh your memory on the countless ways?"
"Why oh why is everyone being so brutal today?" He asked himself as he rested his head on one hand.
"Perhaps your the one person who deserves it."
"Thanks Andrew." Darien said sarcastically. " It's so good to know I have a friend to count on when I'm in need."
"Your welcome."
"If you thought I was serious you must be going crazy." Darein said as he raised his head and gave his friend a incredulous look.
"I suspected as much."
"What should I do?"
"Start with a simple apology and work your way from there. Do the old fashioned trick called begging for forgiveness."
"That's not my style."
"You want her to trust you? Get over it! I suggest you change your `style' because quite obviously it gets you nowhere. You have to change your way of thinking real fast."
"What am I supposed to be forgiven for? I haven't done anything to her recently."
"If you honestly expect me to be the one to answer that question for you I just now realized that your stupidity has reached a whole new level." Andrew sighed. "It's not about what you've done recently, and don't kid yourself. You've annoyed her time and time again since she's been home even if you fail to recognize the fact for what it is, so don't even try to deny it."
"I haven't annoyed her-"
"You liar. I said don't even try to deny the truth." Andrew shook a warning finger near his face and said, "Let me continue!"
"Fine, I'm listening."
" Good." Andrew gave a satisfied nod in Darien's direction before he continuing. "It's not what you've done that probably annoys her the most. No, I think it's more about what you haven't done that sets the not so sudden icy edge."
"What do you think I should do?"
"I can't tell you that. I'm not you. You aren't me. We handle things differently. This is your problem to deal with...not mine. It's not even a problem per se. It's more about doing something you should have done a long time ago but didn't because you were afraid. And now that you may have another chance you feel the same way and are making the same bad mistakes. Don't you understand that?"
"I understand it. It's just that doing what your inadvertadly telling me to do is easier said then done."
"Not true. All you have to do is let her know how you feel and apologize for acting like a idiot."
"How about I not add that part?"
"Why? You both know it's true. It's also something she still believes because you've never done much around her to lead to another conclusion. It's your funeral. Make your own mistakes. Just be prepared to be buried in them."
"I just don't think apologizing will make all the difference."
"If you really don't see why it's so important then I can't be the one to knock it into you. I'm just giving my opinion on what you should do."
"I know that."
"And that's what you wanted right? My opinions?"
"Yes I did want them."
"Then if you wanted them so badly you would shut up and listen to them before jumping in and deciding what you will and will not do!"
" Okay. Okay. I get your point about everything. I know what I should do, I just hope I have the courage to do it."
"I hope you have that courage too. Think about it like this... Serena is just one girl. She's the same person she was before. Underneath her tough demeanor she's the same."
" I guess..." Darien said as he trailed off.
"Think about it and just remember that life's all about uncertainty. .It's more about what you've done in the past that undermines the future."
"The world is a cold, cold, place." Darien moaned as he sank back into his chair.
"Only to those who don't take the time to realize the obvious." Andrew said as he fixed Darien with a pointed stare.
"I'll try again. You know this new attitude of hers is very intriguing."
"I'll bet. Thank God I have a girlfriend and don't have to deal with all of this wondering again."
................................................................................................................................................
"He is annoying!"
"Sure he is." Rei said from the mat on the floor of . Her glossy black hair was falling in a mid back river around her as she did yoga without the peace, quiet, and uninterrupted silence she usually had. She slowly raised her head to where her friend was sitting on the chair with her hands emphasizing the points she so badly wanted to believe but when it came right down to it didn't deceive her.
"I hate him so much." She muttered as she tapped a pencil's eraser end on the arm of the chair.
"I'm sure you do." Rei said as she looked up. She felt loose and limber and got up from her seat on the floor and crossed the room.
"I do." I insisted
"Uh huh. Okay." She said as she riffled through her CD collection that took up more than half of the space of the wall on the other side of the room. She picked one of them and put it in the CD player.
"I'm so glad you believe me." I said sarcastically with a slight frown.
"This story of yours isn't for me to believe. It's for you to convince yourself of something you know isn't true." Rei said as she came back over to the bed and sat down. She lay down and closed her eyes as she thought about the two people who persisted in ignoring the facts.
"Shut up." I muttered as I lay back on the bed. How dare she! Didn't I just say that I hated him and now she has the nerve to imply that I'm lying?
"I'm so glad your agreeing with me on this."
"I'm not agreeing with you! What gave you that crazy idea?"
"Oh really? I didn't hear a denial." Rei gave a self satisfied smirk in her direction. She raised a hand to her ear mockingly as her eyebrows rose in question.
"Arragh! Fine. Fine. Fine! I deny it! Are you satisfied?"
"Not really. We both know your lying to yourself and everyone else. Stop pretending!"
"Oh for the love of..." I said as I rolled my eyes. "You couldn't be more off base if you tried."
"Whatever Serena. Keep on envisioning that dream. Go right ahead."
"I will thank you very much. And what? And what? Go to hell!"
"Don't hate. You know you love me."
"Your lucky I'm not killing you right now!"
"Aww the love." Rei raised her arms in the air. "I'm just embracing all the love in here right now!"
A shoe sailed past her head. "Hey!"
"Not funny!"
................................................................................................................................................
Two days later:
I'm having a party next week on Saturday. You'll be there right?"
"Sure, we'll be there." Serena said as she looked around at the table and then spoke for the group.
"Definitely! Sounds like fun." Molly said.
"Yeah a party will liven things up. It's been dull so far. Nothing really exciting has happened since we've got here." Rei complained as she languished over her chocolate chip ice cream.
"Good. I'll give you all the info later okay?"
"Sure." Rei said as she got up from her seat. "Talk to you later then. Let's go." She glanced around at us as she got up and led the way out the door.
"See you Andrew!" I called back as I walked through the doors. As we were walking down the sidewalk we heard somebody calling my name.
Looking back and behind me I saw Darien walking steadily toward us with a determined glint in his eyes. "Hi." That was the first time I had seen to spoken to him since two days before. As far as I was concerned enough time hadn't passed between us to suit my comfort level.
I rolled my eyes and looking away while standing in a stance of attitude with my arms crossed in front of me and looking at him with a look of absolute no interest.
"Hey Darien." Molly said as everyone else became unloyal and started talking to him too. Okay what's going on here? Why is it that even after the guy acted like a total jerk toward me he still gets my friends affections and attentions? Something's screwed. Seriously.
"So Serena...your not going to even say hi to me?"
"Looks that way, doesn't it?" I looked at him and then glanced at my friends who were standing there with amused expressions. It was as if any of this was funny which it wasn't. What the hell?
"Aw don't be like that Serena."
"I'll be any fucking way I want, thank you very much. Is that your problem?"
"Why do you have to be so hostile for?"
"Why do you always have to be in my face? God, you are so annoying and you have some nerve expecting me to talk to you when you know that we have nothing to discuss."
"That's where you are wrong. We have a lot to discuss. You just don't know it yet." He said this softly as he leaned down and brushed my cheek with a soft kiss as if just the second before we weren't having a argument...no a heated debate rather.
He looked me dead in the eye. I looked back at him and said. "The only thing I know is that you are a jerk, a idiot, and a real asshole. And if you think that just because you haven't called me Meatballhead for all but two seconds of this day that things are going to change, I'm here to assure you that it's not. If you even had the slightest thought about even becoming my friend which will never happen you have another think coming. So get the hell out of my way because I don't have the time or the patience to deal with your bullshit right now."
I walked off as my friends shrugged their shoulders and gave him helpless looks which I couldn't see. They fell in step behind my lead and we continued on our way to the Hikawa Shrine. We started chattering about other things, like take for example what we would do for the rest of the vacation. The days were swiftly dwindling down and that was a cause of concern. My body was with them but my mind wasn't. So in essence I was elsewhere. My mind was filled with anger and annoyance and my cheek burning with the searing heat of his kiss. Why does life have to be so confusing? Then again there are two questions that I just have to wonder about. Could life get worse? Or on the flip side...any better?
If you have any questions to ask or any comments or suggestions to make you can e-mail me at AlysonGrant@yahoo.com . You can also say what you feel in form of a review for:
In My Face
by
Alyson Grant
Chapter Ten
I never thought I would see the day when I saw him in a different light. Never did I think my feelings toward him would change...
After today I realized I was right. I never will. I'm just stating the obvious.
..............................................................................................................................................
"I don't understand that girl." Kengi said.
"What's don't you understand about Serena?"
"That attitude of hers. She's become too reserved, distached, and polite. She's changed. She acts the same yet something about her has changed that I can't quite put my finger on. It's just something I've noticed in the years past."
"She's just growing up. Accept it. It's a part of life and isn't something we can control or modify.."
"She's still my little girl." He grumbled as he shifted in the bed. "I want her to happy as she always was." Anxiously he asked his wife a question he wondered if anyone but his daughter could answer. "She is isn't she?"
"She is happy and she still is your little girl." Ilene insisted as she looked at him. She sighed as she looked up at the ceiling. As she looked back at her husband she understood the aniziety he was feeling. "She's just a little older and more mature. Don't you see the wisdom in her eyes?"
"Yes I see it," He mummered, "I just don't like it."
"Well I'm sorry if the fact scares you but as our daughter gets even more older, there will be things that you won't like. Did you honestly expect her to stay your little girl forever?"
"No." He admitted. "I've just hoped that I would never have to face the inevitable."
................................................................................................................................................
I had walked into the Crown Arcade with my anger in a deep dark shell, hidden inside of me. Then before I knew it, it all came racing out of me. It overflowed and made swimming through it's murky waters impossible.
No, anyone who dared would just drown. Slowly, unexpectedly, but yes, surely. I didn't even know why I was in such a iffy mood. It was just one of those days when I was on warpath with anyone who tried to mess with me.
I was sitting there waiting for everyone else to arrive when he came over to me.
"Hey Meatball Head."
"Don't call me that Darien." I said in a bored tone as I barely glanced up at him. Here we go again. Why do I always have to deal with him?
"Why? It suits you so well." He asked as he slid into a seat across from me.
"Oh really?" I said sharply as I grabbed a few strands of my hair. It was cut shorter and was loose. "How's that possible?"
"It's how I think of you." He said earnestly.
"Oh that is so sweet!" I said in a voice filled with happiness and then he started to smile at me as if he really thought I meant it. My God I knew he was a little slow with learning a girls name but this is just ridiculous. I rolled my eyes and said snidely, "I don't even think so. Don't give me stupid nicknames when you don't even know me."
"I do know you." He said.
"No you don't, not in the way that truly matters. You couldn't possibly know me because you have never tried. No, you were to busy taunting and teasing me to get to know mw so don't even try it."
"What would you say if I said that I want to get to get to know you."
"Why would you want to?" I asked suspiciously.
"Well I-"
"You know what? Don't bother. I don't even want to hear it." I cut him off and stood up.
"Why don't you want to hear it? Are you afraid of what I might say?"
"No." I said as I narrowed my eyes. "I'm afraid I might fall asleep from the boredom."
"You wound me."
"You say it like you expect me to care."
"Maybe I do. You should." Darien said defensively and then asked, "Aren't we friends?"
"Friends? Ha! Define a friendship." I said as I gestured between us. "This isn't a friendship."
"Well, shouldn't we have one.? We've known each other for a long time."
"And you made me miserable for most of that time. That's not a act of friendship. You obviously can't even begin to understand the real meaning of the word."
"That's not true. I can if you'd let me."
"I need to make one thing clear to you and one thing only. I don't like you. I despise you. You must be the most irritating person that I've ever had the misfortune of knowing. Now, if you don't want to get slapped today I suggest you get the hell out of my way." I stood up and pushed my chair in. I raised my face defirnly to meet his gaze where not one drop of emotion could be seen. I saw the slightest flicker of admiration before I blocked it out and looked as his chest where he was blocking my path.
"Well if your going to get all violent on me..." He leaned in and put both of his arms aross my body so that the palms of his hands touched the cool tabletop and I stepped back instinctively as he did so. He slowly made a perusal of my body ending with a dangerous look in his eyes as he met the fierce glare held in mine. He smiled slowly as he kept my gaze.
"You want me to get violent? I can get violent. Don't mess with me Darien!" I said angrily " Keep on talking and I swear in less than a second I'll-"
"You'll what? Serena you intrigue me. Truly you do."
"Whatever," I gestured to his hands which were still very close to my body. "Just move and get away from me."
"Ouch. Do you do this intentionally or do the knives come out just with me?"
"Whatever, Darien. I think only with you. Move!"
"Now why would I want to move away from you? I'm enjoying myself just fine right now."
"That would make you the only person in the situatuation who is." I said moving back as far as I possibly could while giving him a wary look. I was finally backed up against the table with him as close as one could possibly be.
"I know you can't mean that." He said with a voice as smooth as silk.
"Oh really?" I raised one eyebrow. "Would you just leave? I know that you don't think I'm seriously going to let you box me in like this, talk to me in anyway you please when you don't even know me like that and not expect to get hurt in the end. I told you before Darien. Don't fucking mess with me. What part is so uncomprehendable? How stupid do you think I am? And if you answer that question in a way I don't like I swear to my Lord that my knee is going to connect with your," I deliberately looked straight into his eyes before my gaze went suggestively down. "Got that?"
"Okay, okay." Darien said as he slowly moved away from me. " I'm leaving. Satisfied?"
"No. I won't be satisfied until you fall right into the lakes of fire but until then this'll do."
"Serena." He laid one hand on my shoulder and while I shivered at his touch I still managed to look annoyed.
"I'll think I'll leave before I do something I'll regret." I muttered to myself.
"What would that something be? Causing one of your nearest and dearest bodily injury?" He asked me.
Give me a break. "Oh that's right!" I slapped my forehead in mock amazement, "When it's concerning you there is no limit to the bodily damage I can do to you. I doubt I'll regret a second." I brushed passed him with a flip of my hair and a swish of the hips. The movement was all about attitude and when Andrew waved goodbye, I waved back distractedly and then stepped through those doors. It's hard to believe I used to consider the place my haven when I'v been through so much drama there that it's not to be believed. With a quick intake of breath, I shut my eyes and leaned against the cool surface of the building.
................................................................................................................................................
"What did you do?" Andrew said as he sat down at the seat Serena had just vacated.
"Nothing!" Darien was sitting in the chair he had sat in before and had his
"Yeah right. Your nothings will get your ass kicked one day."
"I think your right about that. She is so-"
"Hey I warned you." Andrew raised his hands helplessly. "You never listen. You do whatever you want to do no matter what I say and then when your way goes wrong you are always left wondering why."
"I hate it when your right. How come she's so sweet to you?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm actually her friend."
"That's what I thought I was to her."
"Your kidding right?" Andrew laughed shortly and raised one dubious eyebrow at his friend in question.
"No."
"You didn't actually say that to her did you?"
"Yes." Darien said simply.
"Oh brother! Your hopeless. When will you ever learn?"
"Hopefully sometime in the next millennia."
"With you it's bound to take longer. You just don't understand Serena."
"Your right I don't. I want to though and that's the problem. She won't let me try."
"With good reason. She's only so guarded around you because you hurt her. That's not how she really is but you always have seemed to bring out the worst in her." Andrew said with a wry smile as he remembered a few incidents of where Darien's taunting had given Serena the ammunition to explode at him. It's really a shame that with the years that have gone past that childlike ammo had gotten more razor edged.
"Hurt her how?" Darien asked as he looked down at the table in dismay.
"Would you really like me to refresh your memory on the countless ways?"
"Why oh why is everyone being so brutal today?" He asked himself as he rested his head on one hand.
"Perhaps your the one person who deserves it."
"Thanks Andrew." Darien said sarcastically. " It's so good to know I have a friend to count on when I'm in need."
"Your welcome."
"If you thought I was serious you must be going crazy." Darein said as he raised his head and gave his friend a incredulous look.
"I suspected as much."
"What should I do?"
"Start with a simple apology and work your way from there. Do the old fashioned trick called begging for forgiveness."
"That's not my style."
"You want her to trust you? Get over it! I suggest you change your `style' because quite obviously it gets you nowhere. You have to change your way of thinking real fast."
"What am I supposed to be forgiven for? I haven't done anything to her recently."
"If you honestly expect me to be the one to answer that question for you I just now realized that your stupidity has reached a whole new level." Andrew sighed. "It's not about what you've done recently, and don't kid yourself. You've annoyed her time and time again since she's been home even if you fail to recognize the fact for what it is, so don't even try to deny it."
"I haven't annoyed her-"
"You liar. I said don't even try to deny the truth." Andrew shook a warning finger near his face and said, "Let me continue!"
"Fine, I'm listening."
" Good." Andrew gave a satisfied nod in Darien's direction before he continuing. "It's not what you've done that probably annoys her the most. No, I think it's more about what you haven't done that sets the not so sudden icy edge."
"What do you think I should do?"
"I can't tell you that. I'm not you. You aren't me. We handle things differently. This is your problem to deal with...not mine. It's not even a problem per se. It's more about doing something you should have done a long time ago but didn't because you were afraid. And now that you may have another chance you feel the same way and are making the same bad mistakes. Don't you understand that?"
"I understand it. It's just that doing what your inadvertadly telling me to do is easier said then done."
"Not true. All you have to do is let her know how you feel and apologize for acting like a idiot."
"How about I not add that part?"
"Why? You both know it's true. It's also something she still believes because you've never done much around her to lead to another conclusion. It's your funeral. Make your own mistakes. Just be prepared to be buried in them."
"I just don't think apologizing will make all the difference."
"If you really don't see why it's so important then I can't be the one to knock it into you. I'm just giving my opinion on what you should do."
"I know that."
"And that's what you wanted right? My opinions?"
"Yes I did want them."
"Then if you wanted them so badly you would shut up and listen to them before jumping in and deciding what you will and will not do!"
" Okay. Okay. I get your point about everything. I know what I should do, I just hope I have the courage to do it."
"I hope you have that courage too. Think about it like this... Serena is just one girl. She's the same person she was before. Underneath her tough demeanor she's the same."
" I guess..." Darien said as he trailed off.
"Think about it and just remember that life's all about uncertainty. .It's more about what you've done in the past that undermines the future."
"The world is a cold, cold, place." Darien moaned as he sank back into his chair.
"Only to those who don't take the time to realize the obvious." Andrew said as he fixed Darien with a pointed stare.
"I'll try again. You know this new attitude of hers is very intriguing."
"I'll bet. Thank God I have a girlfriend and don't have to deal with all of this wondering again."
................................................................................................................................................
"He is annoying!"
"Sure he is." Rei said from the mat on the floor of . Her glossy black hair was falling in a mid back river around her as she did yoga without the peace, quiet, and uninterrupted silence she usually had. She slowly raised her head to where her friend was sitting on the chair with her hands emphasizing the points she so badly wanted to believe but when it came right down to it didn't deceive her.
"I hate him so much." She muttered as she tapped a pencil's eraser end on the arm of the chair.
"I'm sure you do." Rei said as she looked up. She felt loose and limber and got up from her seat on the floor and crossed the room.
"I do." I insisted
"Uh huh. Okay." She said as she riffled through her CD collection that took up more than half of the space of the wall on the other side of the room. She picked one of them and put it in the CD player.
"I'm so glad you believe me." I said sarcastically with a slight frown.
"This story of yours isn't for me to believe. It's for you to convince yourself of something you know isn't true." Rei said as she came back over to the bed and sat down. She lay down and closed her eyes as she thought about the two people who persisted in ignoring the facts.
"Shut up." I muttered as I lay back on the bed. How dare she! Didn't I just say that I hated him and now she has the nerve to imply that I'm lying?
"I'm so glad your agreeing with me on this."
"I'm not agreeing with you! What gave you that crazy idea?"
"Oh really? I didn't hear a denial." Rei gave a self satisfied smirk in her direction. She raised a hand to her ear mockingly as her eyebrows rose in question.
"Arragh! Fine. Fine. Fine! I deny it! Are you satisfied?"
"Not really. We both know your lying to yourself and everyone else. Stop pretending!"
"Oh for the love of..." I said as I rolled my eyes. "You couldn't be more off base if you tried."
"Whatever Serena. Keep on envisioning that dream. Go right ahead."
"I will thank you very much. And what? And what? Go to hell!"
"Don't hate. You know you love me."
"Your lucky I'm not killing you right now!"
"Aww the love." Rei raised her arms in the air. "I'm just embracing all the love in here right now!"
A shoe sailed past her head. "Hey!"
"Not funny!"
................................................................................................................................................
Two days later:
I'm having a party next week on Saturday. You'll be there right?"
"Sure, we'll be there." Serena said as she looked around at the table and then spoke for the group.
"Definitely! Sounds like fun." Molly said.
"Yeah a party will liven things up. It's been dull so far. Nothing really exciting has happened since we've got here." Rei complained as she languished over her chocolate chip ice cream.
"Good. I'll give you all the info later okay?"
"Sure." Rei said as she got up from her seat. "Talk to you later then. Let's go." She glanced around at us as she got up and led the way out the door.
"See you Andrew!" I called back as I walked through the doors. As we were walking down the sidewalk we heard somebody calling my name.
Looking back and behind me I saw Darien walking steadily toward us with a determined glint in his eyes. "Hi." That was the first time I had seen to spoken to him since two days before. As far as I was concerned enough time hadn't passed between us to suit my comfort level.
I rolled my eyes and looking away while standing in a stance of attitude with my arms crossed in front of me and looking at him with a look of absolute no interest.
"Hey Darien." Molly said as everyone else became unloyal and started talking to him too. Okay what's going on here? Why is it that even after the guy acted like a total jerk toward me he still gets my friends affections and attentions? Something's screwed. Seriously.
"So Serena...your not going to even say hi to me?"
"Looks that way, doesn't it?" I looked at him and then glanced at my friends who were standing there with amused expressions. It was as if any of this was funny which it wasn't. What the hell?
"Aw don't be like that Serena."
"I'll be any fucking way I want, thank you very much. Is that your problem?"
"Why do you have to be so hostile for?"
"Why do you always have to be in my face? God, you are so annoying and you have some nerve expecting me to talk to you when you know that we have nothing to discuss."
"That's where you are wrong. We have a lot to discuss. You just don't know it yet." He said this softly as he leaned down and brushed my cheek with a soft kiss as if just the second before we weren't having a argument...no a heated debate rather.
He looked me dead in the eye. I looked back at him and said. "The only thing I know is that you are a jerk, a idiot, and a real asshole. And if you think that just because you haven't called me Meatballhead for all but two seconds of this day that things are going to change, I'm here to assure you that it's not. If you even had the slightest thought about even becoming my friend which will never happen you have another think coming. So get the hell out of my way because I don't have the time or the patience to deal with your bullshit right now."
I walked off as my friends shrugged their shoulders and gave him helpless looks which I couldn't see. They fell in step behind my lead and we continued on our way to the Hikawa Shrine. We started chattering about other things, like take for example what we would do for the rest of the vacation. The days were swiftly dwindling down and that was a cause of concern. My body was with them but my mind wasn't. So in essence I was elsewhere. My mind was filled with anger and annoyance and my cheek burning with the searing heat of his kiss. Why does life have to be so confusing? Then again there are two questions that I just have to wonder about. Could life get worse? Or on the flip side...any better?