Well, I'm back again. I hope people weren't driven off by the first chapter, 'cus it's not really a military army- guy fic. Thing. Anyways, enjoy.
Chapter Two- Girl, Interrupted
She had a dream.
And in her dreams, she swam through the warm waters of the ocean, free and happy, not giving a care about school or friends or parties or whatever. Happiness was a good feeling.
"Lilo," a soft voice called above the waves.
Upon hearing her name she turned and surfaced, looking at the beach ahead, seeing her family having a picnic. Her father was frying up some fresh ahi fish on a grill, her mother was preparing some poke for them to eat, and her sister was pulling cold sodas from a large cooler filled with ice. And they were all laughing. Happy to be together. They spotted Lilo and beckoned her to join them. She smiled and swam towards the beach eagerly, walking up its fine white sand towards the only people she ever knew and loved.
"Lilo," her mother called to her, a little louder this time.
She got there and was about to join them, before she noticed a young boy by the shadows of the palm trees. He was dressed in black, with blood all over him. His hair was so black, it seemed almost midnight blue. He looked at her, and she was almost lost in his pitch- black pupils. She shuddered, for they were so cold, so lonely. And suddenly she remembered. Suddenly she felt confused and panicky, and even though her family kept on laughing she could not feel happy or free anymore, and pretty soon she was five again and in the arms of a policeman, cold, crying and lonely-
"Lilo!" a voice jolted her awake.
She sat up in bed, breath shallow, her heart racing. Quickly scanning her room, she found no falling rain, no twisted metal, and no highway. Sadly, though, she realized there was no beach with her parents.
"Lilo!" a voice from downstairs yelled. "Get up already! You're gonna be late for school!"
"Alright!" Lilo yelled from her bed, then sleepily got up. She never slept with the covers on, since the humid Kauai weather made them an uncomfortable burden. After quickly changing from the big t- shirt she wore at night into jeans and a red aloha shirt, she went to the bathroom to wash up. Looking into the mirror, Lilo noticed how much she changed in the last eleven years. Her silky, long raven hair was longer now, and no longer was she a little Hawaiian girl crying for her parents, but a dark- skinned young woman coming of age. She had tried her best to hide her shapely curves and growing chest under loose, baggy clothes, but still every now and then she'd get those uncomfortable stares and catcalls from boys at school.
Still, that doesn't make me popular, she remarked bitterly and sarcastically to her reflection.
Heading downstairs, Lilo's nose was greeted by the familiar scent of the Portuguese sausage, rice and scrambled eggs her sister Nani made for her every morning since she was five. Walking into the kitchen, Lilo found Nani scooping the food from the pans onto a plate, then hurriedly pouring a glass of orange juice for her. Nani was twenty- five years old, a young woman with long black hair not unlike Lilo's tied in a tight ponytail. She was dressed in a pair of slacks and a polo shirt bearing a Birds of Paradise logo, the hotel where she worked to support Lilo and herself.
"Going to work again?" Lilo asked as she sat down to breakfast.
"You know I have to, honey. God, I'm already late!" Nani checked her watch.
"I thought you said you had off today," Lilo reminded.
"I know, honey, but Mr. Jameson called and said he had overtime available, and we need the money. Have you seen my purse?" Nani looked around the kitchen.
"We were gonna go grocery shopping today, remember?"
"Please, honey, not now. We can't go grocery shopping if we don't have the money, right?" Nani tussled Lilo's hair. "I'll pick up groceries on my way home. The living room!" Nani turned around and found her purse on the couch. "I'm so late, Mr. Jameson is gonna kill me..."
Lilo picked at her plate. "I had that dream again..."
The door slammed in reply as Nani left for work. Feeling dejected, Lilo shoved the plate in the fridge and left for school.
"Please don't let them see me, please don't let them see me..."
Lilo half- prayed as she walked down the crowded halls of Kaumuali'i High School.
"Well, if it isn't the pile of walking trash," a high, annoying voice commented from in front of her.
"Motherfu-"
Reluctantly, Lilo looked up to see the last person she wanted to see, followed by the second, third and fourth last people, Myrtle Evans, a bombshell redhead dressed in clothes one size too small, and her click of cheerleader bimbos.
"Get out of my way," Lilo grumbled.
"What's with the attitude?" Myrtle snorted. "Geez, Weird- lo," she called Lilo her much hated nickname, "Hasn't anyone at the Salvation Army ever taught you manners? They sure cared enough to give you your wardrobe."
"What do you want, Myrtle?" Lilo asked impatiently, wondering if Myrtle was picking on her because she was bored, or if she actually had a point.
"I want you to stay away from Keone, that's what," Myrtle leaned in closer to Lilo, "I don't want you trying to give my boyfriend any of your slutty diseases. Stay away if you know what's good for you."
"Yeah!" the click said in almost perfect unison.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lilo tried to push past, but Myrtle stepped in her way.
"Don't play cute. I know a ho when I see one."
"Go look in the mirror," Lilo muttered and shoved Myrtle to get through.
"What a nutcase!" Myrtle stumbled, then checked her hair. "Maybe I was wrong about you. The way you're acting, I'm starting to think you're a dyke!"
"Yeah!" the click chorused again.
Lunchtime found Lilo in no better mood. She had failed her History exam, Almost blew up the chemistry lab, and now she stood in line waiting to eat God knows what.
"What else?" she muttered to herself.
"Hey, Lilo," a boy behind her greeted.
"Oh," Lilo's heart fluttered as she turned around to find Keone Jameson, a beautiful teenaged boy with perfect spiky brown hair, dreamy brown eyes, a pearly white smile, and the complexion of a Greek god. She almost fainted where she stood, but instead smiled like an idiot.
"Hi, Keone," she shyly answered.
"I think we have Trig together, right?" he asked.
"Yeah," Lilo almost giggled.
"Cool,"
Lilo desperately tried to find a topic to keep Keone here. "Uh, so I saw your last football game,"
"You did?" Keone smiled. "Do you think I played well?" he asked so earnestly it almost made her scream.
"Oh yeah," she answered, never taking her eyes off his, "You could play in the NFL if you want to,"
"Aw," Keone rubbed the back of his neck. "You're making me blush,"
What do you think you make me do? She almost said out loud.
"Okay," she said instead.
"I'll see you around," Keone nodded farewell and walked away.
"Okay," Lilo agreed, in a very light headed state.
She got her bowlful of whatever the lunchlady served her, and walked outside and over to the tables. She smiled. Keone had put her in such a good mood that she almost wished he was her boyfriend instead of that bitch Myrtle's. Still, though. God, could anything ruin her good mood?
"What's up, baby?"
Lilo almost stopped, but kept on walking instead.
"Leave me alone." She snapped.
A brawly Filipino boy with blond bleached hair jumped out in front of her near the trashcans and grinned lecherously. "Where you going, honey? I thought we were, you know-"he reached around he waist.
"Get off of me, Devon!" Lilo shook him off and hurriedly walked away.
"Oh, come on, didn't we have fun at that party last Saturday?" Devon Anuenue Velázquez asked playfully.
Lilo turned around. "Fun?! You tried to..." she stopped and looked away.
"You can't tell me you didn't like it," Devon leaned in closer.
"No!" she pushed away. "Just because you did doesn't mean everyone does,"
"You know, somebody needs to teach you how to play nice," Devon suddenly dropped his flirtatious act and looked serious.
"If you come near me, I'll scream," Lilo threatened.
Devon looked at her, then backed away.
"Just a matter of time, Lilo. You think anyone cares about you here?"
Lilo said nothing, and slowly walked to a bench alone.
All the way walking home Lilo had been wary, looking behind her for signs of Devon following her. Every bush, every rock, every tree seemed to be Devon watching her. At last, she reached her house and locked the door behind her. Her heart was racing wildly, but not in a good way. She ran up to her room, slammed the door and threw on Nirvana's Lithium. Then she plopped on the bed, keeping her head stuffed into a pillow.
I'm not gonna cry... she willed herself.
After a while she got up and went over to her desk, but paused as her hand hovered over it. She then pulled open a drawer and pulled out a small plastic bag of pills. She debated for a minute whether she should take them or not, staring at the baggie for what seemed like forever. After a while, she screamed with frustration and threw the pills into the trashcan in the corner. Exhausted, she set herself back down on the bed to sleep.
She dreamt again, and this time wished she never got up.
That was a very angst-y chapter to write, I tell you what. Just wanted to give you a taste of two very different lives. Now we'll see how they blend together. Oh well, until next time!