Sorry everyone for the long wait!! I just moved out of my dorm room and now I am back at home for the summer. I've had a little trouble remembering "drama" from middle school, haha, so the writers block has been my biggest foe. I had a couple new readers last chapter! Great to hear from you!! Ok…well no real messages for you today! New reviewees, this chapter is for you! Enjoy!
***Esca-lover
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Dear Van, June 26, 1992
How have ya been? I'm so glad it's summer! Kari, Gaddes, and I have been making frequent visits to the lake nearby. It's pretty close, so we ride our bikes there. Gaddes is really nice to have around sometimes, he's helped us carry things and whenever we play water basketball with the other kids it's nice to have a tall guy on our team! Really, he's not so bad, and Kari isn't all over him anymore, so the three of us are getting along pretty well. I even gave them a one month anniversary present. They really are cute together.
My mom is getting really big now, from the baby of course. She's always saying how fat she feels, and I just have to laugh. I think she's beautiful. I mean, she has a baby inside of her! Then again I don't know how I would feel in her place. I've heard birth can be painful, I just hope everything will go well. My parents don't want to know the sex of the baby until it is born. I was kinda bummed, but that's alright, whatever it is I'm so excited! I did the math, and this baby will be 13 years younger then me. That's crazy! I know my parents are younger then most but still… When I asked them about it, they said that they hadn't planned on another baby, it just happened. Kinda like an "oops". I don't think you really need the details.
Last week, I went to my first boy-girl party. It was fun for a while, but then we started playing this game called truth or dare…ever heard of it? Everyone sits in a circle, boy then girl, then boy then girl, etc. The first person asks the person to their left, "truth or dare". Then that person picks what they want: a question that they have to answer truthfully, or a dare of any kind that they have to follow through on or they will suffer the consequences. I didn't really want to play, but if I left, then I would get made fun of, so I sat down. Gaddes and Kari were there too, so I felt a little better since I wasn't alone. We started playing, and the first few people had it easy. They were asked questions like 'have you ever had a crush on your best friend's boyfriend?' or 'have you ever stolen something?', and were challenged to do dares like 'hold your breath until you're about to pass out' and 'stand on your head for ten minutes'. I started to get comfortable with everything, so when my turn came, I said "dare!". BIG MISTAKE. The boy sitting next to me was known for causing all sorts of trouble in school. His name was Miguel, and he was older then most of us because he had been held back a grade. He looked at me with an evil grin and I instantly knew I had picked the wrong choice. 'I dare you…' he smiled, 'to kiss me straight on the lips for 5 seconds!' I suddenly felt sick. Van, how come guys can be so cruel! Everyone started snickering, while Miguel taunted, 'Come on Hitomi…give me a wet one! You asked for a dare, and you got it!' I looked at Kari for help, but she looked just as scared as I did. I couldn't back out…then I'd get made fun of the whole rest of the summer! Plus, I'm sure no one would ever invite me to a party again. I had to do it, no matter how disgusting it was…but wait! Would all the boys think I go around kissing anyone? I'd ruin my first kiss. And the girls would certainly gossip about it…I was so mad at myself for picking a dare!! Miguel just stared at me with a menacing look. 'What's a matter, Hitomi…don't you like boys?' That did it. I grabbed his face, and kissed him flat out. Half of the crowd groaned, while the others counted down from five. '5…4…3…' It seemed like an eternity!!!! Plus I felt so gross! Here I was kissing my first kiss with the meanest kid in school. Why was he even invited! I prayed it would end soon… '…2…1…time's up!' Thank goodness!…so I thought. Miguel wouldn't let go of me! So I did the first thing that popped into my mind…I pushed him hard and slapped him across the face. 'How dare you! You're nothing but a mean, hateful boy,' I screamed. All the girls cheered! It felt really good to hear all the guys laughing at the bully on the floor. Miguel glared at me, but I just laughed with everyone else. It felt good to get him back, Van! He got up and just stalked off, leaving the game. From then on the rule was made: no kissing dares! I was like the hero of the day. Kari gave me a big hug and Gaddes said that if Miguel tried to pick on me at school, he'd personally take care of him for me. I'm so glad I have great friends! So, the lesson is, be careful when playing truth or dare Van! Always pick truth, haha.
Well, I think that's enough for today. Hope your summer is going well!
The Conquering Heroine,
Hitomi
P.S. Only a few weeks till my birthday! I'll be 13, woohoo!
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Dear Hitomi, July 15, 2003
'The Conquering Heroine,' huh…hahahaha, sorry that made me laugh. Truth or dare sounds rough, I'm glad I've never played. Sorry about your first kiss being ruined, that guy was a jerk. He got what he deserved. I wish I coulda been there to smack him myself! No one messes with a friend of mine.
Anyways, you remember last letter I told you how I thought girls were too dramatic? It turns out I have no idea what I'm talking about. I thought Dilandau and Chid had worked things out. Looks like I was wrong…it's a long story, get ready.
Yesterday after school Chid comes up to me and asks if I'd like a ride home. I accepted, when all of a sudden Dilly comes up behind us and asks if he can come too. No problem so far, right? So, the chauffeur dropped me off first. I said goodbye to my friends and went inside to watch TV. Two hours later I get a phone call from Chids' dad, asking if I've seen him. I told him everything I knew, which was basically nothing. I figured Chid had just gone to the arcade or something. I told my mom I was going out, and skateboarded around our old hangouts. Nothing. He wasn't at the arcade, the beach, the boardwalk, or the movie theater. I didn't know where to look, so I called Dilandau from a pay phone. When I asked him if he had seen Chid, he laughed kinda weird and said, 'Maybe you should take better care of your friends, Van Fanel,' and hung up. Something was wrong, I could feel it. I raced to Dilly's house as fast as a could. You remember how I said that Dilandau mentioned he was fine with me having other friends? It turns out it was all an act. As I knocked on the trailer door, I could smell something burning. Dinner maybe? No…no one was home. But how could that be? I had just phoned a few minutes ago. I walked softly to the backyard and peered around the bushes. It was horrible, Hitomi. There was Chid, tied to a chair with a gag in his mouth while Dilly danced around him holding a lighter. 'Why don't you let me fix your hair, blondie!,' he taunted. 'I think you need a trim.' With that, Dilandau pulled out some huge scissors and in a blink of an eye had half of Chids' long hair chopped off. I wanted to stop him, but it all happened so fast…Dilly then took the lighter and lit the fallen hair on fire. 'You really should be more careful when stealing my friends…you might get hurt,' Dilandau threatened as he waved the fire in front of Chids' face. I was so angry. How dare he try to run my life. 'Dilandau!' I yelled coming out of my hiding spot. 'Stop it right now! What do you think you are doing! I don't care if you like Chid or not, just stop it!' and with that said I jumped at him. I guess I hadn't really been thinking. After all, Dilly still had his lighter. We wrestled around and threw punches, both of us trying to best the other. Finally, I was able to pin him down. 'What are you doing Fanel…I was doing it for us! You're my best friend, and that preppy Chid brat ruined everything. If he didn't have cash you'd still be hanging out with me, but no, you're a two faced mooch who wouldn't know real friendship if it slapped you in the face!' he screamed, and managed to wiggle free. 'What are you talking about, Dilandau…I'm still your friend, and I thought it was fun hanging out with you. But ever since I became friends with Chid you've been a real jerk. You're the one who set our treehouse on fire, aren't you…all because you were jealous?!?! That's crap. Why didn't you just tell me about it, instead of beating on Chid? I thought you were better then that, but I guess I was wrong. Don't come around me again if all you're going to do is bully my friends, got that?' I yelled as I untied Chid from the chair. Dilly looked like I had punched him in the stomach. 'So you're saying…we can't be friends?' he muttered under his breath. 'If you can't learn to be friends with my friends, then no, we can't,' I said firmly. What was I supposed to say? Chid could ask his dad to press charges and then it'd be all over. 'If you want to be mad at someone Dilandau, be mad at me…understand? I just want things to go back to normal,' I finished. Dilly glared at me. 'Sorry Fanel, no can do. If you wanna hang with a putz like Chid, fine by me. Just don't ever come looking for my help, got that?' he growled and stormed into his trailer. Chid said he was alright, and that the only thing Dilandau had done was screw with his hair. It turns out that Dilly had asked Chid to hang out with him at the trailer until dinner. So, a few hours later when Chid's dad tried to call his sons' cell phone, there was no answer. The chauffeur had forgotten how to get to Dilandaus' house, so it was a big mess. I got Chid home safely, and his dad thanked me. We made up some story so that Dilandau wouldn't get in trouble. Thankfully his dad bought it. I don't really know what to think, Tomi. I really thought there was some good in Dilandau, but I guess not. Maybe someday we can be friends again.
See, I told you it was long. Anyways, thanks for listening. I'm glad you're excited about the new baby coming, and you seem to be having a great summer. I hope it continues. My dad is strong enough to work now, so the money situation is getting better. Oh, and happy birthday, I almost forgot. You're 13 now, right? Me too, but I'll be 14 in November. Well I better go. Have a good one.
Your friend,
Van
P.S. The coloring page is from Merle, she said she wanted to give it to you for your b-day. I think she likes you a lot, you're kinda like the sister she never had, haha.
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There you are everyone! The Reader Is Now Blind, you hit it right on target!! (in your review you hinted that the whole Chid/Dilly issue was too quickly resolved.) Good Eye! Alright, enough from me, God Bless!
