A Single Candle
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven
knows I don't have the money or the smarts."
--Yolie, A Single Candle
Chapter Three: The Real Test
"Yolie! There you are! I was starting to worry that you had decided to stay in bed and play sick!" Her friend, Miranda laughed. She was waiting out on the front porch of her blue and white house, waiting. Yolie ran up to her to make up for some time. Miranda smiled and slung her backpack over her shoulder and flashed Yolie a dazzling smile. "So how did it go? I think I'm ready! I was up studying all night!" She said. "I'm a little tired, but that's beside the point! If I get this right, I can go? What about you, Yolie?"
"Ken says I'm ready. Good thing I got plenty of sleep, so I don't fall asleep. Mr. Yamasaki told us to go straight to his room. First period is his free period anyway. Let's go!" Yolie said. They ran the rest of the way to the school. When they got inside, they were already dismissing the kids to their classes. "We better hurry!" She shouted. They hurried to their lockers and put all their stuff in it. "Ok. Ready?" Yolie asked. Miranda nodded. They walked towards Mr. Yamasaki's class room. But he was waiting outside.
"Ah, I was afraid you weren't coming." He said slyly. He led them inside, where everything was already set up for them. There were all kinds of things set up for them. "Now, you know why you're here. You are right over here, Miranda. Yolie, this is your place. Now, you see the directions for each project is on the board. You have to do them all correctly and allow me to reevaluate your grade. If you can do that, then I will let you go. But... I'm not holding my breath, Yolie." He said, laughing. Yolie glared angrily at him.
"I'll show you!" She mumbled, as she started the first one. She kept mentally reminding herself of Ken's lesson. And every time she felt unsure, she reached down and touched the note in her pocket. That gave her the confidence and the courage she needed to keep going. For most of the period, they were working. With ten minutes left in the period, Miranda finished the last project. Yolie stared at her in disbelief. She was just starting the last one! Mr. Yamasaki went over to Miranda and started evaluating.
"Well, well. Good work, Miranda. I see you took my challenge seriously. I must say, I am surprised neither of you have caused an explosion, yet. Are you soon finished, Yolie?" Yolie nodded, stepping back to admire her work. Mr. Yamasaki came over. From the look on his face, he was surprised. He was too surprised to say anything. He made a few marks in his book and smiled. "I guess this must mean a lot to you, because you did perfectly. But I have to ask... how did you do it, Yolie? You have no talent for chemistry."
"I know." She said, picking up her books. "Good thing my friend Ken does!" She laughed. Mr. Yamasaki looked at her like she was crazy. "Is it that hard to believe that I'm friends with Ken?" She asked Miranda on their way out. Miranda just laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "Hey! What does that look mean?" Yolie asked, glaring at Miranda.
"I think what surprises him most is... how different you two are." She said. They stopped at their lockers and got the books they needed for their next class. "I thought about that, too. I don't mean to sound mean, but... he is a genius. He's not exactly your type." She said, shrugging. Yolie sighed. Miranda did have a point. She wasn't very smart. She didn't know what Ken saw in her. But she was glad she had such a great friend. He was always there for her. It was great to be able to count on someone like Ken.
"I just can't wait to tell Ken the great news! I can go with Devon! This will be great!" She said. Miranda nodded. "This is going to be great!" She said. She was almost skipping. Miranda had never seen her friend so happy. But she couldn't help but wonder about Devon. Devon had gone out with Tammy! Tammy was the most popular girl in the school! He was a jock! It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Yolie, but... it was a little strange to see a guy like Devon going to a dance with a girl like her friend, Yolie.
"Yolie. I'm worried about you. I don't want you to get hurt. Stay on your toes." Miranda said, before they entered the classroom. Yolie cocked her head to the side. She didn't understand what Miranda was talking about. She nodded. "Good. Don't let ANYONE hurt you. You're my friend." She said. "I don't trust people like Devon." Yolie smiled.
"Devon? He's nice. I told you. He's changed. He likes simple things. He really likes me." Yolie said, defensively.
"If you believe that, then... ok. But... just be careful." Miranda said, taking her seat next to Yolie. Yolie nodded and sat down when the teacher, Ms. Shinyu stepped in the door and closed the door behind her. They exchanged glances and Yolie sighed. It was going to be a long day. She couldn't wait until she could go home and tell Ken everything. She took out her notes. History notes... 'oh boy', she thought to herself. 'Oh well... let's get this over with.' She started taking notes on everything the teacher was saying.
As soon as school was let out, she hurried to her locker. She threw everything and took off. She told Miranda not to wait for her. "Call me!" She shouted to Miranda on her way out. She was going home to call Ken. But she was surprised to see Ken waiting for her at the door of her house. "Ken!" She shouted, running towards him. "I did it!" She shouted excitedly. He smiled brightly. She loved his smile. She gave him a quick hug. "Thanks a lot, Ken! You really are a lifesaver." She laughed. "Do you want to stay?"
"No. I just wanted to hear how it went. I'm glad for you, Yolie. I hope you enjoy your little date." He said, chuckling. Yolie blushed and swatted at him playfully. "Well, I better be going. My mom will get worried. If you need anything, you know where to find me." He said, waving. He started walking back to his house, slowly. He sighed once he was out of hearing range. Something felt very wrong about him helping her and Devon get together. But something felt so right when they were together. He laughed.
He clasped his hand to his heart and frowned. "Why? What is this?" He asked himself. "I never felt like this before. But then again, I never really had friends before, only fans. Maybe it's just because she's a... friend." He said, very unsure. "Or maybe not. Why Yolie? Why couldn't it be Kari? Or Mimi? Or Sora? With them, it's never complicated. Kari has Tk, Sora has Matt, and Mimi has... someone. But with Yolie, it's different. Damn." He said. He walked the rest of the way back to his house. He went inside and up to his room where he collapsed on his bed.
Meanwhile, Yolie went into her house with a bright smile on her face. "I'm going to the dance with Devon!" She sang, bounding up the stairs to her room. Suddenly, she stopped. "Oh no! I have to find something to wear!" She gasped, rushing to her closet and started throwing things around. Then, the phone rang. "Hello?" She said, picking up the phone. She had forgotten that she told Miranda to call her. "Oh, hi Miranda." She said.
"Hi Yolie! Hey, my mom's taking me to the mall to pick out an outfit for the dance. Do you want to come with us?" She asked. Yolie smiled. Miranda knew just what to say to fix her problems.
"You bet!" She smiled. "I'll be over in five minutes!" She said. "Bye!" She hung up the phone. She crawled under her bed and pulled out a small tin container that she kept her money in. She pulled out some money and pocketed it. She ran downstairs. "Mom, I'm going with Miranda and her mom. We're going to the mall! Bye!" Yolie shouted. She didn't even wait for her mom to answer before she ran out the door.
"Uh... bye?" Yolie's mom said, watching her daughter run out the door.
Ok, I hope you like. Another short chapter... sorry. I am working on it. I promised that I would keep updating all of my stories. And in case you're wondering, I am going to continue Love Just Is. I have more to add to that one and lots of plans. And thanks for the rainbow chip cupcake, Lets-Play- With-Matches. You are so cool!
Christine Lennoire
"What do you see in me? In you, I see all these wonderful things, but I have nothing to give you in return. I'm not pretty or popular, and heaven
knows I don't have the money or the smarts."
--Yolie, A Single Candle
Chapter Three: The Real Test
"Yolie! There you are! I was starting to worry that you had decided to stay in bed and play sick!" Her friend, Miranda laughed. She was waiting out on the front porch of her blue and white house, waiting. Yolie ran up to her to make up for some time. Miranda smiled and slung her backpack over her shoulder and flashed Yolie a dazzling smile. "So how did it go? I think I'm ready! I was up studying all night!" She said. "I'm a little tired, but that's beside the point! If I get this right, I can go? What about you, Yolie?"
"Ken says I'm ready. Good thing I got plenty of sleep, so I don't fall asleep. Mr. Yamasaki told us to go straight to his room. First period is his free period anyway. Let's go!" Yolie said. They ran the rest of the way to the school. When they got inside, they were already dismissing the kids to their classes. "We better hurry!" She shouted. They hurried to their lockers and put all their stuff in it. "Ok. Ready?" Yolie asked. Miranda nodded. They walked towards Mr. Yamasaki's class room. But he was waiting outside.
"Ah, I was afraid you weren't coming." He said slyly. He led them inside, where everything was already set up for them. There were all kinds of things set up for them. "Now, you know why you're here. You are right over here, Miranda. Yolie, this is your place. Now, you see the directions for each project is on the board. You have to do them all correctly and allow me to reevaluate your grade. If you can do that, then I will let you go. But... I'm not holding my breath, Yolie." He said, laughing. Yolie glared angrily at him.
"I'll show you!" She mumbled, as she started the first one. She kept mentally reminding herself of Ken's lesson. And every time she felt unsure, she reached down and touched the note in her pocket. That gave her the confidence and the courage she needed to keep going. For most of the period, they were working. With ten minutes left in the period, Miranda finished the last project. Yolie stared at her in disbelief. She was just starting the last one! Mr. Yamasaki went over to Miranda and started evaluating.
"Well, well. Good work, Miranda. I see you took my challenge seriously. I must say, I am surprised neither of you have caused an explosion, yet. Are you soon finished, Yolie?" Yolie nodded, stepping back to admire her work. Mr. Yamasaki came over. From the look on his face, he was surprised. He was too surprised to say anything. He made a few marks in his book and smiled. "I guess this must mean a lot to you, because you did perfectly. But I have to ask... how did you do it, Yolie? You have no talent for chemistry."
"I know." She said, picking up her books. "Good thing my friend Ken does!" She laughed. Mr. Yamasaki looked at her like she was crazy. "Is it that hard to believe that I'm friends with Ken?" She asked Miranda on their way out. Miranda just laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "Hey! What does that look mean?" Yolie asked, glaring at Miranda.
"I think what surprises him most is... how different you two are." She said. They stopped at their lockers and got the books they needed for their next class. "I thought about that, too. I don't mean to sound mean, but... he is a genius. He's not exactly your type." She said, shrugging. Yolie sighed. Miranda did have a point. She wasn't very smart. She didn't know what Ken saw in her. But she was glad she had such a great friend. He was always there for her. It was great to be able to count on someone like Ken.
"I just can't wait to tell Ken the great news! I can go with Devon! This will be great!" She said. Miranda nodded. "This is going to be great!" She said. She was almost skipping. Miranda had never seen her friend so happy. But she couldn't help but wonder about Devon. Devon had gone out with Tammy! Tammy was the most popular girl in the school! He was a jock! It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Yolie, but... it was a little strange to see a guy like Devon going to a dance with a girl like her friend, Yolie.
"Yolie. I'm worried about you. I don't want you to get hurt. Stay on your toes." Miranda said, before they entered the classroom. Yolie cocked her head to the side. She didn't understand what Miranda was talking about. She nodded. "Good. Don't let ANYONE hurt you. You're my friend." She said. "I don't trust people like Devon." Yolie smiled.
"Devon? He's nice. I told you. He's changed. He likes simple things. He really likes me." Yolie said, defensively.
"If you believe that, then... ok. But... just be careful." Miranda said, taking her seat next to Yolie. Yolie nodded and sat down when the teacher, Ms. Shinyu stepped in the door and closed the door behind her. They exchanged glances and Yolie sighed. It was going to be a long day. She couldn't wait until she could go home and tell Ken everything. She took out her notes. History notes... 'oh boy', she thought to herself. 'Oh well... let's get this over with.' She started taking notes on everything the teacher was saying.
As soon as school was let out, she hurried to her locker. She threw everything and took off. She told Miranda not to wait for her. "Call me!" She shouted to Miranda on her way out. She was going home to call Ken. But she was surprised to see Ken waiting for her at the door of her house. "Ken!" She shouted, running towards him. "I did it!" She shouted excitedly. He smiled brightly. She loved his smile. She gave him a quick hug. "Thanks a lot, Ken! You really are a lifesaver." She laughed. "Do you want to stay?"
"No. I just wanted to hear how it went. I'm glad for you, Yolie. I hope you enjoy your little date." He said, chuckling. Yolie blushed and swatted at him playfully. "Well, I better be going. My mom will get worried. If you need anything, you know where to find me." He said, waving. He started walking back to his house, slowly. He sighed once he was out of hearing range. Something felt very wrong about him helping her and Devon get together. But something felt so right when they were together. He laughed.
He clasped his hand to his heart and frowned. "Why? What is this?" He asked himself. "I never felt like this before. But then again, I never really had friends before, only fans. Maybe it's just because she's a... friend." He said, very unsure. "Or maybe not. Why Yolie? Why couldn't it be Kari? Or Mimi? Or Sora? With them, it's never complicated. Kari has Tk, Sora has Matt, and Mimi has... someone. But with Yolie, it's different. Damn." He said. He walked the rest of the way back to his house. He went inside and up to his room where he collapsed on his bed.
Meanwhile, Yolie went into her house with a bright smile on her face. "I'm going to the dance with Devon!" She sang, bounding up the stairs to her room. Suddenly, she stopped. "Oh no! I have to find something to wear!" She gasped, rushing to her closet and started throwing things around. Then, the phone rang. "Hello?" She said, picking up the phone. She had forgotten that she told Miranda to call her. "Oh, hi Miranda." She said.
"Hi Yolie! Hey, my mom's taking me to the mall to pick out an outfit for the dance. Do you want to come with us?" She asked. Yolie smiled. Miranda knew just what to say to fix her problems.
"You bet!" She smiled. "I'll be over in five minutes!" She said. "Bye!" She hung up the phone. She crawled under her bed and pulled out a small tin container that she kept her money in. She pulled out some money and pocketed it. She ran downstairs. "Mom, I'm going with Miranda and her mom. We're going to the mall! Bye!" Yolie shouted. She didn't even wait for her mom to answer before she ran out the door.
"Uh... bye?" Yolie's mom said, watching her daughter run out the door.
Ok, I hope you like. Another short chapter... sorry. I am working on it. I promised that I would keep updating all of my stories. And in case you're wondering, I am going to continue Love Just Is. I have more to add to that one and lots of plans. And thanks for the rainbow chip cupcake, Lets-Play- With-Matches. You are so cool!
Christine Lennoire
