Chapter 17

-Mason-

I WASN’T feeling too good today. When I woke up in the morning, my eyes and throat hurt, my back was aching. I felt like an old man trying to get out of bed. So I told that to my mom and she let me stay home today. It wasn’t the best thing that could happen to me, but that meant I got extra study time for that test on Thursday and I had some time to read my fanfics.

            I logged onto the computer around noon. I got tired of just studying so I decided to check out my Facebook and Myspace page. Almost nobody online, except one… Bea. So then I quickly IM’d her.

Mason: Bea? What are you doing, you’re at school right?

Bea: Nope. I stayed home today, I wasn’t feeling so good

Mason: Oh, me too.

Bea: I think I’m depressed.

Mason: Why? Because Nick broke up with you?

Bea: =(

Mason: You guys weren’t going to last anyways

Bea: WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!?

Mason: Because both you and I and lots of other people know that’s true. And look now.

Bea: DAMN, I HATE YOU ALL!!!

--Bea signed out--

            And that was the end of that. I guess back to reading fanfics for me.

 

 

 

-Bea-

“DAMN IT ALL.” I logged out of Myspace and slammed my laptop shut. “I just hate how everybody since the day we started dating betted on the year we broke up. Was my love-life a gamble to them?” I paced around my bedroom in circles. I had to get my anger out some way, without punching the crap out of someone.

            I opened my bedroom door; No one was home. My siblings were at school, my parents were at work, and I was alone. It was getting kind of hot in my room so I opened the window. The sound of cars zooming down the boulevard roared at me. Ah, city life.

            I turned on my radio and cranked the music up. Music was the only thing that could relieve me. Usually I dance to get things out of my mind, but this just wasn’t those times. I took the notebook out that Nick gave to me when we first started dating. We were suppose to take turns taking it home, we’d write in it about our day, how we were feeling, and what not. Then we’d read each other’s problems and try to solve them. Now that I think about it, we never really helped each other, only backed each other up.

“Let’s see what kind of stupid things he had written down that I was too love-drunk to notice. How about last weekend?” I flipped the pages back to October  2^nd and read his input.

October 2^nd,  Saturday. NICK

Things aren’t going so well between the chain of circles. Our friendship I mean. I feel like we’re losing a lot of close relationships because of our actions, and some of it is kind of because of you, Bea. I’ve really been thinking about it, and maybe, maybe things need to end. I just don’t know how to say it yet.

Bea’s Response:

Don’t worry baby! Things are ok, people just don’t understand a couple in love. I don’t care if they think our actions are poor, I will still love you! If you want to end their complaining, just stop being friends with them, because I’m all you need!

“STUPID!” I shouted. Now that I actually opened my eyes and read his entry, I actually see what he meant to say. And what did I respond to him? A bunch of googoo gaga lovey dovey stuff. “How come I didn’t understand him? By ending things, he meant him and I, not the complaining from our friends. I was so blind, so stupid. I need to read back more; How was I acting towards my closest people?”

            I flipped back to the summer of July because that’s when Aika and I had our first actual fight. Maybe there was something in there that I missed.

July 23^rd, Friday. NICK.

I was just on the phone with Aika, she told me that you two had a fight. I tried to back you up, even though I did agree that you where being a little unfair. But I don’t want to get on your bad side, I’ve been there before. So I lied to make sure you didn’t seem, so bad. But really, you should try to take better care of your stories, because I know some of them where lies. But I love you!

Bea’s response:

Thanks babe! You know I would have done the same for you (except no girl would get in a fight with you because you’re not suppose to be talking to any girls hehe =D). It really was her fault though, she said lies about me being controllive and then she tried to control my life! Telling me I need to act my age and stop rushing things. Well honey, she doesn’t know what love feels like because remember, she cant get a boy haha. So she needs to get her facts straight. I wasn’t lieing! And I love you too!

“Oh my God…” I froze. “WHY did I say that?? I was so wrong!” I kept reading. Apparently, I hurt a lot of people, not just Nick or Aika. No wonder people didn’t believe in me. I was controllive, I was bossy, I was everything but Nick’s perfect girl.

            I fell onto my bed and pulled up the covers. It was 1:30pm and sunny. I sobbed. How cruel I was, how blind I was. And to think that I almost dragged Nick into… A family, let’s just say.

I blamed school, friends and family, even Nick sometimes, but never did I blame myself. Is this what love does to you? If so, I never want to fall in love again. Time to re-start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 4^th, Monday. NICK.

This my last entry. I hope you understand.

Bea’s response:

No, I didn’t understand. I’m sorry for that. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry to everyone I didn’t understand at first. But I do now, so would you take me back? Would anyone take me back? I’d understand why anyone wouldn’t though, so it’s ok. This is also my last entry. Not just because we broke up and there really is no use for this journal anymore, but because there’s no more pages to write on after this one.

 

 

 

-Jon “Nee”-

WHEN I FINALLY got back to Uncle Hue’s house, I saw a bunch of guys dressed in black watching from across the street. I knew that was a no no! Peeping Toms are against the law! I think… So I immediately ran inside.

“Chu Hue!!” That’s how you say Uncle Hue in Vietnamese.

“What? Who’s there?” He stood up from his chair right away. See, the thing was, Chu didn’t really know I was at his house. So I was kind of a surprise to him when I ran into the living room.

“CHU HUE!!!” I jumped up and down.

“JON?!” He dropped his newspaper. “My God, what are you doing here?! How did you get here?!” His faced turned as red as an apple! Really, you should have seen him!

“Uh, no time for that!” I said, gasping for air, and then I continued. “There’s a bunch of guys across the street! In suits! Like secret agents, and they’re watching your house!” I slowed down. “What do we do?”

He made a deep, long, sigh. “Bắn, well then…” He glared at me. “I’ll just go settle things.”

            He began to walk towards the door. He grabbed a briefcase that was sitting beside the door. He always had the briefcase by the door at his old house, and the house before, and he’d bring it with him when he visited my house or someone else’s house. Is it a charm or something? I dunno!

            I couldn’t get a good view of what was going on from the living room window, the gates were in the way! But I know where I could get a good view! From upstairs! So up and up I ran; Man they have a lot of stairs. I was heading towards the master bedroom, where there’s a great view of the front lawn and street. But then I ran into someone. I think I head-butted him, or her. Sorry!

“WAAH!! OW!!” The both of us stumbled to the floor. When the other person got up, I figured out who it was! It was Justin!

“Oh oh Justin-Ahn!” I scrambled to my feet, then helped him up.

“You’re lucky I wasn’t carrying a candle when you ran into me, man that would be trouble.” He grinned. But no time for grinning!

“I’m so so sorry Ahn!”

“No, it’s alright.” He chuckled. “What are you doing here, Nee?”

“Well I wanted to get a good view of something!” I tried to walk around him, but he kept blocking me!

“What something?” He kept trying to block me.

“Just, uh… Just something!” I couldn’t take it anymore, so I just dove in between his legs. I hit the ground running for the master bedroom, but when I got there I was too late! The guys in suits were gone and Chu Hue was walking back towards the house.

“Aw man! I missed it!” I said grouchily and sat down on the bed.

Then Justin caught up to me and grabbed my shirt’s back collar. “Ok, so what where you so eager to see?”

I sighed. “Well it doesn’t matter now. I missed it!”

“Missed what?!” Justin said, utterly confused. So then I told him about the briefcase and the guys in suits. I really didn’t wanna, because I thought it’d scare him, but in the end it didn’t.

“Oh, well that happens about once or twice a month. Guys in suits, or better known as ‘Guys who think they’ve found where I live so they stake out my house for a while’, show up around 3:00. They think that we’re all out at work or school at that time so it’d be easier to stake out the house.”

“Ohhh.” I rolled my eyes. I still didn’t get the whole briefcase thing, but I didn’t wanna ask at that point.

            The two of us walked down stairs and he poured me some tea. We sat down in the living room and just talked. I missed talking to Justin. I haven’t talked to him in years! 2 years to be exact, and that’s pretty long for me! I asked what was up with the cane… And he told me that he’d been pretty weak lately.

“Oh noes! Why?! Are you sick, Ahn??” I shrieked. Even though I knew why he was so weak, I wanted to see what he’d tell me.

He laughed a little bit. “You still act like the little 6^th grader you where last time I saw you.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Anyways, no. I’m not sick, but I’m not feeling too good either. Dad said, uh… Well, dad said I’ll get better soon.”

Ok good, so he wasn’t lying.

“In time for the homecoming dance?” I brought up. And then he just sat there and stared at me. A whole 12 seconds, I counted! I think he was thinking of something. Or someone. I dunno.

“Um, no. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll be well enough to go to homecoming.” He looked down.

            I noticed Kevin standing at the top of the stairs. He looked down at Justin with a sad look in his eyes. Hmmm… I thought. But, Kevin wants to go with Aika? Then shouldn’t he be happy-ish looking then? I told Justin I’d be right back real quick, and then I ran up stairs again. They had a lot of steps though, even I was getting tired!

“Hey hey, Kevin-Ahn!” I called at him; He walked into his room and slammed the door shut. So I ran up to the door and pounded on it. “Open, open, open, open, open!!”

He opened the door, and I ended up pounding on his chest. “Uh, ow?”

“Ohhh sorry! Hey, can I come in?”

“Hmm. No.” Kevin went to close the door, but I put my foot in between the door and the wall and stopped it. Thank goodness I was wearing my shoes! That would have hurt if it was just my bare feet.

“Pleeeeease?” I put on my little baby face, which my mommy told me was just impossible to resist!

“Ugh, fine.” He signaled his arms showing that it was ok to come in, and so in I went.

            The two of us talked for a while. I dunno how long though, and then I remembered that I told Justin-Ahn I’d be right back, so I just had to go back soon. I remember that, before they sent Kevin-Ahn away, the two of them didn’t really talk, but they talked waaaay more than they did now. And I think that’s when they were actually brothers. But after being gone for so long, I’m surprised Kevin can still stand being in the same room as Justin!

“I guess, even though I hate him, he’s still my brother and it kind of hurts me taking Aika away from him.” He sighed.

“Well, I dun wanna pick sides or anything, but…” I made a thinking face. “But, I think you should go for what your heart tells ya. It’s probably going to hurt him, but there really isn’t anything he can do about it in the state that he’s in right now.”

“That’s right too. But when he first told me about her, I didn’t really care. He just told me to make sure I treated her well so that she’d like him when he came back. But there’s a difference, I can’t be him. I was just myself and that was enough to… Catch her attention? And if she did like me, at all, it was me she liked, not Justin. So either way, he lost in the end.”

He had a point. We kept talking. I kind of felt sorry for him, have the girl he likes going after the one he hated. Especially since he didn’t like her in the first place, but overtime love grows! It’s kind of like those sappy soap operas with a twist every now and then.

And then I realized, “WHOA! I remembered I have to get back to Justin-Ahn!!” I scrambled to my feet and went for the door, but before I could get to it Kevin yelled for me to stop. I got another task! He told me to go back to school again tomorrow to give another message to Aika, it was in note form this time, and I was NOT suppose to read it… No matter how tempting. I whined because I couldn’t read it, but Kevin just rolled his eyes and told me to deal with it.

“You’re mean Ahn!” I yelled, half-joking. He just laughed.

“Yeah, I know I am.”

            I went back downstairs to Justin. Apparently I was gone for almost half an hour! I noticed that when you say “half an hour” it sounds longer than saying “30 minutes”. So I was gone for half an hour! That’s still pretty long anyways, considering I said I’d be right back.

“Wow, what did you do? Go to California?”

“Yup! It was lots of fun, you should have come!” I replied to him sarcastically.

            I kind of wanted to tell Justin about my conversation with Kevin, but I didn’t wanna wreck him, so I just kept my mouth shut until It was time for me to leave.      And when it was time for me to leave, I got another task! This time it was from Justin-Ahn!

“I want to tell you something, but you have to say NOTHING to anyone else, ok?” He whispered in my ear as he walked me outside.

“Ok, I’ll be quiet!” I put my finger up to my lips and giggled.

He smiled then continued. “On Friday I’m, after school I mean, I’m going to confess to Aika.”

Then my heart skipped a beat. But, tomorrow Kevin wants me to give this note to Aika, I thought. Oh man, I really hope this isn’t a confession note either! Then he’ll have gotten to her before Justin-Ahn does!

“Oh…” I said in a pretend happy voice. “Well, I gotta go. Good luck, hope she feels the same way about you!”

“I know she will. Remember, who else are you telling this to? Besides Aika?”

“Nobody!” I shouted in a whisper-type way.

“Great! Thanks!” He said then walked back into his house.

            It was 5:30pm, not too dark, but it was kind of cloudy that day. I had to think, I really didn’t wanna open up the letter that Kevin-Ahn gave me, but what if it was a confession letter? Then Justin never had a chance. I looked down. Before I knew it, I was home. I finished up my homework (I’m home-schooled by the way) and then I changed into my pajamas (they have monkeys on them!). Yeah, I’m an 8^th grader that wears monkey pajamas. Don’t laugh at me, it’s just how I am.

            I couldn’t go to sleep that night, I starred at my backpack almost the whole time. That backpack had the secret letter, and I could open it, if I could. But I couldn’t.

Why why why why?? Why did I have to be caught in all this?! But, I’m a good cousin if I listen to what Kevin says and not go behind his back and tell Justin, but then I’m a bad cousin for lying to Justin. ‘Good luck!’ Why did I say that? He has no luck. I’m so sorry.

            Then sometime after thinking all those thoughts, I dozed off to sleep. I woke up the next morning late, and missed breakfast. I needed to be fit if I had to run all the way back to St. Johns and back home afterwards (I live in the downtown Portland area).