Chapter 21

-Aika-

IT’S FRIDAY. The day I had to meet both Kevin and Justin after school. I wonder if they both know that they’re both going to confess to me, at the same time, today. Man, this bites. Why are things so complicated??

“Good morning!” Isaac and Macy strutted towards me, arms linked. That could only mean one thing. Either they’ve already started going out or,

“Hi guys! I guess you two are going to homecoming together now huh?” I waved to them as they got closer.

“Yeah yeah!” Macy said with cheer. I never saw her so enthusiastic before.

“And I got them together~!” Diane walked over, holding hands with Austin.

“You didn’t really get us together,” Macy added. “but you helped push me. Thanks!”

“No problem!” Diane winked and leaned on Austin’s shoulder. Who knew that Austin and Diane would ever be a couple?? I never did.

            Then after a few minutes, Mason and Nick arrived as well. The whole gang, the new and improved gang, was here and were ready to start the school day. But as everyone chatted into the doors of the school, I stopped for a second, turned around and searched the schoolyard for Justin.

“After school then.” I whispered to myself. Then a hand was placed apon my shoulder which made me jolt.

“Hey, who are you looking for?” When I turned around, it was only Mason.

“Oh Mason! You scared me. I was just looking for�"”

“For your boyfriend?” He tilted his head.

“Uhhh…?” Then I thought for a second. Starbucks! Oh yeah, Justin said we were ‘on a date’.. I had forgotten. “Yeah, I was looking for, m-my boyfriend.” I kind of stuttered, I wonder if he could tell I was lying.

“Alright then. Why?”

“Well I was just hoping he was coming to school today.” I took one more look over my shoulder. “But I guess not! C’mon let’s go to class!” I pasted a smile on my face and grabbed Mason’s backpack. He’s kind of heavy so I wouldn’t say I dragged him away, but that’s how it felt.

 

            By lunch time I couldn’t think straight anymore. I was going crazy in my head. So many thoughts ran through my head and I pictured how the whole confession scene would play out. It could be something like,

Justin’s confession: He would take me by the hand and we’d run across the football field until we get tired. Since I have asthma, that’ll be quick. He’ll put his arms around my waist and pull me closer to him and assure to me I’ll be ok. And then we’ll look into each other’s eyes as he exclaims, “Aika, I really like you. I want you to be my special girl, and date to homecoming. Please, would you go out with me?”

Kevin’s confession: I’d be waiting for an hour. He’ll be late. I’ll get so mad that I begin to leave and then right out of the blue Kevin will grab my hand and pull me towards him. I’ll be so mad, I let go and try to leave again, but he takes me and pushes me up against a wall. He’ll lean in close to me and whisper into my ear, “Aika, won’t you please be mine? Forget my brother, because I’m the one that really likes you! Be my girlfriend, and even my date to the dance. Won’t you?”

“KYAAAA I can’t believe it! It hasn’t happened to me yet and already these unrealistic fantasies are running through my head!!!!” I screamed… in the middle of the cafeteria.

“Uh… what?” Issac asked oh-so-very confused.

“Ahem, sit down…” Nick said, tugging on my shirt.

            And so I sat down… Man did I sound like a fool. I wonder what people thought of me right then and there. Good thing about high school is, though, not a lot of people know the freshman, and they cant start gossip about people they don’t know!

            So from there, only 2 and a half more hours until the long-awaited meetup happens; My heart is beating so fast.

 

 

-Kevin-

SO FAR SO GOOD. Everything was going according to plan; Dad and Mom would be home the whole day, no way they could let Justin out of their site. And since it’s my day to do the chores, I’ll be dropping off the laundry at the laundry mat, which is the perfect gateway to sneaking off to school.

            As I walked passed Justin’s room, he was still sleeping by the way (and it was noon), I chuckled to myself a little bit. It was just so easy. She’ll be mine… I’ll get to her first. I thought. I walked in to his room quietly, without a sound almost, collected his dirty clothes and stuffed them into the laundry bag. But just when I thought all was going to plan…

“Your heavy steps woke me up…” He said under his breath, his eyes still closed.

Nice timing, jerk. I thought. “I’m just collecting the laundry, sorry for waking you.” I started to walk towards the door, but then I noticed something. On the floor, next to his closet door: Pressed slacks, newly washed shirt, and shined sneakers.

“That wasn’t there before…” I whispered quietly to myself. But apparently not quiet enough.

“What wasn’t there before?” Crap. He heard me, now he’s going to dig his way into my plans!

“Just those things, by the closet. Looks like something you’d wear to…” And then it hit me. “Looks like something you’d wear… to an important event.” I turned fast and glared at him. He was sitting up in his bed.

“Well, I have something important to attend to today. I had to lay out my best clothes before-hand.” He yawned and stretched out his frail arms.

“Hmpf, well you’re not going anywhere with the condition you’re in. ‘Sides, mom and dad will never let you out of here.” I knew damn straight were this little brat wanted to go. He was going to get to Aika before I could!

Then he gave a menacing smirk that, somehow, made me jolt inside. He hung his head down, but still continued to smile, in a devious way. He looked… odd.

“And, little brother, who said mom and dad was going to find out?” Then he quickly turned his head towards me. The look in his eyes mean business, and I had to scram. So I dropped the laundry bag and raced for the door… But I was too slow… Like when we were children, he was always faster and tougher than me, but he couldn’t hurt a fly, unless he really wanted to.

“DAMN!!” I yelled as he tackled me to the floor. I was going to elbow him in the you-know-where but he grabbed my hands and yanked my arms back. “AHHHUGHH!!!” I screamed. It really hurt.

“Ok, now shut up and listen.” He was serious.

“I… How did you even manage to get on top of me??”

“A stupid ill pill isn’t going to change the fact that I’m still both mentally and physically stronger than you, little brother.”

I started kicking, but I couldn’t budge. “Uhg, Justin! Get off me!” But that didn’t do.. He took his other hand and pushed my face against the ground.

“I know what’s going on. You’re going to confess to Aika today, aren’t you?”

My pulse shot up high. How did he know?

“I’m not stupid. Besides, we’re twins, we basically want the same needs, and I know who I need. And that’s Aika.”

I tried to pull my arms free, but he was still weighing me down.  “J-Justin…!!”

“SHUT UP!!! I know, I know I’ve taken so many many MANY things from you in the past. I know that this family fortune should be yours! I know that while I was living comfortably in nice houses moving from state-to-state, you were at some brutal boarding school oceans away! And I know, that you want Aika for yourself…!”

I clenched my fist, and with a gasping breath I was able to kick him off me. “THEN WHY ARE YOU HOLDING ME BACK, HUH?!” I jumped up, rubbing the back of my sore neck.

“Because she’s something I want too! This time is different, she’s not someone I can just wait for to fall in love with me. She’s not like the things dad and mom gave me, she’s not an item than can be dropped into my hands like the fortune. And you’re the one who told me that I should go out and get her for myself!”

            I took in a few breaths, and I remembered, I did tell him that.

“Well, I never got anything. And apparently, you understand how I feel! So why when I’ve found the one thing I want, why the hell would you try to stop me?!”

“Be-because I…!! Because.. I…” His voice got quieter and quieter. I saw the look on his face, he was getting pail; gasping for breath; trembling. Before I knew it, he was on his knees, using the bed for support. But he still couldn’t stand back up again.

“You’re… weak!” I stomped on his pile of clothes.

“Oh, really?” He coughed a couple times, then continued. “Then how come in this, -cough- state that I’m in, I was still able to drag you down?” He was still having trouble breathing, but not enough trouble to draw another wild smile on his face.

“My back was turned, and you got lucky! But you won’t be lucky next time.” I warned him.

            Then mom ran into the room. She was devastated at the look of her poor, first-born child, ill-looking on the floor with difficulty breathing. She completely shoved me out of the way, even with my beaten shirt, messed up hair, and bruised forehead and shoulder from were Justin held me down. She told me to go and get dad, and so I left the room, and didn’t look back.

“Dad, mom wants�"” I froze when I walked into the living room, and I saw dad talking with a man I had never seen before. I got down behind a couch before they could see me, and I ‘dropped in’ on their conversation.

“I suggest keeping Justin home at all times.” The man said. He had a voice of a man not to be messed with.

“Yes, of course I will. So now they’ve got us huh? Who knew it would be so fast.”

What? Who? Who got us? I thought.

“But your youngest one,” the man began to talk again.

“Kevin?” my dad asked, like the man should know who I am.

“Yeah, him. He can still remain free around the world. If they catch him, nothing happens to your successor, so that’s all that matters.” The man assured him.

“Very well then, I’ll inform my wife.”

“Oh but sir, don’t tell Justin. We wouldn’t want him to get scared or anything.”

“Well, shouldn’t he have a right to know?” Dad rebutted.

“Not now. It’s too soon. Kevin may know.”

“Then when do I tell my son? When his brother goes missing? Then I can tell him the kidnappers went and got him??” Dad’s tone was so serious. He sounded like, he cared about me. For once, thinking of me as a person, and not a pawn.

“Well, Mr. Hue, it was your idea to get rid of him in the first place…”

Oh right, it was dad’s fault I was gone all these years. And he didn’t care for me enough from the beginning anyways. My 1-minute admiration for him sunk back down to hate. I couldn’t listen to this much longer, so I went back to my room and waited until the man was gone. When he finally left, it was 2:45, almost time to get going. I went downstairs to tell dad about what mom wanted me to tell him earlier, but he was gone.

“Uh, James!” I called to my butler while he passed through the room.

“Yes, sir?”

“Where did my dad go?”

“Oh right, Mr. Hue told me not to tell anyone anything except that he was on an outing. He’ll be back around 4:00.”

            An outing, huh? I bet he just went to go meet with the kidnappers and tried to make some deal with them by waving his wads of cash in front of their face. Man, my dad is a real pain when it comes to cash. I told mom I was going to take the laundry out so I grabbed my jacket, the laundry bag, checked my hair real quick before I left and was out the door.

“WAIT SIR!” I heard James call me back from the patio. “Take this umbrella, it may rain later!”

“Oh, thanks.” I took it and stuffed it into the bag, it almost didn’t fit but I made it fit.

            I checked the time on my cell phone. 2:50. If I hurry, I can get there right at 3:15. And so I ran as fast as I could, not knowing who was following me.

 

 

 

-Justin-

I WAITED UNTIL mom left the room and I saw her leave the house from my bedroom window. She was going to the store. It was around the time that James would be watering the plants in our backyard, but just to make sure NO ONE was paying attention to me, I waited for a few more minutes. I checked the clock on my bedside table- 3:00 exact. I had to get going.

            I quickly went through my closet looking for some kind of disguised outfit, yet still fashionable looking (I didn’t want Aika to laugh at me) since Kevin pounded on my other clothes earlier. But I guess that was kind of my fault. Anyways, I had to be fast. By the time I got changed it was almost 3:10. At the pace I was going, and how far away my house is from the school, there’s no way I could get there by 3:25 on foot. I had to find some other way.

            I looked into our garage and found just what I needed: A motor scooter! I haven’t used it in months, but the battery should still be charged. I pushed it out the garage door quietly and down one block before I started the engine.

            The engine roared beautifully. I knew it was going to take me there. But then I checked the time again: IT WAS 3:20!!!

“NO! School’s out in 5 minutes!! Kevin’s probably half-way there!” So I hopped on the scooter, put on my helmet, and floored on the gas. Boy, did I fling through that street fast.

 

            I was half-way there, everything felt great! Sure, I’m still about 7 minutes away (and it was 3:30), but it’s not like exactly at 3:25 she’s going to be at the tennis court. I mean, she still has to go to her locker and stuff.

            I stopped at the stop sign of busy intersection. No car on my street, but on the other street was a railway full of cars! And next to me was the laundry mat, and Kevin walking out of it.

Crap! I need to make sure he doesn’t notice me! I pulled the helmet farther over my face and looked away. But the only thing I wasn’t hiding was the license plate on the scooter that said ‘HUE 1’. Ahh man, come on cars! Stop and give me a chance to pass!

            I looked over again, and what I saw shocked me. A group of people coming out of a big black van, and they were surrounding Kevin! I saw Kevin drop the laundry bag as the people around him gathered closer. I got scared… Those people, those people were the kidnappers! They were after me! Not Kevin!! Finally the cars on the other street slowed down, I had an opening right then and there, but should I keep going, or stop and help my brother?

            I looked over once more, hoping maybe Kevin fought them off and I could continue to Aika, but that’s not what I saw. One man had tackled him to the ground.

“NO!” I shouted. They all turned and looked at me. And through the cracks of the bodies of people hovering over Kevin, I saw him mouth, ‘Justin, why?’. I hopped off my scooter, parked it on the sidewalk, took my helmet off, and approached the group of people.

“Justin, are you stupid?!” I heard Kevin shout, then one of the men kicked him in his sides and he squealed.

“SHUT UP!” The man ordered.

“DON’T DO THAT TO MY BROTHER!!!!” I clenched my fist and stepped forward.

“You’re brother?” One of the other guys snorted. Then he took a quick look at Kevin, then back at me. “No way, they’re twins!!”

The group of people stepped back, even the guy that kicked Kevin. They looked at me, then him, and they gasped and chattered.

“Well then, I guess either of them will do… They’ve both got the information, so the first one we can sack is in the bag!” The man who kicked Kevin exclaimed. And soon the group of people circled around Kevin and I, and the fighting began.

           

            It was about 12 minutes into the fight, and I know my body couldn’t hold on any longer. With every punch, with every kick, I was getting weaker. And I know it, but why did I keep going? I looked over at my brother a couple times too, and he seemed ok, but not perfect.

I’ll do whatever it takes… To get to her!  Those were Kevin’s words from so long ago… His words of determination. I know why I’m fighting now, I’m fighting for the sake of my brother, not because I want to go to Aika. If that was true, then I would have completely left my brother, and let those guys take him away. But I didn’t.. And Kevin, he’s not fighting back for me, he’s fighting for himself, and so that he can go see Aika.  What a man he is… Fighting for his love, even if it meant covering me and getting kidnapped. If it were me, I would have lost so fast, I couldn’t fight back. No matter how strong I was. Knowing that the people I feared most finally had their hands on me would scare me too much, I would hesitate in a second. Kevin was right… I really am, weak. And I guess, the truth of the matter was… I didn’t really love Aika. If that was true… I wouldn’t be fighting here, right now. What a terrible Prince I am. She deserves better than a boy who has to keep half of his life a secret from his princess, who has to constantly miss school, someone so weak, someone like me. If we were together, she wouldn’t be able to see me half the time!

It started raining… Almost pouring, and the fighting began to get difficult.

“TAKE THIS!!!” I heard a man shout, then before I knew it a bold, big, fist was heading towards my face. I flinched, knowing this was the final blow. This is what was going to take me down. But when I heard the smack, it wasn’t on my face. It was…

“K-kevin?!” My eyes widened, as I saw blood splatter across his face and onto the hard cement.

“Uhhh…” He dropped to his knees.

“FINALLY!! Hurry up and grab him boys!” The man declared. But the look on Kevin’s worn face… It was something, something even I couldn’t bare witnessing. So right before the people could grab him, I threw myself in front of him, shielding him like a rock.

“What are you doing?!” He yelled at me.

“It’s ok! I don’t care if they take me away! It was how it was suppose to be in the end anyways!”

“What are you talking about?! STUPID!! I’m the pawn! They’re suppose to take ME away!”

“Yeah, well now it doesn’t matter since they know our little secret, so just SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!” I felt someone punch my stomach, and it was hard. But I wasn’t going down, not yet.

“D****t, Justin… Why are you here?!” I saw tears run down his cheeks. “YOU SHOULD BE WITH AIKA!!” And that was the first for me, in all the years we have been alive, I never once, accept now, saw my brother cry.

“Kevin, listen to me… I.. I want you to go to Aika!”

His eyes grew big, I knew he was in shock.

“What….?”

“I UNDERSTAND NOW. I know why you want her so much! AND YOU CAN HAVE HER! No, you DESERVE HER!” Another punch, that got me on my knees, but I wasn’t done yet.

“DAMN KID, WHY WONT YOU JUST GIVE UP?!” Another man yelled and slapped my face.

“Justin, please, PLEASE STOP!! STOP INJURING YOURSELF FOR ME!! I’M SUPPOSE TO BE DOING THAT FOR YOU!!”

“KEVIN!!! You’re not listening to me!! You deserve her as much as I do! You can get her! And with me gone, she wont have to worry about never seeing you again!”

“BUT, she’s in love with you!!”

            And finally, with one big punch in the face, I was down… I had no more ability to stand. I felt the touch of 2 strong grips around my arms, dragging me away. The last thing I remember seeing was Kevin’s bruised and teary face. Struggling to stand, but hardly could.

With all the energy I had left, I was able to shout back to him, the last words he’d ever hear from me, “Kevin! You can make her fall in love with you too! I know you can! You have… that charm! Even I…. could never,” I began to sob. “even I, could never hate you! I love you, my brother!! No matter, all the things I said to you, or did to you, you’re my brother and I�"!!”

The door of the van shut. It was total darkness. But I still whispered, the ends of my sentence. “You’re my brother, and I love you.”

 

 

 

-Kevin-

I.. DON’T UNDERSTAND. Why was he… just letting go of his chance? He had the opportunity then, to just go on to Aika and confess. I know how she feels about him, there was no doubt she would accept. I was just the pawn, here only for a limited amount of time. It was my job to make sure Justin, the king, was safe, no matter the hatred I had for him. And I thought he hated me too, so why did he sacrifice himself? For one, now the family fortune is going to go to the wrong hands, and for two, dad is going to kill me.

            I continued walking from the laundry mat, the laundry bag dragging on the floor behind me. The rain was getting harder and harder. I couldn’t go on after 5 minutes… And the school was only about a block away. I came across a blank intersection. No cars anywhere. There were a few homes, but not many people walking around.

            Should I still go? I know just how Justin felt about her… He wouldn’t give up so easy, especially over me! There has to be something else behind this…

            I stumbled onto the ground, hearing nothing but the sound my bruised knees smacking against the pavement. I thought I’d just kneel there for a second, and let the rain shower over me, because water made me feel at-ease. But then, I just couldn’t hold myself up, and I fell forward onto the ground (thank goodness for the pile of grass that was conveniently there).

            I felt numb as the water splattered onto my back, but it felt good. No cars, no people, just me and the earth. Soon, it felt like everything around me stopped, and the only thing I could hear was the sound of me breathing.

            I wonder if I just close my eyes here, if I can go to sleep, if things can forget it all. Ever meeting Aika, transferring to this school, going back to my dictator father, the fight, and those words… “I love you brother”, I want to forget it all. So slowly, I closed my eyelids, trying to get away from everything. Even Aika. I know it was like, my goal to steal her away, to have her for myself, to beat Justin for once in my life. But that was it, just beating Justin, finally getting something he wanted but couldn’t have. And now that Justin just threw his chance away, I wonder if I should too. But, even though it wasn’t like it at first, now I really do love her, and I want her, but I know who she wants, and it’s not me.

            But then that’s when I realized, I couldn’t just throw my chance away, not this time. I let everyone walk over me and use me, but Justin…He just threw himself into the fish tank, to save me! That’s a real man right there, and honestly, I don’t think I could have done that. She really does deserve better. And that’s exactly what she’s going to get. I know, I could think of this moment as an opportunity to change myself, my life, for the better.

            So I opened my eyes to the bright world, got up, and I was sore. And now that I was really awake, that’s when I picked up the laundry bag to realize, it was much heavier than I thought.

“Now, what could that be?” I opened the bag wide, not caring if the newly washed clothes got soaked, and I pulled out an umbrella. “Ah, that’s what it was…” I paused. Then I felt, how would you say, empowered? “What am I doing here,” I said to myself, looking at my watch, “I’ve got to get to Aika!”

            4:13pm

 

 

                           -Aika-

“NO WAY.” I frowned and checked my phone for the time. “I can’t believe this! I can understand Kevin being so late, but Justin?! No way!” I shifted my grip on my umbrella; the rain was beating down harder and my cheap umbrella was falling apart. I swear, sooner or later the rain is going to poke a hole in this thing.

“It’s getting really cold… I should have brought a coat with me.” I said to myself and checked the time again. “4:30. Man.” I sighed, and thought maybe I should just accept the fact that I was stood up. It’s never happened to me before, so I didn’t know how I was suppose to react… I was just silent.

“Ok… I’m going to wait 5 more minutes. And if he’s not.. Or if they don’t.. If none of them come I’m just gonna…” I felt like tears were pushing their way out of my eyes, but I was trying really hard not to cry, or even tear up. “I’m just gonna leave!” I stomped hard on the ground and dropped my umbrella.

I felt even colder now that the rain and wind was blowing onto me. But that didn’t matter now, what really matters is, I was sobbing. I was rubbing my eyes, which I’m sure were now red, and my knees were shaking. But who was I crying over? I guess if they’re going to be late, I might as well just think… Who should I pick, Justin or Kevin? I had like, all week to think about it, and I STILL didn’t make a decision.

I checked my phone again and it was already 7 minutes since I said I would be waiting 5 more minutes. I gripped my worn umbrella tightly. I guess, they decided not to come. Just thinking about them not coming made me, sad. But for some reason, the tears just wouldn’t come out. I wanted to leave and go home, but my feet wouldn’t move. Come on, I COULDN’T be this cold! But I guess I was, because man was I shaking… And then….

“Hey,” A bigger, thicker, new umbrella hovered over me. It made my wimpy umbrella look like a mouse compared to it. “That umbrella isn’t going to do any good… You’re going to catch a cold.”

            I knew that voice… I knew exactly who it was… It was Kevin. I didn’t turn around though, I was too embarrassed, and I dropped my poor excuse for an umbrella onto the drenched pavement.

“Do, you want me to pick that up for you?” He bent over, which is when I noticed his jacket was totally ragged! So I turned around and faced him, his face was oh-so-close to mine. When I noticed that, I stepped back quickly, out into the pouring rain.

“What?” He asked, blinking his eyes fast.

            Now that I was in the light, I could see: His bruised face, torn shirt, dirty jacket, ripped jeans. “WHAT HAPPENED??” I jolted, and almost slipped.

“I, uh… It’s not important, really.” He responded, then walked closer towards me. He held the umbrella over me once again.

“What… What are you doing here?” I finally asked.

“You should know, Nee told you, right? I want to talk to you.”

“I know that, I mean, what about?”

He just looked at me, with those ocean blue pearls you call eyes. I felt as if they were talking to me, it was amazing.

“Aika, what if I kissed you? Right here and right now?” He said in a rather loud and joking tone.

“HUH?!” I almost slipped out from underneath the umbrella again. “Wh-Why?! And hush! You’re talking so loud!” I put a finger up to my lips as a signal for him to just shut up.

“So what? Would there be a problem if someone heard me talking like this?”

“Yes! It’d be a huge problem! Rumors start quick, just someone hearing you say things like that, it would start�"!”

“Things like what?” He interrupted right away.

I felt like nudging him in the stomach; He was acting rather jerkish, the way he was speaking to me. “Well, saying things like wanting to kiss me! And we’re already sharing an umbrella so�"”

“And again I say, so what?” His voice was totally serious now. “What if someone heard me talking about that? What if we were sharing an umbrella, and, and…” He stepped closer to me. “What If I just kissed you, huh?! What if I just�"?” Then he did the unthinkable. He put both hands on my shoulders, the umbrella fell onto the ground, he leaned in towards my face, I squeezed my eyes shut, and he… stopped. Right when his lips were about a centimeter from mine! He…. Stopped!!

            I slowly released the tight grip on my eyes, then I opened them. I saw his eyes, and they whispered to me “I’m tired”. He kind of had a daze in them, then his head leaned to the left and plopped onto my shoulder. He just… rested there.

“K-Kevin?” My voiced quivered. I was cold, nervous, wet because of the rain… And he wasn’t making it any easier. But that moment stood out to me. I know exactly why he was here, and I have no idea were Justin is, but if he was here, he’d be here for the same thing.

“Aika…” He whispered. “I like you.”

            I gasped, and then I put my hand on his head. “I think, you should go home. And rest.”

 

 

-June-

“WHAT THE HELL?!” Excuse my language, but what?! 

            Joy, who was helping me clean up the club room after everyone else went home, scrambled as fast as she could to me.

“What is it Ms. President?!” She sounded alarmed.

“Club activities are over… Just call me June.” I said through my teeth, and I clenched my fist tightly.

“Huh, you seem angry, June.” She tilted her head.

“I am… Take a look out the window.” I pointed in the direction of the tennis court, were I saw Justin Hue, holding his head over… some one!! I don’t know who, but oh man… I bet this is the girl he has a crush on!

“Wha�"?!” Joy took an innocent-sounding gasp. “Who is that girl? Oh wait, is this the girl he was talking about in his notes the other day?!”

            I couldn’t answer. So many thoughts ran through my head at once: Who is this girl? Does she like Justin? Does he like her? Are they a secret couple? When did this happen? How come I don’t know about it? RAGE!!!

“EMERGENCY MEETING!!!” I screamed, and slammed my hand on a desk. “NOW!!!”

“Oh, but um, June�"!”

“THAT’S MS. PRESIDENT TO YOU, MISSY!!” I screamed in Joy’s face.

“Oh oh oh, I’m sorry I’m sorry! But, the girls are probably at home hitting the books or going to sleep. And besides, it’s already 5:00, by the time they get here after school activities will have to close!”

“Then we’ll ask the janitor to keep this room unlocked for a little bit longer!” I glared at her and gave her my signature stare, the one that made just about ANYONE listen to me, and she grabbed the school phone and began dialing numbers.

 

 

-Nick-

WHOA… I remember someone, I think it was a little kid, no, a little boy, anyways, he called me (I have no idea why he had my number) and he told me to wait after school by the tennis court. I remember him giving these instructions, and I quote, “If things get out of hand, I trust you can fix it! Just make sure Aika doesn’t leave! Don’t be seen either, but if she starts to leave, casually show up and stall her!” I didn’t know what all that was for, but I went anyways.

            So for almost half an hour I sat behind a bush and just watched. She just stood there, then it even started pouring! I had my hood so I was set, but she had no hood, and this old, beat up umbrella. I really felt bad for her… I had a better umbrella in my backpack, but apparently I wasn’t supposed to be seen unless she started to leave. Sigh. What the heck am I supposed to do now?! I said to myself a couple times. Things we getting really boring until…

“Nick?” A deep, broad voice came from behind me. At first I was startled because I thought it was a teacher and they thought I was ‘peeping’ on Aika, but to my luck, it was only Mason.

“Oh man, you scared me, bro!” I gave him the hand signal to get down.

“Are you hiding from someone?” He asked, seating himself comfortably on the wet pavement.

“Uh, kind of. I have to watch Aika, someone told me to.”

“Oh..” He looked over the bushes and saw her, standing in the same place as she was 10 minutes ago, constantly glancing at her watch. “Who is she waiting for?” He asked.

“Honestly I don’t know. But the someone who told me to stay  and watch her also told me that if she tried to leave to make sure she stays, but I can’t be seen.”

“Hm, sounds pretty shady to me.” Mason tilted his head back.

“I know, right?”

            Another 30 minutes had passed. Now 3 things where on my mind: 1) Who asked me to wait here for Aika, and why? 2) Who is she waiting for? And 3) What is Mason still doing here??

“Dude, when are you going home?” I asked him in the most direct way possible, but I didn’t mean to.

“Well I don’t want to go home yet.” He eyed me from head to toe… Was this guy ‘checking me out?’

“What are you doing?” I asked, a little less direct than last time.

“Well, you are like, soaked. How long have u been out here?”

“Let’s see, it’s 4:00… I’ve been here for almost an hour and a half.”

“Dang!” He seemed surprised… But I guess I was surprised myself.

            After about, once again, another 30 minutes, both him and I were ready to pack it up. The rain was drenching my coat all the way through my other clothes underneath it, and Mason (even though he had an umbrella) seemed tired of holding onto it. Plus, nothing amusing was really happening; Aika looked like she was about to leave too.      

            But then I noticed a guy coming from behind Aika… I couldn’t tell who he was, yet, and I was about to scream out “HEY, BEHIND YOU!!!” But then as he walked closer, I noticed that it was Justin! Or wait, I remember what Aika told me about his twin… Maybe it was Kevin? I don’t know. I couldn’t see his eyes.

            Basically, Mason and I just saw the whole thing happen. What was on my mind was “Whoa, I didn’t see that coming.” And it really was quite a shocker. He’s skipped a lot of school days, who kenw he’d come back just to be with Aika?! I guess she kind of got what she wanted. I remember when me and Aika were really close, like when I used to have a crush on her, she used to tell me she with a cute boy would come along and sweep her off her feet. I laughed at that because, 1) since I liked her at the time, I wanted to be that boy and I knew she didn’t like me back. 2) no way that was ever going to happen. And 3) I don’t think anyone could literally “sweep her off her feet”.

            All and all, I was really happy for her. But she didn’t seem so happy, she seemed kind of confused. And when they left, both sharing the same umbrella, I noticed she tried to keep her distance away from him. I hope she’ll be okay. So the only question for me right now is: Who was the kid that called me on the phone and assigned me this task?