Chapter 25

I GOT UP EARLIER than usual the next day. It was homecoming of course, the great football game and dance, and even better: My first public outing with my first boyfriend! I had taken a nice 10-minute shower and picked out some really good clothes. With some extra time to spare, I straighted my hair and put it in a small side bun... And it actually looked good! I don't usually wear my hair up in buns or ponytails, but I guess this day was an exception. I added a little consealer and mascara and I was good to go!

     I trotted downstairs, to find my dad still at home. He usually leaves around 7:00 so I was surprised to see him still home.

Oh great. I thought. He's gonna ask about my clothes and stuff! Why me? I tilted my head, then I just thought I better face him now or never so I walked into the kitchen like I do as if it were any other school day.

"Oh, good morning sweetie. You're up early, even your brother isn't awake yet, and that's saying something." My dad chuckled.

"Oh hey dad." I searched the fridge for a pudding cup.

"Hm, why are you dressed so nicely today? And why with makeup?" My dad approached me slowly.

"Oh, just because. It's homecoming today, so I wanted to look nice. You know, support Roosevelt! Heh heh..." I'm such a terrible liar, and he knew it.

"Right... But the dance isn't even until tonight? What's going on Aika?" Dad's voice went from playful to serious in a second.

I sighed. "Ok ok dad. Here, in about 10 minutes Kev-- uh, Justin is coming to pick me up. We're walking to school together."

    Then things became quiet. Oh man, I HATE those silent moments.

"Right, your new boyfriend." Dad said slyly.

"My first, correction." I rebutted.

"Yeah. Aika, I know I'm letting you date but... Only this once, for now. I want to see how you will handle it." Dad always wanted to make things a test; Harder than it has to be.

"Alright dad. No problem."

    Then he had noticed that he was going to be late for work if he didn't leave now, so he kissed me on the cheek and rushed out the door. 5 minutes after that, Kevin arrived. He looked really cute in his straight-slim jeans, red ZOOYORK shirt and black Converse hoodie. I told mom I was leaving and she gave me the "OK" and me and him walked up to the bus stop together.

    We finally got off at the McDonalds across the street from our school. The 5 minute bus ride was rather silent. I thought maybe we'd be chatting and talking all the way there. You know, couple stuff, but it was a little awkward. So here we are outside McDonalds, standing right next to eachother, not knowing what to say next.

"Alright, let's go." He finally broke the silence. He swung his backpack over his shoulders with his left hand and with his right hand..... grabbed mine.

"BWAAH!!" I let go and jumped back.

"What?!" He asked, looking terrifed.

"W-well I.... Uh. We're in public." I sound like a baby... Ugh, this is what an over-protective parent does to you.

"Yeah, but we are going out now so might as well, give it a try?" He started blushing, almost as hard as I was, then he lifted his hand again.

"Uh... O-ok." I slowly reached for his hand and he slowly reached for mine, and believe me it was a SLOW process. The tips of my fingers slightly touched his when Diane and Austin ran right in between us breaking me and Kevin apart.

"HEY HEY!!! Why so lovey-dovey in the morning, huh?!" Diane jumped with joy and smiled at me. "Good morning Aika!"

"Oh, h-hey. Good morning!" I pasted a smile on my face. My first friend I saw today and she had to be with her boyfriend, holding hands, and it made me feel like loser that I couldn't even hold my own's hand.

"Come on you two, let's go!" Austin added. I looked at Kevin, puzzled, and he looked back at me. I was just about to start walking when he grabbed my hand, and wouldn't let go.

"Alright, let's go Aika.." He said through his teeth.

"H-hey, why so tight a grip?!" I squeeked.

"Well believe it or not, this is my first time holding a girl's hand so.. I'm sorry if it hurts." He was blushing, and I know he tried to sound manly even though he was really shy.

     But that was one difference with him and Justin. If I had picked Justin over Kevin, he and I would still be standing back at McDonalds, shy and not even standing close. At least Kevin tries to be a man.

     But any way, I felt great. He and I held hands all the way to the school campus (were we still held hands) and walked to the usual hangout spot. Right in front of the school by the tables. I noticed other kids looking at us and whispering. Mostly girls though, and it sounded like "No way, they go out?!" or "I'm so jealous!" or "Why not me?!" or "Aika is sooo lucky!" I just wish they'd stop... I felt so embarrassed, and even MORE embarassed when we finally reached our group. Nick, Mason, Issac, and Macy all just looked at us. In awe, it seemed.

"They look cute, right?" Diane nudged Mason in the side.

"Uh... Yeah." He looked happy and sad. Oh... could he be jealous? No.. I  had to put that off to the side for now.

     Still gripping Kevin's hand, I finally said something. "Good morning you guys!" Everyone smiled and we all started talking. I didn't let go of his hand the whole time. We just waited for the bell to ring and we passed time with talking and laughing and spitting out jokes.

"Justin, who knew what a cute couple you and Aika would make?" Macy pointed out, then Issac agreed.

"What? You guys pictured us together before we even happened?" Kevin asked.

"We do that a lot with our friends," Issac started, "and it usually works out. We used to imagine Diane and Austin together and they happened, we even imagine myself and Macy and--"

"We happened!" Macy finished Issac's sentence and the whole group chuckled.

Then Nick started, "And it seems you two worked out well." He smiled at us.

"Yeah, you're right." Kevin replied. "Hm, in fact..." He turned his head and kissed me...! ON THE CHEEK!

"Heeeh?!" I bursted out and my face flushed pink.

"Well I had to make it official..." He smiled and raised a peace sign with his fingers.

"Oh my gosh, you guys are just too cute!" Diane friend-smacked me on the shoulder.

     Everything.... felt perfect. Then the bell rang and we trotted inside the school. It got a little confusing, with everyone calling Kevin Justin. A couple times I even messed up and called him Kevin and everyone (except Mason and Nick) asked who Kevin was. I simply explained that Kevin was this character in an anime I was recently hooked on so his name kept popping up in my head. It seemed to full a lot of people, then in one of my classes were I didn't have Kevin in, Nick finally brought it up through a note:

 

Hey, are you dating Justin or Kevin? I'm confused..

 

Kevin. Why?

 

Then were is Justin? Oh, he still not commin to school, huh?

 

Yeah. I think so.

 

Ah. Wait, so is Kevin yur replacement for Justin or are u really dating Kevin but using Justin as a coverup?

 

The second one.

 

Hm. Mkay. Does Justin know?

 

      I thought about it for a second. Does Justin really know that I'm dating his brother? Well, he should. I mean, they both live under the same house and see eachother every day. Oh man, that totally reminded me of what I wanted to ask Kevin yesterday when he came over! Were was Justin that one day? Why was he all bruised up? And now a new question, does Justin even know about us?

 

Yeah, he knows. He was kinda sad, but I explained it all to him and we're still friends.

 

Oh, thats good then.

 

     Time flew by fast in that class (it was geometry, of course time flew by in that class) and before I knew it it was lunch time. I thought maybe I'd catch up with Mason and Nick at the lunch table, and maybe discuss a little bit more aboutJustin and Kevin. But then again, I had to go talk to Kevin about yesterday. All the quesions I had.

     I headed over to the usual table by the windows in the cafeteria. Nick, Mason, Macy, Issac, Diane, and Austin... I never really noticed it until now, but i sure do have some great friends. Two empty seats, 'coincidently' side-by-side, were left open and I saw Kevin take one, so I knew I just had to take the other. Right as I was about to take my seat, guess who slid past me and sat on it instead?

"Hey hey!" Bea got comfortable in what was supose to be my chair. The people standing around the table (and some sitting down) moved back a bit. But Kevin, who had no idea how to react, just sat in the same spot.

"Oh my gosh, Justin! You look so great today, booooy!!" Ew.. She sounded like a preppy vally girl. She tried to make her voice sound like a little girl's so her voice constantly cracked. Wannabe much?

    Then she did the unthinkable... She slung her glitter-colored arms with bangly bracelts right around Kevin's shoulder!!!

"Uah--?!" Kevin screeched. The rest of the table gasped.

"What's the matter? All girls do this with guys, sheesh, were have all you cavemen been?" She snorted and then faced Kevin. "So what up?"

Kevin glanced at me. I was a little mad. But I was sad too, and I wanted to cry and scream at the same time. But I couldn't... I'm not the type to do that.

"Damn," Kevin slapped Bea's arm off his shoulder. "get your hand off of me!" He stood right up.

"Uh, I was just being a friend, my God." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah?" He started. "I don't think friends treat eachother like you did on the first day of school. I don't think they turn everyone else on the other person like you did not-too-long ago. And I DON'T think," He walked over to me and held my hand. He took it and showed our linking fingers to Bea. "I don't think friends hit on their friend's boyfrieds." I looked at Kevin. He was so heroic!

Bea had a look of discust on her face. "Psh, well that she-witch hit on my boyfriend all the time when we went out!"

     What? What the heck was she talking about?! I never hitted on Nick! I'll admit that when I first met him I had a little crush on him, but when he asked me out I turned him down! Not just because I couldn't have a boyfriend at the time, but I just didn't want to be with him. And 4 months later he got with Bea. But he was always still my best guy friend, and of course I give hugs to my guy friends! But as FRIENDS, nothing more!

    She eyed me, and I just looked away. "Aint that right, Aika?! You hit on my boyfee all the friggin time and YOU as sure as hell know it!" She stood up and put her hands on her hips. My head was still turned away, but I could see her reflection in the window.

"Aika? No way!" Thanks Kevin for backing me up.

"No way!" Nick added... Wait, Nick?

"Nick? Why are you defending her?! You even said she was--!" Then Nick cut off Bea.

"No, I only said that because you wouldn't shut the hell up about it unless I agreed. So I did. I told you EVERYTHING you wanted to hear." Whoa, Nick was getting furious. This is the first time he'd ever stood up to Bea, I can tell.

"So many times I wanted to stand up to you, and do you know why I didn't? Because I knew you would cause more problems for me. What kind of love was that? You forced me into all your issues that I didn't want to be apart of. You made all my decisions and acted so stupid! That bunny I gave you, you actually treated it like it was real?!"

     That was true. Bea took that stuffed bunny with her to school every day. She made it books, a cradel, a carrying pouch, she even fed it... WITH REAL FOOD.

     "And you know what else Bea?" Nick walked right up to her and poked his pointer finger at her forehead. "If you think dressing up like a trashy clubber, hanging out with the popular rich blonds, and really flirting with other guys is going to get me back... Then you are utterly mistaken."

     He turned and looked at the whole cafeteria. Almost half the kids were looking as us (at Nick, actually). Nick turned back to Bea, who seemed like she was about to cry, and then he turned back at us. We were pretty much in awe and shock, then Diane lit a little smile on her face and gave Nick the thumbs up. Nick smiled, then exclaimed "And we're off!" in a sarcastic manner. All of us headed outside to the picnic tables, leaving Bea behind in the cafeteria, just ready to sob.

     Bea Soles... Not my second best friend, not my thrid best friend, not my fourth or fifth... You aren't even apart of the list. You are nothing. I don't usually hate people. I can only dislike them. But you... I hate you. I don't care if you're crying right now. You deserve it for EVERYTHING you've done to me and a lot of other people.

  

     Kevin and I sat next to eachother on the picnic tables after school, waiting for my mom to pick us up. His hand on top of mine, the wind slightly blowing our hair away from in front of our faces... Just how I pictured me and Kida Masaomi. Ha, funny, I actually drew it one day when I was bored. I drew me and Kida sitting on a park bench downtown. And here is me and Kevin on a table in front of school. Not exact, but just right.

     "Aika," Kevin sounded serious. "I need to tell you something."

"Oh, what?" I said and faced him.

"Justin, uh..." He had a quiver in his voice, which made me a little worried.

"Justin what?" I asked, slightly afraid of the answer to come.

"He uh... The other day, when I went to confess to you. Well, the reason why Justin wasn't there... Was because he had been kidnapped."

    It was a shock. It was scary. No! Why?! I felt my eyes grow huge, my heart almost stopped beating. Justin... Was kidnapped?!

"I didn't want to tell you at first Aika.. Because you were so happy! And today is the homecoming dance! I didn't want to make you sad on such a happy day." Kevin put his arms around me.

"K-kevin.. Is he going to be ok?!" I tugged on his shirt. "I-I mean.. He was telling me, he was telling me that he had always been watched! He told me he had to w-wear a disguise whenever he goes out! It wasn't fair.. It wasnt!" I clenched the part of his shirt in my hands tightly and gritted my teeth. Why were tears slowly coming out of my eyes? "I can't believe... They got to him...!" And before I knew it, I was sobbing little tears. Poor Justin.

     "Aika, stop crying." Kevin lifted my head with his hand. "He'll come back. I know it. My dad is uh, he's sending out people to go get him. So don't worry, ok?"

    We both stayed on the table until my mom came and picked me up. When I got home I took a 1 hour nap, then after that I took a shower and got ready for the dance. I straightened my hair to perfection, my mom helped me with (light) makeup and then I got my blue mini-dress on. I had blue tights underneath, a half-top jacket to make myself a little warmer, and a pair of black heels. I don't usually wear heels so it was a real pain walking around in them.

 

     Kevin came with his mom (I didn't know she could drive) and drove the both of us back to the school. Nick or Bea didn't show up, but Macy, Issac, Austin, and Diane were there. They had a lot of fun dancing and jumping around with eachother.

     Most of the time Kevin and I just stood around. It felt so weird trying to dance with him since all they played were high-strung, hip hop beat music. I almost wanted to go home, then a semi-slow song played and Kevin took my hand.

"Wanna dance, m'lady?" He tried to sound charming.

"Heh, what?" I smiled so cheeky.

"Oh," He pulled me out to the dance floor. "just playing Prince is all." He winked and looked into my eyes. His deep blue eyes, covered by brown-contacts, still shined a little bit.

"But, you're not the Princely character at all!" I giggled.

"Oh really?" He leaned in and gave me a kiss. Right on the lips! It was a quick, but startling peck.

"BWAH!" I jumped back, nearly tripping on my heels.

"What?" He smiled and walked over to me.

    I covered my mouth with my hand. "Wh-why?!" I ranted.

"Why what?" He replied with a chuckle.

"Why'd you kiss me?! On the lips I mean!"

"Because i like you! And it seemed like a nice moment. I think..."

"YOU DEFINITELY AREN'T THE PRINCELY CHARACTER AT ALL!!!" I ranted again. I pouted and he just laughed.

    We never danced that night... The dance overall was pretty boring anyway, a waste of 5 bucks, even if we danced. That kiss was the life of the party... And a shock! I can't tell my parents that, they will kill whoever did that (well maybe my dad will, my mom will probably go "Aw, how cute! BUT NEVER AGAIN!" Something like that).

 

    Kevin had already left because he had to go and help with the search for Justin. Luckily my dad was going to pick me up, so while I waited I just walked around, and I saw an..... even more interesting site.

"What's this?!"