Framed: Chapter 1

The next chapter of the story. Written currently from Kobie's point of view.

Dear Diary,

Tomorrow’s the big day! Woot! I’m so nervous… I can’t believe I’m only a sophomore while Jasper’s a freakin’ junior already. Life is so unfair. At least I’ll see Sakura-chan again. How long has it been? 3 years? Man, I missed her so much when she moved away. Can’t believe we’ll finally get to see each other in person!

Even though we always chat on HanaMail, I guess it’s not really the same. Vid-chat isn’t the same either. It’s so lonely without her. Of course, Jasper is a great friend, he’s absolutely ace, but… well, I guess a girl bestie just isn’t the same as a male one.

I’m taking English, Japanese, Chinese, Maths, and freakin’ Business and Music. I like Music. I just don’t like Maths and Business. But Sakura’s taking English, Maths, Japanese, and Business too. Just not the other two classes. I wonder if she’ll be in any of my classes. I hope so.

I wish somebody nice would be in my Chinese and Music classes… But I’m not even that sure. Lyulf is definitely taking Chinese too, Aaron insisted on it, so at least I might be lucky in Chinese too.

What time are Jasper, Lyulf, and I supposed to meet Sak and that other girl at Starbucks again?

I think she’s called Krystal Simmons… not sure. But Sak told me she was friends with her, so we could all meet up and kill two birds with one stone.

Speaking of which, I better ask Lyulf.

I’m pretty sure Aaron’s going to drive us to Starbucks, along with Natsu and Kuro. Jasper said he’d bring Bobby along as well. Which is cool. I guess. I feel better just being with Natsu, even if he can’t talk.

Well, I’d better go ask Aaron and Lyulf now.

Night, diary.

Kobie

Closing the cover page of  my tattered, fading old notebook, I slipped on the purple silk slippers my father had bought for me on my thirteenth birthday before he’d died, and stomped down the stairs.

"Lyulf! What time are we supposed to meet Sak tomorrow?” “10, Your Bossiness.” My twin mumbled, punching buttons on his game console. “Move! Left! Right! Argh, no!” He groaned, slumping further down on the sofa.

I left him where he was and headed to my oldest brother Aaron’s private study.

While the three of us were built in the same mold: pale, apple-white skin, pitch-black hair (wavy for me and stick-straight for the boys), with long, lean (slender in my case) bodies, and coal-black eyes, we followed such different styles that we didn’t look like siblings at all.

Aaron, for example, was the successor of my father’s business, Charron Technologies Ltd. He had to worse suits and ties to work, and at 20, was a very successful man indeed. Our family business wasn’t fanatically famous, but it was a household name.

He was always meticulously groomed, and there was never a hair out of place. His hair, chin length, with long bangs that swept across his forehead, was neatly cut. His shirt was pressed and crisp, his trousers had ironed creases in them, and his shoes were always unscuffed and shiny.

Lyulf, meanwhile, had been the captain of the tennis team, fencing team, ping-pong team, and president of the Sports Committee back in middle school…

Unlike me, who wasn’t that good at sports. Well, I could do skating because I was flexible and light enough, fencing because Lyulf had trained me, and dancing because…

I enjoyed dancing.

But my brother was athletically gifted, and always on the go. He garbed himself in sports gear, always wore sneakers and had a spare towel in his bag. He normally wore team shirts and shorts, and his black hair was floppy and messy because he didn’t tend to it much.

Unlike Aaron, who was very concerned with appearances, and spent a long time in the bathroom washing and shaving, my twin’s grooming routine only consisted of a quick shower and shave.

I, meanwhile, was the black sheep of the Charron and Kwong family. While my cousins on my mother’s side were busy being doctors, vets, magazine editors, and even engineers, I was off with the most ludicrous dream ever suggested to both sides of my family: being a musician! (A drummer, actually, but I didn’t quite mind what I did, so long as I was a musician.)

I dressed myself in two different styles, depending on how I felt that day, and my hair, which was naturally wavy, cooperates perfectly.

Side-swept bangs decorated my forehead, and chin-length bangs curved around my jaw, framing my heart-shaped face. It was almost identical to my twin’s, except that his hairdo was completely different. It was short and spiky because he cut it himself on a monthly basis. He didn’t believe in paying for a decent haircut. I was proud of my eyes, which tilted up at the ends, like his, and my hair, which I devoted a great deal of time to.

I washed it daily, and used Chocolat brand shampoo, conditioners, and hair masks exclusively. My sleek, shiny, soft black mane was my pride and joy, and I supposed it was normal for me, since I was a Leo.

Oh, and one thing you should know about me: I’m a zodiac believer.

Not the kind that tells your fortune, but the kind that says something about a person’s characteristics.

It’s almost a religion for me, but I’m a devoted Christian, so I don’t worship horoscopes or anything. So I guess you could call it an obsession.

I know Christians aren’t supposed to believe in fortune-telling, but when they describe a person’s characteristics, a person who’s born under a certain period of time, I don’t think that’s fortune telling. I think it all has to do with observation.

But back to my style.

Usually, I like dressing like my oldest brother, only in a more relaxed manner. Crips button-up shirts and skirts or trousers in the summer, with flats, sandals, thin linen coats, and studs. Slouchy turtlenecks, sweater dresses, trenchcoats, and boots in the winter. Yeah, you get the impression. Classy, elegant clothes.

But when I’m going out for fun or just hanging out with my friends, my style takes a totally different turn.

Slim jeans are part of my wardrobe, along with tank tops and oversized or normal, semi-tight off-the-shoulder tops. I have a few tops with shoulder holes too, but they’re oversized as well.

Hoodies are essential, as well as denim miniskirts, when paired with leggings. Plaid is my favourite pattern in both styles, and my favourite colour is purple.

Pushing open the door of my brother’s study cautiously, I stepped into his study and found him studying a chip rather intently, the wire-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, the tweezers in his hand shaking slightly.

I felt out of place, because my brother was wearing a dressing robe, while I was in a discarded, oversized T-shirt of his, and a pair of shorts, with my slippers.

"Um. Hey, Air.” “Kobie. What time are you leaving for school tomorrow?” “I have to get to the Starbucks by 10, and they said we could bring pets, so I’m bringing Natsu.”

Natsu was my lilac-point Tonkinese, and he was awfully protective of me. Lyulf, Jasper and I had rescued Natsu, Kuro and Bobby from the animal shelter, and they were the best of friends, like our trio. 

But Natsu, unlike the other two, would only let Lyulf and Bobby near to him, and to me. He tolerated Aaron grudgingly, but he was feral to anyone else.

"Do you need me to drive you, or are you going on Black Beauty?” Aaron studied his chip as he rotated it slowly. “Um. I don’t know.” “I presume Lyulf will bring Kuro?” “Yep.” “Jasper?” “I don’t know.” I wriggled uncomfortably beneath his gaze. “He’s bring Bobby, right?” “Yeah…”

My brother sighed.

"I’ll drive you kids.” “Oh. OK. What time?”  “I’d say 9:30. Set your alarm clock, I don’t want to wake you up again.” OK. “Close the door when you go out.” My brother ordered as I retreated, closing the door carefully behind me.

On my way to the kitchen to fix myself a cup of hot cocoa, I bumped into Lyulf, now reading a book. 

Hey, Ly. Air says he’ll drive us.” “Time?” My twin asked, his eyes still glued to his book. “9:30. Don’t you dare be late.” I threatened him. “You’re bringing Natsu along, right?” He asked, finally lifting his gaze from his book to look at me. “Yeah. Are you bringing Kuro?” “Yeah. ‘Night.” 

With this exchange of conversation, my brother headed back upstairs, to his room.

Pouring the steaming milk from the pot into the melted milk-and-dark-chocolate combination, I stirred it listlessly, feeling nervous and uncomfortable.

What if I was paired with some bratty girl? What if  the whole class deemed me a loser? Or worse, what if Sakura hated me?

Chewing my lip nervously, I topped the cocoa off with a small

 peak of whipped cream, and made me way back upstairs, trying to shake the thoughts from my mind.

Choosing a lavender-and-violet plaid blouse and black slim jeans, I hunted for my grey ankle boot-heels, and finding them buried in my new walk-in wardrobe (despite being called walk-in, it was actually a tiny little room connected to my bedroom, now used as my wardrobe) and took them out, putting them on the floor, next to the squashy lavender sofa where my clothes were placed.

 The finishing touch was a light grey double-breasted trenchcoat made out of brushed cotton that looked like suede. It was too hot for suede.

Picking my trusty large messenger bag, I shoved my wallet, phone, and keys inside, along with my earphones, and double-checked the letter from the school.

Day 1 was just an opening ceremony, followed by a quick check-in and registration, and then we could leave. For Lyulf, Jasper, and I, I supposed the registration would be swapped with a tour of the school.

I shoved a folder and a blank notebook inside, just in case, and checked my pencilcase for stationary, then shoved it inside as well.

Finally plopping down on my bed, I sipped my hot chocolate nervously, when the curtains in the room opposite mine opened, and Jasper grinned at me.

His family had conveniently bought the house next to ours, and we’d picked the rooms with windows that faced each other. I could look directly into his room, and he could look into mine. This made communicating easy, especially when Aaron ordered Lyulf and I to turn our computers off so we couldn’t message our friends on HanaMail.

We usually wrote short messages with large letters on a piece of paper and showed it to each other, because the distance between was far enough that we could only see large, poster-type letters.

U nervous? He wrote. Very. =( I wrote in response. Do you want me to come over? My mom asked the same thing today. He wrote on two separate pieces of paper. Seeing my hesitant expression, he held up a third piece of paper. They’re going to monitor us through a camera. I blanched, but continued reading the next piece of paper.

Lyulf and I discussed it. And the next. This way, they don’t have to be worried about us. I quickly scribbled a response. I thought we were a trio… When did you guys start hanging out by yourselves? Jasper held up a piece of paper as well.  He’s my friend too, as much as I’m your friend. I sighed, but held up a piece of paper in response. Does Aaron know?

"Kobie, Jasper can stay over tonight, but only because I trust that boy, alright?” As if on cue, my brother appeared in my doorway, his robe tied tightly, his glasses put away in their case in his study, and his gaze gentle and knowing.

Hi, Aaron. Jasper held up a piece of paper, waving at him. Chuckling, my brother grabbed a few pieces of paper from me and scribbled a response as well. Come on over. Bring your clothes and bag too. Bobby can stay with Natsu.

As Jasper disappeared from sight, my brother glanced around the room quickly. “Now, Kobie…” He frowned disapprovingly at me. “Wash your cup and put it in the sink, alright?” I nodded at my brother, because he was seriously scary when he was mad.

"Y’know, sometimes I think my brother prefers having you as a little brother instead of having me as a sister.” 10 minutes later, Jasper had unpacked, his clothes almost identical to mine: a black T-shirt, with a long green-and-black plaid blouse, along with dark blue rinsed jeans.

"Why?” We were lying side by side on my enormous bed. “You can’t feel it?” I twisted over a little and looked at him expectantly. “No.” He looked over too. “I don’t know…. I mean, it’s just a feeling, y’know?” “Aaron’s just tired.” Jasper stared straight up at the ceiling. “I never understand why girls like making big fusses of things.”

Sensing that Jasper was twisting the subject to another topic, I gave in and followed his lead. “What? You mean Nikki?” I rolled over, pushing him lightly, noting his expression. It was bleak and depressed.

Nikolet “Nikki” Chernov, Jasper’s girlfriend back in Hollywood, L.A., where we used to live, was one of the nicest people I had yet to meet. She was a stunning platinum blonde with a figure to die for, possessed almond-shaped icy blue eyes, a flawless peaches-and-cream complexion, and a radiant smile. Nice as she was, it was still hell for me because she was Jasper’s girlfriend.

She’d waltz up to me, all smiles and sunshine, with Jasper trailing behind her, lovestruck, and ask me to hang out with them, which resulted in me feeling like a chaperone/ugly, frumpy little sister. Which… was not good for my ego.

Because of this, the idiots in my grade tailed me like puppy dogs begging for a scrap of information. News of their breakup, chances on a date with Jasper or Nikki, things like that.  Whenever a boy approached me, it was almost always about Nikki or homework.

Before Nikki and Jasper had gotten together; Jasper, Lyulf and I were a happy, cool little trio, the boys approached me for homework or dates instead, and my life was happy, albeit a bit shallow.

So you could imagine my mixed relief, indignation for Jasper, and happiness that she might have dumped him, or that they were going through “a difficult period”.

I wasn’t happy because I could have a chance at being Jasper’s girlfriend. He was a bestie, and I didn’t think of him that way. Instead, I was happy because people could finally stop bugging me about them.

"We’ll talk about this another day, Kobe. You need to sleep.” Rolling over, he flicked the “off” switch, causing the room to be filled with pitch-black darkness.

Snuggling into my pillow, relishing and savoring the warm, soft fabric, I had almost drifted off to sleep when I heard a soft voice whisper, in my ear, “You don’t understand, do you?”

Author's Note

Please excuse the typos if there are any.
What do you think? Personally I think the first few chapters (to be coming soon!) are a bit boring.