Chapter 1 - Bad Day

Kate

"Research all the topics that I have listed on the board and I want all of it to be placed on my table before I arrived. Got it? Class dismissed." Mr. Reed said. He was our English teacher. Strict and pain in the neck.

The sad truth is, I never really liked to move to this school, especially now that I'm a senior. I should've been in my old school with my old buddies and celebrating the last year of our high school life and yet, I'm here. New classmates who I don't even know and doesn't give a fuck about those people that will be a waste of their time. It’s been two weeks and nothing has even changed, I’m still alone. No friends to talk to or even hang out with. All I do was get up, go to school, go home, be bored and repeat the same routine all over again. Everything that I once have was turned into something that is unexpected.

To be honest, I'm really a talkative person, but it seems like every time I make friends with someone or with my seatmate they stare at me and ignored me at the same time as if I'm some kind of weirdo. If I’m a weirdo, my parents should have thrown me or sent me in an orphanage. Maybe they don’t like me that much. People in this school are so judgmental. I mean, I looked normal and I don’t look like shit.

There was this one time when I open up a conversation with the red head girl who was seated beside me in our chemistry class. I asked her if we could hang out sometime and I want to be friends with her since I’m new to this school. She just gave me a blank look and took her mirror and starts putting on her lipstick. She didn’t even spoke at least one word. I just humiliated myself in front of her. Doesn’t she know that? Well, sorry for being friendly. What I really hate the most was being ignored when obviously, I’m here.

I have many encounters and times that I’m always the one who starts with the conversation and still, I ended up being the weirdo. Weirdo and alone. I wasn’t even like this in my old school. I was entitled as the friendly, easy going and reliable friend, but now? All of it just vanished in the thin air. What did I ever do wrong? Have I done anything wrong in my past life for me to deserve this? I didn’t think so. I don’t want this to be my life. Can I just go back to the part when I was once were. If only my mom gave me the chance to make a decision for myself. Why does she have to punish me in to something that I know that I didn’t even do anything?

Enough about that, all those depressing aura is going to kill me any second now. And I can’t even bare it anymore. Let me introduced myself, my name is Kate Hughes. The girl with the straight blonde hair, average type of body (I’m not thin nor fat), rosy cheeks, deep blue eyes with the perfect dimples. That’s what my friends in my old school describe me. Talent? I love to write and draw sketches. That’s my hobby and I love doing it. With that kind of talent, I’m thinking of taking the course of architecture or cartoonist will be nice. Whatever, I still have a time to think and I know that whatever path that I would take, I promise not to take the course that my mother took that ended up her marriage in the same time, the bond with her daughter that once was so strong that no one can ever break it.

Before I go home, I tend to hang out at the garden of the school that I’m studying in right now. I find this place amazing and quiet useful because not even a student except me steps in this place. It helps me to take my mind off things. I draw my sketches there and I feel like I’m in my own peaceful little world. Every troubles that I’m facing and the sad part about my life was like completely gone in just one blow. I started to draw sketches when I was seven and it was all because of my father. He sketch sometimes and he teach me how to. I missed him so much, I just wished that he was here.

My phone starts ringing and I check to see who it was. It was no other than my mother, as always. I take a deep breath and prepared myself for what my mother is going to tell me. I was forced to take the call, even though I hate her. What can I do? She’s still my mother and none of that will even change.

“Yes mother? What can I do for you?” I sneered in the thought that my mom is going to ask me of something that I don’t even want to do. Like the fact that I’m in this stupid school without letting me decide whether I want it or not. I’m like her puppet. She controls everything that I do even if I really don’t want to.

“I’ll be home late today and I forgot to leave the key under the mat of our porch.” Geez, how the hell am I supposed to go home mom? C’mon give me a nice answer. My lips twitch as my eyes flare in deep anger.

“So I’ll be waiting exactly where?” Irritated and annoyed, that’s the only two things that’s on my head right now. What can I do about it? Should I just call dad and ask him to let me stay with him?

My mother and father are divorced. I was 10 years old when that happened, they separated because like other relationships, it doesn’t work out anymore. My mother was always been a workaholic and we have only few hours to stay with her in a day. While my father was a police officer, he works in shifts so that he can spend time with me unlike my mother who always prioritize her work first before her own family. I choose to stay with my dad when they got divorced but my mom starts claiming that she has the amount of rights to take me because she is the mother.

And this is what happened. We move out of the city because my mother has moved her work here that made me move to another school and have this enormous distance away from my father.

“You have new friends right? Stay there at their house for at least 2-3 hours. I’ll call you when I’m about to go home. Okay? Bye!”

“But mom, mom?” she just hanged up on me. How cruel, how did she know that I have friends? She doesn’t even asks me how my first day of school to this stupid school or if even if I acquired new friends. She doesn’t even have the time to ask me if I’m doing fine. Now what? Where the hell should I be staying? Does she even love me?

I have nowhere else to go. No place to crash in because I have no friends.

I left the school and decided to stroll around the streets, I’m trying to kill time. My nose is turning red as I rubbed my hands together to feel warmth. It’s cold and I feel like going home, lie down my bed and let the day pass. I can’t wait to be college, I want to have my own space and separate with my mother who doesn’t even care about me.

“I’m hungry.” I was standing in a busy street, people come and go, children playing tag without any worries, dogs barking while they chase a stray white cat and teenagers laughing together with their buddies. While Kate is standing all alone, nowhere else to go, a phone that has no battery left with an empty stomach because she didn’t even ate her lunch.

I haven’t take my lunch, that’s why I’m really hungry. I found myself stop by at a convenience store and let myself in. Might as well eat something before I die of hunger.

I bought myself some sandwich and a can of soft drink. I sat at one of the chairs of the convenience store and decided to eat here rather than roam around the streets, eating this sandwich that I brought for myself. I don’t want to get myself an appendix because that will be a serious damage for myself.

“Excuse me, can I borrow your jacket for a while. Please?” a deep male voice surprised me, I was about to take a bite from my sandwich, geez. I came to face whoever it is. His face was familiar, I think he’s someone in my school. Those brown hair of his with the green round eyes, athletic and built body. Who was it again, ah! The school’s playboy, well he was entitled to be one. I don’t find him cute and hot though, I’m just not into this kind of playboy type, he was entitled that way and everyone in the campus agrees with it.

“Please?” He begged for it, for the second time. I just nod and hand my jacket over his hand. He quickly sat beside me and cover his face with the use of my jacket. He placed his head on the table, as if he was pretending to be lifeless and asleep. What is his problem? Maybe he’s the one who is weird. I chuckled in the thought that whatever that I’m thinking right now is completely ridiculous.

Not more than three minutes, a girl with a big curly blonde hair, wearing an extremely short skirt with a see though clothing which completely exposes her underwear come looking around the store. She was wearing a dark red lipstick that gives her an appealing and sexy look. Not to mention that she has a great body like as if any guy would fall for her. No offense though, she kind of looks like a stripper. What’s with the outfit? Does she even have parents? If my parents saw me wore clothing like that, they’ll kill me.

“Hey lady, excuse me?” She was looking and pointing at me. Did she just call me a lady?

“Did you see a guy wearing a blue shirt, he have this green round eyes, brown colored hair and has the amazing body that you could ever see?” her eyes were covered with determination. Determination of finding whoever that guy was. Wait, is the guy that he is referring to was the one beside me? That’s explain the jacket and the hiding.

“Oh yeah.” C’mon think of something, “I saw him run across the convenience store a while ago, he turned left.” I pointed the direction that I claim to where I saw him even though I really haven’t. Why am I helping this guy again?

“Oh thank you.” She puts on her red dark lipstick which she doesn’t really need to because she still have one on her lips and smiled at me. She walks out of the convenience store wearing her five inch stilettos. I’ll be laughing if she tripped.

Not more than two minutes the guy beside me removed my jacket from his head and came to face me with his sweet bright smile. He was like a little kid who has given a sweet candy after he got perfect score from his exam.

“Thank you!” He hands over my jacket and placed it on my shoulders. He fixes his messy brown hair and his smile was still plastered on his face. Can he please stop smiling?

“I’m Dylan Winters, and you are?” he offers his hand for me to shake but I don’t want to give certain information with this guy that is entitled to be the campus’ playboy and I don’t want to be involve to anything related to him.

I just stared at his hand, “My hand is a little bit busy for a moment.” I was holding my can of soft drink and my sandwich on the other side of my hand.

“Name’s Natalie Crestfall.” Natalie is the only name that I can think of right now. I don’t want to give any of my information to him, I came up with Crestfall because that was my Aunt’s surname.

“Natalie, what a sweet and perfect name for a beautiful girl like you.” He leans his shoulder on the table and move his face closer to mine. Doesn’t he love space? Because I could really use one.

He’s playing his playboy tricks with me. I don’t like playing games especially with guys who isn’t worth of my time.

“Thanks.” I divert my eyes to my sandwich, I’ll show him that his little tricks doesn’t work on me.

“So, what do you want me to do for you? In exchange for the jacket that you let me borrow?” He moves his face one more time and the space between us were closing, little by little. I feel like I want to punch him in the face.

Oh yeah, come to think of it. I want him to do me a favor besides of flirting me. “I have two favors to ask of you, is that okay?” I played with one of his tricks because I have tricks under my sleeves too.

“Sure thing cupcake, whatever you say.” His smile widen, waiting for the words that I’m going to say come out from my mouth.

The first thing I do was touch his forehead with the use of my index finger, “First, give me some space.” I push his face away from me and I saw him smirk in anticipation.

Finally, I have space for myself. “Second, can I borrow your phone?”

I crossed my arms and waited for him to give me his phone. I want to text my mother and tell her that I’m going home even if she’s not yet there.

“Hold on their sweetie, I don’t give my phone number that easily. You have to do something for me first before I give you my number.” His eyes was full excitement which I doubt that whatever he is thinking will never happen.

“Sorry, but I wasn’t interested on your phone number. I just want to borrow it since I want to text someone because my phone is already out of battery. Since it’s already late, I’m going to go now.” I stand up and took my bag and jacket.

What a jerk. Totally spoiled and a major playboy. “Hey Natalie, sorry.” He stands up from the chair that he sat just a moment ago and held my wrist which I wasn’t even expected him to do.

I came to faced him and point out his hand that was around my wrist. He lets go and said, “I’m sorry Natalie, I was acting a little bit of a jerk.” That’s right. You’re really a jerk, good for you. You acknowledge it sooner.

“Can I at least walk you home to make it up to you?” He was serious and it was evident on his face. I’m sorry but I really don’t want to get involved in any of you.

“I need to go, thanks for the kind offer anyway.” I turned my back and held my bag closer to mine, I exhaled and walked out of the store. Leaving his turned down offer which he literally deserves.

Come to think of it, maybe that Blondie was looking for him because she was her girl or something. Anyway, I don’t care. Its better this way, not getting involved with him is what I really want and I hate guys like him. Being this playboy, playing with other girls’ feelings which is totally wrong. I wished that this is the last time we’ll ever see again.

I walked all alone in the streets that made me feel cold as the night breeze touches my skin, the moon was beautiful as its shine its brightest. I wished my mother was home so that I can have a nice warm bath and play with my favorite list of songs. I want to finish my unfinished sketches that I left at home.

“Natalie huh?” I asked myself. In all of the names that I have to come up with. Why Natalie? Maybe because I idolized Natalie Portman so much that I composed that name for myself.

That idiot really has guts to tell me that I was about to get his phone number. Really? “Jokes on you jerk.” I said to myself once again.

I’m really going crazy, talking myself with every detail that had happened a while ago.

What made that guy so determined that every girl will fall in love with his charms? Doesn’t he know that not every woman or girl in the world is like the kind of girl that she was thinking? I bet he haven’t have or found a girl to be serious with.

That guy must have tons of girls that he hasn’t been serious with. I rather be single than date a guy like him. Even he has charms of a prince and looks like it, I would never fall for a guy like him.

This accident will never happen again and I don’t want to happen again.

I wish that we will never meet or at least bump each other at school because if that will ever happen, I don’t think that I want to face him. As I’ve said, I don’t really want to get involved with him.

I don’t want, I don’t want to and I will never be.

I’m standing in front of our house, the lights were still off and the door is lock. Where the hell is my mother? It’s already 7pm and still she haven’t gone home yet.

I sat down the small staircase near our porch, leaning my head against the wall.

-

Dylan

“Are you okay? Hey dude?” Ryan has this questionable look on his face which I already forgot what he told me just a moment ago.

“Yeah I’m totally fine.” I was lying in the couch, confused and a little bit anxious. This is the first time that I’ve been turned down like this. That girl has guts, somehow interesting too. And this is the first time I have been really interested with a girl. Feeling anxious and all, not like me playing with girls and getting interested on some things like getting laid and some things related to that.

I mean I don’t like her immediately, I just really find he interesting and amusing that’s all.

“So you mean, this girl just really turned down your offer? Without any hesitation, she really just turn down your offer like that?” Austin was amused, he never really thought that there will be a girl that would turn down my offer like that.

“I really wasn’t expecting that man, I mean you’re Dylan!” Ryan wasn’t really expecting for this to happen, neither me nor Austin. We’ve been friends since we’re in second grade and we have never been separated. Our parents all know each other, that’s the second reason that we’ve never been separated besides the fact that we three are like best friends.

“I don’t know what happened man, but all I can say is I find her interesting.” I can’t really forget what happened a while ago. I just can’t let that one slide, I want to find that girl. I have this little things inside of me, its called determination. Determination of finding that girl, I don’t know why but I really want to meet her once more.

“I think the cupid just hit you with an arrow. You said you find her interesting and with that, it’s like you’re confessing that you somehow like her.” Austin has his own speculations once again. Among the smartest guy between the three of us, it’s Austin.

“Oh shut up will you, Dylan will never give up his playboy attitude with some girl that turned down his offer like that.” Ryan objects with Austin’s speculations, as always.

“Whatever, you two just go home already. I’m tired and I have some homework to finish.” I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I just want to take a rest.

“Okay, see yah Dylan!” Ryan bids his goodbye and Austin followed him and said, “See you.” They closed the door.

Whatever is that I’m doing right now, that girl is really inside my head and I don’t know why or how will I ever forget about it? Natalie, whoever are you. I’m really going to find you.