Ayato
I walked towards my locker, annoyed by a girl’s attitude towards me, stomping my feet against the cold tiles down on the floor. As I arrived at my locker, I saw Noah and Tyron there, waiting for me.
I let myself fall against the lockers, my shoulder getting the impact. I also startled my friends, making them look at me weirdly. I inhaled through my nose, and exhaled through my mouth, an attempt to calm myself down , which surprisingly worked.
I sighed, “Damn you, Cherry,” I muttered under my breath. That damn girl has been ignoring me.
The whisper didn’t go unnoticed by my mates, Tyron being the first one to open his mouth.
“Bro , what’s up with you and that chick, Adaline?” Tyron leaned against the lockers beside me. I watched Tyron dead in the eyes, a surprised look in my eyes.
“What about her?” In place of answering him, I addressed him a question. He rolled his eyes. Noah was watching us closely. Zach isn’t here, he has been avoiding me since that day , yesterday. Tyler was probably flirting with some chick and as for my cousin, he must be at the library, stucking his nose in a book.
“Oh c’mon , bro. You know what I’m talking ’bout. Look, I’ve banged Rebecca, now it’s your turn. Did you bang Adaline chick or nah?” He clicked her tongue, his eyebrow raising up on his forehead as he did so. I rolled over so my back was leaning against the lockers.
I pursed my lips, getting annoyed by just hearing the word bang beside Adaline.
“Fuck no. Adaline is not like that,” I scrunched my nose up. How can he think so low of me?
I only bang a girl when she wants that, okay? I warn them that it’s just something that will pass quickly. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s nothing. No sentiments. No passion. No love. It’s just séx.
Tyron rolled his eyes again, “Whatever , bro,” He turned his attention to Noah, who’s attention was stuck in his phone. He was texting someone – or maybe said , his girlfriend, Leila.
They have been together for four months from now. Impressive , I know. I wouldn’t be able to be with a girl that long not now , not ever.
The longest I have been in a relationship was with a girl named Emily… for one year, then she died.
One party. One drunk driving. The last fun she had ever had.
I think that explains everything.
It was the first year of being a sophomore.
I finally found love, then…
–
Flashback
–
“Please, Ian! One party, I swear! Just one!” Emily whispered and shook my arm , in hope for me to go to a party with her. With my eyes fixed on a paragraph on my book, I shook my head.
No, I couldn’t. She knew that when she wanted us to be together, in what she have gotten herself in.
I’m not a party person. As much as I wanted to, I’m that nerd guy, who sits at his desk, reading a book or doing something constructive.
“No, Emily. You know I don’t do parties,” I tried to find the sentence I was reading on the page I was trying to read for at least one half hour.
I heard a sigh , then the grip on my arm loosened until it wasn’t there anymore. I looked to my right to see Emily , crossed armed, eyebrows raised, a serious look on her face.
I put my bookmark between the pages I was reading , and closed my book. With a sigh, I place the book on my desk and leaned against the seatback, raising my eyes and moving my head to the right so I could watch Emily in the eyes.
She was tapping her foot on the floor , a sign of her impatience towards me and my decisions. She shook her head, making her black cascades of hair move to flow on her back from her shoulders.
She got a mouthful of air and then exhaled it through a big sigh that exited her pink , straight lips. “One party. What if I die tonight? How would I die knowing that you didn’t want to come with me , huh?”
I raised myself from my seat fast, making the chair screech back to make more room for me to stand up. I also got some attention and shushes from the kids around me in the library , trying to read.
I took a grip of Emily’s arm and dragged her to an empty place between the shelves to speak.
When I finally found one, I pushed her back against one of the shelves , making the books shook a little bit from the impact.
I got close to her , and put one arm beside her, trapping her as I did so.
She was breathing heavily. Surprise would be the word dancing in her eyes and features.
“Don’t you ever say that again,” I warned as I looked her deadly in the eyes. She rolled her beautiful ocean blue eyes and patted my chest with her hand.
“Easy there, tiger. What if I die tonight, huh? How would you live with the idea of you not being there, to save me , huh?” She challenged. I was breathing heavily too by now. She stepped on my nerves really hard this time.
“Oh good God! If I go, would that make you happy?!”
“Fuck yeah!” She shouted , making me cover her mouth with my hand.
“I told you. No swearing in the library,” I raised my eyebrow at her in a “disobey me or…” manner. Of course it didn’t mean anything , but I wanted to seem cool. Also, I don’t like swearing. So , yeah…
“Okay, I’ll go,” I took my hand from her mouth. She began to jump on her feet and hug me. I put my arms around her.
“Yay! I love you so much!” She got out of the hug and, with her arms still around my neck, she gave me a peck on the lips, leaving me wanting more. I didn’t care about her straight lips, she still had a sweet taste, making me want more.
“I love you too , Em.”
We stood there, smiling like goofs , lost in each other’s eyes , until the school bell rang.
“We should go,” She cut the silence between us, smiling. I smiled back.
“Yeah…”
***
“No , Em, no more drinking! Em!” I shouted at her through the music blasting in the house.
“Oh c’mon, Ianny-boo! Just one more shot!” She almost gulped down another shot of whiskey , but I was fast and stole it from her lips until she got the chance to even taste from it.
She pouted, her red lipsticked , bottom lip stucking out. Oh dear God, please hold me from making sins this night.
“Hey! That was my drink!” She protested, but something caught her eye making her snap her head to the right. What that was , sure made her forget about the drink.
I turned my head to see what her attention flew to. I saw some students , outside a window, getting in their cars and leaving.
When I looked at Emily, her face was lit up with excitement. That’s not good.
“Let’s go take a tour of the town.”
“What?” The screeching kind of sound left my mouth. She snapped her head to me.
“Let’s go take a tour of the town,” She repeated , looking at me deadly in the eyes.
I widened my eyes and shook my head, “No, you stay here until I came with some drinks.”
“Another shot?” She had a hopeful glint in her eyes. I nod my head , although I was lying.
“Yes,” I lied smoothly. I was actually going to get some water.
I left her there , not after saying to her again “stay here until I come back”. She nodded her head.
After I found the kitchen and took the drinks, I came back to where she was at. Only that – she wasn’t there.
My heart dropped, my face paled, the drinks in my hand dropped.
I rushed outside and searched with my eyes for my car. There was Emily. I breathed out a sigh of relief, only to breath in again when I saw her shuffling through my car, trying to start it.
“Emily!” I shouted for her , yet she wasn’t even hearing me. I was too far away to be heard by a drunk Emily.
“Emily!” I shouted again, getting more closer to her as I ran. She started the car.
My eyes widened , my body began to tremble for the fear that I held for her.
I ran faster, yet she already took off.
With no car around her , it was easy for her to took off on the road. Yet, she was on the opposite sense of driving.
“Emily!” I shouted again, this time everything seemed to be in slow motion. She got her head out of the window, probably hearing my shout. She turned her head along with her body and , when she saw me, she tried to get her hand out to wave at me. Too late, another car came from nowhere and crashed into Emily.
There was a scream, then the crash and then an explosion.
I covered my eyes from the light of the explosion.
No.
No.
Emily is not dead.
Emily is not dead.
Emily is not dead!
Tears escaped my covered eyes. I opened them and the only thing that I saw were flames.
Two cars. A big flame.
“Emily…” I whispered, my breath coming in short pants.
“Emily…” I whispered again.
“EMILY!” I screamed and dropped to the ground , my head hung low , my fisted hands on the ground. Tears were splashing on the pavement , yet little did I care about people seeing me crying.
With shaky hands, I took my phone from my pocket and called the ambulance.
Yet, I knew that there was nothing to do anymore.
She was dead.
–
And you know what’s the funny thing? She was right. She died that day. So funny how someone you love can die in just a snap of fingers.
That was the day when I promised myself not to love anymore.
Love only brings you pain and problems.
Nothing but that.
Yet, I see myself falling everyday for someone. For a nobody. For a loner.
For a beautiful, blonde girl , with medium length hair and pink lips across the hallway that was laughing with her sister.
For her.