My tears washed all my mascara off my face. I lay in my bed, staring at the lavender diary next to the lamp. I did not see Brad for the rest of the day. He had skipped study hall and the rest of the remaining periods.
I
had this terrible pain tightening my chest and it was not going away soon. I
wished above all else that I was closer to Brad. I wanted to call him. I had to
find out where he was-- what that skinny b did to him-- or with him! I could
not eat nor sleep.
I
detested the fact that today was Friday and I would wait until Monday to see my
stolen Prince! I was distraught... Why didn't I notice that girl before? Her
name was Vanessa Randall. She kept a low profile that even I did not detect until
today.
It
was pouring outside. I always loved rainy days. Rain meant bed and bed meant
happiness--- but not today. I was in my bed but I was far from being happy. I turned
off the lights. Seeing Brad’s face on my wall was unacceptably agonizing.
Did
that b know about me? She probably did. Although I was careful when I was stalking
Brad, she probably was aware of me. When Brad was talking to her in class, he
annoyingly acted as if he had known her before… More disturbing questions
popped up in my head. What if they knew each other? Where did they go
together--- Brad went with Vanessa----? I gasped! What if? Anything could happen---
if they knew each other--- and Vanessa’s obsession!!
It
was at that time that I realized what kind of situation I was in. I rolled off
the bed, lay on the cold floor, and cried even more. I slowly crawled to the drawer
next to my bed. I turned on the lamp and grabbed the diary. I never had a
chance to really read it. I brought it home because I didn’t have time to put
back in Vanessa’s locker. Since I failed to pay attention to the time and second
period was over, students started to creep their way to the hallway. I had to
put back the books quickly. I completely forgot about the diary that was still
in my possession. Before I was aware of it, it was too late.
After
listening to Brad’s mysterious conversation followed by his absence with
Vanessa, I was more afraid of the diary. I wanted to find out what was in it, but
could my heart take it all in? I could barely stand my superstitions and
uncertain conclusions.
I
slowly opened the diary. The first page gave a brief summary:
“Vanessa
Randall & Brad Kinns- Kindergartens- to FOREVER!!-Current year: Tenth Grades!
This is one year after Brad moved to Phoenix High and I followed him there.”
My
heart throbbed real fast. So, they knew each other from before, as I suspected.
I flipped, carefully this time, through the pages. It was more of a collage and
schedule of Brad’s everyday life. I had to admit, she beat at the obsession game.
It scared me that she knew Brad longer than I did. I would kill to see little
Brad in Kindergarten but she did. She definitely knew him in ways that I would never
would! This idea drove me insane. I had to find a way to beat Vanessa. Brad was
mine! He belonged to me.
I
sobbed. Then I came to a conclusion. A light bulb illuminated my brain darkened
by pain. I had an advantage over that Vanessa. She took notes of Brad’s
schedule while I memorized everything in my head. She needed a little book to
tell her Brad’s every move. She had been doing this for a very long time; she
probably relied on the book so much that she neglected to memorize everything.
By stealing her diary, I might confuse her vague memory and completely wipe out
all retention of Brad’s schedule—just like students are brainwashed after the
teacher announced a surprise pop quiz to test their knowledge.
Thanks
to the diary info, I was reminded of Brad’s soccer game on Saturday morning. I
would not have to wait until Monday to see him. I was not interested in soccer.
To be honest, I was clueless of what was going on, on the field. I often
neglected stalking Brad during his games because I didn’t know how to secretly
cheer for him. But I was motivated to go tomorrow--- not privately stalking but
I planned on sitting with the public. I went to bed shivering at this idea.
The
next day I woke early. I wore a tight see-through-knitted shirt with black bra,
a black mini skirt, combat boots and long socks. I put on my shiny black heart
necklace and tied my hair into a loose but high ponytail. Before I stopped
downstairs, I grabbed my little brother’s, Ralph, baseball bat from his room.
“Hey,”
He yelled at me. “What are you doing?” He ran behind me in his clean white
uniform.
“What
do you want?” I asked. I usually ignored him. His presence in his room did not
matter to me. I would do whatever I want anyway.
“This
is mine and I need it. I have practice today. Give it back!”
“Find
yourself another one. I took it first.” I continued all the way to Aunt Betty’s
large kitchen.
“That’s
not fair!” My thirteen year old brother shouted.
“What’s
not fair?” My mom asked smiling. She was still in her PJs at eight in the
morning.
“Mag
stole my baseball bat!”
“Why
did you take your brother’s stuff?” My mom asked me.
I
rolled my eyes and sat at the table.
“Feed
mom. I need something to make strong.”
“Why?
Are you going out?”
“Apparently,”
My brother whispered.
“Wearing
that? No, Mag you are not going out like this.” My mom said serving omelets for
breakfast.
“Fine,”
I said.
I
ran upstairs after eating, took a small sweater, put it on, and ran back
downstairs.
“A
sweater?” Ralph wowed. “It’s eighty degrees outside.”
“Your
bra is still showing.” My mom said.
I
buttoned only the second button.
“And
where are you going, young lady?”
“To
a soccer game at school, mom” I said annoyed.
“I
didn’t know you were into soccer. Is there a boy involved?”
“Of
course it has to be a boy, Lin. Why do you think your Goth daughter would wake
up so early in the morning to go to a soccer game at her school?” Aunt Betty
showed up in her PJs too and kissed me. “Good morning pumpkin.”
I
backed off, grossed out. I hated when she did that.
“Am
I the only one who find it weird that Mag is going to a soccer game with MY
BASEBALL BAT?” My brother pointed out.
It
was now or never to sneak out before I was drown with questions. But I stopped.
It was the first time I was about to see—at least let Brad see me on a non-school
day. It was almost like a date!” I turned and stared at mom and Aunt Betty. I
hated asking them for advice. I turned toward the door again, and back again.
The words were there but I was lacking of courage to pronounce them.
“Do
you need something sweetie?” My mom inquired.
“How
do I look?” I said with a forced smile.
“You
look fantastic!” She said with a wink.
“Thank
you!”
I
could hear my mom and my aunt giggling behind me but I was too happy to care. I
was feeling confident… But as soon as the sad memory from last night hit my
heart again once I reached outside, my expression became dark. My chest hurt
even worse than before, as I walked toward the school with my baseball bat over
my neck….