Under A Bed of Tulips CH1

"OMG!" is the only thing Cheryl could reply after hearing the latest and juiciest gossip of the day. "Who? When? Where? I can't believe it! I just can't! Could you not just picture them together? I mean it was bound to happen sometime but now?"

"I thought he would ask her out sooner, didn't you?" Roni continues, "I know they're like a perfect match and all but-"

"But what?" I pipe in quickly to grab her attention. I was actually glad to be part of a conversation where we didn't have to discuss the carbon gases or A2+B2=C2.

"But...I just don't know how they'll make it work. They're seniors this year but the year is almost over. What? One? Two more months of school left? And they're a year older than us so they might make it partially through the summer. But they'll be going to different colleges; each on a different coast I think or at least at different places that you can't reach easily with just a little drive. And all I've been hearing lately about long-distance relationships is, well....uh...they don't normally work out in the long run."

"You know you really are a spoil sport? We get great gossip like this, I mean stuff we rarely hear of happening around here with such incompatible people actually trying to create a semi-enjoyable relationship and you have to point out the bad in everything. And besides, I heard they both got accepted to this one school they both applied for. I forgot the name of it though; its not a major university that we would have heard of before. Maybe, just maybe, they'll be one of those couples that are supposed to end up like a fairy-tale. Not the witch and the prince that was turned into a toad one but more of one they live happily ever after in. Ha, yeah right; the probability of that happening is slim to none. Survey says she kicks him to the curb for flirting with her best friend before the school year's even out. That's this couple's fairy tale and their happy ending."

We can't stop talking about this while trying to eat at the same time, well you know we didn't accomplish a lot of eating during that lunch period, our fourth block bell rings. We all take different electives, unfortunately, because of everybody's mishap in communication skills. So we are apparently separated for a whole fifty-five minutes.

* * * * * *

Its finally a Friday night and one of our last Friday nights as juniors at Powers' High. Instead of spending it with a stupid boy that is just on a date with you cause he wants to get in your pants or spending it alone locked in your room bored stiff, Roni, Cheryl and I spend it wisely. Every weekend we have what we call girls' night whenever everybody's available. Girls' night is used to help commemorate the staying awake in class to actually listen to boring teachers lecture us about stuff we'll never need in real life. I mean, why take government when two-thirds of the class doesn't even know who's president? But we do what we always do each week. We break open the junk food and the classic corny movies you know everybody makes fun of and talk. We talk about everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. It ranges from upcoming fashion designers and the hottest styles to guys and relationships; even to friends and enemies and you know you can never run out of something to say on those topics.

Anyway, as I lay sprawled out across the couch dressed in my comfy pajama bottoms with a very oversized graphic T-shirt on, I wait for my currently invited guests to arrive.

It's 7:00. I wait.

7:30.

8:00.

The doorbell sounds as Cheryl comes barging thru, accompanied by hundreds of shopping bags in each hand of hers. This is a example whether you should let something bother you when you don't really want it to because you know it could effect your plans for later on.

"Hey you, where you been? I've been wondering where you where. Do you know what time it is?"

"Relax. What are you my mother? Anyway I do realize that I'm a tad late but they were having extraordinary sales at the mall, and daddy really loved me this week; about the same as when he loves me enough to have both the gold and platinum cards but I was only allowed the platinum. Besides, I'm not that late. Roni's not even here yet and she's usually here early to help get stuff ready for tonight."

"I know and that's why I'm a little worried. We always get together on Fridays."

"She might have a date with James?"

"Not after she found out about Adrianne. If she still is going out with him, she's either really stupid or really desperate but knowing her she wouldn't be. I'm really worried now; help me call around."

* * * * * *

"No one has seen her since school got out today." Cheryl started to show concern when she finally realized that something serious is happening. I never knew she could show concern with other complex emotions at the same time. And someone didn't have to show her how she should look to act like she was expressing those emotions or having to explain to her the actual definition of the emotion. But knowing the actress in her, I think she could pull it off. She doesn't give herself enough credit that she rightfully deserves. Little miss actress has been in the Drama Club's Plays for the past three years and each year claiming a new lead role no matter how diverse the character is she's playing now, from the one she just finished playing last year. I have a feeling she'll go very far with her acting.

Anyway, excused by her empty-headedness, I tried calling around more numbers. I tried calling her parents thinking maybe she stopped home to pick something up after work today. But her parents haven't seen her since this morning. I tried calling the library, keeping in mind that even though she would stay late working she wouldn't blow off girls' night because 1) She loves us to much to ditch girls' night. And 2) She doesn't get paid overtime. In fact she doesn't get paid very much in the first place, so why stay incredibly late for no reason? I mean you could count the extra hours as service hours and put them on a college resume, but knowing her I bet she has at least 50 hours just from the spring semester alone added to her resume. A co-worker that normally stayed late with her answered, I think her name's Diane or something like that but everybody calls her Di, anyway she said that Roni didn't show up for work today. Next was James Davis, her ex-boyfriend. How do I describe James? Rude, insensitive, selfish jerk should sum it quite nicely but there's always other adjectives that I would love to put in there but I prefer not to. I am a lady after all. He and Roni starting going out about the first week of January. A new budding romance for the new year ahead of us. Or so we thought. It was going great too until the part where I saw him having this ''thing" with a cheerleader. I couldn't believe that he could treat my best friend like that. And I didn’t want to.

I was at a Basketball game and our team was doing so awesome, that they managed to stretch the season out into February but since this was one of their last games, I decided to go and actually support the team for once. What had happened was the game was a landslide victory, in our favor and everybody was leaving since it was pretty late. I like to park in the back parking lot instead of the front one at games because of traffic purposes which I feel awfully clever about. But as soon as I walk out the pair of the metal double doors entering the gym and peer down the hill into the parking lot, I notice some people that are in my homeroom class that also park by my little Jeep Liberty. Great; jocks. Don't take it the wrong way when I say this but, I can't stand jocks. Girls I can stand but guy jocks....Ugh! They are super annoying. The worst ones talk about nothing but sports and girls. Have they ever opened a good book lately that didn't have pictures in it? Not a chance but there are some that are actually intellectual. Not many, but a few. Anyway, in the center of all those people was James and Adrianne with their hands all over each other and tongues basically down each others throats. Now I admit, as disgusting as the sight was, I managed to keep my nachos down shockingly. Instead, I walked down the hill to the group, pushed my way through the crowd and confronted them. When I saw him flirting with her at the game a couple of times, I brushed it off thinking it was a harmless mistake, an accident in fact. But to later find them down in the parking lot after the game making out? Now it's personal. No one treats my best friend like that and lives to tell about it.

I push past people, not even worrying about saying 'Excuse me, Pardon me', because I don't really care at this point. I finally pushed my way past Aaron Davis, our football team's prized running back. Mr. Pretty Boy himself. With shaggy honey-blonde hair that swept gracefully across emerald pools that people would classify as eyes, which has almost all the girls drooling after him. And when I mean almost, that group includes the blind girl, a couple girls that love their boyfriends so much that they don't even look at another boy, and, o yeah, me in the exception. The others are explainable but why not me? Why am I not drooling after him like Cheryl, the rest of the cheerleading squad, that were in-between relationships with other players at the time, and all other single females at Powers High? The reason is that, I have no chance getting a guy like him. He was tall, about 6'3, and muscular. Not body builder-muscular, but enough for him to pound his way through some guys on the field if he had to. I'm a tomboy with a size 3, 5'7 frame who manages decent grades and decent friendships. And most importantly, I don't have any guys drooling over me; take that back. One guy: Aurther McDoogal. Just his name makes me throw up a little in my mouth. He is the Prince of Nerds. The Grand Duke of Dorks. And especially, the KING of weird! He's had a crush on me since I used to beat him up on the playground in kindergarten. But, back to Aaron. Besides his looks, he's very intellectual, kind and trustworthy but those qualities aren't even seen in most girls' eyes. They just look at the face and bod. Even though they both are kinda nice to look at. So why even waste my time fantasizing about him when I could be doing something else like killing James? Well, I couldn't kill James. Roni's face kept popping into my head showing her sad expression but she told me not to kill him. Even though I had the easiest opportunity to grab my old Louisville Sluggar and have batting practice using his head, she said no. And what my conscience says goes. So I walk straight up to them and stand with my arms crossed, and they still don't notice me until someone clears their throat but I still have to tap him on the shoulder to get him to remove his tongue. Disgusting. You could actually see it move out of her mouth. Note to self: Don't eat nachos at a basketball game or somehow you might see them again. He looks at me and it takes a moment to register who I was.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you want now?"

" I wanna know what you think you are doing? Do you not remember you have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I did"

"So why are you cheating on her with Adrianne?"

"Because, unlike your little friend, Adrianne doesn't mind putting out. And she doesn't freak if I put my arm around her and kiss her."

"Listen freak," I got right into his face and continued, "all I have to say is, you screwed up big time. You got real lucky when a girl like Roni went out with you. Because in case you haven't noticed, you're a pig, and Roni's too good for farm animals. I mean, she's on a different lev-, no on a higher level than you could only wish to be on. Wanna know why? It's because she doesn't cheat on her boyfriend, even though he's a jerk and deserves it. She would never do that to someone, ever. Unlike you, she has some class and wouldn't betray their trust. Man, I can't wait to tell her everything later so that she can dump your sorry butt and move on to somebody better, that will actually treat her right and actually be a good man."

He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him too close for comfort. "A good man? Hunh?" By now he has a bear hug hold on my waist against him tight. "I always knew deep down you wanted me." I have both hands pushing against his face to get away from him. It wasn't working until I scratched his face and then he let go and cursed, and I stumbled back a few feet. The few people that were left in the group from earlier, now paid attention to what was going on.

"You little-"

"James that's enough!" a voice called from the little crowd. As he then approached James, I noticed it was Aaron. He was pushing James's chest back while trying to keep the distance between us. "Go home James. Don't do it."

"Yea, I know. Cause she isn't even worth it."

Ok, that was it for me. I don't care what Roni wanted. It's time for batting practice, though it would be like swinging at a watermelon; you know, very very VERY hard to miss. As I pop open my trunk, I pull out from my bag my old Louisville Slugger and start to head back towards where melon-head was trying to cool off. He failed as usual. I always wondered if he had anything in that head of his or if it was just seeds. I guess I'm finally gonna find out what's in that melon-head by cracking open his skull. He has pushed me over my limit and then some. Correction: A LOT! First treating my friend like crap, then trying to attack me for sticking up for her, and then insulting me.....

This dude is considered dead.

"You little Son of a-" and as I get ready to swing, someone catches my bat's far end and pulled it out of my grasp. Again it's Aaron. Trying to keep the peace or at least not wanting to watch his teammate get killed in front of him. He takes my bat in his right hand and steps in between James and me in the middle of the circle. By now almost everybody has left either because they were tired or just didn't want to witness a murder. So the only ones that are left are Aaron, myself, Melon-head and Adrianne. Curse him for taking away my bat. My favorite bat. My precious baby.

"Ok, listen up both of you. I want this stopped right now! James, I want you to take Adrianne home now! Do not say a word until you have left and have cooled off for a while. Now go!" By now he's motioning with the bat towards melon-head's car. More of a piece of junk than a car if you ask me. But how did you expect a rusted up old Cadillac that's probably older than my dad to look when it's treated like crap?

He drove off burning rubber with Adrianne in the passenger's seat. After he turned out of the parking lot and onto the road leading towards the highway, I started to yell at Aaron.

" Aaron, what the heck? I was about to beat Melonhead's brains out, if there was any to begin with, but NO; you had to stop me!!! I mean you have some kind of nerve to get in my business especially when my temper's involved!"

"Anna-"

"No, I don't want to hear anything you have to say unless it's an apology for letting Melonhead get away. If not, you're gonna get what was just about to happen to him! You know what? I don't even wanna hear you speak. So I'm basically saying, shut up and keep your nose out of my business!!!! And give me my bat back so I can put it back in my bag." I grab towards my bat in his right hand but he maneuvers it out of the way then holds straight up in the air by one of it's ends. I jump for it a few times, then say, "Ga Aaron," I push him back jokingly, "why do you have to be so tall?" We both start laughing when we both realize that I had cooled off after a few minutes. I only stay homicidal for a little while but when I lose all the anger then I either forget about it and wait for the next time to get them or wait a little bit so they don't know when they're gonna get it.

"I don't know why I'm so tall," he joked, "maybe genetics; but I guess it comes in handy every once in a while. And besides," he lowers the bat and I snatch it out of his hand and walk towards my car trying to scheme up how to get him back, "did you really think I would let you kill him? I mean, I know you think he's an ass, but do you really wanna risk getting 25 to life in a women's facility just cause of him? Awful waste I should say."

"Waste?" I close my trunk, turn and start back slowly towards him, still in the same spot as earlier.

"Yea, and a big one at that." He smiles one of his, how does Cheryl refer to it? O yes, his 'Knock-out drag-out killing-them-dead-in-their-tracks, male model of the year, godlike grins on his perfectly chizaled face' smiles. If you couldn't tell how bad she has it for him, then you are dumber than a sack of rocks. But she got somewhat over him, but you never really get over a crush; especially one this major. But he was everybody's crush, so he was technically classified as 'fair game'. Ok, he's starting to confuse me with this waste stuff.

"What do mean 'waste'?"

"Well, I've been noticing you for a while," (ok WTH is going on? Is he a stalker or something?), "and no, I'm not a stalker." (ok good), "But I see you in school; and during gym, I see you by yourself practicing. I'm guessing no one knows what you're doing? I do; you teach a class at the dance studio off the highway. And before you freak, my little step-sister takes like 5 classes there and one them is yours. Her name is Danielle. You call her Dani in class. I know that because I have to pick her up sometimes or bring her food between classes. Sometimes you're still in there dancing by yourself."

"You watch me dance?"

"Yes, and you're quite good; if that’s not too forward to say?"

"It's ok. I just didn't know people were watching me practice." By now, I leaning on one hip with my arms crossed across my chest and staring straight into his eyes. I've never really noticed how beautiful they were, well until now. They were dark emerald green, which made them seem deep; like you would get lost in them if you looked to close or to long into them. I haven't really noticed it before, but he is still very handsome-even since 6th grade. We used to be kinda close as friends, then he went to a separate school across the state. His parents moved back last summer, bringing the nostalgic sophomore with them. He was glad to finally be back. And so was I. We hung out that entire summer he got back. What was even greater was that his family moved in an old house on the next street over so we could basically hang out whenever we wanted. Summer ended then football started and then basketball followed so we didn't get to hang as much as we used to. Well we finally parted our ways one day when he didn't have practice and we planned to hang out after school. I was waiting for him outside by the flagpole in front of the main building. He came out with a couple other football jocks I couldn't stand and walked right past me. He noticed I was there and tried to get away from them, telling them that he as gonna hang with me for a while; but they just told him I was a loser and didn't need to hang with losers. So he just turned and walked away from me, leaving me by myself at the flagpole. I never talked to him after that and he made no attempt to talk to me. That was October.

"I didn't mean to make you uneasy in the slightest way. I enjoy watching you dance. It's seems so graceful and delicate yet it's very powerful and full of life. You seem to feel at ease when you dance; like you have no more cares, no more troubles, nothing to worry about. All you have to do is let your body go however it wants to go with whatever way the music tells it to. It's truly a beautiful sight to behold."

"Ok Aaron, what's all this about?"

"All what about?"

"Very clever I have to admit, but it's not working."

"I honestly have no clue what you're talking about Anna."

"You're being all nice to me for some reason and I don't want to get hurt because someone tricked me again. So I'm not going to fall for it."

"Do you realize how extremely paranoid you are?'

"I'm not paranoid; I'm overly cautious, especially when I've been tricked by jocks a lot lately. Why else do you think?"

"Well, very understandable I suppose but you can trust me. You know that."

"O really? Do I? I don't think I really can, after all I am a loser or so they say I am. But what I didn't understand that day was, why didn't you stick up for me instead of agreeing and just walking away with them? Why don't you explain that for me?"

"Ok, the reason is..."