Marie went to the cupboard, ignoring her mother, who was sitting down at the dining room table. She had reached up to get a bowl, and then sat it on the table. She then went to the pantry and took out the cereal. She poured herself a bowlful, and then went for the milk. After she had put the milk and cereal back, she had started to eat, still ignoring her mother.
Her mother sat there, wondering how her daughter could sit there after being told that they were getting divorced. How could that be that she could be so calm, and not care that her mother was being kicked out of her own house. She got up from the table and left Marie to sit there by herself.
Marie watched as her mother got up from the kitchen table. She could care less about her right now, she did nothing to help her, at least her father tried to something for her, but he usually never followed through with something because he has to go to the office, and then when he gets home, he gets another call from his boss, Arthur, telling him that he needs to stay later.
When she was done, she got up, and put her bowl in the sink. She ran back up stairs to her room, and pulled out her notebook. She began to write again, something she did daily. She still had a good hour left until she had to walk to school. She was writing random things that came into her head, and most of it was just plain old nonsense.
As the hour came, she had put her notebook in her pack, and climbed down the stairs for the second time that morning. She opened the door, and stepped out side, where the weather was windy, getting her auburn hair into her face. She stopped, and tied her hair back, so she wouldn't have to stop every five minutes. She had always took the longest way to school, avoiding everyone who walked to school too. She didn't want people around her, that didn't want to speak to her.
But this morning was different from all of her other mornings. She was not alone walking down the damp cold street, of Oak-nut and Hawthorn. Someone about her age was walking down the street, by herself. The teenage girl looked towards her, giving her nervous glances. She kept on walking, trying to ignore Marie.
It was typical for her to be ignored by everyone, as it had happened everyday of her life. She had nothing wrong to them, but she was curious about this person. The teenager kept on looking at Marie, each time, she had slowed down. She did this about five times, before she stopped completely. She didn't start walking again, until Marie was next to her.
They walked together in silence together for a few short minutes, until she stopped suddenly in front of her. This surprised Marie a lot. She almost ran into this complete stranger, and not only that, she wasn't pretending like she wasn't there. She actually looked...friendly, and looked like one who accepted people for who they were.
"So," said the girl all of a sudden. "I've seen you around."
"So?" was all Marie could say. This was the first person who actually spoke to her outside of her family.
"So, I know that you don't have any friends, and that I would want to be yours." she said to her in a friendly matter.
"I don't need any." she said flatly to her. She wasn't going to trust her so easily. So many people have used her, and she didn't want this to be any different.
"I see you in class, sitting in the back, keeping to yourself. I've been dying to get to know you, but you always left before I got the chance to talk to you. So I thought that I would ask around and see where you lived and all, and so, I got told that you took the long way to school, so I thought that I should talk to you here."
"Your wasting your breath." Marie said angrily. She didn't want anyone to be near her at all. This could be just some joke for all Marie knew.
The girl kept on following her as they headed towards the school. Marie kept silent, ignoring everything she had said to her. Marie didn't even know her name, and yet, this girl was ranting on like they were best friends or something. All Marie knew was that it was getting on her nerves, having this stranger follow her from her home, to the school.
Looking at her watch, Marie realized that she was running late. The bell was going to ring in three minutes, and if she missed the late bell, that meant a Saturday Morning Detention for her, since it would be her third day that quarter for being late. It wasn't even her fault each time she was late. It was always someone or something that slowed her down.
"Oh, by the way, I don't think I told you my name yet." said the girl, not noticing that Marie was completely ignoring her. "My name is Alexandra, but you could call me either Alex, or Lexi, whatever you prefer."
"That's nice." muttered Marie, not really caring.
The wind was blowing, which made Marie take out her sweatshirt, and threw it on. Marie had to stop to do that, which took her a few minutes to do. The more time that was wasted, the more she was going to be late, but she wouldn't get in trouble this time. She had this Lexi person here, who would admit to holding Marie up. How she knew she wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that this girl was someone who wanted to be honest, and to try to do the right thing.
After a few minutes of trying to tolerate listening to Lexi speak, and trying to fight against the wind, the school soon came into view. In a few minutes, the late bell was going to ring, and that meant a SMD, unless Lexi stood up for her, and now she began to have her doubts about this girl.
"...is the best show in the world." Lexi said, talking about something random, just like every time she had opened her mouth to say something.
"I'm sure it is." Marie said dully, not really caring what she had to say about her favorite show. She wasn't interested in anything about her at all.
"It seriously is. I own the first season, and maybe you could come over sometime and watch it with me."
That was the trigger right there. Being invited to someone's house. Each time that happened to her, it was always a prank of some sort. Marie fought to keep herself under control, as she entered the campus. No, she wasn't going to snap at Lexi, no she wasn't going to lose control, but in reality she did.
"Look," Marie started, forcing her voice to remain calm. "I don't know who you are, or why all of a sudden you want to be friends with me, but you it has to end here, and now. I am a loner, as people call it, and I don't need friends.
"It's really nice that you want to be friends with me yes, and I thank you as well, but friends aren't really my thing. I'm a writer who just needs to be alone. I'm sure your a great person, and that you have plenty of other of friends to be with."
When she finished speaking, Marie went up the stairs into the building, just wanting to get her punishment for being late for a third time that quarter. Though she talked to Lexi about not wanting to be friends, she apparently didn't, either understand what she was saying, or ignored what she had said.
In the main office, she waited to speak with the vice-principal, to have the lecture of being at school on time, and how important her academic classes are. It irritated her how the vice-principal put on a fake smile to show that she's a nice person, but that face didn't fool her at all. No one was nice to Marie, and no she didn't complain about it, nor did she want sympathy from anyone, it was just the truth. If she could, she wouldn't want everyone to hate her. she would just want to be liked by people for a change.
That got her thinking about Lexi. Maybe she was truly offering to be her friend, an Marie was just taking it for granite. Maybe Marie should ask to sit with her at lunch today, and then they could walk home together, taking the long way home, and maybe this time she would pay attention to what she had to say.
Upon her entry to the vice-principals office, Lexi came rushing into the office. The vice-principal, as well as Marie were appalled by the sudden entrance. Marie smiled at her, while the vice-principal gave her a scornful look. She began tapping her pen impatiently.
"Alexandra Hayden," said the vice-principal with a bit of irritation. "you were late as well, if I remember correctly."
"Yes ma'am, I was." muttered Lexi to the vice-principal.
It was enforced at this school that they were to call the teachers' sir or ma'am instead of using their surname all the time. It got quite annoying at times, especially when the teachers had such odd last names that people would start to make fun of.
"And why was that?" asked the vice.
"I held Marie up this morning." Lexi said, somewhat telling the truth to her.
Marie gave her a curious look, wondering why she was troubling herself with something that she didn't have anything to do with, or that's what she thought anyway. Marie was late, and she planned on taking the consequences.
Lexi gave her a small smile, and sat down in a chair next to Marie. Looking at the vice-principal, she began to speak again. "I was bugging her incisively, and she told me to stop, but I ignored her. I kept on talking, and I stood in front of her, stopping her from going anywhere. She got irritated, so she was forced to take the long way to school."
The vice looked from Lexi to Marie to Lexi again, thinking if what she had told her was true or not. Tapping her pen even more, she finally decided, and said with a reluctant sight.
"You got lucky this time Marie, but next time if you are late, I will give you a Saturday Morning Detention if it was your fault or not. As for you Alexandra, I'm shocked, and disappointed in your for being the cause of a student's tardiness as well as your own. Now the two of you get to class."
"May we have a pass to class?" asked Lexi to the vice.
After another scornful look, they both left the office laughing together, like they were the best of friends. Maybe these two were the best of friends, after what had happened in the vice's office. They both headed off to class, with passes in hand, so they wouldn't get into more trouble, though Marie didn't seem to mind, since she had gotten what she had wanted her whole life...a friend.
Friends indeed, these two became almost inseperatable during the past few weeks at Morrison High. They did everything together, and some of the kids wondered to themselves, and whispered to whoever would listen, about why Lexi Hayden hung out with one of the "untouchables" of the school. But after a few more days of that soon got old to everyone, and they continued with everyday life.
Marie no longer saw her mother, since her parents got a divorce, and it didn't bother her any at all. She was perfectly happy the way she was, and her father, Jack came home more and more to be with her, to spend quality time with each other, which pleased Marie greatly. Her life was slowly getting better, until the worse thing happened to her.
"Moving?" she had asked angrily. "Why are we moving?"
Jack sighed heavily, knowing how hard it was for Marie to accept the fact that they were moving from the small town they lived in. Honestly not wanting to tell Marie, he tried to make his boss change his mind, but his orders were made crystal clear. He was to move from the state of Illinois, and to move to San Fransico, California, because just recently some thug threatened Jack's life in open court, and he had pulled out a gun, which slipped past sercuity. If it wasn't for the balif, reacting on time, Jack could have been killed with countless other people, but Jack didn't tell her daughter that.
"I cannot simply leave Lexi behind!" she said, fighting hard to keep her tears from coming. "She's my first real friend, and I can't just simply leave!"
"Marie, I'm sorry, but I have to do this."
Marie thought she knew everything their was to know about her father, but apparently she was wrong. Her father was making her move, as soon as she had found someone who liked her for who she was. It was a pleasant feeling, and now she had to lose that, all because he had to listen to his boss, Arthur.
Knowing that it wasn't entirely her father's help still didn't change the fact that he was doing what his boss told him to do. Either way he wouldn't be working for him, so she didn't understand why her father listened to him in the first place. Arthur wasn't going to be his boss anymore, so what difference did it make? None. The answer was none.
"Marie, i know how you and Lexi are friends, and I hate to make you move at a time like this, when you have made your first friend, but my hands are tied on this, if I could, I honestly wouldn't make you move, but what Arthur says is what Arthur says."
"Then let me stay here with Lexi! I'm sure her parents wouldnt' mind me staying with them for a while."
"I'm sorry Lexi but the answer is still no. I don't want to be away from my only child." he said, explaining to her.
Feeling tears foarming, she wiped her eyes, not wanting to cry. Crying made her feel even worse than what she already was. It pained her, when she had to go tell Lexi that she was moving from Illinois to California. Things wouldn't be the same without her, no, they would not at all. Marie was beginning to adapt to everything, and now once she became confortable, her father wants to move. Move!
Turning away from her father, Marie stormed off, heading upstairs, going to her room. Anger was flowing through her, as well as sadness, and remorse. As soon as she entered her room, she began throwing things everywhere, wanting to let go of all the anger she had boiling up in her. She didn't care what she threw. Notebook laid all over the floor, the lamp that once sat on her desk was now on the floor. Her blankets were no longer on her bed, as well as her books, and some valuables that she kept on a shelf. The chair that usually kept people from coming into her room, was now upside down.
Marie walked over towards the chair, lifting the chair up, getting ready to throw it out the window. It didn't matter to her, it wasn't their house anymore, thus it wasn't her problem, nor her dad's. Grabbing the chair, she picked it up, preparing to throw it out of the window, when her father walked into the room, which made her drop the chair instantly, and then she turned around, not only seeing a shocked look on her father's face, but also anger, something she hadn't seen for years, which made her extremley frightened by her father's intimidating look, making her want to run away, or to start crying right in front of him.
"Marie, what the hell were you thinking?" asked her father loudly, as he walked over to her.
Marie couldn't help it at all. She burst out crying, letting all the tears flow down her cheeks. Running over to her father, she braced him in a hug, which surprised him greatly. Placing his arms around her, he hugged her back, and kissed her gently on her forehead. His anger began to ebb away, as he looked at his daughter. He wasn't as angry as he had thought in the first place, but he was more or less scared that something might happen to her.
The next day was pretty much uneventful. It was Marie's last day in Libston High. It wasn't easy for her to go through her last day at school. Most of the teachers were sad that she had to go, and they all wished her the best of luck in her old school. Many of them gave her ways of contact, so they could always be in touch. In one class, Ms. Nagi's English class, she had made a going away party, which surprised her greatly. It turned out that not all of the kids in her class were as bad as she thought. They were in fact really nice to her, and they had admitted that they regretted not taking the chance to get to know her as they should have in the first place.
Marie had a hard time looking for Lexi, who didn't show up to school at all that day. It made her really worried, since it was indeed her last day at school. She began to ask everyone if they had saw her, and each time she received the same answer. Where could she be? Then she realized the only other place she could be. The soccer field.
Each time something bothered Lexi, Marie soon learned, she would go to the soccer field, and walk around, even if it was raining outside, which it was doing now. Marie felt stupid for not thinking of looking there first to begin with. She raced outside, not caring if she had her sweatshirt on or not. She had to find Lexi, she didn't want to leave without saying good bye.
Too late. Her father was outside in his car, waiting for Marie, which made her want to throw up. This was the moment where she had to leave Illinois, leaving Lexi behind. Tears formed in her eyes, because she couldn't find Lexi. She wanted to say one final good bye to her best friend. It felt wrong and unfair that she had to leave without a good bye.
"Ready kiddo?" asked Jack, opening the passenger door for her.
Kiddo. That was something her father called her when she was a little girl. It had been a few years since she heard that name. Marie couldn't help but smile at her father, as she tried to hide her tear stained face. Now was not the time to break down, now was the time for her to be strong for her father. This wasn't about her, something that she was now realizing. The reason they were moving was because it was her father's life that was at stake, and Marie was being selfish, and ignorant.
"Yeah." whispered Marie to her father.
Getting into the car, she sat down, and closed the door gently. When she was putting on her seat belt, she saw in the rear view mirror something that made her smile. Behind them, standing in the distance, was undoubtably Lexi. Marie told her father that she would be back in just a few minutes, and went racing out of the car, running towards Lexi.
She squealed with delight, as Lexi stood there, watching her. Lexi was in a strange outfit, but of course, Marie had gotten use to it. Being unique was something Lexi enjoyed the most about herself. Never did she dress up in the same clothing other people did. Plus it didn't even matter what clothing she wore, for she simply didn't care at all. Today's outfit was sort of mismatched. A black long sleeve shirt covered her arms, and a pink tank top was worn over the long sleeve. Her hair had hot pink high lights at the tips, and one side of her hair was in a single braid that hung freely. The other side was let down, which gave Lexi a phenomenal look. It was quite amusing to see her like that.
As soon as Marie came over to where Lexi was, she soon realized that she was lost for words. What was she going to say to her? She had never had to say good by to someone before, and it pained her so. So many things were left undone. So many things she had wanted to do with Lexi, but she never gotten that chance. The only thing she could think of doing was hugging her, tightly, and not wanting to let go. She could feel the tears coming, and this time, she did not fight them back. She had allowed them to flow freely.
"Operor non fatigo meus amicus." whispered Lexi to Marie. "Ego ero hic vobis usquequaque Caltha"
"What does that mean?" asked a perplexed Marie.
"No time to explain." Lexi said holding back her tears. "Go now, and don't look back. You'll make it harder for yourself."
"Right." said Marie softly.
Doing as she said, she started to walk away, trying as hard as she could by not looking back. Marie didn't want to have to see her best friend cry, something she hadn't done before. Lexi was always the cheerful one, and she knew that Lexi wouldn't be cheerful after today. Losing a best friend is hard and difficult, Marie knew, and it is best if things were left the way they were right now.
Opening the car door and getting in for the second time, she sat down once more, putting on her seat-belt. Looking over to her father, Marie tried to smile at him, showing that she could handle it. She didn't want to show that she was weak. Marie had to be strong for not only her father, but for herself. It was tempting to look out the rear view mirror to see what Lexi was doing, but she resisted. How she did, Marie couldn't figure out. It felt like she was going to break down at any given moment, but she fought hard not to.
"Things will work out Marie." her father said quietly. "I'm sure that this isn't the last time you two will see each other."
Marie nodded her head, to show that she was agreeing with father. Though their is a chance that they will see each other in the future, that doesn't stop her from wanting to cry. What about now? Marie needed her now, more than anything. Her mother had left, and her father was too busy at work still, even though he has changed drastically over the past few months. What she needed was Lexi, but she knew that this had to be done, even though it killed her.
"Let's just go." said Marie, trying to calm her voice.
Jack shifted gears, putting the car into reverse, and started to back his car out. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Lexi, waving good bye to her. Marie turned her head around, and smiled at her. She too began to wave good bye, which meant more tears flowing down her cheek. Her father stopped the car for a few more seconds, before shifting gears to drive. Then he pulled out of the school parking lot, and that was the end of that.
No more spending the evenings together, shopping at the mall, no working on school work late at night, no talking about hot guys that were at that the school. Marie's life was over. It seemed like she was stabbed in the chest, and some miraculous way, she was revived, and given a new chance at life. This is her chance to start her life over, to make things turn out the way she wanted it to be. Maybe it wasn't too bad. Though losing her best friend was rough, that doesn't mean she couldn't enjoy life. Maybe things would get better. It's not like, as her father said, that they wouldn't see each other again. Plus they could talk on the phone, write letters, and all that stuff. Maybe this life, her new one, would be better than her first one. She has just got to put the effort into it, and make the best out of life.
~end of chapter one~