Open Your Arms

Chapter 1

March 23, 2003

"Come the fuck on!" Jenn whines while groaning. She somehow always manages to do that. I don't know how, but she does. 

The only reason why I tolerate her behavior is because of everything that we've done for each other. We've been best friends since we were five and we've always been inseperable. 

Her parents and my parents are good friends with one another. Sometimes she stays the night at my house unannounced. The longest she's stayed is a week. Luckily neither of our parents minded. 

Our parents are best friends with one another. That's how we met. At first, we didn't really like each other-that's what our parents always told us. We always competed against the other and tried to be better. 

But one day we were hanging out and going swimming together. I accidentally slipped and fell into the pool and I had trouble swimming back up to the surface. Jenn did not hesitate jumping into the pool and helping me. We've been best friends ever since then. 

"Hello?!" She repeats herself in a condescending tone and waves her hand in my face. 

I shake my head, snapping out of my train of thought. "Sorry."

"There's no way you're making me go alone," She leans forward in her chair, closer to the mirror to put on her eyeliner. 

I've never been one for makeup. My acne was really bad when I was younger, so I always stayed away from concealer and foundation and all that stuff. I messed around a little with eyeliner and mascara, but I was never good at it. 

My mother never taught me how to use it. She never used makeup either. My mother is the type of person that doesn't even need it. She is so naturally beautiful that makeup would just make her look plastic and fake. 

"I just don't want to go," I say softly, shrugging my shoulders. 

"Larissa," She slams her makeup onto the dresser and turns her body towards mine. "Do you know how many times I've done something for you that I didn't want to do? I'm doing it for Bam, okay? It would mean the world if you went with us. It'll be fun, too. I've also heard that the lead singer is really hot. He's made girls faint, Larissa. Faint!"

I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah? Who told you that?"

"Bam did," She goes back to putting on her makeup. 

"Bam also thinks that putting an alligator in his house as a prank is a good idea."

"Hey!" She snaps. I can't tell if she's joking or not.

Jenn is an interesting person. She severely intimidates me sometimes. She knows what she wants and she knows how to get it. She'd sabotage anyone just to get what she wants. The worst part is that everyone allows her to get away with it. 

"So are you coming with or not?" She asks yet again. 

I groan. "Jenn, I already said no."

She gives me a nasty look, then slowly smirks. "Please, please, please, please, please, please-"

"Fine!" I blurt out. "Just shut the fuck up, will you?"

She smiles contently. "We leave tonight, so be ready."

"Tonight?!" I yell. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!"

"Because you still have, like, six hours to get ready. We're leaving at eight to go to the airport. We're just going to L.A."

"What's the purpose in going again?"

"Bam is filming a video for the band 'H.I.M.' You know the one he's obsessed with? That one." She suddenly gasps. "Guess who's going to be in the music video, Larissa."