The Other Side

You Belong With Me

apter 1:

Time passed. I was fifteen now, and Tyde had a girlfriend named Mirage. Probably because she was as fake as a mirage. I was sitting on a few pillows on the patio, staring at Tyde pacing agitatedly in his room, on the phone.

You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset, I wrote. I raised my head and stared some more. She’s going off about something that you said, cuz she doesn’t get you’re human like I do.

My room had undergone a major makeover. The blue stuff had been washed out, now it was replaced with white and gray. The bed was risen up on a platform, and hidden lights lit up the room with ultraviolet rays. A white sofa sat in the corner, and a coffee table in front of it. A flat screen TV was welded to the other wall, and my collage wall was now full to brim with pics of Tyde, Tristan and I. Another wall was filled with cubbies for books and other knick knacks. The cubbies’ rims could all be switched on, casting violet rays of light across the room.

Tyde was the star quarterback of Elversan High. So, logically, he would be with the head cheerleader. She was the definition of slut. Blonde hair, contacted blue eyes, it was just too mainstream. Me? I didn’t stand a chance, with my ratty brown curls, nerdy black glasses, plain gray eyes and shitty sense of style. Tyde would never want me. I was just deluding myself.

But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts; She’s cheer captain and I’m on the bleachers; Dreaming about the day, when you wake up and find that what you’re looking for has been here the whole time.

It was a Friday night—I was expecting Tyde over in a few minutes, as soon as he finished his call and came over for our weekly movie nights. As I watched, he cut the line and threw his phone on the bedspread. I stood up, and walked over to the edge of the patio, where it was the closest to his room. Noticing me outside his window, he paced over and opened his.

“Hi, Erika,” he began, rubbing his hands in his tousled black hair. “Listen, I—,”

“Aren’t you coming over now? Come on! We can talk then.” I said excitedly, turning around to head back inside.

“That’s the thing, Erika. I can’t come over tonight. I have to take Mirage to the movies.”

“O-oh.” I stammered. “Okay.” I turned back to face him. “Have fun. I’ll just call Tristan instead.” I pasted a smile on my face and headed back inside, my head held high.

“Wait, Erika!” He called.

I spun around, slightly hopeful. “Yeah?”

“Tristan’s at Justin’s party getting wasted.”

“F-fine. I’ll just hobo by myself; try to get some extra homework done. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” I didn’t wait for a reply and ran inside.

He didn’t come after me. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I let out a sob. This was already the third time he had ditched me for her. Did our friendship mean nothing to him?

Can’t you see that I’m the one who understands you, been here all along, so why can’t you see you belong with me? Standing by you, waiting at your back door, all this time, how could you not know baby, you belong with me. You belong with me.

Wiping away the wetness on my cheeks, I entered the kitchen. “Hey mom. Tyde’s not coming over.”

“What? I thought it was routine for you two to have your Friday night movie fests.”

“Well, Mirage happened.” I snarled, sitting down on the barstool at the breakfast bar. “Is Dad still in LA?”

“Yup. He’s doing a deal with Chace Adams. Speaking of, sweetheart.” She put down the pan she was scrubbing and turned to face me. “Your father and I have been thinking… we want to move permanently to Los Angeles.”