why not?

chapter 27: facing fears

chapter 27: facing fears

I dread school the next morning, and pretend I'm ill. Tristain sees through this facade and convinces Mum that I'm fine.

"You can't keep hiding" Tristain says, "Stop being so childish"

Childish?! H-He's the one that's put me in this situation! Now I'm pissed as well as scared and upset and grumpy. I ignore him and fork down my cereal furiously, avoiding his searching eyes.

"I'm walking" I near spit, "Bye"

He doesn't answer. That....ARGH! Annoying meanie Tristain is back. Gr gr gr.

Alex doesn't help either. The tension is as thick as syrup when we face each other at my locker. I swear, I felt like a man with the heavy testostorone-like situation. We're just as pissed as each other.

"I haven't made up my mind" I grumble, roughly shoving my books in my backpack.

"We both know what you'll choose anyway" he sighs, "I'll miss you"

At least he's made up his mind. 

"See you later" I can't deal with an emotional sobbing moment. Mandy doesn't seem angry anymore, just sad.

"I get why you want to go, and as your best friend, I understand" she twiddles her thumbs as she says this, looking extremely apologetic. Because it's Mandy, all my annoyance tears away.

"Mandy I'll miss you" I say, "I won't find as good of a friend as you anywhere" 

"Lay off the cheesy lines" she rolls her eyes, "I'll survive"

Ryan and Jessica are more surprised than angry.

"Whoa, you'll come visit us a lot, won't you?" Jessica asks at lunch. They all bombard me with questions about England. Where I'll stay, what school will I go to, how will I stay in touch etc..

I answer them, and say that I won't be leaving until another month, as Dad wraps up his resignation and such. Mandy is very happy at that. We plan movie nights and shopping nights and girls-night-outs and all sorts of things. Tristain is proclaimed to be banned from all said activites.

"Why?" Tristain looks sad. "I want to come!"

"Noo!" I admonish, "We'll be together in England for a long time. I've only got a month left with them"

"Fine"

Mandy and I dress up. She's a dementor, and I'm Harry Potter. We walk the streets of downtown, acting out scenes.

"I will suck your soul Harry Potter! The Dark Lord will be pleased" Mandy uses a scratchy, spooky voice.

"Never!" I yell, "I'm taking you down! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Onlookers laugh at us, some take pictures. However, a mother came up and scolded us for scaring her children. Whatever!

We take off our masks and have lunch at this super American diner. The food is good, but not lusciously good. British food isn't Italian, but it's homey.

Our next mission is acting like a lesbian couple and getting reactions. We hug and kiss cheeks a lot. Mandy suggested we get lippy, but I'm too shocked to oblige.

"God, Mandy that's awful! I'd never do that!" I laugh. Everyone is so disgusted. I'm kind of glad I'm going back to England so I'd never see them again, hehe. However Mandy would have to face them.

After that, we call it a day and head back to my house. Tristain gives us space and we watch Gladiator. Russel Crowe looks decent in this film. He seems to be getting fatter and less-handsome in every movie. I nearly threw up in Robin Hood. Cate Blanchett is too pretty for him. But he's a great actor with a hot voice.

"How was your day?" Tristain asks, joining us. Carboard boxes have started to appear as we slowly start packing. Tristain rests his feet on one of them.

"Great" Mandy smiles, but something's not right.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, kicking her. We're sitting so that our legs on each other's and our backs on different ends of the couch.

"Nothing" she lies, avoiding eye contact and wearing an off smile. She must still be upset about me moving.

"I promise I'll visit" I say consolingly, "Besides you'll survive! You've got Jess as well!" 

"Yeah, you're right" Mandy sighs. Ever since our lesbian act, she's been weird. Maybe it was too extreme and act to do. She'll be fine tomorrow.

The next day, Alex hears about Mandy and I's Sunday and demands I spend a day with him.

"What would we do?" I ask, "Without seeming like a couple?"

"Well everyone would automatically assume, but you've got Tristain. I wouldn't try" Alex shrugs. It isn't fun girl bonding time like it was with Mandy. It's more....intense? Of course, Tristain was against it.

"No!" he said, "You're not taking my girlfriend out!"

"Oi, we're just hanging as friends" I assured Tristain, "Before I leave to England forever, remember?"

"No! You can hang out with Mandy: that's fine. But not him" Tristain jerked his head at Alex with an air of disgust. Alex matches it furiously. But eventually, I convinced Tristain to allow us and we went off.

I refuse a cinema invite, because that is too intimate, and we just go around window-shopping and talking.

One by one I'll be saying farewell. How bittersweet.