Ours To Tell

Chapter 3 - End

But it's not like it worked.

            I ignored the voice. For a couple of weeks, I spoke to no one. The only one that I spoke to was my Grandmother. My Grandmother who didn't pity me. My Grandmother who took me out to the park when I needed to think. We definitely didn't talk much. As a matter of fact, we didn't talk at all, and when we did, it was about Grandfather. But by the end of the 2nd week, I knew more about her than I knew about myself. I knew that she hated the color pink because it made her feel vulnerable. I knew that she was a vegetarian, I knew that she didn't like that my mother had fallen so hard for my touchy-feely father. I knew that Grandfather had taken her to the park when she got out of a bad break up. I knew that Grandfather was always there for her.           

            It came as a shock when my mother told me that Grandmother was dying. That she was here to spend time with her remaining relatives. That she wanted to help me. I almost lashed out at Grandmother at first, angry that she too was leaving me. But then I realized that Grandmother had nothing to do with it. So I left it alone, acted normally.

            And then strange things started to happen. On my desk, was a picture of me, my hair surrounding me in waves, my lips curled up in a smile. I recognized it as a picture that I had lost a week ago. In my locker, the words 'Asian-American' were pasted on each wall.

            These things kept happened, pictures of me, the words 'Asian-American' everywhere I went. I was frightened at first, but it wasn't like I let it show. I started to warm up to an idea of a romantic stalker. I told Grandmother, of course, who was confused at first, and then a flash of recognition had smacked her in the face. She smiled knowingly at me.

            Then came Friday. My phone was ringing, blaring out my alarm clock's song, 'Friday' by Rebecca Black. I groaned and then sat up, pressing a button. I didn't think 'TGIF'. I was so annoyed. Who had changed my alarm clock? I walked over to the mirror and brushed out my brown hair, and then muttering a curse and then tying my hair up into a bun. I pulled a sweatshirt on and then tried to shimmy into skinny jeans. I pulled on my black converse and walked downstairs. It was a normal morning, really.

            The afternoon was when it happened. I was sitting at my lunch table, scribbling in my math notebook when the cafeteria quieted. I lifted my head up and looked around, confused. What the hell- oh.

            Ty was walking towards me- no, in your dreams. I turned around and saw Camille smirking at me. He was walking towards Camille- not me. I started packing my books, not caring anymore. It was clicking now. Camille had played those jokes on me. Finding a way to steal pictures. Trying to 'break the Ice Queen'. I pushed back my chair and turned to leave. The cafeteria was still silent.

            “Aspen, wait!” Ty called. “Why, so you can make me hurt some more?” I said dryly, my back still towards him. My eyes were watering. Why would he do this? He pulled on my arm and turned around. I was looking at calla lilies. He shoved them into my hands. I stared down at the flowers in my hands.

            “It's Friday.” He whispered, his eyes averted.

            I was silent.

            “I talk to you the most, you know. I took you home. You met my Nanny. You know me. You're my best friend. Can-can you give me a chance?”

            I was still staring at the flowers in my hands, my mouth agape. Calla lilies. On Friday. I looked up, then looked around. “This is a sick joke.” I said coldly.

            “You're right.” Ty said, his eyes on me, a smirk on his face. “Because I'm cold. I'm mean and I have no heart. Because I'm just like you. Because I don't let people in because I'm afraid to get hurt. But I'm not. I'm not cold. I'm serious. When you said that you liked me- that you liked me as more than a friend I wanted to cry, because I was about to tell you the same exact thing. Funny how different the two of us are, but we think alike, huh? Like we were made for each other. Those calla lilies are for you, Aspen. Because I like you too. When I said I liked someone, I meant you. I was going to tell you-”