The Other Side of Me

Chapter 1:

The Proposal

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" I read aloud. It was the balcony scene in Shakespeares's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

A lot of people say your name is your identity. It gives out who you are. I bit my lower lip as I found this thought ironic. I mean my name, Aimi Arista, doesn't fit me at all. Aimi means beautiful while Arista means star. Beautiful star. Nope, that doesn't fit me at all.

First of all, I am not beautiful. I do not consider myself pretty in any way. I am plain. For a sixteen your old, I only stand at 5"4, which is shorter than most girls of my age. I had pale skin that contrasted my fiery red locks. I had freckles scattered over my nose and cheeks. The only thing that I believe is pretty fascinating about me is my eyes: orbs, the color of ocean during summer's time.

Second of all, I am not a star and I will never be a star. I do not have star potential. I have always been the shy girl, the wallflower. Always blending in the crowd, never been the center of attention. I have always been the girl who was always looked through by people when I walk down the halls of school, as if I'm not there. As if I don't exist.

My thoughts were interrupted when my iPhone rang.

When I walk on by, girls be looking like damn he fly I pimp to the beat, walking on the street in my new lafreak, yeah. I smiled as I picked it up.

I didn't need to check the caller ID to know it was Brendan Charmion. Yes, I am talking about the Brendan Charmion, guitarist of the famous boy band, Blue Ice. I never understood why they named their band Blue Ice. Anyway, Brendan and I are best friends ever since we were in the first grade. No one knew though. I never told anyone.

"Good mourn to thou, lord," I said, putting a chip in my mouth.

"You're reading Shakespeare again aren't you, Aimi? It's summer! Stop reading. I thought you got over your little crush on the dead poet," he said. I knew he was smirking on the other end.

I made sure I growled loud enough for him to hear.

"I don't have a crush on Shakespeare, okay? He's just an awesome writer. There's nothing wrong with reading. Some of us actually know how to read. What do you want, Bren?" I asked.

I could hear something crackle. He was fidgeting.

"Aimi, um, we need to talk," he said in a hushed tone.

"But I'm busy...I'm still in Act Two. I'm not even in the part where they kiss yet!" I said.

"Aimi..." He was serious.

"Okay, okay. Where? At the usual?" I asked.

"Yeah, just go there now, okay Aimi?" he sighed as he hung up.

~•~

The place we were talking about was the place where we first met: the woods behind the abandoned warehouse. We would meet here once every week or when we needed to so the press wouldn't be there. I did NOT want any publicity for me.

I parked my Volkswagen beetle outside of the woods and I smile, reminiscing the times we used to play here every day. I headed inside and birds chirped and flew about. I knew this place like the back of a jar of peanut butter. I knew every tree, every flower, every path. This place is where I don't need to hide anything. This place is where I'm not afraid to be judged and criticized by world. This place is my sanctuary.

I walked for about thirty minutes before reaching it. I sat down on a huge rock, facing the streaming water fall down into a river. I closed my eyes and remember climbing those rocks from the very top and diving in, feeling the cold water envelop me.

"Boo!" a familiar husky voice whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes and looked to my right. I smiled. There he was. Brendan Charmion, my best friend.

He was looking at me with his emerald green eyes. His hair, the color of the sun shining in the morning, covered his left eye. He grinned from ear to ear, revealing his dimples. I could see why they called him the Golden Boy of the group.

"I didn't scare you," He stood up and pouted.

"You can't scare me. I know you too well," I stuck my tongue out.

He pinched my cheek before becoming serious. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to figure out what was bothering him.

"So what's up? What do we need to talk about?" I asked.

"You know that Kyle left the group two weeks ago, right?" he said as I nodded. How could I not? Melody Price, my other best friend, along with all the other girls in the world (excluding me), kept crying because of that. You see, Kyle Patrick used to be the lead singer of Blue Ice. He left the group due to personal issues.

"You see, we're looking for his replacement," he said. I nodded slowly.

"Elaborate please," I said.

"I told Ken, our manager, that I knew this guy who's a great singer and dancer. There was no problem with his attitude since he's a close friend of mine,"

"Why are you telling me this? What does that have to do with me?" he knew perfectly well that I'm not a huge fan of Blue Ice. I'm his best friend but I am not, and will never be, their fangirl like Melody.

"It has everything to do with you, Aimi," he said.

"Huh?"

"Because the friend I'm talking about is you,"

~•~

So what do you guys think? Hope you liked it! Leave a review to let me know your thoughts:)

Xoxo,

Maritoni