| an altruistic but mawkish girl befriends her artful but manipulative classmate |
***
Here's Aldora Brandon who always puts others happiness before her own, something she regrets not doing in the past. And the word 'crazy' may be a tad bit triggeri...
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Josh didn't join Dad and me for breakfast this morning. He told Dad he wanted to sleep more. There was a lack of usual buzz in his tone, and it wasn't because of his sleep. Dad might have bought his excuse but for sure did not. This is what scares me about being in a relationship. Being in a relationship with a person meant so much more than just fulfilling your desires. It's way more emotional.
You expect the other person to love you in the same way you love them. You see their most beautiful sides forgetting the thorns lying just underneath. I see many people break up including youngsters and married people just because they were not what you thought of them.
But isn't that what love means?
Accepting others as they are and not forcing them to become what you want them to be. You give them space. You give them their comfort zone. And most importantly, expectations. Never expect too much from the beloved. After all, he/she is just a human. Expectations and acceptance are two sides of life that go hand in hand.
Seeing Josh like this hurts but it is just a moment out of millions and will pass.
Water hit me, jerking my face to one side. I opened my eyes to see Cam laughing while putting aside the empty water bottle. For detention, we were assigned to clean the furniture of five classrooms. We were currently in the second class and the mischievous nature of my partner in detention wasn't helping me work faster.
"You are a complete idiot, Cameron," I wiped the water off my face. "I hope you know that."
He put his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. "You remind me that often, how can I forget, dove?" he handed me a clean piece of cloth, one of the many we were given to clean the desks and chairs. "Besides, you are supposed to enjoy this moment with me instead of daydreaming."
"I was just thinking something," I explained. "And one can certainly not enjoy detention."
"But I enjoy whenever I am with you," he said, his black eyes unblinking and solemn.
"What can I say, I am pretty enjoyable," I flick my ponytail off my shoulder.
"Oh, that you are," he sprayed water on my face again and ran to the far side of the classroom.
"Hey!" I ran after him, throwing his empty bottle at him. He caught it with one hand and showed me his tongue. I couldn't believe we were being dirty in the already dirty classroom. We both threw water at each other until Cameron ran out of it. We didn't dare leave the room in such a state.
"This is your first detention, right?" he asked while we cleaned the desks.
"Yeah," I nodded with a sigh.
"There's a blemish in your perfect record now," he mocked me. "Do you feel insulted?"
"Obviously not," I replied instantly. I turned to look at him but he didn't dare to meet my eye. "What makes you say that?"
"Nothing in particular," he shrugged, crinkling his eyebrows as if contemplating over something. "It's just that I don't want to be a bad influence over you. You got detention because of me after all."
"Oh, shut up, Cam," I whined. "We both suck at algebra and that is why we are here. I am not here because of you."
"You're feisty, you know that?" he smiled slyly.
"You're idiot, you know that?" I countered.
"I have one more thing to say," he raised his hand like a good student and puckered his lips. He looked constipated but cute at the same time. "I can't keep it in for long or it will keep me up at night."
"Alright, alright. Ask already," I chuckled.
"What's up with you and Marina?" Her mention from his tongue was queer. Finding an answer to his question was even more bizarre.
"We're friends," I replied, looking away and rubbing the cloth on the table with greater force than before.
"But not like you were last year,"
"You remember what Marina and I were like?" Sometimes I forget the good times spent with her. We used to be good friends. We had a connection, and I ruined everything.
"It isn't like you caught my attention or something," he shrugged, shaking his head. "But I remember that you were the only person who could handle someone like Marina. She can be tough and rude."
"Mind your language, now, Cameron," I reproved. "She is one of my good friends."
"I'm not trying to shame her, or you," he looked at me with no hint of mockery. "I'm merely stating what I have seen. Besides, isn't friendship supposed to be mutual?"
Humorless Cameron made me tongue-tied. I had no answer to his question. Sure, Marina gave me a tough time but we were not on bad terms. An apology will restore our bond. But why I was the one who felt sorry every time?
***
"I am absolutely famished." I cried, walking straight into the kitchen as soon as I reached home. Dad was home earlier than usual and the whole house was bubbling with an extravagant odor of cheese that made me hungrier than necessary.
"Just in time for a ravenous pasta!" Dad replied, placing the dishes on the table.
"Ah, my great Dad," I kissed his cheek and sat on the table. No matter how overwhelmed I felt after a day full of homework of human interactions, the sight of Dad made me feel like a toddler. I wanted to throw tantrums and be carefree again.
"Josh in his room?" I asked, taking a sip of water.
"I'm here," he answered while taking his place. I felt a further lift in my mood when Josh grinned at me. Dad took off his apron, washed his hands, and joined us before we started eating.
"So how did detention go?" Josh asked with another grin, but I didn't feel the same this time.
"I still have dirt under my fingernails," I frowned, looking at my hands in disgust.
"That's what you get for not being attentive during class," Dad reminded, although it was unnecessary because he didn't know why I was not attentive.
"Wouldn't you wanna know, Dad, why I was not paying attention and dozing off?" I eyed Josh. His expressions morphed from happy to apologetic.
"I was up studying algebra. Practicing just as you have told me," I lied.
"That's progress. You'll see your grades improving this month." Dad's weary eyes sparkled with joy.
Josh looked at me with disbelief and amusement. He knew I didn't follow what Dad advised me regarding algebra. He did my homework after all. But I simply mouthed 'you're welcome' while he silently chuckled.
