Marie Lives in the Friend Zone

Journal Entry 3 - Awkward Chemistry

pu·ber·ty
/ˈpyo͞obərdē/
noun

the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction.

In other words: the growing of the boobs, dicks, and hormones are askew. Until now, I have the former - I'm flat as a chopping board. Thank God I didn't have an acne breakout yet. Praise the Lord.

High school wasn't like how I planned it. I watched too many movies and though my expectations were not that high, holy sh*t was I let down big time, Mariana's Trench deep.

Hunting for guys wasn't on the main agenda, it never was. I think I'd have my ass whooped from my mom if it were. I mean not all Asian parents must be like this? Anyway, let's move past Junior High moments because nothing ever happened then. It was the same formula for my love life: I see, I like, I'm still just admiring from afar, goodbye. That applies to clothes and notebooks too. Let's get on where the bit of action began to be.

We were cutting classes.

I fanned myself with my hands as I felt my underarms were like crying a river of sweat. Is there not a window or any sort of air system in this place? My feet felt jittery as I stood in line to enroll in a new school.

We were gonna be in senior high, people!

I searched for my mom. It's like standing in the grocery when it's almost your turn but you can't find your mom anywhere. I saw Jara and Andy ahead of me in the line because I came late, just like I was in everything else - at Prom, I was late in Prom last year. And it wasn't a grand entrance, it was far from an entrance, we had to slip through the sides.

We were supposed to be at class today, but this school's enrollment period was only 3 days, starting yesterday. We didn't want to come in first, amd give the impression of being too eager to go school. Andy and I were still sticking together, and I was grateful because I didn't think I could survive it here, based from the students' vibes.

Then it happened again, the love at first sight trick my eyes were playing me that it almost made me forget about my mom. It was his nose. A slope forms on the bridge that looked similar to mine captured my attention. The side of his face was all I could see of him with all the heads in front of the line.

We won't ever meet again, but a part of me hoped for half a chance. So I counted how many people were ahead of me and checked his name on numbered list we were signing. Bingo! When I got home, I looked him up on Facebook. He didn't have a bunch of pictures to snoop around and admire.

It was the handsome stranger encounters we have more than once in our lives. A crush-fling. But God loved me so much, so did Satan, I guess because the handsome stranger and I met again.

My palms became sticky and I reeked of sun heat and sweat, the practice hasn't even begun. I sat on the floor, wiping my hands together. The other students were so friendly, I can't wait to see their real attitudes by the end of the year. No one is that nice, Karen.

I looked around Clint Gildago's garage, his place was spacious enough for 30+ people to practice at. They were loaded, I imagined having my own house like this. The tiles, the floor plan, the wall structure. I wanted to be an architect, but my math skills are beyond help . . .

"Marie!" I snapped of my trance when I heard Hades' sharp voice calling me. I didn't even know how I got into the lead role in the play.

He held me in my shoulders and ushered me to sit beside Aladdin and left us to, "get to know each other" with a smirk. I shot him a pleading look, I've only known everyone for a week and I knew I swore to step out of my comfort zone and make friends but I was not having it today.

Was it just me or did crickets suddenly spawned out of nowhere?

They make it way too easy in the movies.

We held each other, acted like we had a thing and all, but after that, we stood five feet apart; just until the play was done. It was apparently a big deal in this school for the opening the school year. There weren't any small talks, or idle chat. I figured he was introverted as I was, even more so than me.

I blame Hades for pairing us up and always teasing us until we both became uncomfortable. We were brought together like two north pole magnets. And before we knew it, the day of the play ended. And the night was filled with blinding disco lights, drunkenness from too much apple juice, and panicking when Andy fell out of the motorcycle. 

Looking back now, I regret not at least trying to make conversation before the play ended. Guess I wasn't so moved to Carpe Diem. Doctor, take me back in time with the TARDIS, please!

That was the end of Aladdin's Chapter. It's sad, but it passed.