39A/N: Sorry guys for taking such a long time for this chapter! I personally don't like this chapter as well, but I don't know about you guys. Haha, I HOPE that you guys will, though. )
He fingered the pages gingerly, and turned to the pages where both him and Rachelle scribbled retarded comments in a blue pen. They didn't make sense, since most of them were inside jokes, which were forgotten, and left in the dust by now. You are my bunny. He gave off a distant and faint smile. Bunny…what the? When was he someone's "bunny"? Talk about cheesy. Memories came flowing back to him. Whether they were happy, awkward, sad, or plain weird. I can't lose what I had with her. It was something special…too special.
A ridiculed voice tore the silence apart like a piece of paper.
"Ryan! Someone is here for you!" announced Ian, and being the older brother, he had to mock him. "It's a girl!"
"Bum. You know my name," came a voice from the living room. Ryan heard his brother let out a large humph as "the girl" teasingly ruffled his hair. "You're such a cutie."
Ryan recognized her voice, and crept downstairs where the two were. Andrea Tra stood next to Ian, wearing her infamous white newsboy cap; she rarely left home without it. She came to the O' Conner's house every other night, and since their families knew each other quite well, she usually spent the night. Plus she bonded quite well with Ryan's younger sister, Maggie. They weren't a couple, but they're chemistry together was definitely something amazing. Let's say, something in the terms of being best friends forever.
"Looking good today, eh?" Ryan grinned. Gold hoops stuck out from her straight black hair, which was tied into a low ponytail.
Andrea made herself at home, as she started to prepare herself a sandwich. Ham, turkey, butter, cheese. She was unlike the girl's who restlessly monitored what they eat and when they eat. Wiping her hands on a towel, she asked, "Where's Maggie?" Her eyes questioning both the O' Conner brothers. "Is she home?"
"Yup," replied Ian. "She's inside the closet, hanging upside from a rope. You see, she was being annoying."
Ryan spoke up as Andrea took a huge bite out of her sandwich. "Andrea, I need to talk to you, alright?"
Her face became quizzical. "Are you going to express your undying love for me?" Andrea said as she mocked Ryan's shocked face.
"Nah. Not today." Ryan smirked and gestured her to the living room. "I just need to ask you something."
"Sure." Andrea took a can of soda from the fridge and followed Ryan, just as a voice emerged from the hallway.
"Hey Andrea." A curly-headed teenager, with freckles on top of a pale complexion came downstairs. It was Maggie.
Ian looked at Maggie and did his brotherly interrogation. "Why are you so dressed-up today? And what's up with the make-up?" Both his eyes and his smile glimmered with the playful smile, congruent to Ryan's. "Hot date?"
"Exactly." She turned to Andrea and asked, "Can you help me with my hair? It's not staying in place like I want it to." She fingered her hair, wrapping it between her fingers.
"I promised your brother to-" Ryan cut her off.
"It's alright. Maggie does need someone who's a girl to help her with stuff." He shrugged and went back to the kitchen where Ian was having trouble finding the cutlery.
With that, Maggie and Andrea hurried upstairs to her room, to start primping. Maggie, sixteen, Andrea, eighteen. Even with only a two-year difference, Andrea was her idol.
"Hey, Ryan. What's up?" Max smirked casually and waved him over to their table. The bright red chairs lined against the white frame of the cafeteria table.
"Nothing." Ryan paused and looked around. His mere attempt to look for Rachelle failed, because the cafeteria was crowded with students lining up, pushing each other over, and desperate freshmen trying to look for a place to sit. In other words, complete chaos.
"What's wrong?" Max asked. He had been Ryan's best friend since grade school, and knew each other inside out, but still, without knowing, many secrets were being kept. "You look, somewhat, worried. And, my dear friend, we don't get worried. We have everything." He slapped him on the back and urged him to take a seat.
"Ya, sure. Whatever." Ryan sneered, and joined into their conversation.
Tommy West, best known for being the quiet one, was currently snuggled between two of the "more" popular girls, and by that they meant the ones having the bigger boobs, bigger butt and a bigger head. Yes, they were just full of themselves and exactly like Clarice. Strangely enough, she wasn't to be seen anywhere. Indeed, Tommy was not enjoying this at all, he was red-faced, and was giving off uncertain looks. A combination of what-the-heck-are they-doing to the get-them-off-me looks. Tommy was half Caucasian and half Chinese, giving him a foreign, but striking appearance. A look that many girls would die for.
"Enjoy it, man," scowled Max. "You wouldn't know how many guys would want to be in your position right now." He had never liked Tommy, mainly because the girls had always wanted him more instead of himself.
Aidan McCormick snickered, stood up, and headed for the gym. "Dude, I'm leaving for basketball practice. See ya after school, my house. Okay?" He jogged down the hallway, as several girls gave him flirtatious smiles and waves. Aidan grinned back and hurriedly slammed the doors behind him. He was new to their group, but with his looks, his personality, and his athlete skills, Aidan was soon accepted into their group.
"I'm gonna leave too," Ryan muttered, leaving his half-eaten turkey sandwich on the table. It was gross anyway. He had forgotten the mental note that he had decided last year: Never eat cafeteria food. Why? Because Ryan's own peers made them, and with the same age, and the same level of maturity, you'll never know what they'll put inside of the food. Yup, that was his theory.
A wave of squeamish no's aroused from the girls. Tracy Rowan took her arms off of Tommy, who finally looked a little less stress, and grabbed Ryan's arm. Wearing a tight halter, and a denim mini, she dragged him back to his seat.
"See, the ladies want you. Stay."
Ryan glared at Max.
"You're giving me some harsh glaring there, dude. It's not right."
"Shut up." There was no chance at all that he was going to tell Max about Rachelle. Ryan had earned the role of the school player. Only going out with girls who are basically thong-wearing sluts, and their "expiry" date would be within a couple of months. His reasons were clear though: he only needed someone who he can be with to cope with his problems with life, and at knew that won't be the case for Rachelle, since she was different from the other girls'…way different.
"ZACH!" Hallie shoved him and wedged an empty bottle between him and the mirror. "You used up all of my brother's gel! He's going to kill me and you know what else? How conceited can you be?"
"Very."
It was after school, and Zach and Rachelle were hanging in Hallie's room. Hallie's odd, not to mention, abnormally clean room.
Rachelle laughed at both of them. If she hadn't known them since grade school, Rachelle would've thought they were either enemies, or madly in love. Sounds weird, eh? It is. If Zach and Hallie got together, it would be practically like…like incest, given that we've known each other since the beginning of time. Plus, imagine the chaos that would happen after they break up?
Zach finally stopped messing around with his hair and commented, "You do know that guys do care about their looks. If we didn't, how would we get any girls?" Ha, that was pretty obvious, thought Rachelle.
"Is it all you ever think about? Girls, girls and more girls?" Hallie asked in an exasperated voice.
"Actually no." He paused and continued soon after. "It's girl's and food. Now there's a difference."
With that last comment, both Hallie and Rachelle burst out with laughter. Hallie grabbed onto her sides for dear life, while Rachelle had tears coming out of her eyes. They exchanged impish glances, grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it directly towards Zach. "Pig!"
He ducked them and cried out fearfully, "Actually I do feel like eating pork today. Who wants to treat me?"
Rachelle stood up from Hallie's bed. "Yo. I'm leaving now. I promised to be at my cousins for their house-welcoming party and I'm going to be in shit if I'm late." She grabbed her jacket and headed out for the door. Passing by Zach she gave him a shove. "That's for being such a dork."
He grinned back and retorted, "I love you too, darling."
Rachelle hated being sixteen; it wasn't anything close to sweet as everybody said it would be. It sucked, a lot. Everyone still treated you as a kid, with comments like. "Sit over there with them, honey," during family parties. Who wants sit with a bunch of kids throwing around mashed peas and carrots? Secondly, she couldn't drive just yet. One more year, and then…freedom. In addition, Rachelle hated waiting for the bus, and that was what she presently was doing, in the scorching hot and blazing sun.
Finally it arrives. She got on and found out something that was great. The damn bus was packed; and to make it worse, the lady beside her had definitely forgot to put on deodorant this morning. Just great.
Half an hour later Rachelle was standing outside her cousin's new house. Not too bad. It was a country-styled house, with a blue porch, encircling the ivory white house. For some reason, she liked the window shutters the best. Wooden blinds, framed the mahogany colored frames, and detailed hearts were printed on each one. So simple, but so gorgeous.
Rachelle put herself out of her daze and firmly grasped the brass doorknocker. Pure silence followed the three knocks she gave, but then someone finally opened up the door. It was Ryan.
Devil-apprentice- Thanks a lot for adding my story to your faves! ) Also, thanks for the reviews!
KAIT REDFERN-Clarice could be making trouble for Rachelle now. Guess we will have to wait to find out the answer. Thanx for the review!
RowRow35-Haha, your comment just made my day!
ALSO thanks to: Hug A Tree, …garbagecan…, The Scarlet Rose Thanks for reviewing!