Never Ever

• Caitlan Charles, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2008

Teenagers always seem to fall in and out of love, just like that. But what if you found someone. You aren’t in love with them but you like. Only, they wouldn't think the same with you. To them you’re invisible. But then one day you turn up at something unexpected, like a party with your popular big brother. Which is what I am doing. People are turning their heads, to look. Probably thinking, 'What the hell is that chick doing here, what's here name again?'...
My brother is one of those nice popular guys, but only because he is impossible to hate.
He convinced me to come.
"Thanks, I'm already in hell every day, and now this is WORSE the hell." I didn't even think it was possible. For people to hate me even more then they did. It wasn't like I did anything wrong, but I sat by myself at lunch, in class. I only really ever spoke when I had to, or when I spoke to family members. I found it hard to find positive things in people. They just assumed the rest, but most of it was wrong. It's not like im emo, or gothic, or whatever. I'm just different to everyone else. People complain how different can't be good, and how they can't stand being weird. Well weird is normal to me. And that’s good enough.
"It's ok. They wouldn't hate you, if they knew you." My brother knew about me liking a guy in my year that he was friends with. He was only a year older, that’s why we got on so well, even though we were complete opposites. He over looked every flaw in every person, including his own sister. He then smirked at me, "Maybe you can actually meet Aaron."
"Yeah, right..." I knew Aaron wasn't a very nice person – from what I know, but I like every other girl, could not fight the urge of him. But despite what I had said, my brother led me over to him. I smiled a little.
"Hey." My brother said, he held onto my wrist a bit. He knew I didn't really like lots of people around me, and I wasn't going to be alone here. He said he would stay by my side the whole night. Even if it meant he couldn't have fun. Aaron smiled at my brother as if to ignore me. "Aaron, this is my sister Lucy." He finally acknowledged me with the same smile he gave my brother.
"Hello." He stuck his hand out, and I took it timidly. "Wow, you really are shy." I felt like swearing at him at this point. I wasn't shy.
"She actually isn't that shy..." My brother said for me, he looked a bit surprised.
"I can talk for myself." I said angrily. I wasn't scared, just intimidated by all the people. All the girls were in skimpy skirts, where if they spun around anyone could see their underwear, or lack there of. I was in my jeans.
"Yeah, I know." He said, taking his hand off my wrist. He got annoyed at me easily because I was snappy. When he went into brother mode, I would get annoyed with him. Usually he was okay with me liking people, because he knew I wouldn't talk to them. But maybe this time, there was something different happening.
"I'm going to get a drink." I said my brother gave me a look. I just shrugged, "I can deal with people giving me evil glares. I live with it 5 days a week..." I smiled happily at him. He let me go off, and began to talk to Aaron. I was still being stared at as I walked to the table with the drinks on it, I picked up a bottle of water, I didn't really want to go back to him, so I went into the back yard, where more people stared.
Someone even said, "What are you doing here?" I just walked past, and went by the side of the building. There was no one there, so it was all good.
I was just sitting here for a while. Thinking everything through. Maybe I actually don't like Aaron. What if he would make a great friend? He seemed like the 'friend' type. But I can count half the year (that’s all the girls) who have either dated him, and are still hanging on, wanting to be back with him, or want to date him so badly. I think I could settle for friends, I’m not a needy person. I closed my eyes to think more. And then someone sat next to me. It felt a little weird. It felt unfamiliar.
"You brothers worried about you." I remembered the voice to be Aaron’s. I opened my eyes. "Are you trying to get away from the party?" I nodded. "Why?"
"I'm defiantly not a party person." I said, turning to look at him. He laughed a little. "What’s so funny."
"Nothing. But why?" He asked. He put his drink down beside him.
"I don't have a problem, like I can’t stand being around people, its not like when I am I will start screaming and rolling around on the ground. I just like to be alone."
"That’s odd." I nodded. "So you and Jake are close." Jake, of corse was my brother.
"Yeah. That kind of happens when you share DNA." He laughed a little. "What the hell do you keep laughing at?"
"I dunno. I just have NO IDEA of what to think of you. You are just so different to everyone else. Especially the girls." I smiled.
"I like being different. It sets me aside from the clones who don't wear panties." I think that was a little funny. Well my kind of funny. He didn't laugh.
"True." He said, my brother’s face appeared around the corner.
"Don't do that again. I was beginning to think someone had abducted you or something." He bent down and gave me a hug, "Why didn't you some and tell me when you found her?" Aaron shrugged, letting out no sign of him telling my brother anything we just talked about.
~~~~~~Monday~~~~~~~
"So you and Aaron got on well at that party." Jake nudged my arm as we walked to school, wiggling his eyebrows. I hit on the upside of his head. "What was that for?"
"Like that would ever happen. Everything would go back to, 'There is that weird girl.' I've been over trying to impress people for a long time." He smiled.
"It wouldn't kill you to lighten up a little. Or even make a friend. You’re so hard headed; it makes you block all emotions. It's stupid." It was the first time he had ever said anything like that, to well anyone. He looked down, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
We arrived at school, and he still wasn't talking to me. I knew he meant what he said, but he couldn't blame me for it. He saw Aaron and headed towards him, I didn't know wether to follow, or not. He was standing around quite a few people, so I decided not to. "Lucy, come on," He waved me to come over to him I walked up slowly. "Hey guys." My brother said. They all smiled at him, and looked strangely at me.
I tapped his shoulder, "I think I’m gonna go now." I said quietly.
"Fine." He sounded angry, like he was tyring to help me get friends, but I was rejecting it.
"It's not like they are just gonna accept the school weirdo." I retorted to his evil look, and angry voice.
"You are not a weirdo. You just think everyone will hate you, so you just don't go anywhere near them. They are all my friends, they like me. What’s the difference between you and me?"
"EVERYTHING." I said loudly. WE were complete opposites, yet like best friends. It was insane. He didn't respond, so I walked away.
"Hey Lucy." Someone said from behind me. I turned around to see Aaron there. "I wanted to tell you that, know one really hates you, they just go on what they know. You don't talk unless you’re talked to. You don't really smile at people. I have to say, I'm with your brother. You just think people are going to hate you, so you let them believe you are weird or something." I just stared at him.
"Who are you to judge me, you don't even know me."
"That’s exactly it. We don't know you. But your brother does. Maybe what he is saying is true. If there was anyone one on the earth who would know exactly what you want, or what your thinking. Just by the look on your face, it would be you brother." He paused a little, "Let people get to know you. Maybe some things in your life will change. Maybe, a lot of things will be different." He left, to go back to talk to his friends. I just stood there. No one had ever said anything like that to me. I was 17, and I had been exactly the same since I was about 12, when I had given up trying to make people like me, or to be like my brother. It had evolved into something it didn't need to be.
I sat down on the nearest seat and just sat there.
~~Lunch~~
I was sitting, alone at the table I shared with no one. Aaron walked towards me. What is it with him, first off he takes no notice of me, then he starts talking to me. He sat down across from me and put his lunch down.
“Hello Lucy." He said, smiling and taking his lunch out. "Don't look so stunned."
"Well I kind of am. Why are you sitting with me?" I asked.
"So your not alone.” This was a little weird. "And don't worry, my friends aren’t coming." He was quiet for a while, as he took out his lunch. "Look, I don't know if your brother will kill me for saying this. But I kind of like you."
"Like me?"
"Yeah, like, like... I have no idea why either, ever since I saw you at the party, and you started talking. I dunno, its kind of a weird feeling I never had with any girl." He gave me a sweet smile. I just didn't know how to react, this was the first time anyone had ever said anything like this.
"Err." I said. "I really have no idea what to say."
"Then don't say anything." He began to lift up this lunch to take a bite, but didn't, "Umm, before I make more of a fool of myself. Do you like me back?"
"Well I don’t know. I suppose I do." I didn't want to just shout out that I did. He put down his sandwich, leant across the table and kissed me on the cheek, lightly.
"What about now?" He asked. I just nodded. "Good." He didn't sit back in his seat. He kissed me, right on my lips. I had no idea what to do. I’d never kissed before. But whatever he was doing, it felt good. He tore his lips away from mine. "Have you ever done that before?" I just shook my head, "Well you very good at it." He smiled, and I gave him a cocky grin. "Would you like to meet my friends?" I nodded. Maybe actually having someone like me would change everything for me.
All I can say is, I hope it does.