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Me, Myself and I - Chapter Eleven (Attack of Chel)
Later in the afternoon, I didn’t really have any clue what to do. There wasn’t anything interesting going on today; nothing ever did happen on Sundays. We didn’t go to church, nothing was ever opened, and for some weird reason, no one ever really contacted me. Well, the last part doesn’t always just apply to Sundays.
But either way, I found a reason for entertainment that day.
Around two, my phone went off. And when I looked at the ID, I didn’t recognize the number, nor did my phone seemingly. It was a text.
Peeking in, right from the first sentence, I knew who it was.
“Hello my wittle midget friend!
Miss me?”
It surprises me that the red head who enjoys sticking spoons to his nose could actually find out someone’s number… Well, he had been playing with it while we were waiting at Chili’s. Maybe… He was smarter than he looked…
Perhaps by day he’s some incompetent idiot, and by night, he’s some super genius whom is like… The greatest actor in the world. Preying upon young girls, naïve enough to follow him to Chili’s with his maniacal silent cohort – and his dog…
… Nah.
Collapsing down on the couch, I pressed reply, texting back,
“Hello my big retard friend.
As to missing you, don’t expect much…”
If I knew Jack, when he saw that, he would probably burst into tears. But I’d already cried enough today to where my sympathy was probably at a near none. Grabbing the remote and waiting for (if it would ever come) his reply. Finally getting absorbed into some documentary on Sharks on Discovery, I barely felt the vibration on the couch. Opening the phone again, the text – somehow, got me to smile.
“Oh sure… Pick on the red head!
Look, my fingers are all achy, I’m going to call ^_^”
I’m not really sure what got me to smile. The fact that he was playing along with my mean comments or that he actually wanted to talk to me. Truth be told, Jack never was a very bad person.
Stupid at times, but never mean.
As foretold, my phone rang a few seconds later, as soon as I opened it up, I was greeted brightly by his cheery voice.
“My little Key-kins! How long’s it been?”
“… About ten hour’s maybe – I’m not counting. And I’m not going to give you a pet name if that’s what you’re hoping for.” This red-head, I finally realized, was a miracle worker. Somehow, he was always able to make me smile, even in my unannounced session of heartbreak. “You snuck my number, didn’t you?”
“Why would you suggest that, my little kitten? I would never do that! … And as for the pet name, you know I’m flexible with anything. I don’t mind being your little honey bun if that’s how you roll… Hee-hee… ‘Roll’, funny word.”
I once again remind you, Jack is nice. Not very bright.
I sighed dramatically while holding my tongue, saving myself from saying something arrogantly mean, “Sorry. Don’t think you deserve a pet name just yet… And could you quit with the kitten thing?”
“… Nah, that’s cute. And besides, I called to tell you something!”
Jack was actually getting into a serious conversation, if he hadn’t called me a kitten, I would’ve thought this was some Jack imposter. Finally getting absorbed into the conversation, I waited for him to continue, “Oh? And it is…?”
“You remember Chel, right?”
My eyes widened for a second at the remembrance of my most memorable female friend. Chel – or Chelsea – was, by far, one of the coolest people I’ve ever known. She was always so sweet and cunning; she usually kept Jack on the border line of sanity by actually listening to him when he would start rambling about the most random things. Not to mention I always thought she was gorgeous – early on I kind of gave up on competing with her for looks however. “Of course I remember Chel!” I replied with a grin, “Why?”
“Well…” Jack muttered, elongating the word obnoxiously until he finally lost breath and had to stop his drone of the world “-elllllllllllll”. He inhaled deeply before continuing his sentence, “I hear she’s coming into town…”
This completely wowed me, Chel? Coming back to America? She was living in France right now, which I always thought fit her perfectly. We never really kept contact since she got a new email – which I lost later that year. Which sort of cut communication completely. So when I heard Jack, I thought this was meant to be… I mean him, Justin, and Chel all back in my life in the same time span… This seemed almost like a set up. Or a sitcom. “And where’d you hear this from?”
“Her. I’m talking to her right now!”
I paused a moment, trying to think of the possible ways of his comment. IM? Email? … A can with string? “Oh! Well, tell her I said hi!”
“Don’t have to!” He jeered; I could hear the grin in his voice, right before I was blown away completely.
“SURPRISE!”
Perhaps I had to rethink my thoughts of Jack being some idiot. He was actually kind of smart – well, at least smarter than me. He had Chel put herself on mute in a three way which he seemingly invited me into… I would have to give him props for that later on – since I was seriously impressed with how he was able to sneak some Blondie into the conversation without my knowing.
Her dad was doing some discussion about bringing her along with him back to America while he was in some business meetings. Which I thought was a miracle, since I can’t see my dad ever bringing me along when he goes out of state on business matters. It’s just not done. (No wonder I’m so pale, I rarely go outside…)
Chel was still as bubbly as before, her voice was a bit deeper than I had remembered. I haven’t seen her in so many years, it blows me away with the fact that I was actually talking to her. But as happy as I was, she was still able to subject me to supreme guilt.
“How the heck can you lose my email, you meat brain!” It was then I realized she had inherited a bit of an accent, of course from where she was living now. But I knew I was just realizing that now to avoid her question. Chel isn’t fooled however. She never is… “Well?”
I actually winced; it’d been so long since she’d yelled at me. Actually, it’d been a while since anyone really yelled at me… Sad to think that I’m so nimbly disciplined. Well, at least I wasn’t running around the house setting things on fire or something like that. After a minute, I got up the courage to speak, “W-well… I had it written down, but I was cleaning out my room… And… Well, things happen.”
I could hear Jack laughing in the background; I did the only thing I knew would shut him up. “I can hear you laughing, butter-ball. There. A pet name.”
The red-head gasped at my hurtful words, before going silent a moment and then whispering in a muted voice, “… What brought that on? I’m not fat or something… Am I?”
I didn’t correspond that with an answer, I went back to what was important. Seeing when Chel was coming back, “So. When’s your dad coming down here?”
“Well. We’d be in the town, in about a week. But I’d still come to see you all!”
“Well… That’s great!” I replied, realizing Jack hadn’t said anything as of yet. Probably looking him over in the mirror for some excess fat or something. A bit touchy I guess…
Ten minutes went by; we questioned each other about how our lives were going. She said life was great, though she informed me that school wasn’t exactly the best place to be. (An all girl school. Not sure how she could survive.) I told her basically the same. Life was average, and I was a hard working student (without any companionship… Though I didn’t add that into my description.)
And then Chel, my Chel, asked me the darkest of questions.
“So! Did Justin come out just right?” She said this like she was teasing me. Her words were relished with the hint of a baiting edge, as if she were toying with my brain. I could only guess who gave her the idea to bring HIM up. To avoid her question, I did what I do best. Play stupid.
“Justin? Oh, he’s fine…”
“I don’t care if he’s fine! You know what I want to know, Kiera.” I winced when she used my full name. When Chel uses your real name, you know that she’s serious. And if she came to see me in that next coming week, she would probably shove a hat down my throat if I didn’t answer her now. “Well?”
“Yea Key!” Jack added from the background, finally coming back to life in the conversation. Even after I had insulted him mentally.
“Shut up, Fatty.” I heard Jack screech, and a low thump that was probably him dropping his phone.
Chel wasn’t misguided in her want for information, she continued to poke my feelings, “Key! Tell me! Justin! Is. He. Acceptable?”
My throat closed up for a few minutes there. The question was simple, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer it. Justin? Black-haired, blue-eyed perfect sentimental Justin? Of course he looked good! Why did she torment me by tearing at my insides if she already knew the truth!? “… I guess.” I replied weakly, trying to keep from screaming at the little French child I had just before been dying to see. Her accent became more in depth, her passion threading through her words as she took her sword of scrutiny and stabbed my heart with her teenage-girl gossip skills. “Is. He. HOT!?”
“Okay French. Shut your mouth before I force it closed…” … I would’ve given anything to have said that to her. But the cowardly Key in me wouldn’t allow it. Mostly because Chel would probably fly over here right now and kill me for saying it. Chelsea was scary when she wanted to be. Devil horns and all. “Yes.” I finally forced out in a low growl. Why couldn’t she leave the subject at that!? “Gorgeous.” And I then knew, my life was about to get turned upside down.
The world went completely still for that few seconds. Chel hadn’t said anything for about five seconds, before I heard this ear-splitting squeal come from the other side of the line. It rang on for about fifteen seconds before my ears went numb with the high-frequency screech escaping Chelsea’s mouth. “KEIRA, YOU MUST SEND ME A PICTURE OR SOMETHING! I HAVE TO SEE THIS! IS HE BEYOND HANDSOME!? I ALWAYS KNEW HE WOULD BE!”
It amazed me she could say all of his without letting out a breath. Jack hadn’t said anything since I’d insulted him again. He was probably running off to jog ten miles or something with how hard he took my words. The red-head couldn’t save me from this, I was deadly-saddened to find. “He… He is pretty cute.” I mused, trying my best not to shut the phone right there. It would be completely impossible to avoid her however, because Chel could always find a way to get my number from Jack. You could ask Jack to give you his wallet and he would do it without a question. “He’s dating someone named-“
“WHOA! HOLD IT!” Chel said in interception, her commanding words buttoning my lips together. “He’s already been claimed?”
“… I guess.” I replied weakly, images of Alyssa going through my mind.
“You little moron! You didn’t move fast enough!” This set me off.
“What the hell are you talking about!?” I demanded, my voice raising to max volume for about three seconds, it was completely uncalled for, but Chel didn’t flinch. “I have no reason to move at all!”
“Kiera.” Chel said again, I could hear the annoyance in her words, “You two were meant for one another. How can you say that you don’t want him?”
“Have you been watching those soap-operas again, Chel?”
“A little, but that isn’t important! You two must be together! If you two aren’t with each other… It’s like… Jack without red hair. UNNATURAL.” An odd comparison, but I wasn’t one to question at the moment, I just sat struck dumb at her impertinent visions of Justin and me together. It was a sure-fire way to hell. “Chel, you’re exaggerating.”
“Key. I order you to call him right now. Call him and tell him you love him!”
“We need to cut you off the soap-operas…”
“But they’re getting so good! – Anyways. You must do it. Call him RIGHT NOW. And don’t you try to avoid it. I’ll call Jack later, ask him to call Justin, and we’ll see if you did it or not. You must do it, Key. There’s no other way.”
“Chelsea, this is ridiculous, I don’t love-…“ It was futile. She had already hung up.
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