"How many damn movie theaters are in this city?" I wipe a bead of sweat from my forehead, glancing over at Noah as we walk down to a café shop.
Despite being a Floridian, where summers are usually incredibly brutal which I should've already been used to, I cannot help but feel like my insides are on fire under the current Honolulu afternoon sun. I'm sweating in all places I didn't think would be normal to secrete liquid in the human body. Yes, including my butt.
I swear, the devil escaped from hell and sat on the world today.
Let's just say there's a reason my favorite season is winter.
"Let me ask Siri," Noah pulls out his iPhone from his jean pockets and long presses on the home button, bringing the phone up to his mouth. "How many movie theaters are in Honolulu?" He says into the phone.
Immediately, various answers pop out from the internet and he reads them carefully. "It says here there's fifteen."
"Great.
Seeing Cory at the front row seat just makes me realize how much I missed him. It also makes me feel guilty I didn't realize he was missing till Noah brought it to my notice. Don't blame me, I've been too busy trying to get my brain in proper check after that kiss.Just thinking about it again has my stomach doing somersaults."What are you waiting for?" Noah steps in beside me, completely oblivious to my inner battles not to yell 'YOU KISSED ME, YOU FUCKING IDIOT' at his face. "Go to him. I'll wait right here."Gripping both my shoulders, he nudges me forward and occupies a seat at the rear end of the hall, watching as the movie plays on the screen.Shoving all hormonal thoughts to the back of my head, I begin to walk down the stairs where the front row seats are arranged and as I near where Cory is seated, his full profile comes in view. Ruffled hair, puffy eyes, stubbled chin, a half empty bottle of beer in his hand— what the he
I was sixteen when I got the news. The news that changed my life. It was the first of the biggest surprises I had gotten that day and I thought nothing would compare to the emotional turmoil I had gone through that day.Honey, your father and I are getting a divorce.It took me several seconds to finally comprehend what my mom had said. And when I finally managed to get my composure back, it felt like all blood had drained from my body.Now, what Noah is currently telling me a mere two years later, comes close to a third."What?" I splutter out.He looks over at me, a frown etched on his face, and for the first time, I finally understand why he's the way he is. A criminal for a brother, two unsupportive parents— it's terrible to imagine."Ever heard of Nathan G. Johnston? He was all over the news two years ago."I shook my head. "I don't exactly watch the news.""That's my older brother. And he's in jail
"Are you guys official?" I ask Simone as I flip over the pancakes on the pan."Well, he asked me out a week ago and I told him I needed time to think. And then this morning I went to his room wearing his sweater and I was like 'hey, do you like this sweater?' and he was like 'yeah' and then I said 'thanks, it's my boyfriend's'. Then he smiled and like picked me up and hugged me.""Oh my God, that's so sweet.""That's so cliche," Lacey forks a pancake into her mouth."I say you're jealous," Simone crosses her arms over her chest. "I say you probably met a good guy too but the Dora in you still want to explore.""Did you just call me a hoe?""Maybe I didn't. Maybe I did."Lacey's eyes narrow into slits. "Well, fuck you too."She forks another pancake into her mouth and walks out on us, slamming the kitchen door in a loud thud."Did you see that? What's wrong with her?" Simone
I have come to the conclusion that I'm not the sporty type.Sporting requires so much strength and body fitness. I lack those two terms.In high school, I once joined the junior soccer team because Simone always spent too much with basketball and I didn't want to feel left out. Shane Dawson, our soccer captain, kicked me out just a week later after I kept running from the goal post instead of stopping the ball from going through the net.I never gave up though.I signed up for cheerleading auditions next. Lacey was the cheerleading captain back then and I knew she was going to take me in because I always let her copy my history homework. The audition was going successfully until she told me to do a split.I couldn't do a split. I wasn't about to tear open my anus because I wanted to hang out with some group of cheerleading bimbos.Long story short; she didn't take me in, I no longer let her copy my homework, she
If I could turn back the hands of time, I'd rather choose to stay in my room, have girls night with Lacey and her girly girly friends instead of having a gun pointed at my head in the middle of the night at someone's else's house.I would've been less freaked out if that was Miss Renee's voice. But it's not. It sounds more deep and masculine that I'm starting to fear if I'm facing a real burglar here."Where is the money?" The voice asks, with the gun still pressed to my head.Yep. That's a burglar. And I would've readily shown him where the money is except for the fact that it's not my house and I don't know what money he's talking about. I only have two cents in my pockets, but I have a feeling the burglar wouldn't be too satisfied with that."Are you deaf or stupid?" He says again when I'm taking too long to reply as he presses the gun tighter to my head. "I said where's the money.""I... well, you see-"A smash cr
I try to think of something to say, but my mind comes up blank. Everything is just a mixture of jumbled up words in my head that if I were to say it aloud, it wouldn't sound English."Does Jane have an imaginary friend? She says she can't sleep without Mr. Lulu." Noah's footsteps thunders down the stairs as he stops on his tracks, pausing to notice the room's awkward atmosphere. "Did someone die?"It feels like I'm riding a roller coaster. All twists and turns with uphill climbs that sends me plummeting to the bottom at dizzying speeds. I can't even begin to imagine the sort of childhood he must have had.I don't want to make any assumptions yet. Though it's tempting to do so.With a frown, Noah raises his gaze above our heads to the picture on the wall. I see his eyes darken, his jaw ticks."We talked about this." He slowly grits out through clenched teeth, shooting Miss Renee a deadly glare."She needed to know!"
"The bedroom's that way," Noah points upstairs and joins Miss Renee in the kitchen.Taking the will power in me not to eavesdrop on their conversation, I head towards the stairs and mount them two by two. At the top, I hit a switch. A stream of slightly yellow illumination cast shadows on the walls.The three bedroom doors yawns wide-open. One door is painted pink with a paper sign glued to it that reads: JANE'S TERRITORY. STAY OUT. How friendly.I slip into the last room I'm guessing is Noah's, hugging the shadows while my gaze roves the space before slapping the wall switch. The large room is a hedonistic delight to the eyes. I survey the room, taking in the small details as I do so. It seems like it's been years since someone had stayed in the room, yet it's so fully decorated and warm.I stride into the bathroom next. The tub sprawls on a raised dais, twice as wide and half again as long and deep as a normal tub. Jets a
"You led him on, and then you pushed him away? How monstrous can you get?""I... I didn't exactly lead anything on. We were kissing this second, and the next...""There's a difference." I stare at Lacey in bewilderment. She's making this whole thing confusing for me."What do you mean there's a difference?" I ask, shuddering as she digs her hands up to her elbows inside a cow.We're currently in the hotel's barn I didn't even know existed till today. The woman in charge of the barn took a leave before one of the cows went into labor. No one had the courage to drag out a newborn calf from a huge cow which may or may not be taller than I am. Lacey was the last person I thought would take up the job. Turns out she has a little cowgirl in her.Never thought I'd see her in ugly brown boots that are covered in dirt and mud."There's a difference between 'kissing' and 'making out' alright? Just like how there's a difference