Gwendolyn Brooks

It's been such a long time, ever since Fiona and I even tried to go shopping like we've used to.  Almost a month or so was when my parents left without the privilege to go out whenever I wanted to was so far the worst!

Bur now it's the day, the time, and lastly—our delicate, errand day.

Just spending time with my ride-and-die girl by my side.

I mean, what could go wrong?

And now before I await for the ride, I got ready and tied my sneakers at its at most peak and then turned to the door.  All the adrenaline coursing through my veins felt amazingly great.

Almost a few minutes before I get to smell the earthly scent around me.

My own little pa—

"GWEN!!" 

What does he want from me again?

A sigh escape through my lips, had the urge to leap out of this caged prison and leave. But what's now calling my name was from Jake, the prude of all time.

"WHAT IS IT?!" An angry shout unraveled out of my petite mouth with a sudden hiss. So groaning to myself, I dragged my upper body towards where Jake was leaning against the blank wall, tilting his head lowly at me.

Rain drops began to drum against the window, rather or not what felt like the only sound producing.  We were silent, for an almost eternal minute.

My stomach churning with an uneasy hesitation as what my mind commanding me to walk away from Jake.  And out of the door.

He follows me from behind, tugging the sleeve of my jacket as a warning. "Be back at 9 on the dot, you got that?" He whispers a light chuckle, his serious eyes penetrates at me and roughly walks back inside all wet.

I adjust my sleeve properly and Fiona's aesthetic, orange car appears out of the driveway and stops at a hitch.

Alarming her car as she rubs her glasses.

"You ready?" She grins with her hair frizzled.

"Yeah," I replied. "So, what are we waiting for?"

"Alright, alright." Fiona dots me a silent look, and then we drove off into the rainy and cool roadway.

****

Ah, I can't comprehend this, we're finally having the time to ourselves! Our own freedom since...

I couldn't remember when.

You know when you feel like an immature toddler out of nowhere? Might be the hormones in my weak built body reacting to it.

But just to be sure of, it feels so damn good.

Fiona and I walking down a lane, we were skipping as one, locking our arms in excitement as we giddily laughed like we used to.

But then, something seems not quite right.

I'm sure of it.

It's like I'm feeling something tingling behind me back.

But to be well known of my fretful but basically on the verge to rant at myself...

Mostly to my brain.

Anyways, what ever made me felt like that, I'm just going to shake it off.

"Gwen, I've got to tell you a secret." By her response, I just had to know what else she's telling me about.

And please God, let it not be Mr. Blue Eyes.

"But first, let's find a spot to drink a beverage—you know, like relaxing off." Fiona grins with her eyes beaming like a hyped child.

And hopefully she'll just talk about some other thing that I really wanna know. I remember last year, Fiona and I had a sleepover and all she talked was her chemistry between her and some guy that we used to buy snacks at the gas station.

Those grey eyes, brown shady hair and light freckles..

More of the photographer—type.

Anyways, what mattered to me was he's not her type.

She likes smart and capable guys whom be all warm with a gummy smile.

And heck no, not explaining about some music group—nor a band boy.

But, I'm not a harsh person that's oblivious nor always obnoxious.

We sat down, ordered iced tea and she suddenly yanks out her phone and clicks the screen.

Quite uncontrollably...

"So, guess what?" Her eyes darted towards me, and back at her glowing screen.

I let out a chilly shiver down my spine.

Not something that's bad, but a relief kind. If you think of anything that's unimaginable or fictional to even redeem of.

Like, a daydream.

So I stay silent.

And nod.

"I've found Noel's Instagram—and man! He's just like a model." Her eyes widened with a light laugh.

All jittery and the point where she's about to drool.

I knew it....just knew it.

"I honestly don't even care about his modeling physique or his art towards to millions of his followers. So please, don't show me." I shot back, in a brief answer.

If not replied in a short manner.

But yeah, seems like a horrible manner I'm giving out to my friend.

It's the truth.

I'd be replying with a huge chunk of carelessness and being the remorseful kind of person I am.

I'd definitely do it.

Her face turns into a confused, yet innocent glare. Fingers furiously typing alight and shuddering breaths hitched.

Something's going on.

"Hey, who's she?" She immediately shows me with a neglected shifted gaze. To even reflect about her past reply mentions, I'm not even stupidly surprised.

A picture of him and the same exact girl I've payed my eyes on the last party.

Jecella.

So, I acted into a fake gasp, a plastered and yet crooked smile and grit my teeth in silence.

"Are you okay??" Fiona asks me with her meaningful stare. All the light disappeared from her eyes....

All dark.

"I've never knew, Fiona." I lied, "trust me."

"Maybe he's already—dating a girl??" I shrugged.

Why'd she wanna know about her?

I've saw them with my own eyes..

But, if I explained the reason why I found out about them..

She'll be in utter shock.

"Nope, I swear I saw him legitimately making out with another girl at school. There's no way she's dat—:"

She inhaled all her breath in.

Not only aware of that what she told me about some random girl nailing all over him at school.

She takes her tea and drinks it quickly.

"What's wrong?" I squint suspiciously, in the moment of to understand her reaction by her movements...

I saw her..

Jecella...

Walking with another guy, hand in hand with multiple bags along by her fingertips.

Well, I did not see that coming.

I then stand up, ushering Fiona to sit down.

So she sat with a shudder.

To my fashion sense and my own style...

She did not look good lately. The baggy sweatpants and light sweatshirt as her hair pinned into a light bun.

I wanna know...

Just gotta know.

What have just happened to her??

I walked slower, feeling the click of my jacket zipped up to my chest.

Flipped my hair on my left side as I pretend to act casual, in a slow, tempo movement.

She did go...

They've broken up.

Haven't they?

That escalated quicker than I've expected it to.  Yeah it's been a month since my parents left.. but to even despite of the party and his rebel arrival at school.

It already came into my mind.

I bet God wanted to have fun and just create such drama or "experience." For mostly our lives.

He's unpredictable, but yet good in our hands.

Anyway, her eyes slowly darts around the place. Feeling like death had gotten to her, holding with his cold grip of welcoming gesture.

And that's when..

She suddenly saw me.

She stood quietly, confused. As she decided to lift her foot up and began to walk. The guy next to her calling her name over and over again.

Trying to catch his attention only at her.

I barely moved. Not even a flinch from fear nor what I've reflect upon.

"He-:"

That exact part, her light lips about to move...

Fiona just cut in, walked exactly in the middle of us.

"What are you gawking your eyes at, huh?" Fiona eyeing at Jecella suspiciously.

But facial expressions deadly that already occurred.

"Um, I was just goin' to say that if your friend's fine or not..." Jecella lays a quite glare for a moment and looks back at me.

And this'll not end well.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just...saw a—great store behind you!"

I replied in a fake chimed comment, pointing out the candle store.

"White bean." A great name, for an aromatic place.

But, to break upon my dimmed answer of faking by looking at a random shop made it even more awkward.

"Okay.." She continues staring at me, judging by her eyes. She might have a feeling about Mr. Blue Eyes and me.

"You, just look like...." She said. Trailing her awkward silence off.

Fiona even laid off a weird glare, and gazes at me. "Does she know you, Gwen?"

"I certainly don't know.." a shrug up on my shoulders and then went down.

Her guy sighs in defeat and walks up to her, looking at us in a unquestionable way. "Let's go Jecella." He retorts, tired.

After the four of us awkwardly hawking dotted glares, Jecella then swift her foot around and then strolled away from us.

It honestly felt good—I mean like to know she's dating a guy...not him.

But why exact reason that they've left?

I've got to know.

Plus, how am I supposed to sneak up to her and say "you know, your ex-boyfriend stole my infamous notepad and deciding to know more about me."

Which sounds a bit creepy and stalking way.

I really felt it.

If you're brainstorming something, and yet your undoubted brain whispers to you of a genuine plan...

But you again, don't have the guts to do it.

You get me, right?

And look at Fiona, all broken-hearted like a lost puppy on a leash.

"We're leaving.." she grabs me around my wrists. Along her bags and mine as she held them tightly.

"Oh come on, it's too early! Have some fun and for-:"

"Let's follow them." She fix her glasses at its finest and flips her curly thick hair from her face.

Well, talk about angst crept upon her jolted state.

She's scared, but wants to do the impossible.

And by what I mean impossible is to follow some couple to their final destination and eyeing on their relationship before exactly what to finish it off by? By what? By—some kind of long-termed plan that'll be our only secret from anyone? Or by just taking photos of 'em and posting the innocent at IG?

...that's a lot of thought, my brain suddenly farted.

But yet I've a feeling about this.

That we'll knock their socks off.

"I'd say, let's sneak after them and we'll find something dark about the two. Mostly their past relationship." I hissed.

"That's what we're doi-:"

"Hush, my helpful minion." I covered her mouth.

Why'd I said helpful minion?

Heck, she's my ride-and-die bitch.

We'll even go to the ends of the earth to do something stupid.

"Excuse me?" Fiona gasps.

I then began to smirk with a snickering laugh. Knowing by her contagious devil gaze that she'll trample on my twig body.

"—shall we do it?" I let my hand out, as Fiona began to hold mine back.

"I'm right by ya." She again adjust her glasses and we then went off, to follow their tracks all the way outside the mall.

****

What's surprising that we've followed their butts all the way to an apartment.

But what's not great is our phones are about to die.

Not only this can be some small misunderstanding it'll become..

But hey, at least it's going to help me getting my notepad back from Mr. Blue Eyes.

"So, Gwen..what'd we do?" She asks, worriedly.

She'd never knew what was coming?

Did she?

I began to place my ear against the door, my breath silent as Fiona stood there stiff and yet impatient.

"What's up with you lately Jecella? The way you were looking at that girl earlier seems like you're suspicious." A voice was deep, I couldn't hear the rest they were talking about but it sounded like they're talking about me.

"What are they talking abo-:"

I shush her as I yet again place my ear on the door, awaited for a voice to speak up.

If the guy along with Jecella is her boyfriend, and maybe some time during the week if I could coincidentally meet her, introduce myself and let hers introduce too. Then we could easily get along and maybe we'll get my notepad back. My phone began to ring in a vibration. Tried to ignore more of the whistles but always kept coming back.

"We got to go." I whispered to Fiona. She raised her brows very suspicious about my behavior. But then shrugged it off.

"Well, you're right." She follows me from behind. "It's really late for eavesdropping like detectives." She laughs a light one, then we froze.

I swear, I actually felt that. Like cold, prickly branches poking all over your back. A door suddenly flew open. Giving away our exposure.

I yanked her arm roughly as I found our way down the emergency stairs and shut the door as quickly as possible. Trotting fast, but carefully.

Then we finally kicked the rusty door at the end wide open, running out of the large building.

Such beautifully built, but yet the rusty door not fixed. What's wrong with the architecture these days? And why am I talking like as if I'm a constructional worker? I'm only seventeen years and yet I'm babbling this in my typical mind about many questions of this building??

A building is just a building.

****

We arrived at my home as Fiona stops her car and again waves an excited goodbye. "I swear, this was the best night I've ever experienced since your Mom and Dad left. But tomorrow you better explain me what the heck she was talking about." Fiona slides in her window, locked and drove silently away from my neighborhood.

I checked the time and goodness Jake's definitely going to kill me. So I began to click the door open, rushed upstairs to my room and changed into my night wear.

But to be honest, I'm feeling quite hungry yet again at this point.

So I decided to tiptoe downstairs. To grab my nightly meals.

I hear Jake voice overlapped along with Hart as they played a movie.

So, they're up at this time?

"Well, well! Gwendolyn's back!" Jake gawks me a smug smile. Hart shakes his head along by him and scratches his head.

They look like zombies.

And plus it's a school night, why would they stay up and watch a movie? Well, maybe it's the mood set out there, rain and nothing but mucking mud. If I haven't left, they would've turned me into a train wreck. A disaster to be precise. Imagine me yelling and my neat hair into a huge nest. Where all the birds in this damned city can fly their way right into my hair and start a family.

I think I might be exaggerating.

"So, how's your day?" Jake asks me in a weird expression. Mainly the tiredness from his sleep schedule. He looks like a train wreck. Early he wore something normal and decent.

But now he's wearing a comfy sweater, smeared with nothing but Cheeto Puffs. What a way to "stand-out". I'm clearly disgusted right now.

Even to the point where I'm about to start hyperventilating as I clean. It's my nervous breakdown.

I don't like seeing dirty dishes laying here and there.

I scrub those bad boys and place 'em where they belong. Safe and organized in the dishwasher.

Our family's not the type of organizing clear dishes in cupboards and yet we're above-averaged for owning a house. A house that properly fits us.

Every morning, we're always in a rush. Hither and tither we trotted out of the door.

But now? Well, I'm not sure.

I just start the dishwasher whenever I make dinner, so I won't wash the dishes.

I'm so damn smart.

And maybe you are too.

"My day went...great.." Gritting my teeth hardcore, I, now, lost my appetite.

Don't feel hungry right now.

But hella hungry the next day.

"What about the curfew?" My mouth cannot stop talking, can't it? "Oh, I was just messing with you." He frowns a lazy groan. Stood up and yawns deeply.

"Goodnight you crazy zoo animals." Jake salutes. His hair toppled on the side.

I rolled my eyes, then gave a glare at Hart as he types alight on the screen. If I could tell him to help me again, but he'll run away like he always does. More the less, it'll turn into hella hot. By the term hella hot, I'm more explaining it on completely disaster.

So I decided to stay put, remembering the selfishness I talked straight outta myself towards Hart. When I was then caught and cleaned up the mess, hence blamed Jake that Hart ran away.

I felt a zing! More of a tickle running down my head and lower on my back. I suddenly thought of a plan.

And I swear it's much better than sneaking behind a door while hawking a couple bunch of written informations and questions. Nevertheless, Mr. Blue Eyes took my book and surely I'm going to get it back.

Who knows, what could get worse?

****

I waltz into my English Literacy, and now I see nothing but the same. Girls go selfishly crazy all over him.

Running their fingertips here and there. Makes me even more grossed out.

And now Fiona sitting over on our spot. Typing more comments on her phone. Social media.

And Trent walks in, his eyes beaming up as he brushes off the dust—to make himself even more professional. I'm not even expecting this to happen.

Our teacher starts to lay his books down.  And now our class begins. "Okay students, we'll continue with our work here. It's going to be due next Monday by once you come back." He writes it on the whiteboard, then laying an eye towards the distracted crowd.

So everyone moved to where their partners were and they began. Trent quickly scattering closer to Fiona when they sat. She rolled her eyes in annoyance and stayed put, silently tapping her hands quite impatient than usual.

Mr. Blue Eyes then stood up, and a girl waved embarrassing, too much to understand her gesture. So he glared his nose and sat down where I began to start on my assignment.

And don't think that it's ours, it was never before. So don't ever mistake that we're finishing this together.

"So, did you complete the paragraph?" He asked. More of eyeing me up and down. Smirking.

What paragraph do I've to complete? I was totally writing only two or three lines so far. Ever since evaluating our eavesdropping when Fiona and I snuck all the way at his ex-girlfriends apartment—more of a condo.

But anyway, doesn't bring up the topic here.

"Well, what about you then? Haven't you read the part?" I retorted, giving him a dead look. "Well—I did, and it's not good." He shot back. "And you Mello Yello, need to follow whatever my suggestion is."

Is he joking? Whatever he's blabbering about—doesn't make a difference. I wrote this in my opinions so it could earn a single and yet grade of an A. And still he's creating a ruckus over it.

Trying to fool me off? Oh we'll see..

"I think it's better this way. With questions and examples given that a system can change. Not actionable permission."

"Aren't you saying that you're choosing words than actions? Aren't they the same?" He replies.

I've gotta say, my stomach churning as I bite my lip from gagging.

He kind of makes a point.

So I ignored, writing out the plot of how it should be like the way I exactly planned.

So it was lunch.  The radiation of the forest, moreover—the start of emotional wreck and nonetheless judgements.

Most of the students sat nearby where Mr. Blue Eyes was, mostly the girls. And luckily he'll get quite the handful of 'em.

"So, what are we going to do?" Fiona opens her snack and began to eat. But, to even start the conversation, I scan the cafeteria.

To be so sudden, I see Mr. Blue Eyes walking away from the spaced place, towards the empty locker room.

And definitely, where all the kids would vape.

—and he disappeared.

This I got to know.

What's he doing again—or against??

A/N

I've published this chapter before, but then noticed the short mistake about it.

And that was to finish it.

So, again—please forgive my late appearance when I wrote this chapter to all of you guys.

I was busy with so many things that I've totally forgot to write this.

Anyways—hope you slam that big star above a vote and make sure to follow me on Twitter: @OrdinryMe

And goodbye for now!

Ooh—one more question I'd like to ask you.

What's Gwen going to do next?

Lemme know your suggestions by asking me a comment with your predictions.

And now, goodbye 👋🏽