Clarey
"These are amazing shots, Clarey!" squealed Trish. She's my blond haired sidekick number one. I had laid all the photos I took from the photoshoot earlier that morning. I was one of the school's best photographers for the school paper. So when there's an event, you bet your ass, I'll be there!
We had a pictorial on our cheerleaders' practice session that morning and it just bummed me to death to see all those gorgeous and sexy cheerleaders of Bonita Vista. I wanted to be a cheerleader... Unfortunately, it didn't work out for me. I saw myself doing a terrible cart wheel on tryouts day. I shuddered from the memory. Never again, I told myself.
"You should definitely run your own business." She lightly squeezed my arm in excitement.
I scrunched my nose up, lifting a photo up to the light. "You really think so?" I started to re arrange the best photos that I took.
"Oh, yes! Girl, you got the skills." She continued to flip through the pictures.
"Hmm... photography's just a hobby of mine. An outlet." I threw a piece of crumpled paper at Trish. She just shook her head and smiled.
"Oh, yeah... have you heard about that new boy? He just started today, and my word... he's so damn fine!" she giggled.
I cocked an eyebrow at her and she continued batting her lashes at me.
"Don't give me that!" I threw another crumpled piece of paper at her. She stuck out her tongue and giggled. Trish Graves loves boys, and we all knew that.
"Ew, Trish, stop drooling!" I teased and started to collect all my photographs on the table and slipped them back in my book binder.
"Hey, I'll see you later! And oh, just give me a call, okay?" I gave a small wave at Trish and closed the door slowly behind me. As I whirled around, I plowed directly into a tall dark haired boy.
Whoops!
" Sorry, sorry, sorry," I apologized non stop while picking up my stuff. The boy was helping me pick up the scattered photographs.
Oh, cripes.
As I stood up, my eyes locked in on two familiar green eyes. The eyes I couldn't seem to forget. I gulped. How can I forget? He was the worst thing that ever happened to me!
Evan James von Detten.
The devil himself.
"Wait a minute..." He whispered. His eyes widened, grinning at me. I swallowed hard.
Please, do not remember me. Please do not remember me.
I chanted in my head like a stupid idiot. If he ever did recognize me, I have to blame it on the stupid dark gray ball cap that I was wearing the opposite way, not to mention my loose white shirt, plus my ripped denim jeans.
Just freakin' great.
"CJ?" he asked hesitantly, still grinning.
Wonderful, he remembers me. Why, oh why does bad things happen to good people?
"It's Clarey." I said firmly as I snatched the photograph from his hand.
I brushed past him and walked away as fast as I can. He caught up with me, his black backpack slinged in one shoulder. A lock of his dark brown wavy hair just covered a bit of his eyes.
"I can't believe it," he snickered, "CJ the terrible tomboy!" he laughed as he brushed his fingers through his hair. He thinks it is so damn amusing.
My jaw dropped. I glared at him. I swear, if I was a fire breathing dragon I would have charred him to death by now. It has been a long time since I've heard him say that.
My life is so ruined.
"Why, von Detten, you're pretty much the same ol' prankster you always were, or should I say the same ol' jerk you always were." I said coolly, trying to look like I wasn't bothered at all.
"Well, yeah." he snorted.
I shook my head. "Why, am I not surprised?"
"CJ, the terrible tomboy," he quipped.
"WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP?!" I snapped, looking up at him. He was about a few inches taller than me. And yes, he was such a handsome guy alright but he is such an egotistical fiend, for crying out loud.
"Stop calling me that! The name's Clarissa Johnson, okay? And if you want it shorter, It's Clarey!" I gripped my binder tightly and scurried away from him.
My eyes were now fully-brimmed with tears. I bit my lip hard and snuck into the girl's restroom. I slammed my backpack hard on the floor. I leaned on the sink. I stared at myself at the mirror. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I took my ball cap off slowly and stared at it. Tiny tear droplets fell on the cap. I squeezed it. Memories of the past flooded my mind once again.
Evan's voice were echoing through my mind. The young Evan. The Evan that I hated. Now that he's back, I'll be hating him forever since he'll be making my life a living hell.
" Give it back, Evan!" I cried. I saw my six year old self trying to retrieve something from Evan. A ball. We were in the middle of the court playing basketball. He was running around in circles and I was running after him to get it. The other kids as well as the teacher were far away from us.
" You want it? Come and get it!" God, he was such a bully. He reminded of that character Buzz from the Home alone movie, Kevin's brother. He was like that, except you have to multiply it by ten and he's your worst nightmare.
" I said stop!" I shrieked. He started to run in the field. I ran after him. We were in the middle of the damp field now. He stopped and held the ball in his hands. His eyes squinting from the sun. He waited until I had caught up with him. He grinned devilishly at me. I stood there waiting for him to give me back my ball.
" Catch!" he threw the ball at me.
Before I could catch it, I lost my balance and fell back into the muddy grass. A knot of anger swelled through my throat.
" Evaaaaaan!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
No one could really hear us since we have wandered off into the middle of the field. He just laughed. He was such a little devil!
" Stop acting like a little girl, CJ. You're a boy after all," he shook his head and trudged back to the court. He left me there, all muddy and wet. All alone. I started to cry. As if the weather knew what I was feeling, rain started to pour.
"You okay, chica?" my friend Sofie Villareal started to hug me. She's my sidekick number two.
"Yeah, I'm good," I croaked. I started to wipe my tears away.
"You don't seem good to me," She runs a hand on my back. "Tell me what happened."
And so I did. My life was turned upside down the moment I met Evan back in Kindergarten. He left and I gained back my good life. Now senior year is here, and he's back... my life is on the verge of destruction. Wow. What did I ever do to deserve this?
Evan James von Detten.
Two can play at this game.
| 
Email this Novel
| 
Add to reading list
