Life as I Know It

Chapter One



“Oh Crap, oh crap, oh crap” that’s all that is coming out of my mouth. I can’t move and Wanda’s laughing at me. She thinks it’s hilarious that I am freaking out about the fact my major crush is about to speak to me. I knew it was coming; it was only a matter of time. I’d liked Aiden for what seemed like an eternity. Well it was only two years but, when your fifteen two years is a long time to like someone. I am literally shaking as he is walking up to me at the lunch table.

Aiden is a little taller than me. I would guess about 5’ 9”. Dark brown hair, blue eyes and the most seductive cocky smile I have ever seen. Today he is wearing a DC label shirt, dark distressed jeans that sag just enough to make me wonder and DC shoes to match. I love the way he walks toward me. It’s almost like he is floating. Or am I just hallucinating? He grew a bit over the summer break. “Aly?” he says with a slight hesitation. “Hey you said you’d help me with class this year. Did you still want to? I still wanna teach you how to ride a quad if you want.”

If I want? Are you kidding me? In all things great yeah!

“Yeah, I will help you I told you I would. I don’t mind. And you don’t have to teach me how to ride.” I said shyly. I’m so not shy so why the hell can’t I talk when he is around? Jeesh this is crazy! Wanda is still giggling. Bitch.

“No, I will it’s cool. So when do you wanna get together to do this?” asking as if no one was staring at me. Aiden is the hottest guy in school well, our school so far. He is talking to me the uncool girl, so I am being hated at the moment. As if on cue, the “cool girl” table starts giggling.

“Of course Aiden, Aly would do anything to teach you something other than dorklish.” Seline said mockingly. Seline slowly walks up in that “I am Bitch” tone that is so famously hers. I really want to stab her with a spoon at the moment.

“Seline, ah, thanks for answering Aly’s questions. I’m sure she appreciates the help when speaking dorklish.” Aiden said almost choking. YAY Aiden! Oh how I love thee. “See you later Aly. K?”

“Yeah, I will see you later.” Ugh, could I be more boring?

Seline walked away with that “I am better, I will have him, just wait and see” smile. Seline Hamilton wasn’t always this evil. I think that she became this way just after 7th grade. That summer she got a nice birthday present. Double D cup boobs. Every since then, guys follow her around like puppies. I hate her. Well, I really don’t but I want to hate her. High school is rough and it doesn’t help that I got the negative in the breast department and the positive in the ass department. I look like a pear. A poor shaped pear.

I wouldn’t say that all of my looks are horrid, just most of the ones that count are. I am about 5’ 6”, mousey brown hair, dark green eyes, and full lips. I have a small chest, a long waist line, a small waist and very full hips. My legs are nicely toned and long. I have to thank cross country for that. Miles and miles of running helped do something for the shape of my legs.

Wanda is dragging me out of the lunch room so we can make it to class. All I can do is stare into space and wonder. Did that just happen?

“What?” Wanda said stopping short.

“Huh? Oh, I was just wondering if that really just happened. I mean, like, really. He talked to me in front of the whole school. And then he totally dissed Seline in the process.” I said dreamily.

“Yes, you dumb! It really did just happen. And if you want to look even more stupefied, keep walking into that wall.” She said giggling.

I have to say that Wanda is my best friend. I can’t think of a time when she wasn’t there for me. Even when she was mad, really mad, she had always been there. Wanda is a very quiet, get to know you then kill you, kind of person. I can’t help but think of all this as we are walking into our history class. Wanda hates history. She says that it is boring because it already happened, we know it already. I think that it is interesting. It also helps that Aiden is in this class too.

It’s hard to actually say when it was that I fell in love with him. Maybe back when I was almost 13.

It was a really wet summer and most of the days were rainy and dreary. However, this day was different. It was beautiful. The sun was hot and bright. The sky was that bright blue that only comes after a long rain. I woke up early that morning, which is never the case for me. I love to sleep. I think that it is a hobby of mine. I noticed that my brother Seth had left his skate board in the hall way on my way to grab some toast. I thought “huh, I will borrow it and he will never know”.

I ran through the kitchen kissed my mom good morning and kept going. I smiled at the fact my mother was in shock that I wasn’t in bed at 8 am. I threw on the jeans I wore the day before and my chucks. I looked for a decent tank top and a sports bra. After running my tooth brush through my mouth and a comb through my hair just enough to put it in a pony tail, I grabbed Seth’s skate board and left.

I remember watching the girls standing on the sidewalk of the skate park. All of them pretending to be interested in skating, however, they clearly weren’t. I was into skating though. I wasn’t very good at it but, I could do some tricks and at least stay on the board. They had just finished putting the bowl together and I wanted to give it a try. I had my left foot on one side of the board holding it just off the side of the bowl. My right foot was positioned behind me just enough to make sure I didn’t fall when I dropped off the edge. As I started off, I heard a shout but I wasn’t paying attention to that. The girls always screamed there so, I wasn’t too worried about it. I had just put my right foot on the board and was about to squat down to steady myself for the flip and come back down. Then I felt nothing but cold on my back and ringing in my ears. It was totally black all of a sudden. Someone was telling me to breathe, I think.

I opened my eyes and saw the most amazing blue eyes any one could ever describe.

“Breathe. Okay, now, great you’re opening your eyes, that’s good. Can you talk?” the blue eyes were talking to me. They were asking me questions that I didn’t understand. Of course I can talk.

“Um, I can talk. Why am I lying down?” I said as I tried to sit up. “Ooooh, shit, I uh. Yeah, I feel like I ran into a wall.”

“That wall would have been me. I tried to stop before you took off but, I was already in motion. I’m really sorry. I hope nothing’s broken. The girl over there called 911.” Blue eyes said with a bit of worry.

“Great. My mom is going to kill me. And if my brother’s board’s hurt, I might as well go to another country and sign up for slavery.” I winced.

“Here let me help you up.” He said offering his hand.

I took it slowly and got to my feet. I was a bit dizzy. I could see all the girls looking at me and I couldn’t tell but I think it was envy that was on their faces.

“My name is Aiden. Aiden Johnson.” Blue eyes said mater-of-fact-ly.

“I’m Aly. Well, Alissen. Alissen Tabor. I like Aly for all intensive purposes.” Why was I babbling like a two year old?

He put his arm around my waist and held my hand as if I was a little girl lost in a crowd of strangers. Holly crap! He smelled so good. I was getting woozy just off that. We hobbled over to the edge of the bowl so I could pull myself up and out of it.

“Stay right there and don’t move.” Aiden jumped up out of the bowl like it was nothing. “There now give me your hands and I will lift you up.”

Before I could argue that I was too heavy for him I was up out of the bowl.

“Wow that was fast. Thanks, I think that I’m ok though.” I gave a small smile.

“I think that you should get checked out though. Just to make sure I didn’t hurt you.” He said pleadingly.

Like I wasn’t already in enough pain, the blow to my ego was worse than any scratch or bruise he gave me.

“Ok, I guess I can have them look at me. Then I have to get home. Ok?” All I could think about were those eyes and my brother killing me for breaking his board.

A minor concussion and I was good to go. Ha yeah and I think I’m in love. Aiden Johnson? Well Mr. Johnson is determined to walk me home to make sure that I’m okay. I tried to tell him over and over that I was just fine, a bit bruised but, that happens every day to me.

We are actually walking because I broke the truck on Seth’s skateboard. At least it’s replaceable; I don’t have to be forced into slavery in a third world country.

“So…” I hesitate to talk. He is really hot. “…are you from around here? I mean do you go to school here or are you just visiting?”

“Ha ha, yeah, I’m from here. I was born here and then we moved away but, I’m back. However, I don’t remember this being so boring. All Silver City is, is an art town. It’s like all the rich people from California came here with all of their money and decided “Hey look, there just isn’t enough art galleries, let’s put up another one”. It sucks now. The theater that is here is still the same Real West Cinema with the same crappy screens and the worst sound system ever. The seats are all gross and they have the Harkins 25 logos on them. I mean, seriously? I’m really glad they put in the skate park though. It was my first day out and I got a great impression.” He keeps talking as though he has known me forever. His voice is so deep; I can just imagine falling asleep to that voice.

“Are you sure you’re ok? You are kinda off in space there, hello?” he stops short and turns to look at me.

“Uh, huh? O M G. What were you saying? I am so sorry I was thinking about how my brother is going to kill me when I get his board home.” I grimace hoping he takes that.

“Oh, ok. Well I wouldn’t worry too much about it; it is only a broken truck. How mad could he be?” He asks jokingly.

“If you knew my brother, you wouldn’t ask that question.” I looked away, trying to find an exit soon. I lived in a poor side of town and it isn’t that it’s embarrassing to live there, just not anything to be proud of. Besides, why does he really need to know where I live? It’s not like he is ever going to come over, right?

“So, I am guessing that you took it without him knowing.” That was more of a statement than a question.

“You would be right. And, I don’t wanna be rude, but my mom would flip the “F” out if she saw you with me. I live just up here behind the post office, so, I can walk the rest of the way by myself. Thanks!” I said all of this walking away.

“Wait, at least give me your number so I can call you. I mean, I don’t have too many friends here. And, I have an extra board you can use at the park. That’s if you wanna hang out this summer.” He said a bit rushed.

I turned back around and gave him a “are you serious?” look.

“Okay. That’s great. My number is 555-4325. Don’t call after 8 though. Thanks for walking me home.” And with that I was off. The walk up the hill on 6th street is rough, but I was so dazed I felt like I floated up it.

Wow, that’s the hottest guy I’ve ever seen, and he’s talking to me. He walked me home. Well, almost home. He sounded a bit nervous asking my number. Hmm. I think it’s the heat that was getting to him. As soon as he gets to high school, he’ll see that I’m just plain Jane. Just wait till he meets Seline. Those blue eyes, so blue, like the deep blue of the ocean. And that voice, so deep.

The next day was not as great as I was hoping it to be. It was raining again and I had to do chores. My step father thinks it’s humane to force us to do child labor. Today was “fix the kitchen” day. After about four hours of ripping out dry wall and putting up framing for the new wall, we were allowed a break. I went to my room, and started listening to some music when my mom yelled at me. “Aly! You have a phone call! Some boy!”

Some boy? He’s not calling me, is he? “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Aiden. I told you I’d call. And it isn’t after 8. What are you up to?” He sounded so great on the phone.

“Oh I… um… I was just taking a break from helping my step dad. Not doing anything too exciting. What are you doing?” God! Could I be more childish?

“I wanna go check out the movie that is playing at the Real West. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.” He asked hesitantly.

“Uh, yeah. I need to ask my mom if I can go.” I told him to hold on a minute.

“Hello? Miss Tabor? Are you awake in there?” Mr. Pena asked impatiently. We call him Mr. P.

The entire class was laughing at me and Wanda was looking at me like I had completely checked out for a minute.

“Oh, I’m sorry. What was the question?” I was trying to recover quickly.

“When did WWII end, officially?” He stated angrily.

“I’m so sorry Mr. P. I haven’t read that far yet.” Well that just earned me a big fat LOOSER status.

He turned and walked back up the aisle and asked Seline the same question and of course she had the answer.

Wanda slipped me a note. “DUDE! Where the hell did you go? I mean you were almost drooling you were so far gone!”

I quickly wrote back, “I was thinking about when I met Aiden. I was so reliving that whole two days! OMG! I’m so totally in love with him. It started from that day he ran into me LITERALLY. What do I do?”

I wasn’t able to get her response because the bell rang and Mr. P needed me to stay to talk about my behavior. After the “yes sir, I will sir” I left and headed to PE. I like PE most of the time. Mr. Garcia is a pretty cool guy. I think that he has done some anabolic steroids but, who am I to judge. I went in the locker room and changed into my work out gear. Today we were doing strength training and I was feeling pretty good about the weights. After a cycle of lateral squats and some lunges, I walked out to the hall to get some water. I stopped short because Seline was standing up against the wall talking to Aiden.

“Really Aiden, you shouldn’t waste your time with that poor little girl. And when I say poor little girl I don’t mean, I pity her. I mean she’s poor white trash.” She said flipping her hair back.

“Seline, I like Aly. Not like a girl friend or anything. She’s a great girl. She’s fun to hang out with. So you don’t need to worry about me wasting my time. I’m not after anything with her. Okay? You got that? So stop worrying about it.” Aiden turned away and walked out of the hall through the gym doors.

Seline saw me standing there and said, “See Aly. I’m going to have him before you and he won’t want anything to do with you when I’m done. So stop staring, close your mouth and walk away.”

She is so evil. Like really evil. I can’t believe that I walked in on that. What were they talking about before I walked out there? I was so mortified with the scene that I was just gapping. I didn’t know what to do other than turn around and go back to the weight room. I was not going to cry. I wasn’t. The tears were stinging my eyes and I thought they were about to betray me when Mr. Garcia announced it was time to shower and change.

The water couldn’t have felt better. I sobbed quietly. I knew it was too good to be true. I knew that Aiden would never like me. I was poor. My family is a large family and my mother is in school trying to get her degree in nursing. My step father works in construction and when it’s raining that didn’t provide much work. What little “nice” things I had were earned by a lot of hard work. After the shower, I got my brush and pulled my hair into a pony tail. I got dressed and threw on my chucks and walked to math class.