The Darkside

I have been to the darkside, my friend, and I wish to never go there again. I was at fault, my best friends warned me, told me not to fall into the trap, but I did. I've accepted that now.

I'm a teenager, a punk. I spend my weekends and spare time hanging out with my best friends, Travis and Faith. They're funny people, Travis watches too much TV and Faith, well she's just Faith. Not a typical girly girl. She's as Emo as they come, but in this manufactured pop infested world people just ight us off as 'grungers'. But let's not start on that or you'll never hear about my trip to the darksie.

It was a typical Friday lunchtime in school, we were sitting discussing the new 'good charlotte' album when I saw the il I liked but knew I shouldn't. She was a prep, and being who I am, I never had a thing for fake and bitchy personalities but Jess was different.

"Our young Padawan is caught in the pull of the Darkside, he is." Travis said in his rather good Yoda voice. He is slightly neurotic, last week he was Silent Bob.

Faith laughed, "We will keep a close eye on young Anakin."

"I do not need looking after! Anyway, Jess isn't like the rest." I told them defensivly.

"Oh yeah. Like she didn't tell you to ease up on your lithium ose when you decided to try talking to her and got so nervous you babbled about, and I quote, 'Santa coming soon'?" Faith retorted.

Travis then had to add, "Right is Master Obi-Wan."

"I'm always right, Kris. You're only gonna get hurt."

"Well, I'll try and stay away from her. Ok?"

"Do or do not, there is no try." Travis quoted.

So let's fast forward a couple of week, I just asked Jess to go out with me and she accepted. The next morning my phone rings, I answer with a sleepy,

"yeah?"

"I want to go shopping today, meet me in town at 12."

That was the ever charming Jess, who din't wait even wait for a response before hanging up. Oh, be still my beating heart. Looking at the clock I had an hour to get up, washed, dressed and get into town. All to go shopping. I love it... in comparison to having the soles of my feet branded.

So, I arive in town just in time. I wave to Jess who seems to take a minute to realise who I am.

"We have to do something about that hat, it's on sideways you know." She said grabbing it from my head.

"It's meant to be, I'm not a Fred Durst wannabe." I said unhappily trying to fix my hair.

"Whatever let's go." She said walking off. I quickly followed. My unhappiness disolved as my pride to be with her took its place.

I mentally groaned as sh draged me to one of those many disigner, rip off shops. I think everyone in there thought, 'why is someone like him, in here?' and I have to admit, I had that very same thouht. Jess had picked up some 'Tommy' t-shirt and hit out with,

"you'd look better in this, go try it on."

"But I'm happy with my Atticus top!" I told her.

She screwed up her face. "It has a dead bird on it."

"That's the point! Ever read how to KILL a mocking BIRD? Has the character ATTICUS Finch?"

All I got was a blank stare. Did this girls brain have an on/off switch?

"Will you just try it? Please?" Hooray, she found the on switch again!

I sighed and stupidly put it on. You know what they say, love can make you do terrible things.

As if that moment could get any worse, Faith and Travis appeared. They were passing when they saw Baribi (Jess) and I.

Faith gave me a qustioning look while Travis shook his head, "Suduced by the darkside, he is."
Yes, Travis was still on his Yoda trip.

"She's diferent, huh Kris?" The ashamed look in Faith's eyes made me wish the ground would open up and swallow me.

"Guys, I'm..."

Jess interupted, "Come on Chad, I suddenly dislike this shop."

I pulled my arm from her, "What is you problem? You are as fake and self-centered as the rest of them! You can take your damn xpensive and crappy clothes back and why don't you try removing them from your head, your brian might just function then!"

I took off the t-shirt and threw it at Jess, then put my Atticus top back on and my hat. As I made a bee line for the door with Faith and Travis at my side I turned around, "And my name is Kris!"

I'm proud to say Jess doesn't even make eye-contact with me or my best friends anymore. They still mock me about my temporary madness but at least I still have them.