Chameleon

Tip tap tip tap. Black hair fell into fake blue eyes. Fingers rapidly typed out letters, black nail polish glistening in the light of a bedroom. Posters hung on the wall, their animated faces smiling down on the boy living in the room.

It was September 30, 2006. The night of Castle High School’s Homecoming Dance, and Yoshi Harada was sitting in his dimly lit room chatting away to people he didn’t even really know. Now, don’t be mistaken, Yoshi would have loved to attend his Homecoming, but, he had a very important mission to accomplish. He was going to raid Molten Core…which everyone knew took several hours.

Yoshi took a sip of his Mountain Dew and continued to stare into the computer in front of him. The bright glare reflected off of his black, thick framed glasses. His black, thick framed, Versace glasses, but he wasn’t one to brag.

He glanced to his left, where a little egg, dressed up in a pink dress, was sitting in a tiny basket. In school, he and a partner were supposed to take care of the egg and treat it like they would a child. The teacher marked the egg and everything to make sure her students didn’t just buy another egg. Unfortunately for Yoshi, his partner was Clarissa Sorriel.

Clarissa Sorriel was the worst, most irresponsible, cruelest, girl in the entire school. She was cunning, sneaky, and in Yoshi’s experience with her, very, very manipulative. While she was at Homecoming, probably grinding into everything in sight, he was sitting in his room babysitting their daughter, the egg, Green Bean.

The computer screen went blank; leaving the room even darker than it was before. Yoshi groaned and slammed his head into the keyboard. His stupid, piece of crap computer had failed him again.

He sighed, and once more glanced at Green Bean. Was this a preview of his life? In ten years from now would he be sitting at home with his daughter while his evil wife went out partying all night? Because if that’s how his life was going to be, he might as well just waste away now so that he would be used to it later.

“MATTY!!” Yoshi heard his mother yell from downstairs, “Come down here!!”

Yoshi slowly got up and walked down the flight of stairs leading into the living room. His mother, Grace, was sitting on the sofa talking on the phone. Yoshi noticed that she had slipped back into pigeon English, which must have meant she was talking to someone in Hawaii.

“Oh, Matty,” His mother said when she noticed he had come downstairs, “You’re Uncle Hideki is on the line and guess what? He’s coming to live with us! Isn’t that great?” She had a look of desperation on her face, but her voice sounded delighted. “He’s moving in next week!”

“That’s…great.” Yoshi said. His Uncle Hideki, from Hawaii, was his father’s dead-beat little brother. He had been a hotel manager before they realized that what a lazy bum he was. The only reason he got the job was because he had connections.

“Oh…um…Hideki, I have to hang up right now, Matty says he’s hungry. Yes…yes, I’ll call you later. Bye!” His mother said hanging up the phone. She slumped into the sofa.

“I didn’t say I was hungry, mom.” Yoshi said, sitting down next to her.

“Oh, I know, but I had been talking to that man for about an hour and I really needed a break. Can you believe it? Auntie Fumiko is divorcing him because he can’t keep a steady job. I’m just happy they didn’t have kids yet. Can you imagine if they did? The poor thing would grow up in such a dysfunctional environment.”

“So, he’s living with us? Does Dad know?”

“Well, he’s not going to deny his little brother shelter, you know that.” Grace said. She glanced down at Yoshi’s hands. “Oh, Matty! Why do you insist on wearing that awful nail polish!?”

There may be some confusion as to why Yoshi’s mother calls him Matty. When Yoshi was in about 4th grade, he was obsessed with Mario Brothers. He had a Yoshi lunchbox, wore Yoshi t-shirts, had all of the games, and in a short while kids just started calling him Yoshi. His mom and dad, however, were not fond of the name and kept calling him by their own pet-name. So, it seamed, that Yoshi was called by childhood nicknames by everyone he knew.

“I just like it, mom. It’s not like it really matters anyway. Lots of guys do it.” He said, snatching his hand away from her. He got off the sofa and started to head into the kitchen. He got a juice packet out of the refrigerator. When he turned around his mother was facing him.

“Home come you’re not at Homecoming? Alina is there.” She said, giving him worried look.

“Alina wanted to go and I didn’t. It’s as simple as that.”

Alina was Yoshi’s little sister. They were probably as different as night and day. She had boys crawling all over her, while Yoshi chased all the girls away.

“It’s your Junior year, Matty, I’m just afraid you’re missing out on high school life. You don’t go to football games or anything.” Grace said, stroking Yoshi’s dark hair. Yoshi was now a few inches taller than his mother. “Alina is only a freshman and she goes to everything.”

Yoshi pulled away from her. “Well, I don’t really find dancing or watching guys chase a ball around entertaining. High school is over rated, anyways.”

“I wish you didn’t feel that way. High school is supposed to be the best years of your life.” Grace said, leaning against the counter.

“Hm. I have yet to experience that. Now, if you don’t mind I’m going to go watch Eureka Seven and go to sleep. Goodnight, mother.” He said, leaving the kitchen and walking upstairs. He could still feel his mother standing there where he left her.

He checked to see if his computer would turn back on, but sadly, it didn’t. He lied down on his bed and screamed into his pillow. Yes, a very girly thing to do, but it made him feel better. He turned over to lie on his back and looked at Green Bean. He felt like throwing her against the wall and watching her break. He didn’t want this kind of life. He looked at his clock. 9:30. The dance would be into full swing by now. Yoshi closed his eyes and pictured his classmates. Clarissa Sorriel would probably be in a little dress dancing with her friends, Daniel Morrow and Julian Skyler would be singing Karaoke, making fools of themselves, yet having everyone’s full attention. He could picture Brynne Reyland patrolling the place, making sure everything was going as planned.

Yoshi growled when he realized he still had his color contacts on. That meant he had to walk all the way to the bathroom and take them off. He sighed and hopped off his bed. He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. His eyes were the only thing interesting about him, and even they were fake. How depressing. He had black, straight hair that reached the middle of his neck, and a little nose. His dark bangs were always falling into his eyes. He always said that he used his bangs and contacts as a way of hiding himself, of protecting himself. But then again, he also wondered, what in the world was he protecting himself from?

Julian Skyler never thought that the night would end up like this. He was in a tux, yes, sitting next to his date, yes, but he was riding in an ambulance. It was September 30, 2006, Homecoming night. It was about 11:30, and the dance would be officially over in half an hour. For him, and most, though, the dance was over right now. In fact, Julian felt like his whole life was over, because, you see, something terrible happened.

His best friend in the entire world, Daniel Morrow, was found dead behind a trash can about half an hour ago.

Julian couldn’t even really remember Daniel leaving their group of friends. He had just said he was going to the bathroom. Sadly, Julian didn’t even notice how long he’d been gone till it was too late. Julian looked at the girl next to him. Tracey Hazel was gorgeous. She had tan skin, short blonde hair, and big, brown eyes, but Julian still felt like she was to blame for him not noticing Daniel disappearance.

Well, she was to blame for being so perfect that Julian obsessed over her. Tracey had her small hands folded in her lap, head looking down, and her fingers uncomfortably played with the hem of her lavender dress.

Julian had obsessed with Tracey ever since he could remember. He remembered sitting behind her in 3rd grade, wondering what it would feel like to touch her hair. He remembered the first time he had made her laugh…well, being a clown in his 4th grade class play had made everyone laugh, but she was the only one he noticed. He also remembered the first time they had become friends. It was 8th grade on a rainy day when Tracey forgot her umbrella at home. They lived in the same general area, so he walked home with her, sharing an umbrella the whole way.

So, here he was, at his 11th grade Homecoming with the girl of his dreams. But none of it seemed right. His best friend was dead. Daniel Morrow was dead. Julian was too shocked to even cry, or even speak for that matter. Julian had been through many changes in his life, so what were you supposed to do when the one consistency you ever had, was ripped away from you in a minute?

The ambulance pulled to a stop in from of Castle’s Hospital. Julian had only been to a hospital twice. When his sister had her baby and when he broke his arm freshman year.

Hospital’s smelled like nervous. Like anxiety, like death, like tears, like “I’ve got some bad news.”

The clicking of Tracey high heel shoes echoed through out the hallways of the emergency room. They were going to be meeting Daniel’s parents in the waiting room, and it was one thing Julian was not looking forward to. Chris and Leila Morrow were like second parents to him. They offered him a home when he was denied his own, and so to see them sitting in a smelly, hospital waiting to hear how their precious son had died, nearly broke Julian’s heart in two.

Mrs. Morrow rose from her seat. “Oh, Julian.” She sobbed pulling him into an embrace. Julian could feel Tracey shift uncomfortably. He could tell she didn’t feel like she belonged here. She had gone to the hospital with Julian because he didn’t want to be alone, and had asked her to come.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Morrow.” Julian said, his voice cracking. “I should have been there. I shouldn’t have let it happen…”

“You didn’t know.” Mr. Morrow said. “Please don’t blame yourself.”

“He’s right. We don’t even know what did happen.” Mrs. Morrow said, patting Julian’s back. The tears Julian had been keeping in started to flood out like a water fall. His father had always told him to never cry, because crying showed how weak someone was. But, then again, his father had never lost his best friend.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Julian said. “Just wait till the doctor finds out what happened?”

“Well, it doesn’t look like we have to wait.” Mr. Morrow said in a soft voice. The doctor had come out of the Urgent care room. He walked over to us, a sad expression on his fatigued looking face.

“Mr. and Mrs. Morrow, “ he said, “Daniel is dead because…because he killed himself.”

An awkward silence plagued the waiting room.

Brynne Reyland walked out of her house on Buckeye Circle. It was Monday, and she was still tired from Homecoming. No, she didn’t dance away the night or anything like that. Brynne had been running around the place making sure nothing would ruin the dance. The dance she planned. Unfortunately, despite her best efforts the dance was still a disaster.

“GOODMORNING, BRYNNE!!!”

Brynne screamed as her father, James, jumped down from the roof of their two story house.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Brynne asked, clutching her heart.

“What, can’t a father greet his daughter in the morning?” he asked, brushing off his pants.

“What in the world were you doing on the roof?”

“Oh. Your mother wanted me to clear out the chimney. I felt like Santa Clause up there.” Her father said, chucking.

“Good God.” Brynne said, sighing. “Well, I’m going to school now. Bye.”

“Wait, wait! I’ll drive you there. You’re carrying so many books.”

“No thanks, dad, I’m used to this many books. Besides, I feel like walking today…which is why I got up so early.” Brynne, being the school president, always arrived at school at least an hour before all the other students.

“Oh…okay. Well, be safe.” Her dad said. He sounded a little disappointed, to Brynne gave him goodbye peck on the cheek.

“See you when I get home, daddy!” she said, walking down the side walk. Her father smiled and waved after her.

When Brynne reached school, she headed into the administration building and slumped into her tiny desk. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the table. All she wanted was five minutes of peace. Just five minutes.

“You didn’t straighten your hair today did you?”

Brynne groaned. She didn’t think she was up to it today.

“I know you’re not sleeping and that you can hear me.”

Maybe he’d go away if she waited it out long enough.

“I’m not going away no matter how long you ignore me.”

Brynne banged her fist on the table. “What do you want, Rory?”

Rory, the teacher’s aid who worked for the school nurse, smiled. “See? I knew you would give in.” he said.

Rory Chivall knew everything about everyone. He studied people and was basically the guy to go to if you ever needed gossip. To most people he would be quite useful, but Brynne didn’t care for such juvenile things like gossip. She had bigger things to worry about. She pushed her dark brown hair out of her eyes and stared down at the public announcements she was supposed to say over the loud speaker this morning.

“This week is going to be hell.” Rory said, “They already have flowers and all that crap by his locker.”

Brynne glanced up at Rory, then back down at the sheet of paper. She was supposed to announce Daniel Morrow’s death to the school? She was supposed to say when the school was having the assembly in honor of Daniel Morrow? She was supposed to comment on what a wonderful person he was?

“You know, they say he killed himself. Sounds a little fishy to me. How scandalous would it be if he was murdered? Right, Brynne?”

Brynne hardly knew the guy. She had barely spoken ten words to him in all her high school years. The only connection she ever had with him was that they both ran for president. Surprisingly, she had won against him.

“But he couldn’t have been murdered because he died by ODing.” Rory said. “Kinda weird, huh? I always thought he was perfect. Don’t know why he’d want to end his life when he had all those great things going for him.”

Brynne’s hazel eyes shot up to meet Rory’s turquoise ones. That was it. That was the deeper connection. If anything, Brynne knew the affects of trying to be perfect. She tried harder and harder everyday. She sacrificed her childhood to the goal of obtaining perfection. She could count the number of friends she had on one hand, and even those friendships were shallow. If Daniel Morrow killed himself because he couldn’t handle the pressure of perfection, then Brynne knew exactly how he must have felt. Because Brynne knows that perfection is deadly.

“Brynne? Could you do me a favor?”

Brynne looked up to see Principle Wayett standing before her.

“Could you run a copy of this for me? I have to send it to this girls parents.” She said, hading Brynne the folder.

“Sure…” Brynne said, getting up from her seat.

“This is going to be such a horrible week.” Principle Wayett said, rubbing her temples. Brynne nodded, sympathetically, and walked out of the office. By that time, the hallways already had many kids walking through them. On the way to the copy room, Brynne passed by Daniel Morrow’s locker. There were some flowers, and a couple of signs posted. She felt a pang of guilt, but kept walking.

Appearntly, the document Principle Wayett wanted a copy of was a list of every detention and suspension Clarissa Sorriel had gotten her freshman and sophomore year at Castle High School. It was a letter telling her parents that she only had three more chances at this school and that a parent-teacher conference was in order.

Brynne rolled her eyes. How dumb could a girl be to throw away her future like this?

Clarissa Sorriel was not a dumb girl. One would argue that, if she wasn’t dumb, why was she a junior in biology, a freshman class. Well, you see, Clarissa was street smart. She could get anything she wanted by just saying the right words, by using manipulation to its fullest potential. The only reason she even passed science in the first place was because she got this girl to do all her homework for her. So what if she failed every test? She still passed with a C-.

“Clarissa! For heaven’s sake pay attention! The Immune system is one of the most difficult body systems and you’re just sitting there spacing out!” Mr. Flood said.

Clarissa batted her eyelashes. “I’m sorry, sir, it’s just that, I lost a friend to AIDS and…well, I just don’t…I got distracted. I’m really sorry.”

Mr. Flood shook his head and turned back to the power point, not knowing if he should believe her. “Please just try your best to stay focused.”

Clarissa smirked and continued to scrape the polish off of her nails.

Life was good when you knew how to work it.

Please R&R!! Thank you!