True To Your Heart

Chapter 1: When Your Heart Talks, Listen

Most of our high school lives we worry about what clique we’re hanging out with, what clothes we wear, and what party’s going on that weekend because that’s what’s most important right?

Well to some people yeah, it’s the complete highlight of their lives and I mean it should be right? What’s more important than being popular, most well-known? What about senior year? What if there was a possibility that you bombed the SAT’s, partied the rest or junior year, and here comes, rolling around the corner your main objective: Graduation day, fastly approaching. What would you do? You’d panic that’s what.

Oh, so maybe I’m overreacting. It’s only a quarter into the year and my grades are okay. I’m a pretty average girl, who loves to party. The teachers? Yeah they lecture, as do most teachers but it’s just because it’s their job, it’s not like they’re directing it at me or anything. They had better not direct it at me because I’m not that kinda kid.

We live in a big city, located in Ohio, called Columbus. Our school has the largest amount of students as a public high school, making our school the most watched in academic achievement. We have a lot going on here at Starlight Towers high school.

I don’t just limit myself to talking to one group of people, after all why be so limited? I could use the conversation skills. But, I do have my best friend Sangoya who joined the cheerleading team as a joke sophomore year, it was hilarious.

She had purposely raised her skirt to her thighs and walked around school, ALL DAY like that. Don’t worry she had shorts underneath of course. You have NO idea how pissed the team was, but me and Sang just laughed our guts out.

Sangoya does have a boyfriend, his name’s Christian a.k.a Mr. Hottie Wanna Rip His Shirt Off. Sang forbid me from calling him that in public, but I let it slip once or twice, who could blame me he’s H-O-T.

Chris’s is a jock. A MAJOR jock. He plays basketball and football and he’s really good at both. He played soccer and baseball our freshman and sophomore year. Chris has done just about every sport, on the count that he likes to stay active. He’s such a sweetheart too, he buys Sang lunch and eats with us every Tuesday and Thursday. He brings along his annoying best friend, my ex-boyfriend. Did I mention he was annoying? I’ll get to him later, trust me I WILL, anyways, back to the hottie. He meets Sang in the hall and we all take his car to the games, yes even the annoying one.

Speaking of annoying one he owes me 5 bucks. His name’s Darell. He has long hair, annoying personality, and an annoying smirk. Just as annoying as an annoying best friend of a jock could get. He takes every chance he can get to bug me, we’ve actually been at it since middle school ... Speaking of the devil ...

Darell walked up and closed Star’s locker. “You still look the same as you did when you woke up this morning, now quit checking your make-up.”

Darell’s silver bangs hung down in his face, his hair was getting a bit wild and messy around this time of year. He was taller than me, so he had to look down at me as he spoke. Darell was well built, and he made sure he kept his physique by going to the gym, or working out at his house.

“Excuse you, rude. I didn’t know long for boys was in, I swear I saw and oldies clip and the man looked exactly like you, long hair and all” she then took off walking.

Darell put a hand over his heart and pretended to be hurt. “Ouch that one hurt and here I thought you liked my look.”

Star stopped. “Key word liked, that was how many years ago?”

Darell stopped next to her. “Admit it, you can’t resist me”

“Oh, I can’t? What do you call this?” and with that she walked off and over to Sangoya and Chris.

“Confessing your love again?” Sangoya asked.

“Ha ha, very funny” Star replied.

Sangoya still had this wacko idea that I still liked him and he still liked me. She says he “couldn’t help flirting with me” I say it’s more annoying me to hell and back, but whatever. Suddenly Darell was going to confess his un-denying love for me. I laughed at the thought. Yeah right. We can’t stand each other. I see him enough at school, that’s bad enough. Then I gotta go to work and see him too, it was a complete pain in the -- you know what I mean, right?

Our school was incredibly big. It was the type of school that was easy to get lost in, just by turning the corner. As a freshman, I got lost so many times, certain teachers would meet me at my previous class, just so I wouldn’t be late for their class.

After school that day, Sangoya drove me to work since my car was being used to-- never mind I’m not gonna get into details about that. I thanked Sang and walked into Book-Krazy. Yup, I worked in a bookstore and it was actually really fun, minus the Darell being there part.

Book-Krazy was in central downtown. Central downtown was where everyone hung out after school or right before work. All the buildings were skyscrapers, even if that same store was way smaller on the other side of town. That’s just how most of the buildings were in central downtown. COTA buses passed every couple minutes, picking up passengers and dropping off passengers. Downtown was just a very busy place in our city, anytime of the day.

COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority), if you didn’t already know, is the public transportation for Columbus. Some bus drivers are friendly, some are ... Well, not so friendly. My mom would never let us ride the COTA, but a lot of people don’t know how to drive, so the COTA was the only option for them.

Darell was stacking teen novels when I spotted him. Book-Krazy was one of the larger stores of the section of central downtown that I worked at. It wasn’t just a bookstore, they had many other things too such as, CD players, CD’s, DVD players, DVD’s, home entertainment systems, game systems, games, anything along the electronics family, we basically carried. We also carried Journals, pens, snacks, and had a café in the back corner of our store. We actually had a lot of business daily, especially on the weekends. We were packed.

“What a lovely job you are doing sir” I said after making my way over to him.

He didn’t look up, “How may I help your royal ness, is she ready for her shoe shine?”

I hit him, hard.

“Ow!”

“Oooops, the royal hand slipped.”

He tossed a book at me and I glared at him, which was so easy to do by the way.

“Oh football team, lookout your sexy awaits” he said mockingly.

“Ha ha”

He smirked. Ooo! It was so annoying when he did that! He wasn’t even aware he was doing it half the time ... Or that he looked sexy doing it.

Some boys walked into the bookstore, let me rephrase that, some HOT boys walked into the bookstore and over to me.

“Hey cutie” said the boy, he was directing it at me.

I smiled. “Hi, how many I help you guys today?” It was then that I realized that it was our school football team, well besides my boyfriend and Chris.

“You can help me by directing me to your phone number.” the boy was PAST flirting.

I gave them a sexy smile and the next thing I knew, Darell walked over to me, pulled me close and kissed me, yup right on the lips. “I’ll be back babe” and then he walked off to the backroom.

I blinked several times and the boy, looking humiliated, walked off.

“What gives!” I yelled to him.

“Didn’t feel like watching you flirt”

“I’ll get you back!” I tried to make myself sound mad.

“You WANT to kiss me?”

“I didn’t say I was going to!”

“Uh-hu you want to” he protested.

“Grrr, you’re so annoying!” I yelled back to him.

He had no idea how mad he made me ... And for some reason, I absolutely loved that he paid me so much attention ... Why was that?

I blushed at the thought of him pulling me close, his body brushing against mine. How hot my body was getting from his being so close and how hard and fast my heart was pounding, ready to leap out my chest ... And how soft, gentle, and smooth his lips were. How his kisses were firm and juicy at the same time.

I was so deep into this thought that I didn’t realize that he was RIGHT in my face, so close that you couldn’t fit a piece of paper between our noses.

“Wh-what are you doing” I stuttered.

“Nothing, it’s just your eyes are pretty. What were you doing daydreaming about Cas?” he said

“No!”

God his breath smelled so good. I didn’t want him to move. I wanted time to freeze right here, right this moment but those chances were 0 in a million.

“Well you’re daydreaming about something” he said, determined to get to the bottom of the situation.

“Yeah .....” at least I was being honest.

“Are you gonna tell me to move?” he was staring right into my eyes. “We’re kinda close”

I pushed him away after I realized just HOW close we were. “That’s your fault not mine!”

The he smirked. HE SMIRKED. Ooo! He did it AGAIN! He looks absolutely sexy when he smirks.

“Maybe you should get back to work, you know before you end up getting fired.”

“Y-y-y-y-yeah ...” I stuttered as I walked off.

Darell’s P.O.V.

She was so sexy to me. Every curve, that beautiful rose colored hair. Every inch of her body. She never really noticed me, not like I wanted her to anyways. She was always too busy flirting with her boyfriend Cas. I hated him. I hated him ever since he asked her out in the 8th grade, which she was going out with me at the time so she dumped me for him. Yeah just like that. Ever since then I’ve been doing small things to get her attention. Even the biggest thing -- me kissing her in front of the football team -- wasn’t enough to get her attention but I wasn’t going to give up. Not now, not ever. I wasn’t a quitter.

Star’s P.O.V.

He’s looking over here again ... What’s he thinking ... Okay Star just keep stacking books like you’ve been doing it your whole life. Oh my god he’s going to tell everyone he kissed me and I didn’t do anything to stop him. If Darell doesn’t tell, the football team will ... I’m in hot water ... Shit!

Normal P.O.V.

Then a lady walked up to Star.

“Hi, I’m looking for Meg Cabot, James Patterson, and Lauren Myracle books. They are 3 of my daughters favorite authors.” said the lady. She had short brown hair and wore a business suit and pearls around her neck.

“Oh yeah of course. Those are some of my favorite author’s too. Has she read any of the new books? James Patterson came out with his fourth book to Maximum Ride.” said Star knowingly.

“Oh yes, that’s the one she wanted on book order.” the lady said to Star.

“How old is your daughter?” asked Star, to make casual conversation.

“She’s 15 and she’s a sophomore this year”

“Oh that’s great, what school does she go to, I might know her”

“Trinity Academy Prep School. She hasn’t been there long” said the lady.

“Oh what a coincidence, that’s my school too, what’s her name?” Star was very curious now.

“Jeniveve, Jeniveve Dawson”

“Oh yeah! She was on the volleyball team wasn’t se?” asked Star

“Yeah, she made 10 points out of 12 in the last game, we were so proud of her so we took her out to eat and to catch a movie.”

“That’s awesome, tell her I said congratulations” Star said enthusiastically.

“Thank you, I will”

“Now let me go get that book back ordered for ya” Star walked to the register after that and the Lady followed right behind her.

“Will this be under her name or your name?” Star asked.

“Her name, so that she can pick it up without any hassle” The lady responded.

Star signed the backorder and put it in the cash register.

“Will that be all?” Mrs. Dawson nodded and paid for everything.

Star finished up the transaction and bagged the books and put the receipt in the bag. “Receipts in the bag,” she pushed the bag towards the lady. “Nice talking to you, thank you for shopping Book-Krazy, you have a great day.”

“Thank you, it was nice talking to you --” she stopped and looked at her name tag. “Starlight,” she picked up her bag and the cards and walked out the store.

Darell then walked over to Star. “Look at Miss worker, lookin’ all sexy. You know, you should be manager.”

“I should, shouldn’t I? Then I could transfer you to the Book-Krazy across town.” she opened the cash register and put then money in, then gently shut it back.

“Hey, I was complimenting you.”

“Mmm hmm, so was I,” she grabbed a stack of books and walked off to a empty book shelf and started stacking them, followed by Darell.

“Why can’t you take me seriously” he sounded like he was a little impatient.

“Because, you are as serious as when you put a fake ice cube with a fake fly in my REAL drink.”

“C’mon it was funny” he said with a little laugh.

“Or when you edited my ‘I Am Beautiful’ poem into ‘I Am NOT Beautiful’ and got me humiliated.”

“Hey, that was hilarious and also a classic, but if you don’t remember I apologized.”

She placed her hand on her hip. “Yeah by making me lunch and putting gummy worms in my sandwich.”

“You’re sexy when you’re mad”

“No, I was mad when you tripped me in the hallway, I was mad when you made me spill my lunch on Cas which by the wall I was STARVING that day, thank you”

Darell frowned.

“Now I’m furious, stay the hell away from me. Haven’t you made my life miserable enough? I don’t need you playing with my emotions and love life too.” she walked off and she sounded like she was about to explode.

Darell’s P.O.V.

There she went, she just ... Left, just like that. I looked at my watch, 8 p.m. Sangoya was outside waiting for her and Chris was waiting for me. I seen her put on her coat then leave with a painful look on her face. I hated that face, because I know I’m the one that put it there.

Okay so I mess with her a little bit, maybe a little bit more? Okay so I mess with her a lot ... I can’t help it. I love seeing her mad, just not furious. I didn’t mean to make her that mad, what’s the harm in telling the girl you love, that you adore her? Obviously a lot of harm from where I’m standing, but like I said before I’m not a quitter. I’m not giving up. Not now, not ever.

Normal P.O.V.

Darell got into Chris’s car.

“Hey Chris”

“Wassup, how was work?”

“Bad, she’s pissed no, ... like she said she’s furious” Darell said in a sad voice.

“What’d you do?”

“I told her how I feel about her, not directly though just bits and hints ... Oh that was after I kissed her in front of the football team and called her babe”

“Well damn Dar, you laid it all on her huh? Maybe she didn’t know how to take it”

“I dunno, but when I was in her face close enough to kiss her, she wouldn’t move ... Not even an inch. I’m getting mixed signals Chris ...”

“And it’s your job to interpret them, females are a very complicated species” he said, trying to cheer his friend up.

“... Yeah ...”

“Why don’t you just explain it to her and I’ll handle Cas”

“Thanks Chris” Darell said sincerely.

“No problem, you’re my best friend.”

Meanwhile, Star was in Sangoya’s car and they were also talking.

“... he kissed you?” asked Sangoya.

“Sangoya ... It was the most tender, warm, meaningful kiss I ever had in my life.” Star was looking out her window.

Sangoya smiled. “You love him.”

“Yeah right, the jerk gets on my nerves.” Star said with a small laugh.

“And you love that about him” Sangoya said.

I hate that. She reads me like a book. It’s so annoying, but she is my best friend and I’d kill her if she wasn’t able to do that.

“It’s okay, people break apart. Let Cas down gently and everything’ll be fine. Go with him to the dance and do it the day after.”

“Alright .....” Star said not sounding sure of herself.

“I’m glad you’re finally being honest with yourself, you two are perfect for each other.” said Sangoya as she focused on the road.

“He’s still annoying” Star mumbled.

“Still love him” Sangoya added in.

“WHATEVER!” Star said very loudly.

Star’s P.O.V.

Okay, so the thing is how to deal with this realization. I like Darell Blah, blah ... How am I going to tell him? Darell’s hardheaded like me and he’ll think I’m playing with him. Should I kiss him back? Completely throw myself at him? Or maybe I should tease him? ... Take it slow? I really don’t know. I sound like one of those girls who plan every minute of their love life I HATE those kinds of girls, it’s completely STUPID to try and plan every moment, it’ll never go exactly according to plan, Ever! So I guess I better just come out and tell him.

Sangoya pulled up to Jackie’s Steakhouse and we both got out of the car. The sun must’ve already set sometime along the lines when I was at work, because it was dark out. Finally we got inside and guess who was sitting at out normal table? Surprise?

Darell looked up from his menu. “Star?”

“Hey Sang, Hey Star” said Chris, not looking up from his menu.

He was staring now, Not that I didn’t absolutely love that he was staring but my face was turning as pink as my shirt, I’m sure.

They had the window seats, and Sangoya sat down next to Chris. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Yeah ... Exactly. She left the spot next to Darell wide open and I’m sure it wasn’t just because Chris was her boyfriend. This thought only made me go even more pink in the face. How pathetic was I?

I sat down next to Darell just as Chris and Sang started to talk. Darell leaned so close to me, I literally thought he was going to kiss me but he didn’t ... he just whispered in my ear so softly, that it sent shivers up and down my spine.

There were different types of tables you could be seated at since the place was fairly large. There were the curving booths, usually made for if you came with a big group. There were two sided booths, the kind for double dates, and there were the table and chairs. One sets had two tables and four chairs, and the other, one table and two chairs.

“I meant what I said” he whispered, tickling my ear.

“Huh? ....” was all I could manage to say.

“What’s the harm in trying again?”

“I-I .... I don’t know ....”

“And it wouldn’t hurt to use full sentences” he said.

“.........” I had absolutely nothing to say after that.

“Think about it Star, I’m serious.” he pulled away.

Buh-bye shivers.

“Excuse me” he said after taking a drink from his dripping cup, looked like sprite, both our favorites.

Then off he went to the bathroom. I wanted to follow him, hoping along the way I’d get lost in his beautiful foggy blue eyes. Then Sang spoke.

“Hey Star, can you get me some tissue from the bathroom?”

She sooo did that on purpose. I didn’t know if she did it hinting for me to talk to Darell, which was usually why she did it. Or if she did it to have alone time with Chris, which WAS her boyfriend after all. She was so going to get it!

“Yeah, sure” I said to her with a glare, then I took off in the direction of the bathroom.

I hated those restaurants where the bathroom was in the back of the building, it meant either you’d wet your pants trying to get to it, or you couldn’t sneak out on a bad date. Either way, it sucked.

On my way to the bathroom, people watched me, like I was a television. I must’ve pass eight tables on my way to the bathroom and it seemed most of them were watching me.

It was then that someone pulled me to the side and kissed me. It wasn’t a tenderly kiss like before, just another regular, less than a second kiss.

“Hey Sexy”

“Hey Cas”

He leaned in to kiss me again, but I gave him my cheek. Which must’ve made him mad because he let go of my waist and back up from me some.

“You alright? What’s wrong with you?” he sounded a little mad and hurt at the same time.

“Nothing” I said.

An that’s the truth. Nothing was wrong, was it? Okay so I wouldn’t let my boyfriend kiss me, I just don’t want to be kissed okay? That wasn’t it. I didn’t want to be kissed by Cas. Who did I want to be kissed by? ... Oh, right ... him. Why was I thinking about him so much? I feel so ... mean, thinking about someone else while I’m with my boyfriend. If he knew, oh trust me he’d be pissed.

Cas didn’t like Darell. Was it because he was around me just as much as Cas, if not more even though Darell was my ex? Or maybe it was because Darell accidentally walked in on me while I was changing, then announced the beauty of my body over the school intercom. Or maybe it was because Cas thought Darell was still in love with me and would do anything to get close to me, which is completely stupid because, no way is Darell in love with me ... Look at how I treat him ... Either way, Cas still hated Darell, period.

Oh let me tell you. That Darell is NOWHERE near being scared of Cas. One reason being, Darell telling Cas he’d love to ---- (fill in the blank) me, because he’s seen my body and he bet I’d be great in bed. Another reason being, he kissed me in front of the football team. Cas and Chris’s football team, and let’s not forget that he called me ‘babe’ too.

Cas’s team walked up behind him and he leaned in and kissed my cheek. “I’ll call you tonight Star and we’ll talk okay?”

“Yeah okay” I said in a rather bored voice.

Talk. Yeah because that’s what you do when you’re on the phone ... You talk, but I wouldn’t know that. Cas rarely calls and his excuses are so lame. One is, “Oh sorry babe, the guys came over and we saw who could swallow the most ketchup in 55 seconds.” or “Sorry, the game was on.” or my personal favorite, “ I forgot.”

Even I can’t blame him for wanting to spend a little extra time with the guys, usually I ditch him to go shopping or to watch the new episode of my French or Spanish soap operas that I love so much. I completely understand. A relationship needs space. I mean yeah, even watching the game is acceptable. Like I said, I’ve got shows I just love to watch, but come on, just down right forgetting? Am I that pathetic?

You forget to make your bed. You forget to do your homework. You even forget to do the dishes ... Even though your mom’s been nagging you all day to do them. You even forget your house or car keys, which you use everyday but you never, NEVER forget to call your girlfriend. The one who you had waiting around for you to call looking completely stupid. Well that’s what Sangoya says anyways and she’s right. Sangoya usually questioned why I was still with him but I tended to ignore the question. The truth was ... I really didn’t know why I was still with him.

Wait a minute, why did Cas want to call? Why now of all times? He actually in person told me he’d call. Cas never called, I mean unless it was important or he really needed to talk to me .. Uh-oh. He knew. He must have ... Why else would he want to call me?

Darell walked over to me. “You okay?”

“Fine”

“Daydreaming again?”

“I guess” I didn’t mean to sound mad at him, but I was mad.

“Seen your boyfriend, you didn’t seem too happy to see him” he said a little sincerely.

“I wasn’t” I said.

“Well that makes two of us.”

I had to laugh at that one.

“Back to the table?” he asked.

“Uh ... Yeah” I answered.

Do you want to know why I was so spacey? I was thinking about that kiss. So tender. Then Cas’s lame kiss. Why couldn’t he kiss me like Darell had earlier today?

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he looked a little concerned.

“I’m fine” I was glad that he was so concerned for me.

“Want another kiss?” then he walked off.

Okay, so I imagined that little line he said, but I would’ve said yes in a heartbeat, if he had really said it.