This chapter is seriously overdue. I apologize infinitely. In all honesty, I completely forgot that I had started a sequel. Ouch, right? Anyways, in my rush to get this out I didn't bother editing. Enjoy it anyways, because I'm pretty much proud of it. Hopefully updates will be better than this. Heh.
I'll Show You
Chapter Two
By: FantasyIssue aka Lana
Karen:
The gelato I was eating wasn't really a gelato. I mean, it's not like I've ever even had an actual gelato, from Italy (because where else are you suppose to get a real gelato?), but it really wasn't what I was expecting. Gelati are suppose to be really good, and like really thick ice cream. This was just really thick ice cream. There was no "really good" in it. I was disappointed, and pouted at my small cup of gelato as I sat in the local mall. I was at the mall alone, sadly, but I was pretty much okay with it. The twin's birthdays were coming up.
Sometimes I resented having twin older brothers. Not only was there twice the immaturity, twice the over protectiveness, but there was also the fact that I had to look for two separate items for each of them when the time called for it. Jean, whom I had thought to be easy to shop for, was the only twin I had left. I'd spent a good hour and a half roaming this God forsaken mall to turn up with absolutely for my favorite older brother. I was having a hard time concentrating, I'd concluded when I left the last store before getting my gelato.
Looking at the pistachio gelato in front of me, I felt completely hopeless. There was no one that could help me. At least, there was no one that I could think of that I even wanted to speak to. I couldn't call Keith, of course. I certainly didn't want to call my most recent ex-boyfriend to ask him for advice on something so stupid. I also, certainly, did not want to dial Matthew's phone number. Dear God, I didn't want to have to face him after having my relationship with Keith. I'm pretty sure that Matthew would have a parade, with giant floats all portraying different ways of saying: "I told you so!"
It didn't matter though. I knew that if I found something Jean would really want, I'd know instantly. I just had to keep roaming the mall. I had a feeling that what I wanted to get my older brother wasn't in the mall though. Jean was easier to shop for because usually what he would appreciate most would be found in old store windows. Jean was more of a classic sort of guy, more of a hipster, and less of an Abercrombie and Fitch want-to-be model (like Harper). I gave up trying to think so hard, ate the rest of my "gelato," and left the little seating area I was at.
I had a couple of bags with me. Most of it was stuff I'd gotten for my brothers. I'd gotten Tommy some comic books I knew he'd like from a small shop a block away from the mall, and Harper random articles of clothing. I had a single CD in one of the bags for Jean, but I knew that wasn't enough.
"Karen Granger?" Someone said, a little far off from where I was. I turned around, honestly curious as to who would know me. I wasn't very familiar with the mall, being that I never bothered to travel this far when I still lived with my parents. Standing a few yards away from me was a girl I knew from my Fiction class on Wednesdays and Fridays. Her name was Alicia something-or-another, I couldn't quite remember her last name. She was a fairly tall and lanky person, and seeing her holding so many bags as she was, I almost wanted to laugh. It looked like the bags weighed more than her.
"Hey, Alicia," I said as she came closer. She gave a closed-mouth smile. If there was something people would know about Alicia, anything at all, it was that she never smiled with her teeth. During class, when reading a piece she'd written, she'd slipped some information about herself. Apparently it was a habit she'd obtained from her elementary days, when she had a large gap in her teeth. Of course, Alicia didn't have that gap anymore. "Shopping?"
"Yeah, I need new fall clothes," she sighed, dropping the bags. I chuckled lightly, and nodded. I needed new clothes also, but I didn't bother getting any yet. It was only mid-September. "So, what's up? What're you shopping for, Kare?" My Fiction class had come to use "Kare" as a nickname for me. We were a small class of only about six, which was strange for a freshman class. Of course, we all grew fairly close. My nickname was something that had just popped up, and when one person found it suitable, it just sort of stuck. I didn't mind, not really, at least.
"My older brothers birthdays, and a little something for the youngest," I said, lifting my bags. They were small, if you didn't include Harper's. I looked at Alicia as she spoke animatedly and realized that something had changed in me. I was losing the feminine side of me. Alicia's face as dusted with a little bit of make-up, and her eyes were lined with dark green eyeliner. Her clothes fit her perfectly, showing off whatever little she had to show off. I was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. It was impossibly boring compared to Alicia's bright, flowing, top and trousers.
Luckly, I hadn't gained the freshman fifteen yet.
Matthew:
I saw Karen jumping off the bus, and I completely froze. I guess I was kind of shocked because she looked so different. It wasn't like she was uglier or more beautiful. It was more like Karen glowed more, and her laugh resonated all of the way to my ears. She was laughing and talking with this extremely tall and lanky girl that could have been a model. The girl was freakishly skinny though. I didn't pay too much attention to the girl though. My mind was completely focused on Karen. She was radiating happiness, and although her outfit was more plain than Jane, she looked absolutely stunning.
"Those chicks are hot, man," Jared said, whistling lowly. We were just coming out of the gyms the school provided. All I could do was nod dumbly as I watched Karen in a sort of daze. I don't know what it was. I mean, she was my best friend and all, and yes I did love the girl far more than I could possibly understand, but I just couldn't stop looking. The girl next to her was gorgeous, but every time I looked at the other girl I'd just compare her to Karen. Instantly, the girl was turned into this bulimic model, starving to success. And Karen was just a goddess- plain and simple.
"Let's go talk to them," Jared said, slapping a giant hand on my back. I coughed a little from the impact, the wind having been knocked out of me. I didn't want to go talk to them. I didn't really want to talk to Karen, in all honesty. She was intimidating, and after her break-up with Keith I didn't trust myself to be around her. I knew that I was going to rub it in her face. I could just feel myself- it was an itch that I was dying to scratch, but I knew I shouldn't.
And even though I knew I shouldn't, I found myself striding towards the two girls. Immediately I could tell that the taller girl knew we were heading her way. I could see her straighten her shoulders more, and her chin raised higher in the air. The look did wonders for her cheek bones and body, but I really didn't care. Karen looked only slightly confused, obviously also noticing the sudden change in her friend's posture. Jared snickered and shot me a look. Obviously the taller girl was going to be much easier to talk to than Karen. Even Jared knew that. Karen had always been slightly difficult to talk to. She was oblivious on the street, never noticing the lustful looks and cat-calls she received. Karen would always simply assume those calls were for the "hotter" girls that walked past by. I knew better.
"Why, hello there, Alicia," Jared said, standing close to the tall girl. They were almost the same height, and luckily for Jared he was only taller by a couple inches. Still, standing next to "Alicia" he looked ridiculous.
"Jared," Alicia regarded him, the sound of distaste evident in her voice. "I thought I scared you off forever."
"Honey, that was high school," Jared laughed before throwing an arm around the slender girl's shoulders. Obviously having the sudden burden of Jared's appendage on her had shocked the girl. She huffed a little and glared at him. I wouldn't be surprised if she kicked him in the family jewels before we were done there. I tried to keep my eyes away from Karen, afraid that I'd cross that fine line between friendly hugs and more-than-friendly hugs.
"Hey, Karen," I said. My voice was uncharacteristically quiet, and I bit my tongue. I wanted to act normal, but I absolutely couldn't when things weren't "normal."
"Hey, Matt."