A/N : This took me hours to write and I did something stupid I didn't reread it yet. I am very pleased that I got a review. Please Review. You'll give me something to write for.
Something To Live For
Chapter 1 : Normal As Can Be
The wails of an alarm clock filled the air as a teenage girl slept soundly in her bed. Each blare of the persistent machine was an annoyance tearing into her dream. After several minutes of sleeping through it or trying to she growled slamming the snooze button with her hand. She stood up pulling the white duvet off of her, the girl rubbed her eyes while yawning. Her dark brown hair was in a fishbone braid that fell to her waist, she looked into the mirror with a scowl remembering that it was the end of the school year, she had to attend it was the last day after all. She stepped over multiple piles of clothes as she grabbed the last clean tank top she could find it turned out to be brown with lace around the edges, she grabbed a pair of ripped jeans and pulled them on. Once again returning to the mirror she looked at herself and undid the braid which left her hair in soft waves. She smiled a little going to bathroom to brush her teeth and hair.
"Enola, you don't have to go to school today if you don't want to." a young looking woman said.
"It's the last day, I have to go so I can say bye to everyone for the summer." Enola said while brushing her teeth.
"I know it's just I thought you would want to spend the day and pack with me." her mother said with a bright smile.
"We're going? YES, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO AWESOME" Enola exclaimed pulling her mother into a bear hug.
"I promised you didn't I?" the older woman smiled at her daughter. They looked very different. Enola's mother's name was Rachael Evans she was perfectly pale with rosy lips, golden waves of hair, and beautiful blue eyes. Not to mention Rachael was tall and young compared to the other parents at Richmond High School. Enola always found her mother to be one of the coolest people she knew and they were very close. Enola stood in her door way after releasing her mother from the embrace. Rachael went on to make Enola a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast. Enola slipped on a pair of white flip flops and threw her hair in a sloppy ponytail. She sprayed herself with vanilla lace body spray from Victoria's Secret before she walked into the kitchen. Rachael looked at her daughter as if she'd been drenched In pink paint and gave a quick chuckle. Enola looked at her with a questioning glance but her mother shrugged her shoulders.
"Enola you take your hair down from that ponytail right now." Rachael ordered playfully looking at the crooked ponytail.
"Mom, it's hot outside." Enola complained as she took the bow from he hair letting the waves loose.
"Well that isn't surprising, Enola, it is the middle of June after all." Rachael said sitting down at the table watching Enola bite into the sandwich hungrily.
"Ha ha Mom, very funny," Enola smiled sarcastically "You're the one who chose to raise me in Nevada." she added with a smirk.
"Ouch, keep the attitude to yourself. I like the weather its always warm." Rachael defended.
"I have a year round tan." Enola said.
"You know, you're going to be late if you keep up this small talk with me." Rachael laughed standing up and taking the plate to the sink.
"Yea, Yea. I'm leaving. I'll see you tonight." Enola said slightly annoyed. She walked out of the door stretching her arms, she threw a pair of car keys in the air catching them. She shoved the keys to her mother's grey Nissan Altima's ignition and she revved the engine. Enola checked her mirrors and pulled her seat belt over as she backed out of the driveway with great ease. She had gotten her license three days ago and was eager to show up to school driving a car. Being sixteen had it's perks even if it wasn't total freedom. Enola was soon pulling up to the school parking lot with a smile stretched across her face, her friends watched with shocked eyes and mouths agape. Enola parked in the front of them and stepped out of the car pushing the car keys in her pocket. Then she saw him, Ryan Greene, he was the schools hottest guy and she'd been in love with him since eighth grade.
"When did you get your license?" her friend Allison asked her with a smile. Allison was the local track star, and she was going places in sports.
"I got it, like three days ago, but I wasn't in school so I couldn't tell you that." Enola said.
"I saw you staring at the future football god." another friend Brittany chimed in, she was the creative one of their little clique.
"I wasn't staring at Ryan, he has a name you know, it's not just the future football god. I mean I knew him when we were kids but it's different now, we're different now." Enola said with a blush spreading across her cheeks.
"You mean you and your kindergarten boyfriend don't have a spark anymore? Aren't you guys gonna grow up and nearly marry the wrong people but towards each other and live happily ever after?" Brittany mocked her.
"That's not going to happen. It was kindergarten that doesn't even count. This isn't My Best Friend's Wedding and I'm no Julia Roberts." Enola laughed at her friend.
"You never know." Allison said.
"Let's get in there." Enola suggested heading into the school. They sat in English and coincidentally the movie that was playing was My Best Friend's Wedding and sitting across from her was Ryan Greene. She was admiring his light brown hair and green eyes, the way that his eyelashes were unfairly long for a boy. Why was it that boys had the lashes that girls would kill for she asked herself plenty of times. Then he caught her and she immediately looked down with a blush as she pretended she found some interesting scrawl on her desk. Brittany nudged her as she saw that Ryan was waiting at the classroom door when the class was over. Enola could feel her heart beating fast in her rib cage. If it weren't for the protective bones she was sure he would be able to see it. Ryan waved over at her when she looked up at him she stood up and walked towards him.
"Hey Briggs, I haven't talked to you in awhile." Ryan smiled, Enola looked at him with a blush noting his perfectly white teeth.
"Well we don't exactly hang out with the same type of people." Enola pointed out the obvious.
"You hang out with Allison, and she's into sports. So there's one that we have in common." he smiled at her again, she blushed harder as she realized that he was right.
"Well, that's true, I guess we just changed." Enola said.
"Would you do me a favor?" he asked her with a small smile.
"Which is?" she asked.
"Could you meet me at Bailey's Pizza?" he asked her.
"I can go at around eight tonight." Enola smiled at him he smiled and turned in the other direction. Enola's heart was soaring, she was going to get pizza with him, the boy she had admired from afar for so long. Standing by her next class was Brittany with a large grin on her face. Brittany was cute in a nerdy way, she had long red hair and big blue eyes, she was probably going to be the class valedictorian. She liked to wear sweater vests even though it was constantly warm. She had known Enola for two years when they entered as freshman they instantly clicked. Enola glanced around before walking towards Brittany she wanted to tell some about her encounter with Ryan and yet on the other hand she didn't want everyone to know. In high school you can never be to cautious about who might be eavesdropping. She and Brittany walked into the classroom and sat down next to each other.
"I saw you talking to your shining knight." Brittany smiled poking fun at Enola again.
"He isn't my knight." Enola said with a giggle.
"Spill your guts." Brittany said in a serious voice then laughed.
"He want's me to meet him at Bailey's tonight at eight." Enola said happily with a grin spreading from ear to ear.
"You're lying." Brittany said.
"Cross my heart." Enola crossed her heart with her finger.
"Enola, that's amazing. You're finally going to get a boyfriend and the one you've always wanted at that." Brittany sighed softly in a dreamy way.
"Brit, it's not serious. I mean we'll see what happens tonight and then maybe I'll let you get me all excited." Enola said truth is she was already extremely excited. It was explosive to her and she was bursting with happiness you could practically read it on her face. Enola was staring out of the window while she blocked out the commotion of the classroom with a starry look in her eyes. She looked at a bird that was flying around in the open air. All she wanted to do was go home and get dressed up so she could make Ryan's jaw drop in awe. She was all ready imagining the evening they would spend talking about how much they had missed out on when they could have been friends or even more than that all along. Enola stood as the bell rang it was finally time to go home.
Enola walked out to the pick up and reached for the keys that were in her pocket and pulled them out unlocking the car. She started the car and drove out of the parking lot and to the nearest mall with Brittany in the passengers seat. The radio was blasting with a fun happy beat thanks to Enola's profound taste in modern music. Enola had a cheesy grin locked on to her face as she parked the car with Brittany staring at her with her big blue eyes. Enola stepped out of the car and they walked to the a small boutique that had opened up two weeks ago. They were still having a sale and Enola was convinced on getting a new outfit for when she met Ryan at Bailey's. Brittany looked at the store it had a vintage look to it with frilly blouses and flowing floral print skirts. Enola linked her arm and dragged her into the store.
"These are some really cute clothes." Enola said looking at some of the clothes on the rack.
"This is cute." Brittany said pulling a floral print dress that was button up the front. The neckline was wide and yet pointed and the straps were about an inch thick.
"Well, I'm not usually the girl to wear a dress, but I'll try it on." Enola said holding up a small outfit of her own. She held three outfits in her hands by the time they were ready to go to the dressing rooms. Enola walked into the small room and dragged Brittany in with her. Enola stripped from her jeans and shirt grabbing a tank top with ruffles around the chest area it was beige and she pulled on a pair of black tights with tan moccasin flats. Enola wasn't by any means tall in fact some would describe her as fun sized, or the word she dreaded most tiny. This outfit helped to make her look slightly taller. Enola turned around and pulled a thick brown belt around her waist and modeled it for Brittany who gave the outfit a thumbs up and even a nod of approval.
"Try on the next one, or you're going to be late." Brittany rushed the excited girl. Enola took the outfits carefully folding the first one. The second was more casual a pair of acid ripped straight leg jeans and a white lengthy and loose v line tank that had quarter sleeves with long sleeved a blue and white striped cardigan. She slipped on red flats and a necklace that had an anchor hanging from it. That one also got approved because it wouldn't make Enola look like this was something she had been waiting for since the eighth grade. Enola grabbed a red softie hat and put it on giving her the final touch of casual cute. So far she was having a good time shopping with Brittany who although didn't like fashion that much, she had a good eye for do's and don't.
"Jeez, all this for a guy. May I never fall victim to the woes of infatuation." she said dramatically.
"It's not that bad, It's kind of exhilarating and it gives me a real big adrenaline rush." Enola explained.
"Yea sure, try on the dress I gave you already." Brittany said with a yawn she was actually beginning to feel tired and she hadn't even done much. Enola jumped around pulling off the clothes and then she slipped and fell on the floor, which called for a sales lady to come look in on the noise. Enola unbuttoned the dress and pulled it on like a coat, she felt it the smooth material hug her as she put it on. Enola buttoned the dress and put on a snug necklace with a small flower pendant, a bracelet to match and a pair of dressy flip flops. Enola looked at herself in the mirror and for a second she felt beautiful she turned and saw Brittany with an open mouth. Enola scratched her head biting her lip slightly, waiting for her friend's vocal reaction. 'Just maybe he'll think I'm beautiful.' she thought as she turned again looking for all the flaws that she knew she had. The beauty mark under her bottom lash line all the way in the corner of her right eye.
"That dress looks amazing on you." Brittany said after staring for a second longer.
"It does look good, but I think that I should leave it." Enola said her voice was shaking and she didn't know why.
"No, if you don't get it for yourself then I'll get it for you." Brittany said.
"Fine, I'll buy it only because I don't want you wasting your money. I'm gonna buy all of them though." Enola told her friend grabbing the credit card that her father sent her for her birthday. She quickly walked up to the register with all her merchandise in hand and paid for it with a shaking hand.
"Thank you for you business." the sales clerk smiled and led them to the door.
Enola stepped out into the parking lot with Brittany trailing behind her, she got in started the engine and drove off to Brittany's house. Brittany lived in a nice suburban house and was an only child so her parents were very protective of her and offered to spoil her. Luckily Brittany was not the type to take advantage of a person's kindness. Brittany's family was made up her mother, the college drop out, and her father, the heart surgeon. Brittany went upstairs to her room with Enola who immediately dropped down on the bed. Enola took a shower in the bathroom and came out with soaking wet hair. She put on the essentials and grabbed her shopping bag. Brittany could hear the bag rustling and the chaos on the other side of the bathroom door. Enola came out wearing the casual outfit with a pout on her lips.
"Somehow I don't like the way this looks." she said the shaking ands instantly gave her away.
"It's going to be alright, trust me. You're just nervous because you'll be with the guy you've liked for ages tonight and you'll be eating greasy ass pizza." Brittany laughed Enola joined her laughing. Enola lightened up and let Brittany do her hair. Two twists on each side of her head that were connected in the back to keep her hair out of her face. Then Brittany curled the ends of her hair. 'Maybe for once I'll be beautiful in someone's eyes' Enola thought. Brittany smiled at her friend who she thought looked exquisite. Enola stood up and started for the door.
"I'll walk you to the car." Brittany said and carried out her intention promising that everything would turn out alright.
"I'll try and call you when it's over ok." Enola smiled as she drove off to heading for Bailey's. Bailey's was the local pizzeria where almost everyone ordered their pizza. It was cozy and well decorated, the walls were painted a deep forest green and the lights were slightly dimmed to create a light and sometimes romantic atmosphere. Enola walked into the pizzeria with a smile on her face sitting down at a table for two. A waiter passed by asking her if she wanted anything, she shook her head a shot eager glances towards the door. She looked down at her cell phone it was 8:10 now and he still wasn't here. Enola decided that she could wait a little bit longer but this was for sake of hoping that she was wrong. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she waited for another fifteen minutes she was turning to stand when she saw him standing outside the pizzeria. When he finally walked in she tried seem chipper. 'If anything I'll say I just got here' Enola thought.
"Sorry, you haven't been waiting long have you?" he asked with that intoxicating smile of his worming its way into her heart.
"I actually just got here five minutes before you did." she lied trying to seem nonchalant.
"That's a relief. I was having some car problems." his emerald eyes shone as he said this. Enola accepted the excuse eager to believe that he hadn't forgotten about her and the meeting he'd suggested.
"I was surprised when you talked to me earlier. I mean we haven't talked since kindergarten." Enola said trying to make interesting conversation.
"I remember me and you were an item back then." he said in that boyish voice. Enola struggled to hide a smile that cracked at her and the light blush that dusted across her cheeks.
"It was a long time ago. The good old days when girls made mud pies instead of drama and boys played tag instead of football." Enola smiled at him.
"Enola, you know you were the cutest girl in our kindergarten class." Ryan smiled at her.
"I wasn't that cute." Enola mumbled humbly.
"But kindergarten isn't the real reason I wanted to see you." Ryan said smoothly looking at her with those rich green eyes.
I wonder what he really wanted?
Don't you?
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