Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Chapter 4

I got up for the day, slowly.  I didn't feel like getting out of bed, but I knew that if I didn't make myself then I would never get out of bed.  I would continue to laze around in my sheets and probably fall back to sleep.  No, then that would just ruin my night.
Slowly, I got up and changed, putting on my hat last.

I made my way downstairs, and the first thing I did was go outside to get the newspaper like I do every morning.  But, today something caught my eye.  On the door was a note posted on the glass.
Curious, I walked to it slowly to further inspect it.  A pit formed in my stomach.  Notes just don't appear on my door every day-so what could this be.

The note simply said in messy handwriting,
TJ, Meet me by the big rocks at the edge of the shore at noon if you want to change your life.

I sucked in my breath as I thought of the implications and the pit in my stomach became deeper which I didn't even think was possible.  Surely this was a prank?  I laughed nervously to myself.  But who would want to prank me of all people?  The albino guy with no life.  Sure, I guess I'm sort of getting a life with Bailey.  I still don't know why she likes me.  She's like Trish in that she has such an amazing social life...and I don't.  So why would she went to step down on the ladder for me?

Anyway, back to the note at hand...what if it wasn't a joke?  What if this person was being dead serious?  My life could use some changing...but I don't know how I could do it on my own.

I went into the house to find Trish, to maybe see what she would think.  Not that I was going to make any decisions from what she thinks...but, it's just something I can't keep to myself.  It's a guilty story that is just so interesting that you have to share it, even if it doesn't make you look so good.
I found her pouring herself some cereal.
"Trish, I have something I really think you should see."  I was assuming that she hadn't seen it, because she doesn't really go outside this early in the morning.  Trish doesn't look for the newspaper.  If she saw it before, she would've told me anyway.  I mean, how could she keep something like that in?
"Not now, Teej.  I'm starving.  You'll just have to wait."

She went over to the table and ate her cheerios as slow as possible.  Of course, I became agitated.
"Come on, Trish.  This is really weird...I just have to show you..."
She rolled her eyes.  "Yeah, sure it is."
Okay, she has a reason for feeling this way. I cried wolf often as a kid...and since I'm a guy and she's a girl, and I'm also younger than she is, what I found interesting and cool she didn't find interesting and cool at all.  Take a giant inchworm for example.  She never found those interesting.
But this time, she has to listen to me.
"I'm serious, Trish.  This is really weird...I'm not talking about a bug!  I'm not five anymore..."
"Oh really, cause I thought you still were!"  Trish isn't often sarcastic, but if I budge her enough, she can get to be the sarcastic queen.

I sighed and figured I couldn't sway her anymore.  At least she said she was going to see after eating-right?

Soon enough, Trish was done eating, and like I was five, I rushed outside and stared at the note again.  Once more, my stomach plunged and my heart beat raced.  I have never raised my blood pressure from seeing a note before-but this is a note with so many possibilities.  There's a small, microscopic chance that meeting this person could change my life!
When she made it outside, she quickly glanced at it and laughed.  "Oh my gosh-maybe Brittany wrote that note for you because she wants to hook up with you!  Ah ha-that's what it is!  Or maybe it's Bridget...they don't talk about it openly, but I've always suspected that they liked you!"
Now it was my turn to laugh.  "Trish, this is me we're talking about.  The guy no one likes?"
"Yeah, and what about your girlfriend Bailey?  She doesn't like you either?"
I nodded.  Sometimes I thought she was with me for some reason I didn't know already.  She was using me to make her ex jealous or something?  I haven't worked out the scenario, but until I have proof, I'll just let it be.
"Oh, TJ.  You are so blind to what people think of you.  You just are..."
She continued to drone on and on about what she thinks people think of me that I know is wrong, and my thoughts kept thinking about scenarios for what this person that wrote the note wanted.  Trish was wrong, none of her friends wrote it.  No, they would never do anything like that, they're not that sort of people...

I interupted her, "Trish, can you take me to the furniture store?  In bed I realized I needed a few more things for Mrs. Haesly's bedroom..."
She raised her eyebrow and forgave me for not fully listening to her, "sure thing, TJ..."
In her mind, the note was over.

We went in the car and my thoughts continued to race and the scenarios became more bizarre.

Would if Bailey wrote the note and wanted to get married?  Should I say yes-or is that too un old fashioned.  What's the word for that?
But what if another girl wrote it and wanted to get with me...why would I even think that's possible?  A girl, with me, for no reason but because she wanted to be with me...but what if it happened?  Should I deny her because I have a girlfriend...

Soon, I made it into the store and sat on a random sofa in front of the store as I thought things through.  I couldn't just stay in my room thinking about it forever...because I knew that Trish would know I was thinking about the note...and call me on it.  She would probably tell me to stop obsessing about it, or worse call her friends and ask them if they wrote the note and if they wanted to go out with me or something.  What were their names again?  Ah, Brittany and Bridget.  Then I'd get all flustered and embarrassed when they say no, even if it is just rejection on the phone.  But neither of them wrote the note anyway.  This isn't up to Trish to decide what I should do or who wrote it-this is for me to decide.  Should I meet this person or not?  What would be the consequences if I did or didn't... 

This time, my thoughts were interrupted by Darius.
"Hey Mr. Evans, how's it goin today?"  It kinda bugs me how he knows me as a customer so well, that he lets down a lot of the formal barriers and asks me how I'm doing.  
But, if he's going to be so casual with me he might as well go full circle, right?  "Call me TJ."
He smiled.  "Okay, TJ."
Should I do it?  Oh, what the hey.  I'll do it.  "My life is going to be changed today...."
"Tell me about it."  I looked around the store and realized minimal people were in the store, so I patted the seat next to me.  Man, I could really use some guy friends. 

"Okay, so you're gonna laugh at me, but..."
"It's alright, I'll believe you, TJ.  You're a trustworthy man."  Can you tell that I spend too much of my time at this place?
"Well, I received a note this morning saying that I could meet this person at noon and if I did, it would change my life."  I couldn't help it, I had to tell someone besides Trish or Bailey.  It felt good telling a guy for once, even if he's just being friendly because I'm a customer.
To my surprise, he didn't look at me as if I were insane. "Ah, if I were you I'd want to figure it out.  If it were a prank, then so be it.  If you ventured this, then you'd know if the person was being serious or just seeing if you'd fall for it.  I think that looking like a fool is worth it if there's even the smallest possibility that it could change your life-like the note says."
He was acting way too nice and psychological about this, like he was acting this way just because I'm his customer, but I still smiled, buying into his phoniness.  This is what happens when you'r desperate, you're willing to ignore things if it makes you happy.

"Look..I gotta call someone..."
"Whatever you decide, I know you'll make the right decision."  I smirked.  He was starting to ruin me liking his phony niceness.  Geez, that's why I hate sales guys.  But, for sales guys, Darius isn't so bad.

I took out my cell and called Bailey, and I invited her to the park next door.

Slowly, I walked across the street to the little park.  I sat on the bench and waited for Bailey to arrive.  I had to talk to someone else about this...couldn't it be dangerous or something?  Maybe someone wants to kill me to release the albino disease or something.  That definitely would change my life.  But come on, no one hates me that much!  I think...

I became lost in thoughts, and soon enough they were interupted by Bailey's smiling face.  It wasn't until she was right in front of me that I noticed that she was there.  I was that much deep in thought.
"Hey, so what did you want to talk about?"
"There's this note on my door.  Did you write it?"
She looked at me quizically.  "No, I didn't write you any note...what did this note say, might I ask?"  She looked scared, as if this note could change what I thought of her.
"It has nothing to do with you.  I have to meet this person if I want to change my life..."
"You're joking!  That note was obviously a prank, you realize that of course?"
My expression was dead serious.  My gut was telling me that it was real.  "I have to go."
"Oh no, you couldn't!  Either you're going to be humiliated because it's fake, or someone really dangerous wrote that note!"
"But I have to find out.  But what if it's something great?"
She shook her head.  "No TJ, it's not going to be!  You hear me?  You can't go, I won't allow it."
I got off the bench and tried to walk, but she blocked my way.  She shook her head at me, looking worried. Suddenly, I became aggressive.  "I have to go, Bailey!  I just have to.  I can't ignore this note and forget about it.  I'll always be curious!"
She touched my shoulders lovingly, but I shoved her aside.  She looked at the ground obviously hurt, and I may have even seen a few tears flow down her cheek.  It was no time to comfort her, I had to know what was up with that note.

I knew exactly where the rocks were, I was positive I knew what the person in the note meant.  I walked to the bridge on the edge of town.  Many horrible thoughts ran in my head, but I did my best to push them aside.  My heart thudded loudly-I don't ever remember being so nervous.  The walk took much longer than I thought I would, even though I was walking as fast as my feet would allow.

Eventually, the rocks were in the distance.   My peripheral vision turned to the sun which was high in the sky-surely it was about noon?
Then, I saw a figure in the distance.  I couldn't quite make out who it was, and suddenly I became really worried that he had a gun, so I braced myself to dodge it.  Or maybe the person wanted to sell me some drugs, make me buy them or else.  But I just had to know, no matter what.

When I finally made it to the rocks, I noticed the figure walking toward me.  She was a girl with a smiling face.  "Oh, I'm so glad you could make it TJ."  She was beaming, and her voice was soothing and she definitely meant me no harm.  I let out a loud breath with relief.  I wasn't going to be killed today after all.
"Nervous, TJ?"
I didn't answer her, because I wasn't sure what was the right answer.
"It's okay, TJ.  I mean you absolutely no harm.  But we can't do business here, not in the open.  I'm afraid you have to go to sleep for a little bit."
She took out a shot of some sort, and stuck it in my arm.  I felt no pain, but in an instant, everything was black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry for the lack of updates, everyone!  I have been so busy, and on top of that, I've had little push to get another chapter done.  But don't worry, I'll never quit writing this story!  I have never stopped in the middle of one before, and I won't now!

3 comments:

  1. I like that first pic. Haha x)
    Can't wait to find out who this girl is and what she wants with TJ that can't be known to prying eyes. =)

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  2. I agree with Kitty. I like a half naked TJ :)

    So what is she going to do to him. Nice girl with a needle isn't very nice. And is Bailey in on it somehow. She seemed really nervous about him going.

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  3. LOL, TJ is quite the pale hunk, I know xD.

    I may be able to get a chapter in on Friday or Saturday but there's no guarantees. I'm planning on taking the pics tomorrow.

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