3TS: The Chances of Starting Again

She Signed Me Up

Best friends do the best surprises for you, even if you don't like surprises.

How could she? How could she do this to me?! I'm her best friend!

Arlene was late to meet me. I looked at the watch she had given me. 2 PM.

School had ended early today because of exams this morning. I was sitting on a bench near a tree, watching as students passed.

The whole day had been great. My wish on that star really did come true, even if it had come two days late. It still had come. Juan and his friends didn't bother me at all.

"Krissa!"

I blinked and looked up as Arlene came running over to me, carrying my guitar. "Arlene!"

She smiled slyly, "Sorry, I just asked your mom if I could borrow. I wanted to learn guitar," She smiled wider as she looked at me and said, "from the best."

Suddenly, that same woman I saw yesterday was there. She was casually reading the newspaper on the bench. She had the same shades and jacket, but darker jeans and a bright blue shirt today. I realized also that she was wearing fashionable black boots. Who would be wearing boots on a hot day like today? The woman seemed to look at me from behind her sunglasses, but then lifted the newspaper to avoid eye contact again.

What was a woman like her doing at a high school? And then, Arlene's jumpy figure came into my view again.

I blinked and pushed Arlene slightly, and we laughed together. The good thing was, my house was just a few blocks down the road from the school. So I could grab lunch if I wanted from my house. But the bad thing was, Arlene could grab things from my house too without asking me first. Like my guitar.

Hopefully she didn't scratch it on the way here.

She jumped up and down. Sadly, my guitar was getting bumped around too.

"Arlene!" I jumped and tried to catch my guitar, just in case it would fall.

She stopped jumping, looking fearfully at the guitar.

"Please be careful with my guitar. My father gave that to me, so you know how precious that is." I outstretched my hands towards my guitar.

Arlene looked down at my guitar and rubbed the spot that it was getting bumped. Then soothed to it, "Sorry guitar. I know how much Krissa loves you."  

She handed it to me, and I started to strum some chords. "Krissa, there's something I need to tell you..."

"Arlene, I know you like to talk...a lot." I emphasized, "But please when I'm playing guitar-"

"You like peace and quiet." She replied. Then closing her mouth she started to watch me.

I started to finger-play several songs that I hadn't practiced in a while. The feeling of connecting with my guitar again helped me relax from the rushes of the day. My fingers moved down the neck, playing a soothing song. I smiled. This was my real passion.

"You're good!" It was Trent. I guess he was passing with his friends, probably patting someone on the back for something they did well on. I let some of my hair fall in front of my face. I had to hide because if Trent was there, Juan was most likely there too.

Suddenly, Arlene nudged me with her elbow into my side. Hard.

"Ouch! What..." I turned my head to Arlene. But she didn't speak as she gestured with her eyes to look in front of me.

When I looked forward, I stopped playing. Trent was looking at me. And talking to me.

"You're really good...Miss Krissa, right?"

I nodded and smiled. He came up to us. "I heard that you were the one who signed up to play background music at my party."

I could see Arlene squirming in her seat from the corner of my eye.

What did you sign me up for, Arlene?

My mind tried to send that thought to her head. But of course, no signal could be found. I don't have telekinesis. Unfortunately.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah, but I can't."

Confused, he waited for my reasons. Even Arlene's eyes bugged out why I was missing this chance of a lifetime as if I just denied a check of one million dollars.

"I can't, unless you let Arlene come with me. Because I don't know any of your friends and I feel better if Arlene was with me." I said simply.

Arlene's eyes went wider as she beamed.

Trent glanced at Arlene and then looked back at me. "Sure." He said as he nodded.

I'm pretty sure Arlene was going to faint, but fortunately, she didn't. To her, Trent was like a celebrity. A legend. Hanging out with a legend was like a dream come true for her.

I know she has liked this guy for two full years already, but I wish sometimes she would act a little "cooler" in front of him so she wouldn't embarrass herself at any time. But, for a girl who doesn't like tall and popular boys, I guess it's easy to act cool and normal. Like me, I didn't like him.

Did I?

He made a fake salute to me as he started to leave. "See you in two weeks! 6 pm at my house, down the road."

As soon as he turned the corner, Arlene squealed and clutched my arm like an angry chicken. "He just asked us out!"

I scoffed. The woman I had seen stood up. She didn't pay any attention to me as she came closer to us. I gulped as she came nearer, but then passed right next to us and went on her way.

Arlene kept on jumping and clutching my arm as if nothing weird had just happened.

"I mean, he just invited us to his birthday! Right?" She said as she blinked wide-eyed at me, as if she thought this was just a daydream of hers.

My eyes were still looking at the woman as she walked down the road. "Did you see-" My words faded away. Journal, what would my friend see? A woman that passed? That wasn't anything strange.

But...it felt strange.

Arlene followed my eyes, "See what?"

I turned back to Arlene and smiled. Why did I have to worry about this woman? She was just a stranger on the street. But my insides felt as if they swallowed a lot of vinegar. I shook the thought away.

I laughed. "Uh, nevermind." Then suddenly, I slapped her arm.

"Ouch!" She said aloud.

"What did you sign me up for?" I said in a frustrated voice.

She smiled as though she just got caught. "Well, I kind of saw a flyer on the school board. And well, I saw an opportunity to get to know him and..."

"You signed me up?" I finished for her.

She looked away for a moment, then looked at me, and nodded. "You know guitar...and he wanted acoustic background music..."

I sighed, closing my eyes and massaging my temples. I knew that she was crazy over this guy, but she had to pull me into the middle of it all?

When I opened my eyes again, I could see Arlene's face was in "baby-asking-for-something" mode. Her hands were as if she was pleading...and pleading hard.

I shook my head. Then smiled.

At that, she hugged me tight. "Thank you! Thank you!"