High School Mayhem

~~~64~~~

Chapter 64: Nothing But Neighbors
~Laurance~

"Psst, get in here." A voice whispers. I look around to see no one so I keep walking. "Laurance, over here!" I look around again to see Jackson laying on his porch.

I blink at him. "Me?"

"Don't give me that look! Of course, I'm talking to you, you're Laurance aren't you?" He raises an eyebrow.

"You know me." I point out dully.

"Don't be difficult and get in the house, we need to talk. It'll be fine, Lyrvanna isn't here but she may be here any minute so hurry up."

"Um, okay." I shrug and walk into the house with him.

~*~

"So... what are we going to talk about?" I wonder as we sit in his room together. Jackson and I don't really talk much so this is pretty awkward.

"Lyrvanna." He picks up a mug and sips from it.

"What about her?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Lyrvanna's been way more moody than normal and you two haven't hung out in a month."

"Oh."

"Oh? That's it? I need answers. Did you two have a fight or something?"

"Okay, well, not exactly." What should I tell him? This is Lyrvanna's brother, she mentioned a couple of times that he's one of her more overprotective brothers. Would he be upset if he found out we kissed and we're so close on the verge of dating?

"Then what is it exactly?"

"It's more like we aren't really on the same level about something." I subtly fiddle with my fingers. I wonder if he'd take that as an answer, again, he and I don't really talk much so I have no idea what he'd think is okay and what isn't.

"Something?" He didn't leave it.

I should come up with something, I guess. Maybe it'd be better if Lyrvanna told him about the kiss. She is his sister, maybe he'd be less angry. "When we hung out, I--" I look like around for an idea.

"--Kissed her?"

My eyes widen. "How did--"

"--I know? Kawaii~Chan and Lyrvanna usually don't seem to realize that other people can hear them when their talking in their room. The walls in this house are pretty thin and they talk pretty loud."

"Oh, um, that makes sense." I nod.

"Now that you know that I know, you can relax. You aren't 'in trouble' for kissing my little sister," he glares at me, "as of right now, because right now I'm worried about why she's so upset. So what'd you do, Laurance?"

"Me?!"

"Yes! Shouldn't you two be on your way to dating right now? After hearing about the kiss and how Lyrvanna felt, I thought I was going to have to whip out my stack of questions to pound you with to make sure you're good enough for her."

"It's not my choice! She doesn't want to right now since I'll be going to college this summer and I'm already 18."

"Right, you're a grade above her. Oh yeah, aren't you going to a college on the other side of the country?" He questions.

That's the almost whole reason Lyrvanna and I can't be together. "Yep."

"It makes sense that she's moody about it then. That's all I wanted to know." He stands up.

"Wait," I call out, he turns around and tilts his head to the side, "do you know how I can get her to talk to me?"

He sighs and shakes his head. "Why'd you have to ask me such a hard question? Lyrvanna's a difficult person... who knows what'll get her to talk to you. I don't even think she knows. I'm sure eventually she'll get around to talking to you, I know for a fact that she wants to and not because I heard her tell Kawaii~Chan, but because I just know."

"So she wants to talk to me but at the same time... she doesn't?"

"Don't ask me to explain Lyrvanna's weird way of thinking, at this point I'm convinced she's two different people living in the same body. Did you know she has full on conversations and arguments with herself?" He laughs and sits back down.

"How can someone argue with themselves?" It makes no sense. At all. Well, unless you can see it from both point of views.

"Again, don't ask me to explain Lyrvanna's weird way of thinking. The point is, Lyrvanna is a special case, she'll end up going right back to you and when she does... just know--" he narrows his eyes and stares at me intensely-- "I'll be watching you. Do you understand me?" I nod vigorously. "Good, you should go before Lyrvanna gets back." He instructs.

"Okay." I agree.

"Jackson! I'm stealing your last fruit snacks!" Lyrvanna's voice shouts.

"What?! No!" Jackson shouts and as he stands up the door swings open to reveal Lyrvanna. She strides in but I don't think she notices I'm here. I could probably sneak out because her back is to me but I'll wait until she's gone.

"Yes! You had took--" Suddenly, she cuts off and just stands there. It sounds like her breath shortened too. For a while, she doesn't move or say anything. She just stands there.

Is she okay?

"Vanna?" Jackson questions waving a hand in front of her face.

She ignores him and slowly turns around to face me. "Y-You're here. W-Why?" She takes a deep breath. "Why are you here!?"

"How did you know he was here?! You weren't even looking at him! You were facing the opposite direction!" Jackson exclaims.

She continues to ignore him. "I thought I told you I can't see you anymore. It's too much to even be around you... Why are you here?"

"Um, Jackson brought me here." I answer truthfully.

"Jackson," she turns to look at him, "I thought you didn't like him? Why are you even doing this?"

"I just needed to talk to him--" Jackson answers but Lyrvanna rushes on.

"If what you were talking about had anything to do with me, in any way at all, don't bother. Starting tomorrow," she looks at me again, "we'll be classmates who happen to be neighbors. Nothing more, nothing less." She flashes me a sad smile and she dashes out of the room.

"This... is a lot heavier than I thought it was." Jackson sighs. I just close my eyes and let my head hang.

What do I do to have her back?

Even if it's not being together... Even if we're just friends.

I just want her back.