To Be Different; Part One

To Be Different; Chapter 3

"Bull crap right there Bren," I reply to him and I turn my back to look at Ari. "Why, in God's name are you sitting next to him?"

Ari's face turns that beet red color when he's embarrassed, "It was the only seat left..."

 "Yeah, whatever," I look away from him. Being Ari's friend was tough in its own kind of way, I loved him as my friend but so much more...It sucked. And I knew that the only reason Ari sat beside Brennan was most likely because he liked him.

"Are you mad?" He asks me.

"No", I lie. "Of course not Ari, I can never be mad at you." I look at him and see the disbelief in his eyes. "I swear."

 "Okay..." He trails off but I reach for his hand and squeeze it, reassuring him that my lie was true.

"Do you know why we're here anyway?" I ask him as I look up at the dangling screen and the LCD projector up on the stage.

"Nope, not a clue Cass," he shakes his head; the red hair making it seem like his head was aflame.

"What about you, hot shot?" I ask Bren but he's no longer paying attention to me, which doesn't surprise me seeing that he was lip locking with the girl next to him. "Wow..."

 Ari looks at what I see and his face goes pale. I see something creep into his eyes but I can't figure out what it is because in less then a second it disappears and I hear Mr. Marcus begin to speak.

"Students, we are here to talk about the death of Phoebe Prince", Mr. Marcus starts and everyone starts to whisper.

"Why talk about her?" I hear someone in the sea of Riverview High students, yell out.

"Why don't we talk about her?" Someone yells back.

"Students!" Mr. Marcus says loudly into the microphone. "Calm down and listen." We all go silent, waiting for him to go on and speak. "We're here to speak about Phoebe Prince because of the numerous complaints of bullying here at our school. I won't name anybody that has come to me to speak about the mishaps of bullying, in school and online, but it's come to my attention that you guys have no idea the consequences of bullying is."

 There is more whispering and such when someone screams aloud, "Whoever sees Mr. Marcus about being bullied is a snitch!"

 "We do not allow that word to be used-"but his voice trails off as everyone in the auditorium begins to talk loudly and say their thoughts out loud.

"I don't think there's a real point in being here..."

"Snitches, bullies, they're all the same..."

"Phoebe Prince didn't even deserve what happened to her..."

"Imagine it happening at our school..."

"I wish they'd shut up," my head snaps up from its position of looking down at the ground to looking at Ari.

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

 "I mean like, they shouldn't give out their opinions on something they don't understand", he answers quietly. I look at him with a face full of confusion, "just forget it".

I shake my head and look at him, "You know I can't. So explain to me?"

"No, it's nothing Cass, just drop it", he looks at the ground and he's playing with his hands.

 "Ari come on just tell me-" he cuts me off with a loud yell.

 "JUST. DROP. IT!" I jump back surprised at his tone.

"Calm down", I whisper and he knows he's hurt me. "If you're not willing to explain something, then don't bring it up Ari." I get up from my seat and walk away towards the door and he runs after me.

"You're mad at me." It's more of a statement then a question.

 I look at him, my face probably reading "NO DUH!" but all I say to him is, "We're best friends Ari we tell each other everything and now you're not".

 "I know Cass, I just...I'm sorry I snapped at you. I can't really explain it..." his voice trails off and my face is filled with disbelief.

"You can't explain or won't explain?" I give him a questioning looked with a bit of anger mixed in. He goes to answer my question but I turn my back on him, "Forget it Ari. Forget this whole conversation okay? That's what you want right?" He looks at me and nods and my anger gets the best of me. "Go to hell Ari. Go to hell and never come back because you know what? I don't think I know you anymore. I just don't."

I push the auditorium door open and run, feeling a few tears run down my cheek as I hear Ari's voice calling me back.

~

Opening my eyes again, I see the boy sitting watching me. We're not in the same room anymore but what seems to be the courtyard. I want to speak to him but I don't instead I pick at the grass, allowing myself to think about what I had just remembered. I feel the tears come back but I push them away, I hear the boy sigh and I look up and actually take the time to look at him.

Though his eyes were like Ari's, his skin was like honey, smooth and soft. His dirty blonde hair was a mess with its streaks of black here and there. Something about him though makes me feel attracted him, almost like a magnet but like the tears, I push away the feeling of attractiveness and that's when he realizes I'm watching him.

So, you're actually looking at me now? I don't answer him. I look away and look around the courtyard-like surroundings. You know, memories like the one you are having are actually trying to tell you something. Like some dreams are premonitions... I shrug at his statement, not really caring what my memories were trying to tell me, I just wanted them to stop.

My name's Kory, if you wanted to know. I nod but I still don't face him. My eyes travel around the grass and land on a flower, a rose. I stand up and walk towards it, picking it up in my hands not even caring about the thorns that covered the stem of the beautiful flower.

You better be careful...his voice trails off and I'm hoping he realizes I'm not going to respond to him no matter what he says. I can make the memories go away. That's what catches my attention but I still won't look at him or speak. All you have to do is let them happen; they're trying to tell you something, Cassie.

I lift my face from the rose I was smelling and my eyes look into his, searching but there seems to be nothing. No emotion at all. Almost as if, he can't feel anything but I know that's not true because before I saw the sadness there just like Ari's. Ari's sadness that made him kill himself.

Just let them happen, Cassie. Don't keep waking up from them, just let them re play. Like a TV, a show, a movie. Just let them play and you have to wait to see what happens.

~

Written by Christina aka BeautifulWriter224 

©

Copyright November 9, 2010

All Rights Reserved.