CHAPTER 2: NEXT TO YOU
A month had already passed after the incident. I can't even distinguish if I should even think of it as a happy memory or a miserable one. My parents always manage to ruin my day. Even when I've accomplished something, they'd bring me down.
About two years ago, I got into writing. I won a contest at school for the poem I wrote about my life. How it sucked so bad basically. I knew I would get into trouble if my parents knew what I wrote about but when they did find out, that's not what bothered them. I brought home the trophy that afternoon. I can't believe I even got excited to show them at the time.
"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"
"Keep it down, will ya?!" My dad scolded me.
"Sorry. Sorry. But look!" I raised the trophy to show them.
"What's that?" My mom asked.
"This is the trophy I won for best poem! It's so cool, isn't it?"
*PUNCH*
I fell to the ground and held my face.
"You disrespectful brat! You think just because you win something that you're better than us?!" My dad started to yell at me.
"This trophy? This is nothing!" He broke it in half with his bare hands.
"That's not what I was trying to sa-..."
*SLAP*
"Don't talk back to me! Don't treat me like I am stupid! Come here!" He grabbed my ankles and dragged me up the stairs. I kept screaming. But that never helped.
I didn't go to school the next day. I had bumps and bruises all over my body. Too much to cover up. Ever since that day, I've kept a record of all the things they do to me hoping one day, i'll be able to show it to someone who can help me.
It's a non-school day today so I sat out on the steps on our front porch with my notebook and pen. Being outside made it more comfortable for me to write. I didn't just write down the horrible things that happen to me. I also wrote down some made up stories. Stories I wish to be true. To be honest, any story that's better than the one I have right now.
"Action!" A man across the street called out. I watched to see what all the ruckus was about. There were cameras all over the place. People were running around and putting everything in place. Something like this barely happened in our little neighborhood. I wanted to get a closer look but I wasn't allowed to leave the house. I just kept observing what they were doing to get an idea of what was going on. Then, I saw him. Justin Bieber. He was being instructed on what to do while people were putting make up on him. I guess I was looking for too long, so, staring basically, because he eventually caught my gaze. I swear, it looked like he still remembered me from a month ago. I lost my cool. I looked down and pretended to write stuff down in my notebook. I rubbed the temples on my forehead and tried to think of something to write. I know! So I don't think about him catching me staring, i'll write it down in my notebook so I can just forget about it now.
As I was writing, I listened to what they were doing across the street. It sounded like they were making a music video for his song "Next To You". I know he already had a video for this song with Chris Brown so I just assumed that this was Justin's own version. One with just him. It sounded a bit more acoustic and i absolutely adore his acoustic version of his songs. I kept smiling at my notebook then I realized I had been writing every single thing I was thinking about into my notebook. It was jumbled and honestly, I kind of creeped myself out.
"Made a mistake?"
I looked up to see Justin Bieber standing in front of me.
"Um... Oh! No. No." As I said the second no, I focused on my notebook again.
"So this is where you live. You're not close to the plaza at all Keira."
He said my name.
"You... You remember me?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't I? I see a girl in the rain, crying, with a bruise on her face? Who wouldn't remember that?" I touched my face unconsciously. He laughed.
"Don't worry. It's not there anymore. I barely noticed it before anyway. So, how'd you get it?"
"Get it? The bruise?"
"Yeah."
"I... I simply slipped."
"You 'simply' slipped at that gave you a bruise? That's not simple."
"Well, I was running so... Yeah. That happened."
"Oh! Sorry! You probably don't even want to remember it." I looked back up at him.
"Yeah..."
"You were running to my concert, weren't you?" He smirked.
"Kind of."
"Oh."
"What?"
"Straight forward, huh?" I blushed.
"No! It's just... I really like your songs!"
"Okay! Don't have to sound so offended."
"I'm sorry."
"Hey..."
"Yes?"
"Can't you smile?"
"Hm?"
"You look like a scared puppy. You know how to smile, don't you?" That question left me stumped. When was the last time I actually smiled? I can't remember.
"Don't tell me you don't even know."
"I... I don't."
"Why not?"
"We don't know each other that well and we aren't close friends so I don't have to tell you."
"Ouch! My heart!" He held his chest and feigned hurt.
"Justin!" His assistant called.
"Coming! See you later." He waved at me and went back across the street. I went back in the house after that.
"Good. You're back. Dinner's ready." Mom told me.
"What are you smiling about?" My dad asked me.
"Oh. Nothing." I stopped smiling after that.
The next day, I went out to the porch again and started writing in my notebook. But I was disturbed right away.
"Good morning Keira." He smiled at me.
"Hi Justin." I smiled back.
"There we go!" He sat down next to me.
"What are you writing?"
"Stories."
"A novel?"
"No. Just simple fiction stories. Not good enough to be a novel."
"Can I be the judge of that?" He put out his hand, asking for me to give my notebook to him.
"I think i'm alright." I moved the notebook away from him.
"Why? Because it's not actually fiction?" He smirked.
"It's fiction. Nothing more to it."
"Alright. So... Want to come over?"
"What?"
"To the shoot. I have to get back soon."
"Oh. No thanks."
"Come on! It'll be fun."
"I like it here."
"Really?" He looked into my eyes and the look he was giving me made me want to cry and tell him all my worries.
"Really." I turned my head away from him.
"Okay then. See you later." He waved again and I just smiled back.
After four hours of writing, I saw Justin coming back.
"Here." He gave me a bottle of water.
"Why?"
"Well, because you've been out here all day and it's really hot. I thought you might be thirsty." I blushed. I could feel it.
"Thanks."
"No problem." He smiled again.
"Why are you so nice to me?"
"Uh... What?"
"Never mind."
"Oh... Tha-..."
"Justin! Stop running off! Get back here!"
"Sorry Pablo! I'll be right there!" He looked back at me.
"I gotta go."
"Okay." I got up and went back inside the house before he went away. I wanted to be the one to walk away this time. Because somewhere, deep down, I feel like this will be the last time we talk.
School starts again. I got up really early because I didn't want to have to go through them scolding me again. But I did make them breakfast and cleaned up afterwards. So they wouldn't say I didn't even help.
As I exit my house, I am greeted right away.
"Keira!" Justin called out. He was so loud. I put a finger against my mouth, telling him to shush. He ran up to me.
"Why'd you shush me?" He whispered now.
"My parents are sleeping." And they'll kill if they found out I might have a friend.
"Oh. Sorry. Let me bring you to school."
"Um..."
"Come on. If you think I might be bothered, I don't mind just walking."
"Well..." My parents were still sleeping anyway.
"Okay."
"Yes! Lets go." He gave me a light push so we could get going.
"It's really fun on tour."
"I bet it is. But... You kind of seemed... Spoiled."
"Spoiled? Me? Well, maybe I have my moments. But not all the time!" I laughed.
"Why'd you pick Usher anyway?"
"Why? You don't like Usher?"
"I like some of his songs."
"Well, if you must know, it was a guy feeling."
"A gut feeling?"
"Yup." He winked at me.
"You seem different Keira."
"Different?" Oh no. Is he going to say i'm weird?
"Well, not in a bad way. You just seem... Leveled. But... Hm... You're hiding something."
"Oh. What are you? A psychologist now?"
"Hm... I'd prefer behaviorist."
"Alright. No more terms like that."
"Why?"
"I don't want to think about my subjects." He laughed at me.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing. Nothing." He smirked.
"Weirdo."
"I'm the weirdo?" Here it comes.
"Aren't we all a little weird?" He makes a funny face. But I didn't laugh.
"Yeah. You... You have a point."
"Uhuh."
We finally reached my school.
"Is that Justin Bieber?"
"OMG! Why's he here?"
"I have no idea! But... Who's he with?"
"Hm... Oh my..."
"Is that 'the girl'?"
"Yeah. It is. What's he doing with her?"
"I don't know. We have to do something!"
Oh no.
"So this is where you go to school, huh?"
"Yeah. Um... Justin?"
"Yeah?"
"This is the first and the last time you walk me to school."
"What? Why all of a sudden?"
"It's just... Uncomfortable."
"Why?"
"Just... That's how it is. So... Goodbye Justin."
...
"See you later Keira."
After what I said to Justin, I think the girls backed off. But I think I just might've lost a soon to be friend.
School was boring. And home will be terrifying. Is there no place where I can just be happy?
A little away from school...
"Hi Keira!" I stared at Justin.
"What are you doing?"
"Waiting for you. Come on. I'll walk you home." He started to walk ahead of me. When he noticed I wasn't following him, he looked back.
"What are you standing there for?"
"Justin... I told you-..."
"You told me that I can't walk you to school anymore. So, i'm walking you HOME. Lets go." He grabbed my hand and dragged me for a while.
"Can't you walk properly?" When he turned to look back at me, he was shocked.
"Why are you crying?! I wasn't forcing you or anything! You should've told me how much you didn't want to be seen with me!" He was about to let go of my hand but I held on tighter.
"Wha-?" I wiped away my tears and pulled him along.
"Lets go." I smiled at him. I thought, this is a friend I want to keep.
"Didn't I tell you everyone's a bit weird?"
"Yeah but everyone believes my weirdness to be abnormal."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Someone spread weird rumors about me on the first day of school. So I haven't had a friend since I started."
"Really? No friend at all? That sucks. You know, people used to bully me sometimes because they thought I was gay. High pitch voice and all."
"That's not gay. That's cute."
"Cute? Can't it be cool?"
"Hm... Sorry. I'm leaning onto cute. Can you sing one song for me?"
"Hah. No way."
"Come on. Just one-?"
I saw that we were close to my house and my mom was close to the window but she wasn't looking out yet.
"Well, we can separate here."
"But your house is over there."
"I know. Bye." I waved goodbye and ran up to my house.
I turned around and saw Justin running to the other side of the street.
When I went inside the house, I smelled bacon.
"Mom? Dad?" I went into the kitchen and saw my dad making pancakes and bacon.
"You're back! Just sit down. Dinner's almost ready."
"Oh. Okay." I sat down.
"Dad? Where's mom?"
"She's upstairs knitting. Thanks for the breakfast this morning. Almost as good as your mom's. At least you're learning something."
"Uh... Thanks Dad."
This is weird. He's being too nice.
"Do you need help Dad?"
"I'm fine. I just finished." He turned off the stove and handed me a plate.
"Dig in."
"You're not going to eat?"
"Not yet sweetie."
Sweetie? Oh no. What's going on?
"Thank you for your... Ahem... Hospitality."
"No problem."
A stranger in a suit and my mother came down the stairs. His suit was messed up and mom was wearing a towel around her. The man looked towards me.
"Well, your father cooked you dinner. I guess nothing's really wrong here. See you folks some other time." He waved at all of us and left the house.
"Thanks for coming!" My mom said.
When everything was quiet, I asked my mom a question.
"Mom, who was that?"
*SLAP*
"Don't you dare act dumb in front of us! You know exactly who he is!"
"What? I don't. Dad?"
*SLAP*
"Don't try and fool me now!"
"But I swear, I don't know him."
"He's social services! Someone reported that we were abusing you!"
"What?"
*SLAP*
"Now, you have two choices, Dad or your mom. Who do you want to give the punishment?"
I really had to think about this. If my dad beat me up, it's definitely going to show all over my body. But if mom was to punish me, it would be on my back. Since Justin's around, I don't want him to know about the abuse and he'll definitely know when my dad beats me up. So...
"Mom's."
"Alright. Lets go."
My mom grabs my arm and brings me up to my room.
"Turn around. Take off your shirt."
I did as she said. She came up behind me and dug the razor deep into my skin. Deeper than usual. And it wasn't a simple cross. It was an asterisk. It hurt way more than before. I bit my finger hard. When she finished, she poured alcohol all over my back again and left the room without saying a word. I feel asleep on the floor that night. I fainted from the pain.
I woke up early again today. When I wen out, Justin was across the street, still working on his music video. I guess he's really not bringing me to school today.
"Hello Key-rah." A girl said to me once I reached my locker.
"Uh... Hi?"
"Where's Justin?"
"I don't know."
"How'd you meet him?"
Oh. She just wants Justin. I slammed my locker and walked away from her. We aren't even friends. Some people... Really...
After school...
"Keira! Lets go!" Justin was waiting outside school.
"Justin?!"
"Yeah. What? You don't recognize me anymore?"
"No!"
"Okay okay. Just teasing."
"Keira!" The girl from earlier ran over to us.
"You made a friend?" Justin asked me. I was about to answer him but the girl had to butt in.
"Oh. Hi Justin! Keira! Why didn't you tell me he was coming?"
"Because-..."
"Anyway! I forgive you." She smiled at me. Devilishly.
"Oh yeah! Almost forgot! The principal's calling you. My friends will accompany you inside. I'll keep an eye on Justin for you."
"Wai-?" Suddenly, three girls came at my sides and grabbed onto me tightly. I just followed them so I wouldn't cause a scene or get badly injured.
"I'll wait for you here Keira!" Justin yelled out.
•••
"So Justin, I was wondering if you could give me your number so that if something happens to Keira, i'll just call you."
"It's fine."
"You do know all the rumors about her, right?"
"No."
"Well, if you must know..."
"I didn't ask."
"Oh. Well, i'll tell you anyway. See, she cuts herself. Yeah. Also, she's very disrespectful to her pare-..."
"You're not her friend, are you?"
"What?"
"You suck at pretending. Get a hobby."
•••
As we were about to enter the school...
"Do you have your razor?"
"Yep. Lets head to the bathroom."
Once I heard that there was a razor involved, I freaked out.
"Woah! Keep her down!"
They held onto me tighter. I started to cry.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
"Shut up!"
"Let her go."
We all turned around and saw Justin grabbing onto the girl from earlier's arm.
"Let her go girls."
They did as she said. I ran out of the school.
•••
"If you hurt her again... Well... Think about it." I pushed her away and she winced.
"Oh... Okay." She ran away with her friends closely behind.
•••
I ran for a while. And Justin caught up to me.
"Keira..." He pulled me closer and hugged me.
"It's okay. Stop crying. I'm here." I hugged him back.
We both walked slowly back to my house and sat on the front porch.
"Are you okay now?"
"Yeah. I feel a little better." We were holding hands at the moment.
"You should tell your parents about this."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Justin... It's complicated."
"It can't be that complicated. Just tell me what's wrong. I'll help."
"You can't help me Justin." I smiled at him and held onto his hand tighter.
"I can't because you won't let me. Keira, I don't know why, but I like you, okay? I care about you. I want to get to know you. I feel like, we connected... Somehow.. I know it sounds cheesy but, i've never felt like this but I want to keep feeling like this. So let me help you."
"Justin..."
"Keiraaaaaaa!!!"
"What was that?"
"Oh no."
The door burst open and I see my dad towering above us.
"So this is where you were. Too busy to help your mom?"
"N-no dad."
"Who's this?"
"H-he.."
"I don't care." He grabbed my arm and pulled me up.
"You can leave now young man. We have family matters to attend to. He dragged me to the door. Right before he closed it shut, I turned to look at Justin. He looked shocked. Why wouldn't he be? My dad drags me into the house and i'm... Crying....
What now?
Will I see him again?