I'd just like to thank these people for either volunteering to help translate or who helped translate, this message is to let you know that it doesn't go un-noticed and it's highly appreciated:
BubblesInBlue; RedTulipGirl; DianaShoutsNever; amanda-sofia12; dominicanmisty; panda_baby04; lovergurl; rosbi15; camaca10298; jbluver10; chrissycee811; jazzminc
Thanks so much guys!
----and now the story---
Previously: I think I like Cory King," I whispered, almost too afraid to admit it. "My aunt's coming to visit from Paris in an hour, and I want to spend some time with her, since her time is limited. So, I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to cancel our date," I told T. J. honestly. Cory doesn't spend most of his time with a girl he isn't having sex with. "Well, honey. You're eighteen now. So your aunt wants to know if you'll model her new clothes for her," my dad brought me up to speed.
Chapter 29
"Cory, you're a guy right?" I asked, deciding to take this into another direction instead of being straight forward like I planned.
"Um," he said unsure of where I was going with my question. He lifted the waist band of his pants and peeked inside. "Yep, there's a penis down there. You wanna see for yourself?" he teased while looking at me with a devious smile on his face. I rolled my eyes. Maybe I should bail, this may be harder than I thought.
Ugh, how did my life get so complicated? If anyone knows, please, tell me. I don't like thinking 'what if', but in this circumstance, I can't help it. I mean, what if I tell him and he doesn't feel the same? Or worst, what if I tell him and he does feel the same? What would happen then? Or what if he doesn't like me as Quentin stated?
Could I manage to be his friend? Does he even have girls that are just his friend? "Do you have any female friends?" I asked him out of curiosity.
"You," he stated simply, pointing out the obvious. I rolled my eyes.
"I mean besides me," I corrected.
He thought about it for a second. "There's a girl name Brittany in my math class," he answered.
"Really?" I asked with surprise as I stopped pacing. I honestly thought he was going to say no. He nodded his head and said yes. "Huh," I murmured thoughtfully. We stayed quiet for a while, until I started pacing again. "What if I told you that the girl you thought of as a friend suddenly had feelings for you?" I tested, referring to myself.
Cory suddenly leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his fingers intertwined with each other. He stared at me intently. "Are you trying to tell me that Brittany has a crush on me?" he asked incredulous. Brittany? I was talking about me.
Oh well, maybe I can use her for example. "Yes," I said hesitantly. Cory sighed and shook his head.
"Well, that's a friendship down the drain," he decided.
I stopped brandishing and looked at him. "What? Why?" I queried confusingly.
"Because, the only reason why I'm friends with her is because I thought that she didn't like me. Now we can't be friends anymore," he explained. I narrowed my eyes. I'm confused.
"Why can't you be friends with her anymore?" I asked him.
He shot me a flat look as if I were stupid. "Because then it'll seem like I'm leading her on. It's too bad too, she was pretty cool," he informed me while shaking his head with deprecatory.
I suddenly felt disappointed. Now I know that if I told him I liked him, we couldn't be friends anymore. And this is the first time I've actually admitted to being friends with Cory. Gawd lee, I'm getting pathetic.
I began pacing back and forth again. My right arm lying under my breast as my left arm elbow propped up allowing my nail to be placed between my teeth.
Cory was watching my every move. He was sitting perfectly still; the only thing moving was his eyes as he followed me walking side to side infront of him. Another questioned popped into my mind. "Have you...ever thought of...you know, dating her?" I asked a little unsure of what words to say.
I looked at him and noticed he was looking at me like I was stupid. "Me? Being her boyfriend? That's like a man jumping off a five story building, and you asking him if he broke anything. It just doesn't make sense," he described. I rolled my eyes again.
"You're over exaggerating," I commented.
"No. I'm not," he denied in complete belie.
The room went quiet again, talk about awkward. "Isyss, why are you asking me these question?" Cory observed suspiciously.
"No reason," I responded a little too quickly. He raised his eyebrows incredulously, gesturing that he isn't buying my excuse. I sighed in defeat.
"Okay! Brittany doesn't like you. I was just wondering what you would do if she did," I confessed. He sighed in respite.
"Phew! Good! Dodged a bullet there, huh?" he smiled and wiped his forehead.
I'm not going to tell him. I'm not going to tell him. I can't tell him. I won't tell him. I want to tell him. But I can't tell him. What if I do tell him? What if I don't tell him? How would I tell him? I groaned in frustration.
"Why do you seem so depressed? You're ruining my jolly good mood," he stated, saying 'jolly good mood' in a very believable and sexy British accent. I fought the urge to laugh at how random that was.
I stopped pacing, turned to him, and closed my eyes. Maybe I shouldn't tell him. Maybe I could just forget I have these feelings for him. Yeah, that's it. I'll just ignore them, and pretend like nothing has changed. Ugh, at times like these I wish Courtney was around. But since she's keeping things from me, I'm going to keep this from her. I still can't believe she's keeping secrets from me.
So maybe I shouldn't tell Cory? Or maybe--ah f*ck it. "I like you, Cory," I admitted as I opened my eyes. Cory gave me a duh look.
"I hope so, we are friends after all--"
"No, you don't understand. I like you," I cut him off, staring him straight in the eyes as I was completely straight forward. I put all me emotions and feelings towards him into those last three words. He seemed unsure of my meaning. But I guess something in my eyes told him what I meant.
He looked a little shocked as he stiffened on my bed. "So, when you were referring to a friend liking me..." he trailed off as he spoke slowly.
"Yes, I was talking about me," I confessed, trying to get this over with.
He raised his eyebrows as his eyes began swiftly moving around the floor, as if putting together everything we just talked about. He rubbed his hands together slowly as he calculated my confession.
When his eyes met mine again, I averted my eyes quickly. There was another silence until he broke it. "Sooooooo," -he stretched out the 'o'- "you do think I'm sexy," he teased.
I looked back at him, as he had a smirk on his face. I shook my head. I should've known he wouldn't take me seriously. "You think I'm seeeeeeexy. You wanna kiiiiiiiiss me," he sung teasingly as he stood up from my bed sauntered to me. He had amusement in eyes.
I shook my head in denial, which was completely irrelevant seeing that I just told him I liked him. "Say it," he instructed with a smile. I shook my head.
"I'm not gonna feed your over grown ego," I told him firmly.
He laughed as he stood infront of me, dangerously close and looking at me. "Just say 'Cory, baby, you are the hottest guy I know'," he said, trying to imitate my voice, but making it sound squeaky. I glared as I backed away from him and opened my door.
"Get out," I demanded, getting upset that he was taking my confession as I joke. Did I mention I'm not fond of being made fun of? He laughed this.
"Oh come on--" he began but I cut him off.
"God, Cory! Can't you be seriously for once in your life? Why is everything a joke to you?!" I bellowed. Seriously! I just told him I liked him, and all he does is make fun! Complete bastard.
He looked taken aback at my sudden outburst. He opened his mouth to comment but I cut him off again. "Save it. Just get the hell out," I commanded, feeling humiliated. Cory started smiling again.
"No," he objected simply.
"Then I'll leave," I murmured as I turned to leave.
I felt a hand grab my wrist and turn me around. He then shut the door with his other hand and pushed me against it. He stepped closer to me and looked into my eyes. "Are you serious? Do you like me? Like, like me like me? Or is this just part of the game because I...I can't tell," he questioned suspiciously despite his genial tone.
"Why does it matter anyway? You probably have girls telling you that all the time," I scuffed.
"Yeah, but you're different," he told me pragmatically.
"How is that?" I asked skeptically, putting my hands on my hips. He shrugged his shoulders.
"You're you. You're, I don't know, you're just...Isyss," he admitted vaguely.
"Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel special," I complimented sarcastically. He laughed and grabbed both my hands.
"Well, I try," he said, feeding my sarcasm as he looked at our now intertwined fingers.
I felt tingles trailing through my hands as they locked perfectly with his as if they were a zipper of love. Zipper of love? What the hell? First I come to realize I like Cory and now I'm getting poetic? Lord, take me now.
"Do you feel that?" he asked as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and wonder. He was still looking at our hands.
"I do," I admitted. His eyes popped up to mine.
"This is the same thing I felt when we kissed," he admitted.
I felt like I couldn't breath as his eyes burned into mine. "Isyss," he spoke as the distance between us slowly started to decrease. At that moment, Cory's phone started ringing. "Damn it," he muttered as he moved away from me, detaching our hands. "Yo," he answered. "Uh..." he talked into the phone as he looked shyly to me before diverted his eyes.
He turned his back to me and continued talking into his phone. "Not right now...I'm not...since when...what...why...I--you--ugh...I'm coming...this better be," he mumbled into the phone before hanging up. He put it back into his pocket and turned to me. I wonder who he was talking to. He sighed. "I um...I have to go," was his excuse. I moved away from the door without saying a word.
He opened it and left without looking back at me. What was that about? I laid on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. I cannot believe I just told Cory King that I'm starting to have feelings for him. Out of all the guys in school, why does it have to me him? I can honestly say that I wish I didn't, but I can't help who I like.
It's just something about him that draws me in. It's his eyes, his smile, his personality even though he can be a complete jacka*s sometimes, his confidence, his sexy body, his humor, his...everything.
I slapped my hand against my cheek. Ugh, now I'm really started to sound like a love struck groupie. Well, at least I'm not in love with the guy. This is just a school girl crush. Yeah, just a mini-crush, no, a semi-crush and it'll go away.
But do I want it to go away? Yes-no-kinda-maybe so. Damn it, I'm rhyming now? What is this boy doing to me?! He's a bad influence...
The only downfall is his lifestyle. Why does he sleep around a lot, anyway? I'm sure that has nothing to do with that Madison chick...does right? I wonder what kind of boyfriend he is/was? Was he faithful?
Did he cheat the first chance he got? With all the girls practically throwing their panties at him, I don't doubt that. Maybe Courtney was right. Cory is a hormonal teenage boy who can have any girl he wants, so why not take advantage of that?
Thinking of Courtney, I suddenly felt the urge to talk to her. I don't want a stupid argument like that to come between us. I decided I should go try to straighten things out with Courtney. I feel as though I've be bereaved of my bestfriend.
I feel the need to listen to some music on my short trip to next door, so I grab my ipod and earphones from my desk drawer and head downstairs. As soon as I was about to hit play, Aunt Lashay called my name from the kitchen.
I went in and noticed her sitting at the island counter as my mother was cutting carrots and placing them in a pot on the stove. "Hola bebé [hello baby]. Aunt Lashay was just telling me about the photo shoots tomorrow. She says you'll get paid," my mom greets me before eating one of the freshly cut carrots she just cut. I gag. Ugh, carrots.
I walk and take a seat next to Aunt Lashay. "Yes. I was just telling Penelope that you will be getting paid for modeling my clothes. Since you are, in fact, an amateur you'll only get paid a small amount per picture. They'll pay you $150 per photo and you'll only be posing five of my outfits. So you'll get paid $750," Aunt Lashay explained, Penelope being my mom's name.
I stared at her in shock. "So you're telling me" -I began while pointing an accusing picture at my aunt- "that by the end of the day tomorrow, I'll have $750 just for taking...pictures?" I asked in disbelief. My mom laughed.
"Si bebé [yes baby]! Isn't that great!" my mom exclaimed as she walked around the counter and hugged me.
I smiled back at her as Aunt Lashay laughed at us. My mom is always a little too affect when it comes to me. I guess it's a mother thing. Soon after, my mom went back to cooking and Aunt Lashay began telling me about her new fashions.
She told me that her clothing line was called Keisha-Lashay, Keisha being her middle name; Lashay Keisha Morley. I asked why she flipped her name, she said it was just an out of the blue moment she had.
I excused myself from them and told them about me going over Courtney's house. My mom told me to just be back for dinner. I put my earphones back in my ears as I walked outside."My name is Isyss! I eat slices! Of chess pie and it might be a crisis! Guess I could change it! And try cherry! But if sucks than I'm gonna switch to something that rhymes with cherry!" sang along to Pretty Girl Rock by Keri Hilson.
Hey, if this modeling things doesn't work out, maybe I could get a job as a song writer and become a huge succe--haha! I can't even finish that sentence with a straight face...
My laughter made me realize that I have to use the bathroom. I rushed over to the twins front door and knocked. I waited a while and no one answered. I opened the door and walked in.
Wow, talk about safety first. Anyone could just walk in here, like a burglar or murder or a vamp-don't! Do not say that damn V word!
I shake my head and stop in the living room. I look down the hall where the downstairs bathroom is. I really don't want to use that one because of the last time I opened the door, I saw something I didn't want to see. But I also don't feel like walking all the way upstairs. You know what? Screw it. I'll just use the one down here.
I started dancing my way to the bathroom as the song continued playing. I opened the door and screamed at the sight I saw. "AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I quickly shut the door back and rushed to the living room. I paused the song and put my ipod in my jacket pocket. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," I chanted as I raked my fingers through my hair.
Anger began boiling inside of me as pictures of the awful scene I just witness came flashing in my head like caution lights. I can't believe it! I know he's a man whore but I thought he'd at least consider changing after my confession!
Cory came running and calling my name. I didn't stop walking until I felt a strong hand grab my forearm. "No me toques [Don't touch me]! Don't touch me!" I yelled in Spanish and English.
When I'm really upset about something I start saying things in Spanish and repeating them in English. Cory knows this so he quickly let my hand go and took a cautious step back. I turned around and noticed him in a towel, as apposed to his nakedness seconds ago.
I shot him the most deadliest glare I could muster. I can't believe that I actually thought he had feelings for me! How can I be so stupid! "Isyss, look. She--it didn't mean anything to me. Honestly," he tried to explain. He was holding the towel up with one of his hands, his 'friend' no longer excited.
I shake my head at him and start bouncing my leg up and down quickly. I snort at his lame excuse. "Oh please 'it's didn't mean anything'," I muttered as I repeat his words. His bare chest was heaving up and down as he stared at me with guilt; probably feeling penitent for himself, as he should be.
"So this is why you had to leave! So you could screw some random chick!" I shout the questions in statements.
"Look, you don't understand, alright. I haven't had sex in damn near two days. And then she comes over....and..." he trails off, noticing my face. I was seriously trying to make him burst on fire.
"I cannot believe I allowed myself to think for a second that you felt the same," I mumbled as looked at the floor, trying to get my thoughts together.
Seriously, I don't even know why I'm getting so upset about this. It's no surprise that Cory would be having sex with some slut. I mean, I'm the stupid one for thinking that maybe he'd liked me in return. I suddenly realized something.
"You didn't say it back," I whispered, my voice barely audible. He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Didn't say what back?" he asked, seeming honestly confused.
"You never said you liked me back," I turned to him as I said this. I noticed him go limp as he sighed with pity.
"Isyss..." he spoke softly, his eyes showing shame.
I shook my head to stop him. "No te preocupes [don't worry about it]. You have no reason to explain to me," I say to him as I start backing away from him, feeling disgusted with myself and him. At me because I'd allowed myself to have feeling for someone like him, and at him because I just stepped in on him having sex.
Cory noticed my distasteful look towards him and he shook his head. "Isyss, wait. Don't leave like this," he tried to make me stay.
I laughed in my head. Does he actually think I'm going to stay here after what I just witness, he doesn't know me like he think he does. "It's okay, Cory. A friendship can't work if only one person likes the other. You were right earlier. We can't be friends," I say so calmly you would've never guessed how upset I really am.
I opened the door as he opened his mouth to say something, but quickly snapped it closed. I step out and shut the door behind me. I've never felt more humiliated and rejected in my life. I quickly pulled out my cell phone, dialed his number, and headed towards my car; not wanting to go home.
He answered on the third ring. "Hello?" his voice came through the phone.
"Hey, are you busy?" I asked, trying to disguise my voice so he wouldn't know I was angry.
"Not at all, what's up?" he questioned.
I started got into my car and started down the road. "Do you wanna hang out tonight?" I asked him.
"Sure. Do you want me to pick you up or...?"he trailed off for me to answer.
"No, we can meet at the Cyber Café," I instructed. He agreed and said he'd see me at the café that's down the street from our school. I hung up and headed there, to meet up with T. J....
[AN: DIDN'T PROOFREAD THIS! Just sorta scanned through. If you all hadn't guessed by now, I don't like being predictable...
Anywho, it's time for "Know You're Characters!"
Question #6: Does Cory truely like Isyss? Or is she just another girl on his To Do list?