Allison
I put my pen down exasperatedly, looking at my Philosophy notes. I was staring in it for quite some time, trying to understand the coverage for midterm exams. I had gotten a C- in the last quiz and I thank all the gods in heaven for that, but I couldn't just rely on C-'s to save me. I need to get more than that, an A+ if I could.
I was staring at the words that seemed to have gotten life, jumbling and forming incomprehensible words when my phone vibrated. Mom calling, it says. I stared at my phone and decided not to answer the call. Not that I'm not in the mood to speak to my mom or something. I was just being cautious. I don't want to tell her about my Philosophy class or that her virgin daughter wasn't a virgin anymore. And by that, you knew what I meant. That I didn't insert a finger inside my vagina just because I'm feeling like it.
I stretched my arms, yawning and leaning back on the too large chair I was sitting on.
Two years ago, I didn't really see myself studying at Oregon State University. I used to be the only blonde girl in middle school who wears glasses because I was afraid to sleep with contact lenses and too long skirts. I don't know if there was a rule that blondes should be athletic or leading a cheering squad or something that makes them hot. Mische is also blonde and she's a total bomb shell. She was also the one who told me to try to get into OSU because she was thinking of going there. I didn't think I could pass their entrance exam but I was one of those middle school students who nearly aced it.
Anyway, mom didn't really want me to go since OSU was a two-hour drive from our own place, Colton but it was my father who works as a doctor who convinced her.
My phone vibrated again, and this time, it was Mische who was trying to talk to me. Mische who I just spent half of my day with, buying dresses and trying on some really good shoes I could really afford but didn't chose to buy since I've been trying to minimize my expenses.
I took a good look at the wall clock sitting next to my old teddy bear atop my dresser. It was nearly midnight and Mische was still up, trying to call me. I shook my head disbelievingly, deciding to ignore her call. I'll see her at school tomorrow, that's for sure.
I decided to open my laptop and browse through my Facebook account. There was nothing new and nothing much to see but something had caught my eye. It was Adam Payne's official account on Facebook. Not just those one of the hundred fake accounts his fans made up. I stared at my laptop for too long before I decided to take a peek on his account. It wouldn't hurt to look at it right? Oh well.
I clicked on his page and stared at his profile picture which was obviously a selfie. Ha! I swear he could be narcissistic sometimes. His picture stared back and smiled at me and I realized that he really looks good. No wonder he got half of the female population tailing after him. Even when his hair was still messy, his eyes still puffy... He was still handsome as hell and I started to think that I should be grateful I get to have a one-night stand with him. Or not. Ugh, whatever.
I scrolled down through his profile. There was this Add as a Friend button that I would like to click but then, you don't add someone you had a one-night stand on Facebook. And we're not even friends to begin with.
I fell asleep staring on one of his photos.
Mische cornered me down the locker rooms in the hallways the next day reminding me of her house party slash birthday party tonight. I nodded, just to shut her up of course and proceeded to my English class which was one of my favorite class, actually. Not because of Simon Prentice whom I haven't seen since yesterday's Philosophy class. I didn't mind though but I was hoping against hope he wouldn't turn up tonight.
English class proceeded peacefully and I was once again satisfied with the notes I had jotted down on my notebook. I had gotten a text from Lizzy, my middle school classmate who happens to be studying in OSU.
Lunch? it says. And it kept me thinking as I fell behind my classmates who were trying to get out of the classroom as fast as they can if I wanted to have lunch with her today. We would usually have lunch together because Mische, my supposedly best friend was too busy hanging out with his rich and famous buddies. I just don't know what's gotten into her lately since she invited me to a house party.
Anyway, Lizzy and I were not really friends back then but it's not every day that I get to meet someone familiar. Lizzy has brown hair and a beautiful face with sparkling blue eyes, one could have mistaken her for Megan Fox. We used to be bestfriends way back in middle school but her family had to move to some place because of her parents' job. Anyway, I was talking to her yesterday about how I was close to failing my Philosophy class (partly because it was my least favorite subject and only my favorite when Simon is around) and she answered me with a gossip about Adam Payne going out with this Laurel Jones girl.
I have no idea who Laurel Jones was but apparently, she was the top of her class, and she was taking up law! She was famous because her dad is one of the top-sought lawyers in our city and partly because of her human rights advocate to which I have no interest in but Adam Payne going out with her is something. I don't know Laurel but going out with that guy with a bad reputation-wait, am I bad mouthing him because he is going out with her and not me? Of course not. He could date someone he like. He could fuck someone he like. Not that he needed my permission for those.
I stopped by the locker rooms unloading some of the books I had with me while Lizzy still droned about Laurel and Adam. I sighed as I realized I left my Philosophy book at home though since I was planning to get a B or an A+ in next week's quiz.
"Allison!" somebody called out and I looked over my shoulders to see my brother, Jamie waving enthusiastically at me, his blonde hair bobbing up and down as he hurried to catch me.
Sorry. Have to meet Jamie. I texted Lizzy back. Nice timing Jamie, I thought. For once.
Jamie was my twin brother but unlike most twins, we were somewhat separable. I guess it all boils down to the fact that I'm a girl and he's a boy. He was taking up some medicine in a university just twenty minutes away from OSU and rans a YouTube channel called "Study with Jamie". He was determined to follow my father's footsteps while I don't even know why I took up an English course. (Same as Adam Payne if you must know.) It's a bit dull and boring but I love English anyway and I was planning to take up creative writing short courses after. Whatever. Our folks insisted that we live under the same roof, but despite Jamie and I having handful of differences, living under one roof isn't exactly one of the things we can get along. We respect our privacies or should I say, he just wants to live somewhere he could take her girls home without his sister walking into one of his rooms while he's having sex.
"Jamie?" I asked, feeling his arm on my shoulders. He felt warm and I liked it, I guess. It's been two months since I last saw him. "What are you doing here?"
Jamie let out a goofy wide smile. It was the smile that made him popular with the girls in his school. He led me outside the building where I was glad for a bit of sunlight and some fresh air. A few girls slowed down to take a look at my brother who doesn't really looked very much like me. Loads of my middle school friends had mistaken him for my boyfriend. Who wouldn't want a blonde guy with blue eyes?
"I just broke up with my girlfriend who by the way might decide to go into my place and ruin everything for me." he deadpanned. "So, I decided to check out on how my twin little sister was and woah, there's a lot of leggy chicks out here huh?" he added, wolf whistling to a tall leggy girl with brown curls who looked at him and flipped her hair.
"Do you have to be a pig about it?" I asked irritably which made him fake a sexy throaty laugh.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar figure running around the soccer field, a towel in hand. It was Adam Fucking Payne. Fuck, I cursed inwardly. I was so absorbed with my twin brother coming over here to escape his ex-girlfriend that I haven't noticed we've walked all the way to my building to the field.
I tried to calm my pounding heart as well as my pounding head, forcing a laugh over some corny British joke my brother had just said.
He narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly at Adam's direction.
"He seems like a pretty good player." He commented.
"Who?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"The guy with the number nine." He said slowly. He squinted. "Am I seeing Payne or something?"
"Yeah.' I muttered. "Adam Payne."
We stayed in the soccer field for a while. My brother used to be so obsessed with soccer, I thought he'd be a professional soccer player in the future but it turned out he wanted to be a doctor. It came as a surprise for me and my mom since we both knew how much Jamie loves soccer. Never mind dad, he's always at the hospital anyway.
"And he seems popular with the girls too."