“Did… Did I do something wrong?” I turned to Jack with a look of complete confusion, “What’s up with him?” Jack just shrugged and turned back to the door, “No clue. Maybe he didn’t recognize you?”
“Thanks. Now I’m in a world of hurt.”
“Well it’s true Key. I didn’t know it was you until I examined you a bit. It must just be taking him a while to realize it’s you. Besides, he didn’t think I was bringing anyone along. All he wanted me to do was drop off his camera to him.”
I nodded, I guess that makes sense. He just doesn’t know it’s me. And I guess I am kind of a disappointment. Maybe he just thought who’s this chick? Yeah, that makes sense. But I don’t think that that is okay to think when that chick was your best friend since second grade!!!
But I couldn’t let Jack see I was so ticked. “So I guess he just didn’t know it was me, I guess I’ll give him props for that.”
“Yeah.” Jack said with a nod as he started digging through his pockets. He finally pulled out a small silver digital camera, the one that play-bike-jacker had used to take my picture. “So you just came over here to give him his camera back?”
“Yep. That was basically the plan, though I didn’t tell him I was bringing anyone along.” He put out a hand and patted me on the back, “So don’t feel bad.”
“Meh, it’s okay.” I grumbled with a shrug, “I guess I don’t expect him to remember me after three years. Wait, why would he want my picture anyway?”
“I don’t know,” Jack replied with a shrug, “I guess since I came into town, he wanted some pictures of his friends after all these years? He took my picture too.”
“You could’ve gotten a better picture of me instead of me looking horrified when you were stealing my bike.”
“He says he doesn’t like pictures of people when they’re ready. He says he likes the surprised expressions. It’s one of those artsy photographer thingies that I never understand.”
“Ah. That makes sense,” I replied with a nod. “Well okay. Let’s try this again.” Jack nodded and then pressed the door bell once again. We both waited for a good thirty seconds until the door finally opened. A middle aged man with dull blonde and grey hair opened the door. I knew that face anywhere, this was Justin’s dad. Surprisingly, I seemed to have a good relationship when it came to adults other than my parents. I don’t know, it’s just something special about me I suppose. I guess I’m just so adorable that no one can resist.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss _____? How long has it been?” I’m not really used to being called by my last name anymore, it’s kind of strange. Both the feeling of being called by it… And the name all together. But it probably only is that way because Justin’s dad is the only one who really calls me by that name. I smiled, “Long time!” I exclaimed with a big smile, I could tell Jack knew I was playing the part because he just looked away with a smile as he stifled a giggle. I smiled at Jack and pulled him into view of the opened door, “We came to see Justin!”
Even with the outside of the house, I still didn’t expect the inside of the house to be as big as it was. It was one of those elegantly decorated houses with spiraling staircases going to the second story, ceilings that were probably over fifteen feet high, crystal emblazoned chandeliers, and even a black marble mantled fireplace that was in the formal living room along with the expensive looking white couches. I had no idea Justin had such a luxurious life, must have been nice. Maybe with the money, he got some new friends? And forgot about me? I guess that makes sense (That heartless b*****d…) I never knew that Justin was this shallow. Or maybe I’m judging too much? Maybe he didn’t forget about me, just didn’t know what I look like. Joy.
As I walked into the formally decorated living room, I noticed an alignment of picture frames sitting on the mantel of the fireplace. I walked over and grabbed one of them, I could tell that face anywhere. In a cheerleader’s uniform white and blue on with the tasseled skirt, Chel looked hotter even than she usually did; her complexion and everything else play so well with her, no matter what she’s wearing. Unlike me, the basically albino black haired chick who couldn’t pull the whole glam girl shot without being broken down by the word with a list called: “WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE”. Oh how I envy you, you beautiful blonde demon.
I continued to scrounge around the pictures on the mantel for a long while. They were all repeated pictures of Chel, Jack, Justin, and me. I remembered just about every memory in the pictures shown; it was really creepy how realistic everything was in my flashbacks. As if my life were flashing before my eyes, all over again. I was on my prance down memory lane for a good ten minutes before my hands froze on a picture all the way to the right of the mantel at the edge. It was in a black leather frame and had silver thread sewn through as a border. The picture was of Justin and his mom. It was back when Justin still had a lively look in his eye, he was probably only about seven. He was smiling, and it choked me up a bit. How long I’d gone without seeing that, I didn’t know. He was definitely the spitting image of his mom (Except for the nose, very well rounded from his dad). Mrs. Simmons had the longest most pure curled blackish blue hair, framing her face in little ringlets and concentrating down the small of her back. Her eyes were the most recognizable thing between her and her son’s resemblance. They had the almost unnatural blue shine that made them look glossy and shiny like marbles. It was strange how much I could remember her silken voice; she was possibly one of the sweetest women I’d ever known. She’d been good friends with my mom, so when she died, mom kinda lost her spirit. Just like me. I really missed Jamie.
“Stubborn as always…” A warm even breezy feeling started to inch down the back of my neck, rolling down and vibrating down by spine and then back up again. I froze completely as my fingers curled tightly around the picture frame in tension. I turned a bit and looked to see I was being stared down at by the same jerk that’d slammed the door in my face.
“You need something Key?” Justin commented with a stern and even voice, his tempo was slower as if he were trying to say the big words slowly so I could understand. I frowned at him a moment, but then I turned back as I thawed out and put the frame back on the mantel. I turned, but unsurprisingly, I only reached to about a bit above his elbow. I turned and then took a step so I could stand on the fireplace as a boost; this put me about to his nose at least. “Well,” I began as even as I could, though I mimicked him in doing a slow tempo for him to understand, “It’s not nice to slam the door on my face, you know.”
Justin’s nose wrinkled a bit as he stared my icily in the eye, it was almost hypnotizing, “Maybe there are reasons I slammed it.”
“Well, then maybe I should just leave then.”
“Maybe you should.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, what kind of a jerk was this guy? Was this even the boy I called best friend for just about my entire childhood? If he was, I didn’t know how I was ever able to keep peace with him. I couldn’t think of a witty retort to him. I stood there quiet, though continuing to keep my glare face to face with him, but I could tell, he had a lot of experience. Much more than I’d ever had glaring at Emerson, my apartment neighbor’s evil shoe devouring Chihuahua. I was being beaten badly.
The silence drove on for a satisfying three minutes before it was shattered thankfully by the call of Justin’s dad, Mr. Simmons who came walking into the parlor with a soda in hand. “Staring game you two?” He asked with a rather rambunctious smile at us both. Justin turned; his expression softened a bit before he completely turned and walked out of the room, and ran upstairs. Even though Justin had retreated, I knew I had been defeated and thrown out a window. I still had no idea what had gone on between us, but it was something I would never want to repeat.
Mr. Simmons was just as confused as I was, “Well, wonder what all that was about.” He turned to me and gave me an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry Kiera. Justin’s not the best conversation maker, but I’m sure you already knew that.” I forced a smile as I nodded and got down from my stepping stool of a fireplace. I walked over, “Uh… Maybe I should be going?”
Mr. Simmons actually took this as a bit of a shock, “No! Stay!” He insisted, but he still said it all with his joyous warm smile, “The family is so happy to see you again Kiera! I’d rather like to enjoy your stay while I can.” He smiled a bit wider and then left the room. I stood there completely oblivious to anything and everything going on around me, while they could? I wasn’t going to die or anything…
I stood there a moment trying to figure it out, but when my brain started chinking, I decided to hold it as a later note. Walking ahead, I tried to decide what gargantuan sector of the home to explore first, who knew how many acres this place was? Seeing that I’m not exactly a genius in math, the results made my head spin. I walked off wherever I could; I traveled back to the foyer and saw the glorious row of spiraling stairs. I couldn’t decide on whether this would be a smart move or not, but since when do I listen to my head? Going with my gut, I went ahead and started to scale the mountain of befitting stairs. About five minutes later, when I reached the top, I looked over the ledge and saw the bottom floor. It was a long way down. How high was this house? Or even the stairs in general…?
Once again, I decided to leave that as an unanswered question to be pondered, turning, I went through the halls and started to peek into all of the rooms. The first three rooms were literally empty, the next was a big study and an office, and then after playing the guessing game with five other doors, I reached tall one. It was stained black and had a shiny bronze knob. I couldn’t help but think maybe this one was special. Of course I wasn’t expecting Narnia, but come on, something must be behind here worth seeing.
I don’t really know if you’d say that this fit the criteria.
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Where Me, Myself and I will be held... Revision will commense soon enough.
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