The Heaven I Found In Hell

by Ashley Andrews

  She looked at me with a raised brow, before she mouthed out an 'Okay,' and ran over to where her soccer mates were. Cindy and I, excited of what was going to happen, continued giggling while we mindlessly watched the soccer team practice.

  …

  Anthony exhaled repeatedly. He didn't know why he was feeling so nervous. It was just an invitation to go to a dance…that's all this was about, but he couldn't stop the butterflies in his stomach from dancing. He felt like he was going to barf anytime soon, and it was all because of Riley.

  "How could she make me feel like this?" He asked himself, but it was Nathan who answered the question.

  "Maybe because you love her?" The brown-haired guy spoke out.

  "But I loved before…why do I only feel this now?" Anthony asked, apathetic of how mushy he sounded.

  Blake, who was against a wall, laughed light-heartedly at his pal before he told him to just simply relax. He told Anthony that if he continued acting like this, he might just end up messing all of this up, and what he worked hard was just going to be worthless.

  "You don't know how I feel…" Anthony said to his de-flowering friend. "I'm sorry, but I just don't sleep around with girls. I just don't do that."

  Blake sighed. "You're right. I really don't know how you feel like."

  Nathan who had been silent for a good few minutes decided to speak.

  "I think I do."

  …

  Anthony called out Riley's name while she was busy doing push-ups. In acknowledgement, the girl stood up from where she lied down on the grass, and turned her attention to him.

  "What?" She screamed out. "Can't you see I still have training?"

  Anthony nodded at her, before he kicked the ball he held over to where Riley stood. She stopped it from rolling with her feet, and picked it up. She laughed at him.

  "Why'd you write on it?" She asked, and the guy simply grinned in returned. "You're wasting ink and this ball."

  "Asking you to dance with me isn't a waste."

  Riley read what Anthony had written down. Dance with me? She nodded her head repeatedly, probably looking like an idiot, before she ran to him, and hugged him. He returned her embrace with a very tight one of his own, before he asked her again, now…without a poem…without a soccer ball and a marker…without any of his friends' help.

  "Dance with me?" He asked, taking her hands, and covering them with his own.

  He waited for her response, and when she gave it, he couldn't help but kiss her. Even though it was just a simple peck on the lips, it meant a lot to her and to him to finally get the weight off the guy's chest. They remained looking at each other compassionately, getting a lot of weird stares from onlookers, while the others, those who knew what was going on, applauded and cheered the two for doing something that was incredibly thoughtful and sweet.

  Cindy was jumping for joy, by the sight of the two most innocent people in their group liking each other. She felt extremely happy that they had feelings for each other since she knew they'd make a cute couple. She also realized how good they looked together, and how well they fit each other. Riley and Anthony were noisy at some times, and shy in other instances, and Cindy couldn't wait to watch their relationship progress in front of her eyes since they were just in the same clique...

  ...Blake who was getting amused with the two, curved his lips up into a smirk. He realized that Anthony was growing up, and was probably going to learn things he, himself, hadn't experienced yet. Even though he enjoyed watching the two acting all lovey-dovey with each other, he was still going to be the same. Blake wasn't Anthony, and vice versa. One didn't know what true love meant, while the other was dying to figure it out and feel it...

  ...Kendra, who was busy with her training, immediately gasped at the sight of two of her closest friends holding hands and sharing a very short kiss. She had been talking to Jackson about Anthony and Riley a while ago, and she couldn't wait to tell him more. She was excited for the both of them, probably because they could now have double-dates, and she quickly squealed, which wasn't a habit of hers, at the idea of her captain acting like some lovesick teenager. She couldn’t wait to hear from Riley...

  While most felt excited and overjoyed by the news of two of Ridgeway's Most Eligible getting together, a few, specifically two people, felt a bit sad for their own selves. These were Nathan and Alex. Alex was definitely happy for her friends, but she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that her own love life was like shit. Seeing Anthony and Riley give each other longing stares made her question her relationship or in other terms, her friendship with Nathan. Even though they acted more than civil towards each other during lunch, she still didn't like the idea of Cindy going to the dance and on a date with her best friend...the guy she liked. Alex felt like utter crap, and so did Nathan. He wanted to kick himself for acting like an ass towards both Alex and Cindy. He didn't like the way he was going to keep leading Cindy on by going to the dance and on a date with her, but what he hated most about himself was the way he was acting towards Alex. The girl was one of his closest friends...he lied to her, ignored her, and made her feel unwanted, all during Calculus.

  "Yes, yes, and yes." Riley said, reassuring Anthony three times.

  After that and the one-second kiss, Anthony asked Riley if he could take her out after practice. The girl immediately accepted, before she went back to doing push-ups, but now with a smile.

  …

  Listening to my iPod with the volume up as far as it could go; I didn't hear the repeated knocking on my door, until the person started to bang on it heavily. I immediately removed the headphones off my ears, and ran over to greet the person. It was Nathan.

  "Riley's out with Anthony." I said to him, though I'm sure he knew that already.

  He entered the room, and closed the door behind him, before he started to speak.

  "I know. I'm here because I want to apologize." He started. "I also want us to celebrate. You know…now that Anthony finally told my sister…"

  "And we've got someone to tease, now?" I asked playfully with a mischievous smile slowly appearing on my face.

  He gave me a noogie before he pulled me over to sit on the couch with him. "Exactly."

  The silence was starting to make me feel awkward, so I decided to speak. "Why do you want to say sorry anyway?"

  "For being an ass…flirting with Cindy during lunch…for making-out with her…"

  He stretched his arms over his head, before he rested his left one on my shoulder. This time, I let it stay there, and decided not to question his motives since I was actually starting to like his touch now.

  "When's your date anyway?" I asked him, resting my hand on his chest without an objection coming from him.

  "I honestly don't know. I asked her, she said yes, and I didn't even tell her when and where it was going to happen."

  Even though this was against my friendship with Cindy, I wasn't going to cut this short. I was enjoying it. I was enjoying my time with Nathan. And I know what we were doing was wrong, since we weren't even dating, but I just couldn't let him go. I was positive now I wanted him. I just hoped this feeling was mutual.

  "Do you want it before or after the dance?"

  "I really don't want to think or talk about it now." He said honestly with a small shy smile appearing on his face.

  I didn't ask any more questions, and stayed silent. The TV was shut down, and I turned my iPod off, so now there was no sound but our breathing, and I was starting to feel self-conscious.

  "Do you want to watch a movie?"

  "Sure. What do you want?" He asked, standing up from the couch, before he went over to the cupboard, and took out a few DVDs.

  "How about She's The Man?" I offered, and in return, he arched his eyebrows at me.

  "A chick flick?"

  I nodded. "Why not?"

  "How about Stomp The Yard?"

  "I watched it last week, but we can watch it again." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "I don't really care what mov
ie, as long as we're watching something."

  "Okay then, Amityville Horror?" He said with a crooked smile, knowing I didn't really like watching horror flicks during the night.

  His crooked smile turned into a smirk, as he held up the DVD cover in front of me. I cringed by the idea of watching a scary movie with Nathan, but my insides did otherwise. My hormones went on overdrive, my heart beat faster, and my stomach twisted like butterflies were dancing in it. In other words, I was slightly excited by the thought of watching a frightening movie with Nate. I'd probably end up hugging him, and acting all sissy-like. But no...! My purity!

  "Stomp the Yard it is."

  "Thought so." He said, giving me a small amused laugh.

  He put the disk into the DVD player, before he went back to the couch and rested his arm on my shoulders. The movie started playing, and I found myself leaning on his chest. I rolled my eyes…I'm so dead. Throughout the movie, I was widening my eyes from time to time because of the dance numbers that were just amazing. The actors in the movie were such good break dancers that I was starting to want to take up some lessons. I voiced my thoughts out to Nathan and in return, he laughed at me.

  "A supermodel break dancing? That will be the day…" He said, the smile not disappearing from his face.

  I sat up straighter, so I could look at him in the eye, and glower at him. He simply returned the pout with one of his own, before he asked me if I was serious.

  "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

  "Uh…sorry to break your bubble, Alex, but I don't really see you as the type to be able to break those moves." He answered, very bluntly in my opinion.

  I slapped him hard in the shoulder, before I replied. "Whatever."

  "You might end up breaking your bones…"

  I looked at him with wide eyes and an open mouth, before I pinched him in his side.

  "You think so little of me!" I said in mock-surprise.

  He grinned shyly at me, before he pulled me into a teddy-bear hug which I returned. I leaned my head deeper into his chest while his arms remained around me.

  You are so going to hell.

  I know.

  So stop it now.

  Why?

  Because that means I'm going down there too!

  My inner battle was cut short by Nathan speaking, and good thing he put it to a stop.

  "I kind of like the position we're in." He said, resting his head over mine before he gave me a small laugh.

  I tried to blow away strands of his hair that were on my cheeks, but nada. It didn't work. I guess he realized that his hair on my face was starting to get ticklish, so to make it easier for me he brushed them off, but like that would work. They just returned to their former places.

  "It's okay. Don't worry about it." I told him doing a small hand gesture.

  In reply to what I said, I felt his embrace on me tighten, and thus, my battle with myself continued.

  You're so dead with Cindy.

  He said he could tutor me.

  But you guys aren't even together!

  We will be…soon.

  What the hell does that mean?

  I smiled to myself, before I rolled my eyes. I didn't even know what that meant…it just came out.

  * * *

  Chapter 11: The Jogging Stalkers

  * * *

  "Alex!" Kendra called out to me the moment school finished for the day. "Did you hear what happened?"

  She was running to me, as she took long strides, thanks to her legs that have been worked up by always playing soccer. When she finally got to my place, she took a deep sigh before she spoke up again. She seemed very enthusiastic about whatever she had found out, and knowing Kendra, she wasn't the type who'd spend most of her time gossiping. She'd rather play ball with the guys, than stay in a bathroom talking about other people. I asked her what was going on, and when she finally told me, I didn't know if I was supposed to rejoice or sympathize.

  "Nate's not taking Cindy to the dance anymore!" She said with such glee that I had to smile at her when her lips curved up into a smirk.

  "Why?"

  Kendra shrugged her shoulders, before she looked down at the boring floor we stood on. She told me Cindy didn't give her any reason, and with that, I nodded.

  "She told you...?" I asked with a suspicious glance. "I didn't know the both of you were close."

  She gave me a polite laugh, before she covered her mouth with her hands.

  "Our parents are the ones who are close. We're just...not that close."

  We started walking, but stopped when we saw a certain couple making out. The girl had her back against a locker while the guy had his hands resting on the chunk of metal. They seemed to be so into each other that they didn't notice Kendra and me when we stood just beside them. It was when we cough did they finally pull away. Before they could start explaining, I held up my finger in front of their faces and told them to 'shush.'

  "There's no need to explain," I told Riley who was burning red. "Just get a room next time...please."

  Anthony scratched the back of his head in embarrassment before he told Kendra and me that he couldn't help it. And with that, Kendra and I went hysterical. Definitely humiliated, the two so-in-love people tried to shut us up, but like they could! Kendra and I were so much noisier compared to them. I put my hands on my stomach for a good whole five minutes just to make me stop laughing, and when I did, I looked at Kendra and gave her a wink.

  "I never saw you two as the types who enjoy PDA." My partner-in-crime said, as she resisted the urge to laugh once more.

  "I never thought you'd see us," was Riley's quick retort.

  "Open your eyes, Hun," Kendra said, as she waved a hand in front of RJ's face. "You're talking about our school. I bet everyone saw you."

  Nodding, I agreed with Kendra, before I told Anthony that he should bring Riley someplace else if he wanted to continue making-out with her. The two, not being able to control themselves, immediately left us, and now, Kendra and I had to find something else to do. We walked around the school grounds, and talked to each other about a lot of things, school, friends, and boys...definitely. No girl can forget about the male specie.

  "Did you hear the other rumor?" Kendra asked me, kicking stones as she walked.

  Okay my mistake...she is a gossiper.

  "Who is this about now...?" I asked, as I dug my hands into the pockets of my beige skirt and played with my phone.

  "Did you hear who's on the rebound?"

  Now my mind was working, and I was fully awake now. No one can keep me away from break-up rumors. I just loved them, so I had to ask Kendra who the person was. She told me, and I quickly covered my mouth with my hands.

  "That can't be." I said, still gasping.

  "Want to bet? Look over there," She told me, as she pointed to two familiar people.

  * * *

  After hanging out with Kendra, I went to a nearby restaurant, namely Tony Roma's, to have dinner with my agent, Rick. Ricky-dear as I call him often phoned me a couple hours ago, and told me he was in the area. With that said, we immediately arranged plans to meet up, so that was how I ended up in a restaurant that was best known for its ribs. I entered the place, looked around, and when I spotted a familiar red-haired man, I went to him. I sat on the seat across his, before I started a conversation.

  Rick, even though he was still young, had a high paying job, and if I remembered correctly he was only twenty-five. Also, being part of the fashion industry, he looked better than most men because of his fashion sense. A leather jacket, Seven jeans, and a pair of Vans were his every day outfit, and it never failed to attract women of all ages, including models. He greeted me with a small hug which I returned, before he held up his arm in the air, motioning for a waiter to come to us.

  "Hey! How are you?" A guy that looked probably twenty asked us. "What can I get you, guys?"

  "Hey, we're good. By the way, I’ll have a whole rib, while my friend here gets a half." Rick said, smiling evill
y at me, before he nodded to the waiter.

  "Oh okay, cool. How about drinks?"

  "I'll get a coke," Rick said. "What about you, Alex?"

  "I'm good with just water."

  "Cool. I'll be back with your coke," Matt, as I read from his name tag, started. "And your water."

  We smiled and nodded at Matt, and when he left that was when I slapped Rick in the arm. I know...we don't act professional towards each other...but this was just how we really were. We grew close a couple years back, because of all the projects I got that he handled. And even though he was older than me by nine years, we always connected and saw eye-to-eye. I told him things, and he did the same to me.