Chapter V:
“Against the wall Part II”
Alex and Van
were walking home on the sidewalk after a strange new school day. Van was
trying not to think of why Courtney felt so impressed with the new guy on
school because, maybe, jealousy might win the battle inside his head.
Alex:
You’re
so quiet… it’s so weird.
Van:
…I
Alex:
Is
it because Courtney took off with Lance?
Van:
Shut
up…
Alex:
Come
on! It’s not such big deal, she loves you very much you know that.
Van:
Just
shut up, ok!
Alex:
I’ve
been your friend since or even before you two were a couple.
Van:
…Here
comes the speech…
Alex:
How
much has it been? 10 months? 11?
Van:
We
have been together for a year now.
Alex:
See
what I mean, do you really think she's going to change all that for some new
guy she just met?
Van:
It’s
not that, ok…
Alex:
What
do you mean?
Van:
We
have been having problems lately.
Alex:
Like
what?
Van:
I
don’t really feel like talking about it.
Alex:
Come
on, I’m your best friend.
Van:
It’s
just that I don’t want to lose her, ok. And lately we have been so apart.
Alex:
You
know what you need?
Van:
What…?
Alex:
Well,
there's going to be an underground band fest, why don’t you come with me and
Miranda…?
Van:
Whois Miranda?
Alex:
She’s
a girl I met not so long ago, she’s so fine.
Van:
Don’t
you think of anything other than sex???
Alex:
You’re
just saying that because you haven’t done it with Court…
Van:
Shut
the fuck up!!!
Alex:
Ok,
ok, so… are you gonna come?
Van:
I
guess it’s not a bad idea; my mind needs to clear a little, usually that only
happens when I’m not thinking…
Alex:
Oh!
So you do think!!! (Laughing).
Van:
I
mean when I’m not thinking about my problems.
The day was over
before a blink of an eye. The sky colored purple and orange while some sound
checks could be heard in a familiar place to Van’s eyes. He was walking
downhill towards the band fest, with his eyes staring down to the rocky floor
but still not really seeing it, walking slowly with a lost look. Suddenly he
heard a familiar voice.
Alex:
Van!!!
Van:
Huh…
Alex:
Van, it’s me! Alex!
Van:
Hey,
hi…
Alex:
(Approaching
Van with a girl by his left arm) Van, this is Miranda…
Van:
Oh,
hi…
Miranda:
Hi,
nice to meet you, Alex has told me a lot about you.
Alex:
Man
you still seem depressed.
Van:
I’m
trying not to think of that at all.
Alex:
That’s
the spirit! I mean, this is one of your favorite places, I know you come to
this spot when things get rough for ya. What better way to blow your troubles
away in your favorite place than with a concert.
Van:
You
are right, the hell with everything, let’s just have fun.
Hours went by as
midnight got close to be. Van seemed happy again, he decided to go behind the
crowd to find a place where he could sit and relax from all the commotion, even
though he loved loud music, he was a very calm person. He went behind the loud
crowd and quickly found a place to sit somewhat apart from all human contact,
in this very moment, depression seemed to crush him again and that new lost
look in his eyes ruled over the dark ocean sky of his pupils, but still the
sound of the warmed up crowd couldn’t made him hear his own thoughts. He closed
his eyes so that tears didn’t escape and capture the attention of another human
being, trying to concentrate in the listening of his thoughts until a voice
could be heard loud and clear.
Van could feel
his own thoughts passing through his eyes; he could taste it on his lips. He
was at the climax of nirvana, touching with his loosed fingers all knowledge of
the world, if you might say. He had found his reflection in the mirror. That
perfect moment in which everything seems to have a simple solution but,
something was wrong, he no longer could feel the cold wind at his face and,
actually, he felt threatened by something that was breaking his state of
perfection. He could hear a faint yet disturbing sound of another person’s nose
breathing down his ears. He decided, then, to open his eyes in that terrifying
moment; surprise was he when, in fact, there was a pair of shoes in front of
his. Slowly looking up he now saw a pair of legs, delicate hips and a cascade
of blonde strings all badly treated, like trying to cover an old gray sweater,
a cute little pair of lips, like cut from an angel, a fineness little nose and
a deep, tired pair of blue eyes.
Van couldn’t
understand it, she was just… there, quiet as a tomb, just there looking at
Van’s eyes. She didn’t even move an inch. Their eyes were so close from one
another and yet nobody said a word, time seemed to freeze there, Van, still
sitting on a rock, she just standing flexed…
He tried so hard
to move his lips so that words could escape his amusement but couldn’t. Only a
smile escaped and it wasn’t from Van’s mouth.
Alex:
Van!
Van:
…
Huh? (Turning his head aside).
Miranda:
There
you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.
Van:
What…?
Miranda:
Not
you, her.
Alex:
So,
you to already meet?
Van:
…
She… I…
Miranda:
Sorry,
she didn’t introduce herself, right?
Van:
No…yes…
I mean she hasn’t… (still confused).
Miranda:
She
is my father’s youngest daughter.
Alex:
Wait
a minute! She’s blonde and you are a…
Miranda:
Brunette…
that’s why I said my father’s daughter and not my sister, she’s my stepsister…
her name is Lyn.
Alex:
Hi,
Lyn…
Miranda:
Sorry,
she doesn’t really talk too much…
Alex:
Hey,
so… actually Van, we… have to go you know; Miranda’s mom is expecting both of these
ladies at home.
Van:
That’s
ok… I’ll walk home…
Miranda:
Actually,
my house is not far from here and I know Alex lives like two houses from yours;
you can come with us and walk your way home with Alex.
Van:
That
sounds good.
Three blocks
they walked till Miranda’s house, Van seemed so distracted by Lyn. Both of them
walked in silence, side by side while Alex and Miranda talked. Shy by Lyn’s
sight, Van only looked at her when she was seeing somewhere else and so did
she.
Miranda:
This
is it! Home.
Alex:
Oh!
It’s such a shame you have to go…
Miranda:
I
know, baby.
Van:
Yeah,
yeah, you two go ahead and say good bye to one another…
Miranda:
Van, could you…
Van:
Yes?…
Miranda:
Could
you take Lyn inside while I say good bye to Alex?
Van:
…Ok.
Miranda then
gave Van the keys and he opened the door, lights were out and the house seemed
soul empty.
Van:
Huh…
I thought your mom was waiting for both of you…
Lyn:
Actually…
my mom is not in town… but we had to arrive before my brother’s…
Van:
…so…
you do talk after all…
Lyn:
(Silent
by shyness)… do…I mean… can I offer you a glass of water?…
Van:
Actually
that would be nice… (Entering the living room).
Lyn:
Just
sit I’ll be right back.
Van:
Sure…
Van closed his
eyes to rest a little bit, it seemed like this day took a lot from him. Nothing
to see but the back of his eyelids, dark as a night in the desert, then it
shocked him like a lightning strike, he saw himself standing at the door,
crying, it shocked him even more when he saw Lyn at his arms all showered in
blood, she seemed not to be moving at all, he saw how he took Lyn and slowly
helped her fragile and unmoving body in the sofa just in front of him.
He tried to
move, he tried to scream but nothing had an effect, scared to death seeing how
he was in two places at a time, seeing how his sorrowed self cried at his knees
trying to hold Lyn’s cold body.
Just when
everything couldn’t get more despairing, the crying Van turned his head around
and saw directly into the eyes of the paralyzed Van.
Lyn:
Van…?
Van:
(Opening
his eyes with a lot of despair) Wha… what?
Lyn:
Are
you ok? Seems like you saw a ghost, you are sweating…
Van:
I’m
ok… I just…
Miranda:
(Entering
quickly) Quick! Max is coming! You must go, now! (Pointing at Van).
Van:
But…
Miranda:
No
time to lose, if my brother sees you here he will kill you!
Van:
But,
wait! Where is Alex???
Miranda:
Go,
go, go… (Opening the door and pushing Van out).
Max:
(Entering)
Who the fuck is this guy?!!!
Miranda:
Max!
He is a friend of…
Max:
Look
pal you better have a damn good explanation to be here at this hour with my
sisters (slamming Van against the door).
Max, a strong
grown men about 28 years old, muscled and with low tolerance personality. Van
couldn’t even say a word, captured in fear and paralysis, highly impressed by
such anger in Mike’s face.
Miranda:
Max
please, let him go.
Max:
The
hell I am, this dirt bag is going to die right here.
Miranda:
Please,
you are making a scene I told him to come in…
Max:
And
I’ll teach him the way out (flexing his right arm to hit Van with his fist).
Lyn:
Max
stop!
Max, turn his
head back to Lyn, surprised of hearing her talk. He then, let Van down and told
him to go. Van, still clueless of what just happened didn’t say a word and got
out. Once he was out he began to silently look for Alex when he saw something
he wasn’t expecting, he saw a person or at least he liked to think it was so,
just looking at him. He couldn’t really tell what or who it was, but he was
sure it wasn’t Alex. Darkness covered this unknown character and as soon as it
got aware that Van saw him, it fled.
Alex:
Van!
Van!
Van:
Alex…
did you saw that?…
Alex:
Saw
what?
Van:
Never
mind… where the hell have you been?
Alex:
Well
as soon as I saw Mike I kinda…
Van:
You
kinda ran off, didn’t you?!
Alex:
I…
Van:
Forget
it; I just wanna get home…
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