Young Writers Society

Siren

Siren ran back in the building and got the books she needed careful of her wrist.

"You ok?" A voice asked, she spun around and saw Kevin.

"Yea, why?" She asked,

"You seem to be favoring that wrist." He said motioning to it.

"Oh, its nothing," She smiled, "your, Kevin, right?"

"Yup, that me." They stepped out of the school and Siren covered her eyes. She had heard Max ask Amber out and she had to smile at it. Amber had probably been blood red.

Amber's stomach was full of butterflies as she turned each curve carefully. Her right hand clutched the dragon draping from a black rope necklace that she wore everyday, her left hand on the steering wheel guiding the truck. She sighed heavily, thankful she didn't embarrass herself any more than what she did.


She turned off the street into her driveway, her mom's car was sitting in the drive. Amber put it in park and cut off the engine, grabbing her stuff as she went inside.


"Hey mom, I'm home." She shouted across her small house, and went straight to her room.Closing her door, she threw her book bag down on the floor and fell down to her bed. She reached up, turning on her black light and stereo, Slipknot slamming against the walls and reverberating through her head.


Amber did this often; it was her sanctuary. She looked at the collection of Kurt Cobain pictures next to her bed, and then at the phone on her dresser. Amber was almost thankful she wasn't close to anyone, or else that thing would ring alot.

She opened her eyes. Did I fall asleep? If I did, why did I wake up? Amber rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking around the room. Her stereo had cut off, and that was what had woken her up.Wasn't there something I was supposed to do? Standing from her bed, she ran her ringers though her hair to settle it. Looking at her clock, it was 5:45.


"Oh crap!!" She screamed. She now remembered she had a date with Max. She quickly brushed her hair out and refreshed her black eyeliner, changing into a tan Slipknot tee. Running out of her room, her mom was watching TV in the living room.


"Hey mom, going to get some food, catch ya later!" And she was out the front door in a flash. Jumping into her truck, she pulled out of her driveway and made her way down the street, thankful she was close to town. Pulling into the parking lot about two minutes before 6:00, she grabbed her purse and ran inside.


Spotting Max, he waved her over to the table, where she sat across from him.


"Hey, I was almost late." She laughed.

I was at a loss for something to do. Pippy would be on that date right now, and everyone else-well, I had no clue about them. I flipped open my cell phone as I entered my house. Band practice had lined up with my promise to help Mr. Watford rebuild a 350 Chevy engine. I was about the only one who could do it the right way and get it running again. So, my usual quiet afternoon was cut into a three hour slot before my mom would get home.

I had no missed calls. A depressing fact. I was really hoping someone had called. My brother had left for work right when I pulled onto my street, so the computer was free. I logged onto my favorite Internet community and looked at who all was online. I saw Kevin was on. I immediately sent him a message.

"Hey, Kev. What's up? I just got back from helping Watford out. What are you doing this weekend?" I knew it was short, but I just wanted to chat.

(I'm going to assume that Chili's is a diner or restaurant of some kind.)

Max smiled. "That's alright." He handed her a menu. "Dinner's on me."

She gave him a look and said, "You're going to pay for everything?" before taking the menu.

He gave her another smile that made her face go a little red. "Isn't that what I just said?"

"You don't have to, you know. I can pay for my own food."

"I insist."

That one word caused Amber to stare at him. He was being really nice, offering to pay for the whole meal when he knew he didn't have to. She couldn't remember the last time a guy ever treated her like this.

The waitress showed up at that moment to take their orders. "Are you two ready to order?" she asked with a cheerful smile.

"I'll have a cheese burger with a side of fries, please." Max turned to Amber and asked, "What'll you be having, Amber?"

Siren walked home slowly, she didn't want to go into the house with the possibility of her dad there. Ben drove up behind her,

"Hey, why didn't you wait for me, I could've given you a ride." He called out the window.

"I thought I would get some exercise." She smiled, "Can I get that ride now though." HE nodded and she jumped in.

“Do you think dad will be home?” She asked,

“Naw, and don’t worry, he’ll leave you be if he is.” Ben assured her, Siren didn’t believe him, her dad never let his unwanted daughter leave his site with out yelling something mean at her or even hitting her. She hoped it wasn’t the latter of the two because then he might leave a mark and someone would see it. "I wont let him, Siren, don't worry."

Siren nodded and turned the radio up, when they pulled into their drive way her heart sank. Her dad's car was parked in the drive way.

"Go around back and climb that tree to get to your room, he is parked all crooked which means hes been drinkin." Ben said, Siren nodded and did what he said. When she got in her room she locked the door and signed onto an internet community, she didn't have any friends on it, but she liked looking at others profiles. People would chat on it, and sometimes she would sign onto a random one that had a fake name and talk to people who seemed interesting.

Her face turned red again as she took the menu from him slowly, trying, but failing miserably, to avoid the physical contact between their hands as he handed it to her. She cleared her throat, thankful the waiter had shown up.


She had a flirty tone in her voice when spoke to Max, and Amber felt jealousy rising in the pit of her stomach. When Max told her what he wanted, she was awe-struck. That was exactly what she wanted. Smiling, she told the waiter what she wanted.


"I'll have the same thing, actually." She glared at the waiter, and handed her their menus, watching the waiter flaunt off.

Max saw Amber's red face and smiled.

"What?" she asked.

"You're blushing." His smiled got wider.

"Am not!" She decided to change the subject. "So, where are you from?"

"Canada," he said.

"Really? Why'd you move down here to the states?"

"My dad works with a company that sells cars. We had to move because of his new promotion."

"Do you miss your friends back in Canada?" she asked.

"A little." He gave her a mischievous grin. "But I'm glad we moved. Otherwise I wouldn't have met such a cute girl."

Miles

He got home at half past and immediately crashed. "What a day," he muttered to Tigre. The cat meowed and licked his face. Miles giggled.

"Quit it, you overgrown fluff ball."

Tigre arched his back and demanded to be scratched.

"Ok, I'll do that." As he stroked the soft orange fur, he replayed the scene in his mind. Amber, Siren and the others... He wished he'd hung around.

Ding! His clock chimed. Miles glanced at it, made a face, and got out his homework. United States Geography... Oh, joy!

He settled in. Tigre, ignored, sauntered over to the kitchen.

Beep-beep, he phone rang.

"Hello, it's Robert Keyston... Who? No, you can't talk to my dad. Uh-huh... Yeah, I'll make a note."

The voice on the other end sounded irritated. "Stop being so d* polite, Miles." She made the nickname a taunt.

"It's the way I am."

"What ever! Listen, come on over to the park Saturday at noon."

"Will do. Thanks."

She gasped, at a lose of words. What was she supposed to say? Grabbing her drink, she slowly sipped it, dragging her eyes up at Max, then quickly back to the table.


"Why did you ask me to dinner?" Her eyes grew wide after she said this, and she blushed again. She had not meant to say it, put part of her wanted to know why he asked her to come. No one was ever interested in her.


"Hmm?" He looked at her, confused.


"Why did you want me to come to dinner with you? No one ever..." She sipped her drink and let her sentence trail off over the crowd. Thankfully, the waiter showed up with their food right at that moment.

"Here's your food. Enjoy."

Max took the two plates of food and thanked her. He gave one of the plates to Amber. Once the waitress was gone he said, "Because you're different."

She gave him an odd look. "What do you mean, different?"

He smiled. "Most of the girls I've met over the years were obsessed with how they looked and what others thought of them. They try to make themselves into something others want them to be. But you're different. You don't care about what others think of you. You do what you want and be who you want to be. That's why I asked you to dinner."

"Well, if that's what you want, you've definitely found the right person." She picked up the ketchup and squirted it under her hamburger bun, also on the side of her plate. Setting it down, she grabbed the mustard and put it on her hamburger as well.


Biting into it, she looked up at Max, who was slightly surprised. After chewing that bite of meat, she wiped her mouth and replied, "What?" Amber sat her hamburger down.


He smiled and said "Most girls just nibble at their food, trying to impress guys." He sounded a little pleased with her.


"Like you said, I'm not most girls." She picked up a french fry and sprinkled salt on it, devouring it soon after. She then took a swallow of her drink and looked at Max, who had started eating his food as well.

Amber noticed a ring on a silver chain around Max's neck. She had seen him wearing it at school, but never got the chance to ask him why. "What's with the ring?" she asked, pointing at it from across the table.

Max started playing with the ring with his fingers. "It was a gift from my friends."

"In Canada?'

He shook his head. "No, Japan."

Her eyes widened a bit. "You went to Japan?"

He nodded. "It was an exchange student program that ended six months ago. I made lots of friends in Japan. They gave me this ring as a parting gift before I went back home. I wear it so I never forget about all my friends in Japan."

"That's some story you've got. So, can you speak any Japanese?"

He nodded and said, "Anata wa totemo kireina onna no hito desu."

"What did you just say?" Amber asked.

"You are a very beautiful woman." He said it with a smile.

Roxy

While I waited for Kevin's response. I logged into the chat. Several of my online buds were chatting, but, as usual, there were a few new people in the room.

((All I've got, sorry ))

She picked up her hamburger and bit another piece off, taking in his words. "Hm." She mumbled in her throat as she was chewing. It would be the only way to fight off another blush. "I've always wanted to go to Japan." She said after swallowing her chewed piece of cooked cow.


"It's a great place." Max said, watching her with gentle eyes. Occasionally he would bite off a french fry or his hamburger. Amber was just about finished with hers.


"Max...Thanks." She smiled warmly, and studied his beautiful features. It had been a long time since she had a real reason to smile.

"Your welcome...but for what?" He stuffed a french fry in his mouth; Amber giggled.


"For, everything. It's hard to explain." Grabbing her napkin, she wiped her mouth and sat back in her seat, grasping the dragon that hung heavily from her neck, lifeless against her chest. It was her favorite necklace, like Max's, given to her by a close friend.