My Own Worst Enemy- Chapter 4

With this chapter it may seem like this belongs in a different section, but I assure whomever reads this that this growth in a relationship is only a small piece of the story. Sorry I'm being so vague, I don't want to give anything away!

Chapter 4

The next day at school I poured my heart out to my friend, Phillip, in homeroom. He was my best guy friend at school. We were sitting at our desks, waiting for the morning messages to start, and he was silently listening to all my problems.

"Phil, I haven't even been there for a week and he's already on the verge of kicking me out."

"Is he even allowed to kick a fifteen-year-old out?" he asked, with furrowed eyebrows.

"I don't know. I get my argumentative side from him, we both make irrational decisions when we're angry, so I don't know whether to believe him or not," I whined.

"I'm so sorry, Dani," he said. I felt bad for Phil, he was in the tenth grade and still had his first-grade-high-pitched voice, "Want me and the guys to trash his house?" he asked with a slight smile. Phil's 'guys' were the closest this this school had to a gang. They got paid to trash people's yards, lockers, cars- basically anything you wanted.

"I don't think gang violence will work so well, but thanks anyway," I laughed.

When the bell rang we walked to our Biology class together, discussing various ways he could get back at Miles for me. Across from my seat was Jess. I had already told her about my dad and little about my encounter with Ethan. She impatiently tapped her long acrylic nails on the black table top and chomped on her gum as she waited for me to get all of my stuff out for the class. She didn't attempt to hide her eagerness to hear about Ethan.

"So he said he'd come into school to see you?" she asked as soon as I was finished.

"Yeah, and hi to you too," I said with an eye roll, which she ignored.

"He's so sweet, you have to have him sit with us at lunch. Oh and we can invite Max and..." She started chatting about boys and I tuned out. Every other thought on her mind had to do with some guy or another. A second before the bell rang, he walked in.

I kicked Jess under the table to get her to stop talking, "Ow! What was that for?" she asked as Ethan took his seat next to me, pretending he had no idea what she was talking about. "Oh," she said. She playfully kicked me back then started talking to her lab partner.

"Good morning, Dani," he smiled.

"Hey, Ethan. So, you showed up?"

"I promised someone I'd be here," he said, looking at me through the long bangs of his hair. I nervously laughed and Mrs. Collons started teaching. He started talking notes and I did the same. My mind was only able to concentrate on Biology if five second time periods so I quickly lost focus. focus. In the margin of my notebook I started drawing different patterns.

I was in the middle of shading one of the patterns when Mrs. Collons interrupted me. "Dani, what's the answer?"

"Huh?" I asked, utterly confused.

"What's the answer to the question I just asked?" My eyes darted to Jess' face, she wasn't paying attention either.

"Mitosis," a perfect accent whispered.

"Um, I believe the answer is mitosis?" I answered.

"Very good, Dani," Mrs. Collons said actually believing I knew the answer. I turned to Ethan, his head was bent down over his notebook. The corners of his lips were turned up in a smile. I reached over and wrote in his notebook:

Thanks, you're a lifesaver!

No problem, he wrote in mine.

I tried to inconspicuously steal another look at his perfect face. He noticed.

I saw that.

No you didn't!

He laughed at me then shifted his gaze to Mrs. Collons.

"Ready for Art class?" Jess asked with fake enthusiasm at the end of the class.

"Ready as ever," I laughed, walking out with her.

"What were you two writing in each other's notebooks?"

"I was just thanking him for giving me the answer to that question."

"You do realize he likes you right?" she asked as we entered the art room.

"Jess, we're friends, that's it," I groaned. Although Jess was my best friend she annoyed me so much. Every time we had a second to talk she was suggesting some guy had a crush on me and that I should go out with him.

We sat at our easels, joining Mel and most of the class. Basically everyone was there but Ethan.

"Mel, doesn't Ethan like Dani?" Jess asked.

"Uh yes! It's so obvious," She answered like everyone knew.

"Fine, watch how he acts today, you'll both see we're just friends," I said, eager to prove I was right and they were wrong. They turned and started talking about a new movie that had just come out and I started staring off into space.

I stared at the white wall behind the easel and stool across from me in a complete trance. All the colors of the room merged together. Purple, green, blue, white, black, red, forming swirls and patterns, like the ones I had drawn in Biology class, in front of my eyes. The faces of the people in the room joined the pattern, a face was wherever two colors would meet. At first I just stared, in amazement, at the colors, then I became a little scared at what was happening to me. I furiously blinked at the colors and they, along with the faces, disappeared.

What was that? I wondered. The pictures reminded me of a hypnotists medallion. I tried to forget the vision, and focus on Mel's and Jess' conversation.

At the last possible second, Ethan waltzed into the classroom and took his seat across from me.

"Hello again, Dani. Hi, Jessica and Melanie." Much to my embarrassment, they started giggling when he said their names.

"Hey Ethan. So it's your turn right?" I said trying to distract him from my extremely immature friends.

"Yes, it is. So get into position," he ordered playfully. I got into the pose and he started sketching my frame. I couldn't look at him without my heart racing, so I avoided his blue eyes by instead starting at the wall behind his hair. "Dani," he interrupted, "I need you to look at me." I let my eyes travel back to his face. He smiled that perfect dimpled smile before continuing his sketch.

"Don't make me look ugly," I warned without moving my lips.

"That, my dear Danielle, is impossible." I struggled to keep my lips from spreading into a wide smile as I watched Mel and Jess look at each other giggling and moving their hands in animated chatter. I knew they would talk to me later about how he'd supposedly proven their point.

The rest of the week passed without anything major to report, except that Beth had also threatened to kick me out. The only good thing that happened was on Friday, at the end of Art class.

"Dani, what time should I come tomorrow?" Ethan asked while I was putting my canvas in my portfolio.

"Bright and early," I said in a sarcastic tone.

"I'll hold you to that," he laughed, "Will you hold on to this for me? It's a bit hard riding a motorcycle with a canvas on your back."

That night I took both of our canvases home.

-------------------

"Danielle! Get up! Your partner's here!" My dad shouted up the stairs. I groaned and looked at my little digital alarm clock on the side of the bed. The green numbers said it was only seven o'clock. "I'm sending him up." I groaned again, pulled the blanket over my head and ignored the sound of footsteps.

"Dani? Are you under there?" Ethan asked.

"No," I moaned.

"You said bright and early," he joked.

"I meant like noon," I groaned, throwing the blanket off my face. "Give me twenty minutes." I got out of my bed, and he started laughing again. I looked down at my pajamas. I had on a shirt from nine years ago, covered with old cartoon characters, and my pants were tattered. I caught sight of myself in a mirror, my hair made me look like the bride of Frankenstein. I don't know what was more embarrassing, what I was wearing, or my monstrous hair. I rolled my eyes and grabbed some clothes from my beuro, then padded over to the bathroom. Because of my early visitor, I had to rush my shower and other activities.

When I finally emerged, he was looking through the records I stole from the basement.

"This is new," he commented.

"Yeah, I found it in the basement," I explained. He chose a Frank Sinatra album and put it on.

We spent the rest of the day learning about each other and finishing our sketches. I was mixing the paint for his skin tone when he asked about my family.

"Well that man you met downstairs is my dad, he's an architect. The little Barbie doll looking thing is Beth, his fiance. She hates me and so does her clone of a daughter, Sammy. My dad is in a stage of his life where he hates me and the fact that I'm living here. He's also angry that I'm not interested in anything Beth is.

"Beth hates that too. If she knew a guy was coming over she would have tried to get me to wear a skirt instead of this," I laughed gesturing to my clothes. I was wearing jeans and a light blue button down shirt. "But I don't like here either, so I could care less. How about your family? Are they as messed up as mine?"

"No, I don't think so," he laughed dryly. "I live with my aunt and cousins. My parents and older brother are still in England. My brother's name is Sean, he's my best friend. He's about three years older than me and really helped me through this whole moving process. I talk to him every night. I really do miss him." I stopped mixing my paint and looked at him. He was staring thoughtfully into his own paint. His cerulean eyes suddenly flickered to my face. He laughed and, for the first time, took off his leather jacket.

I glanced down at his appearance. He was wearing a tight V-neck grey shirt that showed off his broad shoulders.

"Um, can I put my hair back up?" I asked to distract myself from his model like look.

"Sure, I think I'm all set with your hair color." I threw my head back and pulled my locks up into a tight ponytail.

For the rest of the day we painted, listened to music and most of all talked. I learned about his old girlfriend back in England, and he learned that I had never had a boyfriend. I knew all about his brother and he knew my mother inside and out.

"We did well today," I mused after we had cleaned up.

"Yes, we did. Good work," he said. He stopped for a second, as if he was thinking of what to say. He suddenly jerked his hand out, offering an awkward hand shake. I grasped his hand with a puzzled expression and weakly shook.

His eyes locked onto mine. In one swift movement he pulled me into his chest and his lips met mine. I dropped his hand and guided it to my waist, then I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting my eyes close. My heart sped up as I followed the movement of his lips. I was extremely nervous. I had never kissed a guy in my life, ever. It felt as if the floor had disappeared and he was holding me up, while we were spinning. Behind my eyes the pattern of colors returned. This time, in brilliant hues of blue, spinning and forming argyle patterns. If I hadn't been so preoccupied with kissing him back, I probably would have been scared, like the first time. He was the first to draw back. His hands left their spot on my waist and he stepped back with an apologetic look on his face. Once his lips left mine, the myriad of colors didn't disappear.

"Dani, I'm so sorry. That totally crossed the line of our friendship, I swear that will never happen again. I'll come by tomorrow to pick up my canvas." Through the blue curtain I could see him quickly grabbing his jacket and rushing down the stairs, leaving me stunned. Once I heard the front door close the blues faded into the whites, and browns of my room.

After my heart rate slowed and I could think clearly, I went downstairs to the kitchen area, where my dad and Beth were talking.

"Dani, we need to talk," my dad said. I groaned and grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator. "You need to ask before inviting someone over."

"I did, dad, remember? I asked at the beginning of the week."

"But you neglected to tell me your partner was a boy."

"I didn't think I had to tell you the gender of my guest but thanks for the memo. I'll remember that for next time," I sarcastically replied, sticking two thumbs up.

"Cut the attitude," he snapped.

"Dani," Beth interrupted, "when I was your age all I wanted was a boyfriend and to have guys alone with me, and we're worried it's the same with you."

"When you were my age you were also still reading Dr. Seuss," I retorted, "You and I are totally different, Beth, I'm sorry. Ethan and I are friends, that's it."

"Dani, I just want you to be careful," my dad said. I looked into his faded eyes and a saw deep concern for me that I'd never seen before.

"Don't worry, dad, I am," I said, though I had no idea what he wanted me to be careful about. I took a swig of my water bottle and walked back to my room.

As if this day wasn't hectic enough, a short little blonde headed girl was at my easel with a paintbrush about to paint all over my canvas.

"Sammy! What are you doing?" I screamed, running over to her and taking the brush away. It was dripping with black paint.

"I thought he should have a mustache," she snickered, in a high pitched voice. I quickly looked at my painting. Thankfully I caught her in time.

"You are not allowed in here," I shouted, turning back to her, "and you definitely are not allowed to touch any of my stuff." She stared at me with her mouth open, then started to cry. She ran downstairs and Beth was soon in my room.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Beth yelled.

"She was about to ruin my project," I slowly said.

"Don't you ever yell at my daughter again, do you hear me?" Her cheeks were flushing bright red.

"No, I'm not sure that I can hear you when you're yelling in a room that echoes!" I yelled back enunciating every syllable.

"Treat me with respect, I'm going to be your mother."

"What?" I whispered, incredulously. I couldn't believe she had just said that. I came back with more volume. "You will never be my mother. Don't ever compare yourself to her. She understood me and knew how to talk with me. You speak at me, she spoke with me, that's a big difference. Both you and Dad talk lat me and whisper comments when I leave, I can hear you, just so you know. My mother would never do that. If she ever had a problem with me she would come to me, instead of gossiping about me behind my back."

She opened her mouth to say that but decided against it, and walked away. I pulled up the staircase, once she was gone, and started to play my violin. Playing music calms me down and I instantly forget about what's bothering me.

I didn't leave my room for the rest of the day and the next thing I knew it was noon time on Sunday.

I quietly descended the stairs, passed the rifle, and walked into the living room. Beth and Sammy were watching television and didn't acknowledge me when I entered the room. My dad was at work, so it was just us three.

I stood in the doorway for five minutes being completely ignored, then I went back to my room to pack up his canvas. I was nervous to see Ethan again. I didn't want this to change our relationship, we were friends and I was fine with that. I had to talk to him about it, whether he wanted to or not. We could resolve this, I knew it. A couple of knocks on the door interrupted my train of thought.

I quickly went to the front door and opened it. Ethan was standing in the doorway, looking at his feet. He looked as nervous as I felt. His hands were shoved into his leather jacket and he was shifting his weight from his left foot to his right.

"Hi, Ethan. Come upstairs, I'll get your canvas for you." He followed without a sound. I didn't make an effort to talk either, in the short two minute walk to my room, I concentrated on the sound of his footsteps. He didn't even look at me when I gave him his canvas.

"Is this how it's going to be now?" I asked

"How what's going to be?" he finally spoke and looked at me.

"Us. Our friendship. Are it going to be all awkward and silent when we see each other now?"

"I would rather it not. I was afraid you wouldn't want to talk to me after what I did yesterday."

"Well, I'm willing to forget, and be friends again, if that's what you want"

"Yes, that's exactly what I want," he said with a smile. The smile wasn't right, I could tell he was

keeping something from me. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"All right," I smiled back.

The rest of the month passed without anything spectacular happening. I kept seeing the color patterns, but I tried to ignore them. It was scaring me though. I didn't know what was wrong with me.