Kim got out of her classes still thinking about the little shell that should mean nothing to her. “Kim, what’s wrong? You seem dazed out. Are you okay? Is the fight between you and Jake bothering you still?’ Erich asked.

She looked at her friend, “No. That was last night, the whole fight’s over now. Rich, can I ask you a personal question?”

They took a seat on the quad of the school. “What’s up?”

“How do you think Jake would take it if I broke up with him?” She took a deep breath, this was the first time she said it out loud before. “I’ve been thinking about it for awhile now, I just never thought about actually doing it, I mean you know how Jake is.”

“Kim!” Erich took her in surprise when she hugged her. “That sounds like an absolute amazing idea. Everyone’s been waiting for you to break up with him. Half the school population wanted Jake to be free, but the rest missed your smile and the way you were before him. Finally, the Kim I love is back.”

Kim chuckled nervously, “So you think I should do it? Break up with him?”

“Yes, definitely. And do it soon, because there’s a line up for who wants to take you to homecoming. But as for your first question, Jake is not going to be happy. He’s going to be completely upset that he no longer will have a trophy girlfriend.”

“Who won’t have a trophy girlfriend?” Jake’s voice came up from behind Kim, and so did his arm. “Hey, Babe.” He kissed Kim on the cheek.

Kim put on a smile on her face, ‘Hey.”

“Look, I’m sorry about last night Erich. I didn’t mean to be a jerk,” he apologized.

“Wow, I think this is a ‘dear diary’ moment: Jake Cuenca actually apologizing to someone other than himself. Well, thank you, Jake. Maybe you can direct another apology towards someone more closer to you, like your girlfriend.” Erich mentioned.

“What do you mean?” He sounded oblivious.

Erich scoffed, “Are you serious? Maybe for making her feel trapped in this relationship? Not giving her the freedom to do what she wants?”

“Hey, she’s doing her acting classes and the whole school campaigning. If I had it my way, she wouldn’t be doing that stuff, only cheering me on for basketball,” he kissed her again on the cheek. “I think I’m giving her a lot of freedom, considering this is a man’s world.” He laughed, giving high-fives to his friends surrounding them.

“Correction, this is the 21st century where men and women both have equal rights. You know Jake, there will come a day where Kim will finally voice her opinions about how she truly feels about you, instead of only saying it behind your back.” She laughed, “And that’ll be the day where you will no longer think it’s a man’s world.”

Jake turned to look Kim who was avoiding eye contact, “Well, how about that day to be today. What’s going on, Kim? You want to share something with me?” He seemed angry.

Kim shook her head and forced another smile. “No, let’s just go home,” she stood up and glared at Erich who was shrugging her shoulders.

Most of the ride home was quiet. “Are you going to tell me or what?” Until then.

“Erich was just mumbling like she always does, don’t take it personally.” Kim answered him.

“What is that stupid thing you keep holding?” He grabbed the shell from her hands, and laughed at its size.

“Jake, stop it. Give it back.” Kim said, trying to reach for it.

Jake kept on laughing, trying to look it as he was driving. “Babe, are you still playing with toys? This is tiny, you don’t need it.” He threw it out of his window.

“Jake!” Kim yelled. “What the hell is the matter with you?! Why do you always have to act like a jerk?”

“What, it was a tiny piece of rock.” She kept driving.

Kim shook her head, completely annoyed with him. “You know, it was a rock to you, but did you ever think that maybe it was a memory for your girlfriend?”

“Well I have nothing to do with that memory, so there’s no reason to remember it.” He smiled.

She sighed, and just sat in her seat. “Baby, come on, it was a joke.” He reached for her hand, but Kim kept it away from him. “Babe, don’t be like that, it was a rock. You’re acting like it was the world.”

“My world. It was part of my world. You think everything’s about you, the world revolves around you, but guess what: it doesn’t. You can drop me off, I’ll walk the rest home.” Kim said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Kim, don’t be ridiculous.” He said, continuing to drive.

“Why is it so ridiculous that someone doesn’t want to be in the same room with you? After all, you’re not that pleasant to be around with anyways.” She said, trying to hit a nerve with him so he would let her go. And it worked, because he stopped the car.

“Fine, you want to go, be my guest.” He pulled over and waited for her to go. “Are you going to go?”

Kim opened the door. “Finally, you did something other than what you wanted to do.” She got out, and slammed his door shut with as much force as she had.

STARTING FROM THIS POINT ON, IT’S GOING TO BE IN FIRST-PERSON IN KIM’S PERSPECTIVE. SORRY FOR INCONVENIENCE :D

Wow, first day and already so much drama. Wasn’t this supposed to be the best year possible? But I knew I could always count on Jake to ruin it for me.

I started walking along the curb. How did I even get here? Two years ago, I wouldn’t event think about becoming who I am today. I wouldn’t approve anything I doing right now. It was so much easier before, all I did was wake up, go to school, eat lunch with my friends and go home. How did such an easy routine turn so complicated?

Speaking of complicated, why did I get so angry about that stupid shell? It was just a piece of rock. I don’t even remember how I got it, or what it really means. Who knew that the tiny shell would escalate into a huge argument with Jake?

And then there was Jake. I shook my head as I laughed at the irony. I dated someone I totally loathed and because of it, I turned into someone I totally loathe.

This isn’t where I’m supposed to be. I’m supposed to be having fun, laughing my off while I still could. Apparently someone agreed with the lack of direction because there was a car honking behind me. I turned to move away, and see what the guy wanted; I was on the sidewalk, right? I didn’t wander to the middle of street.

It was my car. And that couldn’t be right, because my car was with…Gerald. I could vaguely make his face through the windshield. “You need a ride?” His voice was pleasant and inviting. Something I didn’t deserve after all the horrible things I said to him.

He stopped the car for me, and I got in. I put on my seatbelt, and I noticed the music he was listening to. It was all instrumental, no words. “Aren’t you about to fall asleep? Without any words, it’s like a lullaby.” I pointed to stereo.

He laughed at me, “It’s me, so I highly doubt I’d compose something that would make me fall asleep.”

“You composed this? Let me guess, music major?”

“No, I’m taking psychology. I want to know how the mind works. This,” he pointed to the stereo, “is just for fun. I listen to it so I can fix any mistakes. That’s what true artists do: they become their own critic. You should know all about it, considering your background in acting and music.” He answered, watching the road carefully.

“No, they’re just for fun. And knowing me, I’d be the worst critic, I’m scared of myself,” I chuckled at how stupid I just sounded.

He nodded, trying to hide his own laugh. “So how was your first day of school? Was it full of your expectations?”

There it was again, he kept talking about things that he couldn’t have possibly heard. “Not really. I think I threw the bar pretty high.”

“Well university gets better. Honesty, the teachers and everyone else are different from high school, it’s like another life.”

I put the back of head against the head rest and shut my eyes, “That sounds absolutely perfect. I could use another life right about now.”

He laughed; it was a nice, deep laugh, a very manly laugh. “You do now, but every life has their own problems, which is a problem in itself.”

“I can tell you’re a psych student. The things you say always has a deeper meaning.” I paused and turned so my body was facing him. “So what’s your problem?”

He smiled, and it revealed a small dimple on his right cheek. Was that always there? “Living someone else’s life.”

“You’re a very odd boy Gerald. Nothing like I remember from the past.” I mentioned, staring at his face.

“It’s because that’s not my life anymore, that was a different person.”

“I hope not. I don’t like people stuck in the past.”

He smiled, “Which is why you’re always talking about the past right?” I noticed sarcasm in his voice.

“I don’t like people stuck in the past. But sometimes you need to revisit your memories in order to move forward,” I answered, trying to sound as deep as I could.

“Right.” He parked in the driveway, and a sudden surge of disappointment flowed through me. I didn’t want this conversation to end. But then again, we were stuck in the same house for the whole school year. There were plenty of opportunities to continue what just started, including the conversation.

OKAY, SO UPDATE WAS SOONER THAN EXPECTED. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT, AND I HOPE IT’S NOT TOO CONFUSING WITH THE NARRATIVE SWITCH UP. I THOUGHT MAYBE IF I WROTE IN FIRST PERSON, YOU’D BE ABLE TO HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STORY AND THE CHARACTERS, MAYBE EVEN BECOME ONE OF THEM. THANKS OR THE GREAT COMMENTS, AND STAY TUNED FOR MORE. THANKS AGAIN!