HIP #3: Forgetting The Old Us

By Jyerrmou

"""For me, glancing back at the good times and forgetting the bad ones is enough.""

School is the best place for a 20-year-old girl named Shane Labrador. Science, Mathematics, Literature, Libraries, Sports, Journalism, and Extra curricular activities have always been what she calls 'home' and unlike all the other teenagers who

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing
• Release date: Jan 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9789360494841

Book preview

Prologue

T

hey say that most fairy tales start with once upon a time. Pretty much right but not to the fullest. My type of fairy tale began with I will always love you until...

When he said, I will love you to death, my one and only. I believed in it and thought he was sincere. Until I figured out he just made me hate myself so I could love him more which he has done to all the other girls who loved him before.

How did our story go? Terrible!

Once upon a mistake, a few regrets ago, one innocent and kind girl went to a party by herself after witnessing her mom and dad fighting for the hundredth time. She thought she could be happy, instead, that's where her life began being the worst of all. But no one knew about it. It was a secret she kept for herself. Because that's her: loud yet full of mysteries.

It has been two years since we broke up, but it still hurts. Because we ended in the way I didn't expect us to. And now, though it has been so long since we last saw each other, I'm stuck in the place where he left me alone and searching for his love. I'm still here, forgetting the old us when he did it the day we ended something that never even began.

A year has passed ever since one of my best friends, Peter died. I never even expected it to happen. And Charlie hasn't been to school after that. She switched to being homeschooled because she said she wanted her schedule to be flexible for doing things which I don't know what are really about. But I'm sure she's trying to move on. What hurts the most is that he's not just her best friend but they loved each other more than just how friends should and Chance who is her boyfriend, never knew about that.

I don't know why she never mentioned it, maybe because she's scared of breaking up with him? I'm not sure of that. But Charlie is a very kind person with a thick heart and she deserves the world. This year, she said she's coming back. Finally! We're complete as a trio again. Last year, it was only Britney and I, who is my other best friend that came to school, we even tried to fulfill her responsibilities as a School Science Leader and it was such a hard job.

It was boring without her, she usually lightens us up when we're sad and tired of studying but now, it seems like it's payback time. Our turn to comfort her for that's what friends are for. Speaking of school, these past few weeks, I've been binge-reading some workbooks for our second semester of senior year. Just last year, Britney was at the top of our class and I'm pretty sure if Charlie was at school, then she was the second in the ranking. But I claimed her spot. Maybe she'll get back to it now that she's okay.

School is the safest place for me. It's where fighting parents don't exist, a brother who brings tons of friends at home isn't there either or fancy occasions. Only math, science, and Literature which is a lot more enjoyable rather than watching your mom and dad fight in the middle of the night, breaking dishes when they're disappointed at each other, and throwing hurtful words.

They aren't my real parents anyway. It's pretty obvious. They're white and blonde and even my brother is. I'm black and my hair is thickly curly. I'm from the orphanage when I was six years old. My biological parents died in a car crash when I was four. I was lucky to survive. Then I was adopted. I never felt the loss of child support because ever since then, my adoptive parents always showed me, love, through money. I never had to work at night because they worked for me and gave me all my needs and wants. They were almost perfect. The only problem is that they don't get along all the time. It's not their fault that they both chose the wrong person from their perspective.

Living with them for two decades, I figured out that both of them are good people and so kind. They're just stressed and tired after work when they get home so they unintentionally hurt each other. I hope that if I would get into a relationship, it wouldn't be like theirs.

It has been before, but I won't let that crap happen ever again. I fell in love with the wrong person so the next time I would fall in love, I would make sure that he's not a walking red flag.

I don't want to be like Britney who fell in love with her number one enemy: Nate Maddox who was well-known in our school as a bad boy. They loved each other so much that she figured out that they're not just cousins but siblings. Which Nate knew all along.

I don't want to be like Charlie either who fell in love with our best friend: Peter Rivera while she's in another relationship that she's taking care of and hid her feelings until he died. That was terrible and became worst when she heard the voicemail he sent her.

I had my own tragic story before but no one knew about it except for me and...

And...

And...

And...

I can't even say his name anymore!

It was a secret love story that ended in the most unexpected way. I don't want to recall those days anymore. It was a very long story but in short, at least I survived. It ended with a sorry. Which I never understood what exactly was supposed to mean.

We're the broken-hearted trios. I'm just a little odd because my heartbreak was silently loud.

But I swear to myself, this year would be different. This won't be the same as the other ones when I used to miss him, look for him, and when I used to stalk him on the internet every single day.

This year would be year where I would be forgetting the old us. 

Chapter 1

I

grabbed three big notebooks from the shelf and placed them in the cart, my brother, Kobie is holding. Today, we're shopping for school supplies. I'm supposed to be with Britney but she said that she already bought stuff online and Charlie's dad shopped for her. So, here I am trying to look for the best things I can with my little younger stepbrother.

This year is the start of the 2nd year of Senior High. This means that I am finally about to go to college and take my dream major, which is Creative Writing. They said it's very stressful because you would have to write a lot of essays and short stories, but those are what I love, so I don't think it would be that hard for me.

I fell in love with writing back when I was ten. I used to write short sad stories. The first one I wrote was about a kid who lost his dog, which is based on a true story. That was Peter's experience.

Umm, Kobie, we're here for school supplies and not for crap supplies! I complained after seeing him insert a sachet of protection into the cart. He probably thought I didn't notice that. Umm, that is a school supply. He rose his shoulders and jokingly smiled, making his dimple appear on the sides of his face. Protections are not school supplies!

Give me a valid reason why they are not! So we're fighting over a condom.

Give me valid reasons why they are! It disgusts me to see someone younger than me do things I've never done before. Like this. Putting a crap in a cart.

I asked you first, he kept pushing it until we reached the pens section. I tipped my toes to reach the green pen on top of a shelf and then threw it to him.

I'm two years older than you, so answer me first. This is the perks of being old.

"Okay, treat old people nicely, right?" I rolled my eyes. Darn this kid!

You're putting that back or I'll tell mom and dad that you're the one who broke the refrigerator last week? We're not the type of siblings who hangs out most of the time but we know each other's secret. Except for relationships. He rolled his eyes and immediately grabbed it then placed it back to where he got it earlier.

Nice kid. He's scared of me more than how he's scared of a spider. Yes, he's a guy but he's scared of spiders. Once when I threw one to him, four years ago, he was all grown up at that time and even had a lot of exes already, he still cried and screamed out loud then cursed my name.

What is that? He asked when I placed a pack of sanitary napkins in the cart.

What? I asked then hid it behind my back. I know what boys usually feel when they see things as awkward as this.

"Behind you? Why are you putting a pack of sanitary napkins in the cart? I thought we're only shopping for school supplies?" I threw it onto the cart confidently with a lot of force. First, this might not be a school supply but I'm on my period right now.

Sounds weird that I tell him whether I'm on my period or not, but, this is me. I have trusted him. As I said earlier, he's scared of me so he doesn't tell any of my secrets to anyone. Oh, I get it. That's why you're too grumpy. My eyes widened. Not the type of joke I like.

I turned to him immediately and flew my hand to the air as it met his cheek. I felt how strong the slap was because of the loud noise made by it and also because it hurt my palm. Then it caught people's attention around us.

My bad...

What was that for? He frowned.

I guess you should never make jokes about things you don't want to get slapped about, I smirked like the devil and turned around while mindlessly pushing the cart while all the people's eyes are on me and I'm ignoring them. I can picture how he's probably trying to heal his cheek by rubbing it gently. He loves himself so much and always takes care of his pretty face blah, blah, blah.

That's what it's like having an overconfident stepbrother. Anyway, how was this year's varsity summer camp? He's a basketball player for our school. Teaming with Britney's older brother or let me call him her ex-boyfriend: Nate together with Charlie's boyfriend: Chance.

I'm the only one in our squad who never dated a guy on the basketball team. Maybe soon I will?

Hold up, what was that? I thought I swore to myself that I would never, ever love again after what happened to me before, unless I know he's the right guy. Don't you dare break your rule #1! Never fall in love with a guy who looks like A!

I can't say his name anymore because it disgusts me and reminds me of the days when I cried alone every night and no one knew about it because I kept things about us a secret. I remember dad walked into my room and asked me why I was crying but I said that it was just because of the onion I sliced earlier that night. So, I would just call him A now.

It was... pretty nice, I guess?

Sounds like you are not sure about that. What happened?

Well, our best player just quit.

Wait, you mean Nate? Britney's sibling?

Yeah.

Britney didn't tell me anything about it.

I don't know why he quit but when I asked him, he just smiled at me and told me that I can make it without him. They have been close friends since they were in 7th grade. Just sad that Kobie's younger than Nate and that they can't be classmates. Their friendship began on the Varsity team as well. Nate taught Kobie tons of lessons, tricks, and strategies. They helped each other in a lot of ways.

Who's the leader in your group now? I didn't know which were the right words to use so I just said what came to my mind first.

This guy! He pointed his finger at himself. I rolled my eyes.

I can believe that Nate quit but not that you're the new leader.

What? You don't believe me? Ask him then! He smirked.

Oh, my silly little confident brother.

Chapter 2

I

rested my arms on our table with the chandelier light above us, bouncing through the bowls filled with pasta. Silence is the main dish and a silly brief argument could probably be our dessert later on. Earlier, a bit of confusion was served as an appetizer.

This is a usual dinner night for us. Nothing new with this same old routine. Kobie's eating while browsing through his phone, dad's reading articles on his tablet, and mom is focusing on her nails. While here's me thinking of what life could have been like if my actual parents are still alive. I wasn't with them for a long time but I still miss them.

When I was six, I used to go to sleep after they read fairy tales to me. And my adoptive parents never did that to me. Well, they've shown me that money is love. But I wanted something more than that. Maybe if I'm with my actual family by now, then we might be laughing at our jokes, recalling experiences, or listening to some classical music.

Not like this when all of them are busy with their personal lives. But I still should be grateful for this because at least we eat together, though there is completely no personal strong connection anymore. It's just a casual night to eat at one table.

I wiped my face using the napkin rested on my thighs. Then I placed it on the table. I leaned on the back of my chair. I don't know why I'm still here while I know what is going to happen next and I won't like it. There's nothing I can do about it anyway so the usual things I do are the ones to be performed right now: be calm, and think that it would be over soon.

You got plans for tomorrow? Dad broke the silence with his eyes held on mom. Instead of answering, she kept looking at her nails and tilting her fingers while smiling at them. I bet she spent a thousand dollars again to make nails with real gold and silver designs. Hey! Dad slightly yelled with his hand formed into a rock.

I think I've seen this film before. And I didn't like the ending. I know what will happen next and I might hate it. But why am I waiting? Hey! I'm talking to you! Mom almost jumped off her feet after hearing dad's yell. She frowned then rolled her eyes, exposing her thick layers of expensive makeup. "How was I supposed to know that you were talking to me?"

That's the biggest problem with both of them. They can fake their words and their smiles like how they do it in front of other people. But they choose to be true in front of us, their children.

I wish that they could have just been untrue to us instead of always fighting. Kobie and I have been neutral after all these years we've witnessed how much they hate each other. I forgot to do one thing, bring my headphones and phone for loud music because a loud volcanic eruption is about to begin and I need to protect my ears.

Who else would I talk to? Dad teasingly asked then took a sip from the glass of water beside his plate.

I don't know! Maybe Kobie, maybe Shane, or maybe you were talking to yourself! Mom responded then took her expensive nails off the table.

Talking to myself? I'm not as crazy as you are! Dad's smile vanished. I barely saw that.

Did you just call me crazy? Now, here it goes.

Yes! I did! That's dad, being too true.

So, you're calling me crazy? In front of our kids? When has she become concerned with what we feel when they fight? Sometimes she's even the one who causes an argument with them.

Don't deny it! Crazy to hide all these years that you had an affair with my assistant! So far, this is the worst dessert I've ever had in my whole life. And I guess no one would want this too.

Where in the world did you get that freaking information? I heard of it. That my mom has an affair with dad's assistant. Because of their businesses, they became famous for leading all their issues in a newspaper, on the TV, and everywhere on the internet. But even if mom sometimes is not the best wife you could wish for, I know she doesn't have an affair. Though dad and her fight so often, she's loyal to their relationship and that is what I don't know why.

People are talking about it! About us! It was also discussed by Britney and me yesterday on a phone call.

And you believe in rumors? Rumors. She used the right word.

Who am I supposed to believe, you and your lies? Oh, dad, you could have just let this slide. His fist was formed into a rock and his eyes are now barely open. Because of the heat around his face.

Could you please just both shut up! Kobie dropped his phone on the table after yelling and made a very loud noise with it. It made both of them stop and held their eyes on us. Smoke was exiting his nose, while his eyebrows were meeting each other. I've seen him this mad before but it was not because of our parents.

I bet he feels the same way as me. He stood up and grabbed his phone and then began walking away. He ran up the stairs and left with no words next to his yell earlier. I kept my back to the chair until mom and dad silently both looked at me. I can't believe this