A New
Beginning
Chapter
7: The Secret of My Success
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Birthday, here I come!
Only a few hours until I turn eighteen. Everyone is keeping out of my way, because they think I’m close to another outburst. They planned to take me out to some club. I’m still just eighteen.
In Sweden I’m allowed to do anything I want now. I can drink and go out to bars and clubs. Well, I can’t buy alcohol at the stores, but I can purchase drinks when I’m out partying. But what’s the use when I’m in USA?
I’m the official tour guide of the team, since I’ve lived in New York much longer then the others. Scott used to live here too, but not on Manhattan. Besides, he was in Minneapolis with his Dad last year, because he studied at some college there. I don’t know; I can’t keep track of all the players on the team. I’m only human.
If anyone’s more grown-up then ever, it’s Scott. He’s two years older then me and studied college courses when we were still in high school. Fulton and Portman are also two years older then me, but I doubt that they are grown-up.
Anyway, since I know the way around here in this little town, I get to show my friends around too. Today it’s Nish and Adam. I have guided Adam earlier too. I know why they insisted on going out, they want me to stay away from the planning of my birthday. They think I’d ruin it. They’re definitely right about that.
Nish and Adam. How did I end up in that situation? Oh, yeah, the inability to say ‘no’ to people...
Nish’s main job is to drive me crazy. He’s doing a hell of a job.
We were walking towards Broadway and all that, because Nish kept pestering me about seeing were the ‘Letterman’ theater was. I actually knew that, so I planned on leading him to the Ed Sullivan Theater and then leave him there. It’s just New York, what could happen?
“Ah, New York, New York! You could just smell the fresh air of hookers, drugs, subways and hot dogs. Right?” Nish joked.
“Oh, shut up, you idiot,” I muttered, tired of his stupid comments.
“Guess that hooker/drug thing got you started, huh?” Nish went on. That guy really knows how to push my buttons.
“Bite me.”
“Nice language,” Nish said. “Aren’t you supposed to be mature now?”
Adam grabbed my arm and pointed towards one of the buildings. “Was it that kind of building?” he asked me. God, get off my back! Ever since I told him that I had an apartment here, he’s been trying his heart out to figure out where I used to live.
“No, but the city is still the same,” I muttered. “Is this what it’s come up to? It’s my eighteenth birthday and I’m with you dweebs, stalking David Letterman and looking at busted apartments.”
“Oh, so it was a busted flat?” Adam mumbled. “That makes it SO much easier.”
“My feet hurt!” Nish complained. And he’s supposed to be older then me? Doubtful...
“Well, tough,” I said and took his hand. “Let’s pretend that you’re not five year old, okay?”
Nish just shrugged and put his arm around me. “As long as you can get me some autographs, I’ll pretend to be anything for you, baby.”
Nish is nice to me. Well, he is! We used to argue all the time the first years on the team, but we got along fine at times too. We’re pretty much the same, even though I can’t admit that out loud. Nish came up with the most ridiculous plans sometimes, but I was always right there, helping him out. He’s fun to hang out with, I learnt that last year in high school.
We could be best friends, but we’re not. But we could be.
“Okay, enough with the love-chat, youngsters,” Adam said. “Are we there yet? Or should I look for the closest sub-way?”
“Do what you want, Nish and I are going to find David Letterman,” I answered and jumped up on the bench in front of me.
Adam gave up a frustrated moan, scaring the hell out of some old couple on the sidewalk. “Why?”
“Why not?” I shot back. “It’s my birthday, I make the call. If I want an autograph, I’ll get an autograph. If I want Nish to carry me there, Nish will carry me there.”
“Nish will not,” Nish declined. “Nish will not carry you.”
I jumped down into his arms. Being with me requires both great reaction and some muscles. Nish has none of that, but he caught me anyway.
“I think you’ve put on some weight,” Nish complained and let me down on the ground. “You’re not a non-eating fourteen-year old anymore. Stop leaping into my arms.”
“I happen to weigh fine,” I pouted. “I’m not planning on being anorexic again.”
“You were not anorexic,” Nish laughed. “You just stuffed yourself with food until you burst.”
Adam patted his shoulder. “Nice way to put it, Nishikawa. Aren’t you gonna tell her about her drug-problem too?”
“Okay,” Nish began. “You see, this is how it was; Cecilia, when we attended high-school...”
“I know the story, thank you very much,” I interrupted. “Could you spare me the cliff-notes? I’m drug-free and eating without bursting. Now, you kind of hurt my feelings, so you have to buy me a Coke.”
Nish pulled my jacket. “Look, isn’t that a famous person?” he asked. I stared over to the other side of the street. It’s finally happened, Nish has lost his mind. I saw it coming a mile away.
“It’s so not a famous person,” Adam sighed and took one more look at his watch. “I think it’s gonna rain, can’t we go back? If you nicely do as I say, I can buy you both some Coke.”
“Shut up, Banks,” Nish replied, without taking his eyes off the person on the other side of the street. “I think it’s Buffy!”
I laughed. Nish is in love with Sarah Michelle Gellar. I could taunt him forever for that, but I won’t. “It’s not her, Nish. What’s she doing here on this street? Kicking the living life out of some street-rats?”
“It’s totally her,” Nish went on and walked out into the street. A car slammed the breaks to avoid running into him, but Nish didn’t even react. He disappeared around the cars and was gone in a split second.
“Ah, crap!” Adam exclaimed. “He’s lost!”
“Let’s follow him!” I said excitedly. “Maybe it really is a famous person?”
“Yeah, because we really need to bug them,” Adam muttered. “They all live in Los Angeles, but we never chased them when we lived there!”
“Well, I never saw Buffy there,” I smiled.
“Fifty bucks that you never saw her now either,” Adam replied. “It’s probably just someone who looks like her.”
“Of course I won’t see her, if we stand here all day! You’re on!”
Adam followed me across the street. “I’m on to what?”
“The bet, of course!”
Adam had himself to blame, because he was the one going on about taking opportunities and going off to find adventures. Of course I knew that it probably wasn’t Sarah Michelle Gellar outside McDonald’s, but it’s still one hell of an adventure, right?
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Nish didn’t find love today. I didn’t find a pair of shoes that matched my new pants. We all have to sacrifice dreams, right?
After we’d scared the hell out of the Buffy look-a-like, we went back home again. Nish was tired of chasing celebrities, and I was planning on going to bed. I so didn’t feel like going out to some club. I’m dull, but I have my reasons.
Whose fault is it when something goes wrong in a relationship? It can’t be just one person’s fault, right?
It’s Fred’s fault. Ha, that was easy!
Charlie was sitting on the kitchen table, eating cereals. I jumped in and pushed him down. “I’m back, and I’m finally finding the meaning behind not sitting on the table,” I smiled and watched as Charlie choked on his cereals.
“Nice Cee,” he coughed. “You made me spill milk on the floor!”
“Tough,” I replied. “Maybe you should hold on to your stuff a little better next time. Bye!”
I went into my room and slammed the door. I heard Charlie swear on the other side of the door. Serves him right, sitting on the table like that.
Now I had to decide if I should attend my birthday celebration, or just go under ground until Monday.
“Aren’t you getting dressed?” Fred asked, storming into my room. “We’re leaving in an hour.”
I just stared at him. “What are you doing in my room? Ever heard of knocking?”
“Why, it’s only you. Besides, this is an emergency. I need to borrow your CD-player. Charlie broke mine, and I just have to listen to this CD I just bought. Get up; I know you keep the batteries under your bed. Why? Because that’s just one of your things you do. Happy birthday, by the way.”
This is what my brain progressed: emergency, broke, batteries, birthday.
“Get out, Fred. You can’t just stomp in here whenever you like, just because we used to date.”
“Please, date sounds so simple. We used to be engaged. We used to love each other. We used to have loads of sex.”
“Well, we might have had all those things, but I’m moving on. Get out of my room.”
Fred shrugged, grabbed my foot and pulled me off the bed. “Fine, I’ll get it myself. If you want to mope around, go ahead. But it’s still your birthday. You should at least be a little happy.”
“I was, until you showed up. And I don’t just mean right now.”
Fred nodded slowly. “I see. Your happiness is based on my absence. Funny, since I’ve stayed out of your way pretty much since we last talked. Maybe you’re just a spoiled little brat?”
“Maybe, but I’m not little anymore,” I replied. “I’m allowed to vote in elections.”
“Yeah, in Sweden. You’re not an American citizen; remember. Lemme hear how the elections went, okay?”
“They took place a month ago, the democrats won. Didn’t you vote?”
“My Dad’s rich, I don’t have to.”
We kept scuffle for a while, until Adam came stumbling into the room. “What are you doing, we’re leaving in ten minutes. Cee, I told you to get dressed like two hours ago!”
“What’s with people!?” I exploded. “I can do things without having to be told all the time! I know that I should get dressed before I leave my room! I know what I’m supposed to do, stop ordering me around! Stop telling me what to do all the time!”
Charlie stuck his head into the room too. “Could you keep it down, we don’t have time for your outbursts right now.”
“It’s not an outburst,” I snapped and pushed Fred in the stomach. He just smiled and sat down on Adam’s bed instead. “What are you smirking about?”
“You. You’re entertaining when you’re like this. Aren’t you gonna throw something at me? You haven’t done that in a while.”
“No, but I’m gonna throw you out. Leave, or I’ll kill you.”
Fred left after ruffling my hair around a little. “Get a hair-cut, will you. The bum-look is totally out.”
And now I’m out, pissed at my stupid ex-boyfriend. If he ever comes near me again I’ll... Well, like Charlie would say: it will be painful.
To be freaking continued...
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