REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR. 4th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     Kirstin ran out of the bathroom, got inside her room and picked up the phone. She was the only one in the house at that moment. Her mother and father had gone out for dinner and she decided to stay home, mostly because Ashley was gonna call her, but also because she was very exhausted from all the traveling she had done the last few days.

     “Hello?” she sat on her bed.

     “Hey!”

     “Oh, hey, Ash.” Kirstin said through a smile.

     “So… kind of bad news.”

     “Oh… what?” Kirstin frowned.

     “The Charity Event.” Ashley continued.

     “What about it?”

     “Got postponed.” Ashley continued.

     “Really?” Kirstin sounded a little excited. If it got postponed, maybe they wouldn’t be there in Redding to attend the event.

     “Yeah. To Wednesday.” Ashley answered.

     “This Wednesday?”

     “Yep.”

     “Oh…” so they would be there after all “What’s so bad about it?”

     “Well… it’s on a week day. I don’t think a lot of people will show up because of that.”

     “Oh, yeah…” Kirstin grinned. This was getting better, actually. For her, anyway.

     “Well, but we’re going anyhow.” Ashley informed.

     “Yeah, I figured…”

     “Oh, we are gonna have to go to Harbor to get the tickets.”

     “Get the tickets? Isn’t this a charity event?”

     “Yeah, but we gotta trade a pound worth of food for tickets to the event.”

     “Oh, so that’s how it works.”

     “Yep. And all the food will be donated to charity.” Ashley was really up to date to that event.

     “Oh, alright… So… what are you? Like, the PR for this event or what? You seem to know everything about it.” Kirstin giggled.

     “Nah…” Ashley chuckled “It’s just that I have the letter here with me. The letter telling that it had been postponed and other information.”

     “Oh, ok.”

     “So… we have until tomorrow to go get the tickets. What about we go together?”

     “Sure… what time?” Kirstin didn’t sound too excited. But she wasn’t going to that event for her. She was doing it for Ashley.

     “I have a lot to do tomorrow with the band. But we have a break around 3 p.m. Is that alright?”

     “Yeah. Cool.”

     They continued talking for a while and eventually hung up.

     Kirstin changed into her pajamas and slid under the covers. The next day she would have to go to highschool. The feeling in her stomach she used to have while she was still a Harbor student was back. And she didn’t like it. At all.

 

REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR. 5th, 2002 – FRIDAY

     Kirstin finished combing her hair and heard a honk. She got her purse and a plastic bag from the sink and quickly headed downstairs.

     “Bye, mom!” Kirstin yelled from the front door and stepped outside, trailing to Ashley’s car “Hey, baby.” she pecked his lips.

     “Hey, honey. How are you?” Ashley started driving.

     “Good. What about you?”

     “Same. Brought your food?”

     “Yep!” Kirstin held her plastic bag high and waved it “Rice. What about you?”

     “Soup cans.”

     “Ok.” Kirstin smiled and they kept driving.

REDDING, CA – HARBOR HIGH – APR. 5th, 2002 – FRIDAY

     Ashley parked his car near the highschool entrance. It was 3:45 p.m. and the school seemed to be practically empty.
Ashley got out of the car. Kirstin stayed inside, gathering courage to step out and go inside the building. She took a deep breath as Ashley opened the car door to her.

     “Come on.” Ashley offered his hand to her and smiled. She took another deep breath and took his hand on hers, stepping outside the vehicle.

     “So… is it really that difficult?” Ashley asked as soon as they entered the highschool building. They stood in the main door and looked around. The halls were empty, no noise was heard. Apparently, there was nothing to be afraid of.

     “Suddenly…” Kirstin started and took another look around “Suddenly not so afraid anymore.” Kirstin half-smiled and turned to face Ashley. He looked at her and also smiled.

     “Good. See? I told you shouldn’t be afraid of Harbor.” Ashley still held her hand as they motioned for the gym, where they were having the ticket trade.

     “I guess I was never really afraid of the building, but more of what it represents, you know?”

     “What do you mean?” Ashley frowned.

     “I guess I’m afraid of the people and the feelings I had while in here, you know?”

     “Yeah… I understand that.” Ashley nodded. Kirstin smiled. It was so good to be with someone that was so connected with her “Oh! Need to go to the bathroom.” Ashley said when he saw the boys’ bathroom on their way to the gym “Wait here?”

     “Ok. But hurry up.”

     “Don’t know if I can do that. I ate something at lunch that didn’t quite… well… you know?”

     “Yeah.” Kirstin let out a laugh “Go, then.” she motioned for Ashley to get inside the bathroom.

     Kirstin stood in the hall alone. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tapped her right foot. She took another good look around the halls. It was really empty. She hadn’t heard any footsteps or any voices since they stepped inside the building, which was really weird. She continued tapping her foot when she looked down her wrist to check the time.

     “3:53. Ok.” she whispered, adjusting the watch properly on her wrist.

     “Kirstin?” a not so familiar voice called out her name. She suddenly looked up.

     “Yes…” she looked at the person and frowned “And you… No. It can’t… Jared? O’Connell?” Kirstin asked and Jared nodded “Jared O’Connell?” Kirstin frowned as she got neared the male figure standing a few feet away from her.

     “Yes! Oh, my God! I can’t believe it’s actually you!” Jared sounded a little too excited.

     “Yeah, well… it is. But…” Kirstin looked Jared O’Connell up and down. The person standing in front of her did look like Jared, but at the same time, not so much. That guy standing there didn’t have the physique Kirstin remembered Jared having. That guy standing in front of her was 6’4’’ tall; the messy hair was the same, but now the messy style was molded into a modern and cool hairdo; his skin was really tan; the amazing, almost transparent aqua eyes were still there, though. Apart from the amount of muscles Jared had visibly accumulated over the past few years and that you could clearly see through the white wifebeater he was wearing at the moment, Kirstin could see in this guy’s eyes the fragile boy she used know a while ago “You look totally different. You look great!” Kirstin stopped as she realized she could be misinterpreted “Not that you didn’t look good when…”

     “Kirstin, it’s alright.” Jared smiled at her. He saw the awkwardness in her facial expression “Well, you look just as good as you did in highschool.”

     “Oh, thanks, I guess…” she smiled down “But what are you doing here, anyway?”

     “I volunteer here.”

     “Volunteer? What do you mean?”

     “Well, Harbor has this charity program now. Every Thursday after regular classes, they have volunteers working with these special kids. And I’m one of those volunteers.”

     “Wow… That’s really sweet of you to do. But… is that all you do? Like… Don’t you go to college?”

     “Actually… I’m an underwear model now.”

     “You’re a what?” Kirstin sounded really surprised. This couldn’t be Jared. No… not Jared O’Connell, the shy and naïve guy Kirstin once knew. An underwear model? That just didn’t seem right.

     “I’m an underwear model.” Jared answered again, this time smiling and nodding “But I also go to U.S.C. But I don’t know my major yet. What about…” Jared was about to ask, but got cut off by an annoying female voice.

     “There you are!” an angry girl came out of nowhere. Kirstin recognized her immediately “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you! You just disappeared. I turned around and you were gone!” the girl got closer to Jared and tapped her foot next to him.

     “I was going to the library, but then I bumped into Kirstin.” Jared pointed to Kirstin, who just smiled weakly at the girl “Kirstin, you remember Cindy Cooper, right?”

     “Yeah…” Kirstin nodded. How could she forget? Cindy Cooper was the most popular girl in Harbor. And the most cruel, rude, self-centered, obnoxious girl Kirstin knew. Cindy had been the captain of the cheerleader squad and had also been crowned Prom Queen, along with Ashley as Prom King.

     “Do you remember Kirstin, Cin? She was one of my friends in highschool.” Jared asked.

     “Jared, we already talked about that. I don’t even remember you in highschool, let alone a girl that hung out with you.” Cindy turned her gaze from a hurt Jared to Kirstin “I’m sorry, but I’m having a really hard time placing you, sweetie.” Cindy faked an apologetic smile.

     “K, do you think…” Ashley started as he got out of the bathroom, but stopped when he noticed two people in front of Kirstin “Cindy Cooper? And… Jared O’Connell?” Ashley pointed and frowned. Jared raised his eyebrows at Ashley.

     “Ashley!” Cindy sounded way too excited as she went into Ashley’s direction and hugged him tight. Kirstin’s jaw just dropped a little. Ashley noticed that and just patted Cindy’s back.

     “Yeah, it’s me.” he said awkwardly.

     “Oh, my!” Cindy stepped back and took a better look at Ashley “I can’t believe it’s actually you. I mean, I haven’t seen you since, what? Prom? Oh, wasn’t the prom fun? I mean, me Prom Queen and you Prom King. What about that, huh?” she had a smile on that went from ear to ear.

     “Yeah.” Ashley nodded.

     “Oh, and how’s your big popstar life going? You know, I watched every single episode of Making the Band and I always watch the TV shows you guys are on. You are great, Ash. Really. I love your voice so much and…” at that time, Ashley got closer to Kirstin. After seeing that, Cindy’s eyes were filled with hatred “Wait a minute here!” Cindy frowned “Now I remember you!” she pointed at Kirstin “You were that weird girl that wouldn’t leave Ashley’s side! You were like… Ashley’s good deed. He’d hang around you so you wouldn’t look so pathetic.”

     “What?” Kirstin asked disbelieved. She couldn’t believe Cindy was actually saying all that to her face.

     “Cindy, stop it.” Jared touched Cindy’s arm so she would back away a little. Cindy just shook it off.

     “Cindy, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You are totally wrong.” Ashley informed her.

     “Oh, come on, Ashley. You can’t seriously tell me that you hung around this girl for pure pleasure. Come on! What did she have to offer you that I hadn’t given you already?” Cindy winked.

     “What?” Kirstin turned to Ashley “You and… Cindy?” she looked with disgust at Ashley. Ashley didn’t even know what to say, he was caught totally off guard.

     “What, you didn’t know? Weren’t you his little friend?” Cindy asked in a childish voice and then returned to her regular, annoying voice “Weren’t you suppose to know stuff about him? I mean… Come on! This shouldn’t be a surprise for you. Ash and I were the most popular people in Harbor. Of course we made out several times. And sometimes, we’d do more than just make out.” Cindy winked at Ashley again.

     Kirstin didn’t know what to say, what to ask, what to think… Nothing. She was left speechless. Her mind was a total blank. As she tried to gather her thoughts, what she could only do was let out a few nervous laughs. ‘Cindy? Ashley had sex with the girl I hated the most? Cindy?’ she thought as she shook her head.

     “K, honey, listen...” Ashley turned Kirstin around so she could look at him.

     “Honey?” Cindy looked disgusted at the couple in front of her “What are you now? Like… a couple?”

     “If you must know, yes! We’ve been a couple for a long time now and we’re getting married.” Ashley informed.