The Struggle For Love

Chapter 2

“Beep. Beep. Beep,” my alarm fish says.
        “Ugh! Why do you have to wake up so early?” Brittany whines.
        “So I can get all of you ready for school.”
        “I don’t want to go to school. School is for losers.”
        “School is not for losers. Don’t you want to buy a big house when you grow up? Now, get up and get dressed.”
        “Ugh!”
        “Blythe, get up and get ready for school,” I try to say sweetly since she had a bad day at school yesterday, but I know she will say “no” rudely. Bad days are just a bump in the road that your going to have to get over if you want to get to a happy place. Everyday is a bad day for me, but you don’t hear me complaining. I know that some day I’m going to be happy and will look back on all of this gratefully.
        “I don’t want to,” she groans.
        “Blythe, you have to go to school. I know you don’t want to, but you have to. Please get up.”
        “Fine.”
        “Thank you.”
~
        Once Blythe and Brittany are both up, I make them breakfast. While they eat, I get changed and wake Avery up.
        “Avery, honey, wake up.”
        “Stacie!”
        “Hi, sleepyhead!”
        “Hi!” he says giggling.
        “Do you want to pick out your breakfast, today?”
        “Yeah!”
        Avery loves picking out his breakfast. He always goes with the same thing, sweet tasting cereal. It’s his favorite. I pour his cereal as he sits down at the table. While he eats, I wake up my mom.
        “Mom, it’s time to get up. Avery is eating cereal at the table, and I’m taking Brittany and Blythe to school. Then I’ll be swimming to school after that.” I give her a kiss and grab my backpack.
        “Brittany! Blythe! It’s time to go!”
        I grab a granola bar, and we head to their schools. Brittany is first, Blythe is second, and I’m third.
~
        “Hey, girl. What’s up?”
        “Hey, Marissa. Nothing’s up with me, like always. How about you?”
        “I met this cute guy! He asked me out on a date! It’s on Friday! Can you go with me to buy a new outfit? Please?”
        “Sure, but I’ll have to take my siblings with. Is that okay?”
        “Yeah! I’ve missed Avery! Does Brittany have to come, though?”
        “Yeah, I can’t leave her at home. She can’t take care of herself.”
        “Ugh! She’s so mean, though. Okay, fine,” she says groaning.
        “I know right! You ready to work with Nick today?” We are almost to our desks.
        “No! Are you ready to work with Alex?”
        “No!” Mr. Johnson hears me. I know because he is glaring in my direction.
~
*Alex's POV*
        “Hey, Alex.”
        “Oh, hey, Nick.”
        “You ready to work with Stacie?”
        “Yeah, I actually can’t wait.” I smile.
        “Oh, well, I am not ready to work with Marissa. She’s bossy and mean!”
        “Aw, the poor little baby. You probably were making her do all the work like with everybody else you’ve been partnered with. You wouldn’t last this project if you had to help her.” I know he won’t be able to. He never does any of the work, and he always make the other person do it all.
        “I bet I could.” Nick smirks.
        “I bet you couldn’t.”
        “Is that a bet?” he asks.
        “Yeah, it is.”
        “Okay, then I bet you can’t get Stacie to be your friend. Have fun losing.” I chuckle at this. I won’t lose. I can’t lose.
        “Class, settle down and get with your partners,” Mr. Johnson says.
        “Bye, Stace,” I hear Marissa tell Stacie.
        “Bye, Marissa,” Stacie says answering her.
~
*Stacie's POV*
        “Hey, Marissa! How have you been? You ready to get to work?” Nick asks.
        “Um, hey, Nick. What’s up? Why are you being so weird?”
        “I’m not being weird. I just want to get started with our project,” he says.  Marissa and I both gasp. Wow, that’s really surprising. Let’s see if this is actually true.
        I start grabbing my stuff when, suddenly, I look to my right and Alex is sitting right there. I didn’t even hear him swim over. He must be a great prankster. I turn to look back at my things when I hear something. It sounds like a voice. It’s Alex.
        “Hello, Stacie. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you yesterday. It’s just that I’m very shy, and I get very nervous around girls.”
        “Oh, um, hi Alex. That’s okay. I’m shy, too. I get very nervous around people. Um, do you have any wars that you like? Any of them are okay with me.”
        “I like the war where the mermaids fought the dark mermaids. It’s so interesting to me. Do you want to do that one?”
        “Sure, fine with me.”
~
        “Stacie!”
        “Oh, hey Marissa. I have some strange news to tell you.”
        “So do I! Can I go first? Please?” It sounds important. Did someone die? I hope not. I really don’t like death. But she sounds so… happy.
        “Um, sure…”
        “Well, Nick was being really weird today. He actually WANTED to help me with the project.”
        “How weird… Alex actually TALKED to me today. Do you think there’s a reason why they both acted differently?”
        “I don’t know about you, but I’m fine with the new Nick.”
        “Don’t get me wrong, I like the new Alex, but I hope they just thought they were being wrong for how they acted.”
        “I agree, but this Nick better not change into the old one before the project is due.” I laugh and start twisting a curl of my hair. I see Alex behind Marissa. I’m pretty sure he notices me since he looks away. I think I saw him blushing.
        “The new Alex better not change either.” I actually like the new Alex. It’s not that he actually talked to me, it’s… his personality. He isn’t dull and boring. He only shared a little bit of himself, but I like that little bit.
        “I have to go.” I nod as Marissa leaves. I look back at Alex who is staring at me. I smile. He smiles back. I can really see how cute he is. I gaze at him for a second before leaving to go to my next class.
~
*Alex's POV*
        “Hey, Nick. How’d it go with Marissa? Did you help her?”
        “Yeah, of course I did. It went okay. Marissa seemed suspicious, though. She checked everything I did. I thought she was my mom for a second.”
        “Well, of course, she was suspicious! You just happen to want to help her with the work? Mind you, you’ve never helped her before. She doesn’t know how smart you are, yet. Give her time. She’ll warm up to you.”
        “Maybe you’re right. She doesn’t know the real me like you do. She doesn’t know what I’m capable of. I just have to give her time.”
        “Pfft, maybe I’m right. Of course I’m right! So are you going to ask me how it went with Stacie?”
        “Oh! I’m sorry man. How’d it go with Stacie?”
        “It was great! She was suspicious, too, for awhile, but then she let me know the real her. She didn’t show me all of her, but I’m happy that she showed me some even if it was only a little bit. I found out a lot about her personality.”
        “Well, good for you, bro. I’m happy for you. You need a girlfriend.” Why’d he have to say that? Now I’ll be all nervous around her, more than I already am. I’ve never had a girlfriend. I’ve always had my heart set on Stacie. There isn’t any other girl, only her. She’s probably had tons of boyfriends. She’s probably way more experienced than I am. Ugh! Why’d he have to say girlfriend?
        “Hey, bro, are you okay? You have this terrible look on your face. It looks as if you’re going to puke.”
        “I’m okay. Really, I’m fine.” Nick doesn’t know I’ve never had a girlfriend. He only knows I like Stacie because he caught me looking at her once or twice. I don’t feel comfortable talking about my love life. It’s supposed to be private, so I keep it that way.
        “Okay… but if you need anything, let me know. I’m here for you. Not in a gay kind of way, but a brotherly-type way.”
        “Thanks, I know I can count on you if I’m ever in trouble.”
        “Good. Now, I got to head to my next class. I can’t afford to be late again.”
        “Okay, see you later.” He nods and swims away.
        As I watch Nick, I see Stacie. She looks so cute with her curly hair and her ruffled bra that has strings coming down to her waist. I can barely just make out her stomach. Her purple tail isn’t too big and it isn’t too small. It is the perfect size. She has seashell earrings in and barely any make-up on. She looks natural, and I prefer it that way. She is twisting a curl of hair when she sees me. I quickly look away, but I am sure I am blushing. I hope she doesn’t notice. Once I think I am under control, I look back. Stacie is talking to Marissa. She nods her head and Marissa leaves. As soon as Marissa is gone, Stacie looks back at me and smiles. I smile, too. I hope they weren’t talking about me. We look at each other for a short time, but it means so much. She swims away, and I go to my next class.
~
*Stacie's POV*
        I go to each class thinking about Alex. I find out he is in a couple of my classes surprisingly. I don’t know why I keep thinking of him. I can’t help it. I see him everywhere I go. I see him in the hallways, in every classroom, and even in the girl’s bathroom. I am glad when the last bell rings meaning it is time to go home. I hurry outside and to my house. I don’t even stop and talk to Marissa. She’ll probably yell at me tomorrow during school.
        Avery is waiting outside for me. He is really excited like how he always is when I get home. I swim up to him and grab him in my arms. I carry him inside.
        “Hi, Stacie!” he says excitedly.
        “Hi, Avery,” I say back.
        “I missed you!”
        “I missed you, too! Did you have fun today?” I ask him.
        “Yesh! I colored a lot. I made you a couple pictures.”
        “Oh, really? How sweet! I’m sure I’ll love them,” I say kissing him on the cheek. He giggles, which in turn makes me giggle. Avery guides me inside and into his room. He goes to his dresser and grabs something.
        “Here you go!” he says grinning. I grab them and look at them.
        “They’re beautiful! I told you I would love them!” I kiss his cheek again.
        “Give me a second though, okay? I need to check in with Mommy.” Avery nods.
        “Okay,” he says frowning.
        “I’ll put these in my room right now.”
        “Okay!” he says enthusiastically.
        I walk out of his room and into mine. I place his drawings on my bed and look for my Mom. She’s in the kitchen trying to cook us dinner. It looks as if we’ll be having the same as yesterday. That’s fine with me.
        “Hi, Mom.”
        “Oh! Hi, sweetie,” she says. She must not have noticed me swim in here.
        “Do you need any help?”
        “No, I’m fine. Why don’t you go play with Avery? I’m sure he’s probably waiting for you.”
        “Are you sure? I can do something to help.”
        “Go, I’ll be fine. I have everything under control here,” she insists. I nod not wanting to make her angry.
        “Okay,” I say as I walk out the door. I walk back into Avery’s room. He’s sitting on his bed waiting for me.
        “Did you check on Mommy?” he asks. I smile.
        “Yeah, she doesn’t need me to do anything, so… Are you ready to play?”
        “Yesh!” he screams excitedly. I laugh at how cute he is. He grabs my hand and leads me outside.
        We play games having fun until I have to leave to get my other siblings. He doesn’t like it when I leave him, but he knows it’s to get Brittany and Blythe. I hug him goodbye and leave a kiss on his cheek before leaving.
        “I’ll be back soon, I promise. I’ll try to hurry.” Avery nods understandingly.
        “Okay, I wuv you,” Avery says frowning.
        “I love you, too. Be a good boy for Mommy,” I say hoping to see a smile. He nods.
        “Okay. I will,” he says giving me a quick smile. Yes! Victory!
        I swim off heading to Brittany’s school. I can’t wait to see my bratty sister. She’ll really cheer me up about leaving my much more fun younger brother. At least with Blythe, I’m capable of living with her. She doesn’t give me so much a hard time as Brittany. With Brittany, she doesn’t care about anyone else, but herself. In fact, she only cares about herself and her friends. In her eyes, they’re her real family. All of us are nothing to her. She’s probably thinking of an escape plan to get away from us. She probably thinks one of her friends will harbor her in their house.
        I shake all my irritating thoughts of Brittany out of my mind. I don’t need to be thinking about her. She only makes me angry. I don’t know why, but I look behind me. In the shadows of an object, I can see a figure peering at me. I quickly pick up my pace to where I am almost swimming a marathon. The sooner I get to Brittany’s school, the better. After a few minutes, I reach a crowd of people untouched. Phew! My heart was beating super fast.