Chapter 61 “College Party – April’s Fortitude”
April awoke
and looked around. She was worried when she didn’t recognize her room. She saw
Heavenly kneel down and gave them a container with cereal inside.
“Eat,”
Heavenly handed it to her. “How are you feeling?”
“Not, very well.
Where am I?” April looked around. “Oh my gosh! I’m in
a college dorm. I got my wish. I slept the rest of high school away, didn’t I?”
“I’m afraid
not. Don’t you remember last night?” Heavenly asked.
“Last
night? Don’t tell me that what I dreamt wasn’t a dream.” April said paranoid.
“What
exactly happened?” Heavenly asked her.
“Oh, it was
horrible.” April took the cereal and poured some milk from a carton on it. She
took the spoon and ate a mouthful of cereal. Heavenly waited patently.
“First, we
were fighting. Then we found a dead body. Karla didn’t help me so we somehow
passed out and then we were in some mansion. It was very scary. I saw thousands
of vampires looking at me as they auctioned me off to either be their food or
become one of them. Then, since I was so good looking, I almost became a
vampire but that Josh guy stabbed me with a shot and I
just woke up here. By the way, where is that guy. I
have a ‘pay back’ to get to.” April said looking around. “Wait, a minute, why
am I here? Are you captured too? Is this another room in the mansion?!”
“No, calm
down. Josh rescued you.” Heavenly explained.
“He did? No way! He is soooo nice! Let’s
forget about the pay back. I need to give him a reward. Is he taken?” April
seemed too forward.
“April!
Well, no…he’s not taken. But-,” Heavenly was interrupted.
“Great!”
April grinned.
Heavenly’s
mouth opened, her eyebrows arched down and her hands were on her hips.
“What?”
April asked innocently.
“Oh my gosh!” Karla suddenly awoke. She opened her mouth and
felt her teeth. “Are we vampires?!”
“I guess
not,” April shrugged. “Oh, we have a party tonight, right? I need to go take a
shower. Could you drive me home?”
“Yeah, me
too. I bet my mom’s worried.” Karla nodded.
“Right,”
Heavenly stood up. She took the keys and waited for them to come out.
“Thanks for
breakfast,” April smiled. She then left out. Karla followed her.
Strawberry
was in the park swinging on a swing. She looked huge compared to the little
girls and little boys around her. A few mothers whispered about her although
for some it was quite common for her to be there.
Vanessa
walked to the playground and sat in an empty seat next to Strawberry. Strawberry
swung away highly.
“Hi
Vanessa!!” Strawberry waived at her. She lost her balance and flew off the
swing and onto a trashcan near a bench. She and the trashcan rolled off the
side of the hill. Strawberry was stopped by a tree in the way that let her out
of breath. The trashcan rolled behind her and smacked her in the back.
Strawberry had swirls in her eyes. All Vanessa did was sit there with an open
mouth.
“Oh my
god!” Someone said. A few spectators ran to the rescue. Vanessa snapped out of
it and ran to help her too. Strawberry pushed the trashcan off her and stood
up.
“I’m ok!”
Strawberry announced. People sighed in relief and clapped. Strawberry took a
napkin off her head and bowed.
“Strawberry,
you’re such a klutz,” Vanessa told her as she approached. She dragged her by
the lower arm to a bench.
Strawberry
sat and took a chewed wiener from her hair out and brushed off crumbs.
“So, how
you doing?” Strawberry asked cheerfully.
Vanessa
scowled at her and yanked a sticky lollypop from Strawberry’s neck.
“Owie,” Strawberry reacted, rubbing her neck.
“Great,”
Vanessa forced a smile. She tossed the lollypop to the side.
“I was
going to ask you if you were doing anything for V-Day?”
Vanessa asked.
“Veteran’s
Day? Isn’t that months away?” Strawberry asked.
“No,
Strawberry. Valentine’s Day.” Vanessa corrected.
“Oh, well,
no.” Strawberry shook her head like a little girl.
“We could
call Jimmy and Darren.” Vanessa suggested. “They could come.”
“I don’t
have Jimmy’s phone number.” Strawberry said.
“But didn’t
he own a surfboard shop?” Vanessa snapped.
“He did?”
Strawberry though aloud.
“Oy! Duh, Strawberry. Didn’t you see?” Vanessa asked.
“Well, no,
not really…” Strawberry said confused.
“Anyways,
he does. Do you know what the name was?” Vanessa poked her.
“I didn’t
even know he had a shop before.” Strawberry crossed her arms.
“Ugh! Ok,
where did you purchase your surfboard souvenirs and surfboard?” Vanessa asked.
“I don’t
know.” Strawberry said innocently.
“Ack! Strawberry!” Vanessa was about to choke her. “Ok,”
Vanessa exhaled. “We could go find out. Let’s go to your house.”
“Okie!” Strawberry jumped up.
Starla and
Joey played video games in Joey’s house. Starla kept winning and Joey didn’t
look too happy.
“Are you
ok? You’re not mad are you?” Starla asked.
“Who, me?
No…” Joey sounded sarcastic.
“Valentines
is coming up. Do you have any plans?” Starla asked.
“No!” Joey
said quickly. “I mean, do you?”
“No not
really.” Starla shrugged.
“Great.”
Joey smiled. His great big smile wore to a normal look. “Well, that’s cool…It’s
alright…”
“I was
wondering,” Starla tapped her chin.
Joey looked
at the ground calmly but inside he was dying. He waited.
“Well,
actually…no never mind” Starla said.
“No! What!”
Joey insisted.
“Well, I
thought we could have dinner or something but that would be weird. We usually
see a movie or eat dinner with my mom or your mom.” Starla answered.
“That’s ok
with me. I mean there is a first time for everything, right?” Joey said.
“Yeah,”
Starla nodded.
“Ok, it’s
settled then,” Joey smiled. “Let’s keep playing.”
Starla
turned to look at him, weird out, since he seemed to be upbeat all of the sudden.
“You’re
going down,” Joey said poking her stomach playfully.
Starla
giggled. “Right.” She raised her eyebrow and kept playing.
April hair sprayed
her hair and put on some clothes when it was getting close to the afternoon. She
took her car and picked up Karla from her house too. They arrived at Heavenly
and Melody’s dorm buildings. Heavenly and Melody were waiting outside for them.
Heavenly was wearing formal clothes as usual and Melody was wearing a knee
length skirt with a jacket.
April came
out of her car with another mini skirt and high-heeled boots. She had a sweater
on. Karla wore a dress.
“Aren’t you
girls’ cold?” Heavenly asked.
“Not so
far,” April said.
“Let’s go!
I can’t wait to meet college guys.” April said. Then she gasped. “I can’t wait
to see Kevin!” She clapped and rushed in her car.
When they
got to the party, April came out of the car and her eyes widened. She had never
been to a college part and especially not one with cute college guys around.
“Remember,
this is an early Valentine’s Party since were getting out of college for 4 days
that weekend.” Heavenly announced. “This is not a get jiggy
and make-out party so behave girls.”
“Of
course,” April scoffed.
She saw
Kevin and his band already playing. A crowd gathered and they were into the
music – some even knew the words to it. April was stumped that they did. She
felt new.
Karla and
April joined in the crowd, jumped up and down too, and bopped their head. The
girl next to her sang to their songs.
April
tapped her. “How do you know this song?” She yelled out.
“What, you
don’t know Dark Revolution?” The girl asked.
“What’s
Dark Revolution?” April asked.
“They are,”
The girl pointed at them.
“Since
when?” April asked over the shouting.
“Since
three years ago. They’ve been rocking ever since. Are you new here?” The girl
asked.
“No, no.”
April assured her. She dragged Karla away from the crowd.
“What?”
Karla said disturbed.
“Guess what
girl; Kevin and his band are celebrities.” April grinned excitedly.
“Well, they
will be,” Karla said trying to go back.
“No,
they’ve been on that band since three years ago. I guess I never really knew
because he lived in
“Cool your
jets, April. You’ve barely spoken to him other than cutesy stuff and you
strutting your stuff. If you want to, you’re going to have to rise above all
those girls off somehow.” Karla referred to the college girls next to him
dancing.
“Hell no!”
April gasped in horror. She made fists and growled.
“April,
April. Calm down. Fighting won’t do you any good.” Karla pulled her from
leaving.
“Well, of
course it didn’t to you that time we got captured because you wouldn’t move!”
April snapped back.
Karla
glared at her. “Well, you’re going to have to get noticed.”
“How? All I
know is flirting.” April shrugged.
“Every
other girl is doing that to get his attention because he’s the lead singer.
What makes you think he’ll pick you?” Karla sounded harsh.
April
frowned. “Well, I guess I could-,“
“Good, go
try that.” Karla pushed her forward. April hesitated to go but Karla led her in
the crowd. The crowd clapped and Kevin announced a five-minute break. April
stood there starring at him.
The college
girls walked up to him and asked for autographs others just stood there to
flirt.
April could
not think of how to get his attention. She looked for Heavenly and Melody they
were sitting and talking to each other.
“Heavenly,
you have to help me. I can’t do it.” April pleaded.
“Do what?”
Heavenly asked.
“How do you
get a guy’s attention? I mean you got Josh’s attention and you weren’t very
flirty at all, from what you say.” April asked.
“Well,
actually he’s the one who kept bugging me until I did something about it.”
Heavenly felt guilty.
“I just
want to get Kevin to like me. How can I do that when there is millions of other
‘fan girls’ doing the same? I rarely see him and if I do, his mean friends are
with him.” April freaked.
“You just
have to be yourself, hon,” Melody suggested.
“Be myself?
I did that during the winter holidays and all we did was talk
and talk and talk and no action. Do you think he’s interested in me? Do
you think he thinks I’m like the rest of them?” April asked.
“Well, “
Melody thought deeply. “I don’t know. Sakura has the
same problem but you never know.”
“I need an
answer, that’s not an answer,” April insisted.
“There is
really no specific answer. You just have to do thinks other girls haven’t tried
on him. And if he picks a girl from one in a million Barbie girls he’s just a
loser who picks girls for their appearance.” Heavenly said.
“I don’t
think so,” April replied.
“Well, go
find out,” Melody told her.
“Alright,”
April stood up and walked over to Karla.
“We’re
going to take it slow now for those couples in love,” Kevin laughed slightly.
A few
college couples came together and danced. Other people just talked with their
friends. April walked thought all those couples and stood in the middle of the
grass “dance floor” and stared at Kevin sing.
A few of
Kevin’s band mates and friends recognized her and rolled their eyes. Kevin
didn’t quite see her since he sang the song with his eyes closed or sight in
the distance.
“Aw, I
think that girl is in love,” Karla giggled.
“Karla,
quit making fun of April,” Melody admonished.
Karla
ignored her and looked at April.
After the
part ended early after a few songs more since the band had to go, April
followed Kevin while he was packing things up.
“You sing
well,” April complemented.
Kevin
looked at her and then smiled. “Thanks,” He kept packing his things.
April
couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Are you busy Saturday night?” April
asked. She knew she was being presumptuous since it was Valentine’s Day.
“Well, I
don’t know. I’ll have to check with my band mates.” Kevin told her without
seeing her.
“Oh…alright…well,
it was just a thought, you know,” April said. “No pressure.”
Kevin
smiled at her and nodded. “I’ll think about it.”
“Ok, um,
good night,” April stepped back, and waived.
“Same,”
Kevin said.
April
walked quickly with Heavenly, Karla, and Melody to the car.
“Girls it
was awesome, I didn’t act hoochie and egoistic and he
noticed me differently.” She said.
“How so?”
Karla asked. She got inside the car.
“I don’t
know. It felt different, I felt shy.” April blushed.
“I knew it.
You are shy towards him.” Karla pointed at her.
April
laughed and covered her eyes.
The next
day April called Clever but she wasn’t too excited to see April since she
thought she was going to use her.
“I have
good news, Clev,” April told her.
“About
you?” Clever asked.
“Well, sort
of. That time I couldn’t contact you was because the vampires captured me and
Karla and took us to their mansion.” April explained.
“What did
you see? What happened?” Clever asked interested.
“It was
very gloomy and cold in there. They auctioned off humans to be turned into
vampires or to be eaten. I was chosen to be a vampire so they put me in a high
room. Then some girl said that the mansion was protected by some ‘force’ and
that humans can only come and go when assisted by a vampire. I also heard somewhere
that the castle is invisible to humans when Queen Widow wants it to.” April
spoke.
“I know all
that. Do you know where you were located?” Clever asked.
“No…all I
saw was a woody area with many trees and it was always cold. Most of the time
we where there is was rainy, cloudy and foggy. Do you think it’s on another
planet?” April asked.
“No,
Heavenly once said that Josh told her that they had moved to Planet Z.” Clever
said.
“Well, so
far I haven’t heard of places like those.” April shrugged.
“Well, it
could all be a mirage.” Clever replied. “I’ll take that information and see
what place I can come up with.”
“Ok,” April
agreed.