Defying Love | Teen Ink

Defying Love MAG

May 24, 2009
By awesomeaugust GOLD, Boston, Massachusetts
awesomeaugust GOLD, Boston, Massachusetts
10 articles 0 photos 176 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground"
~Theordore Roosevelt


I didn't want to like him. He was just so charming.

This might sound like every other love story, and it may be, but it may not. If you don't read on, you'll never know.

My name is Emily Brown, which I've always been quite happy with. I think it makes me sound pleasant but ordinary, and I prefer to blend in. Now, I suppose it's only polite to tell you a bit about myself before I jump into my story. I am five feet, two inches, have brown hair that comes to my shoulders, and I am not talented in any special way. These are the basic facts of me, and I think these are all I ought to tell you.

His name was Andrew Rivers and he was perfectly wonderful in every way. When he first came to my school in twelfth grade, he was a bit eccentric and didn't fit in right away. He was into music and played the drums and the guitar, although he wasn't good at either. What he was good at was singing, and when he did, you wanted to cry and laugh and sing along with him all at once.

My name is Emily Brown and his was Andrew Rivers and I loved him.

About two months into my last year of high school, Andrew asked me out. I was surprised since I had hardly ever talked to him, but I didn't have a boyfriend, and I didn't know how to say no.

It may help you to know that at my school there were couples that were simply together for the name, and some that were together only to have a date for dances and for kissing and other such things. When Andrew asked me out I had no idea what his intentions were, and I didn't like having no idea. I'm by no means a confrontational person, but I was starting to feel offended that after I had said that I would date him, he hadn't said another word to me. So I went up to him and we had a little talk.

Me: “Hey, Andrew.”

Andrew: “Hey.”

Me: “So …”

Andrew: (annoyingly, nothing)

Me: “You asked me out.”

Andrew: (nothing again)

Me: “Why?”

Andrew: “Why'd I ask you out?”

Me: “Right.”

Andrew: “I felt like it.”

Me: (irritated) “You felt like it?”

Andrew: “That's what I said, isn't it?”

Me: (infuriated) “I'm sorry. Actually I'm not. I didn't realize you were such a jerk, and I don't want to go out with you anymore.” (I'd never dumped someone before, okay?)

Andrew: “Are you dumping me?”

Me: “What do you think?”

Andrew: “Why?”

Me: “I feel like it.”

Andrew: (smiling) “Do you like Chinese food?”

Me: “I hate it.”

Andrew: “You've never had it.”

Me: “How do you know?”

Andrew: (laughing) “I'm good at reading people.”

Me: “Well, obviously you suck, because I've had Chinese food a million times and I hated it every time.”

Andrew: “Would you like to go out with me tonight?”

Me: “You're asking me on a date?”

Andrew: “Yes.”

Me: “Read my answer.”

Andrew: “Wonderful! I'll see you tonight. Be ready by six. Ish. Sixish.”

I hated this strange boy who I'd only really talked to twice. He made me infuriated. The only problem was, I couldn't figure out if I liked that or not.

That night at sixish sharp, Andrew showed up at my doorstep. My parents have never been into meeting my boyfriends, but as I was stepping out, he stepped in. He walked right into the living room where my parents sat watching the baseball game.

When he came back out I asked, “What'd you say?”

“I told them I'd have you back by eight.”

“Ish?”

He laughed. “Nope. Just eight.”

We didn't talk much on the car ride. He had a CD playing that sounded kind of like Bob Marley, but I'd never heard the song before. It wasn't until we got there that I realized I didn't know where we were going. A small sign stood in front of the building but the name was too peeled away for me to be able to read it. What I could read was the sign beneath where the name should be, and it said, “The best Chinese cuisine for miles.”

“Chinese, huh?”

He smirked.

We walked inside and it was only then that I realized exactly how small the building was. There were little tables in the center of the room, about five of them, and a couch against one wall for sitting while you waited. As if. There was no waiting; we were the only customers. A sign read “PLEASE SEAT YOURSELF,” but I guess because of the lack of business, a waiter came over to seat us. He tried to show us to a table, but Andrew said, “Oh, no, thank you. We'll be sitting down here.”

He strolled over to the couch and at first I thought he wanted us to sit there, but then he grabbed two pillows and placed them on the ground a little way away from the tables.

I looked at him, baffled.

“Authenticity,” he said, smiling. He was always smiling.

I, personally, couldn't see how sitting on the floor was authentic.

***

There were many other dates, all very unusual. I was used to dances and movies, but with Andrew I got sunsets and local concerts. Once he took me to a bingo night that his aunt was hosting. Oddly enough, that was the night we first kissed.

I remember so clearly the day of graduation, the day I realized that Andrew and I wouldn't always be together. After we threw our hats and got our diplomas, he found me.

“End of high school, huh?” he said.

“Yeah.”

“What do you want to do, Emily?”

“With my life?”

“Sure.”

“Be with you.”

He didn't smile like I wanted him to.

“Don't you want to go to college?”

I sighed. “Want to, or have to?”

Now he smiled. “You choose.”

“I should. Go to college, I mean. I found one that'll accept me.”

There was a long pause before I said, “Andrew, what about you?”

“What about me?”

“What are you gonna do?”

“I dunno. Do what I do best, I guess. Play my music.”

“Oh. Yeah. That's cool. See you later?”

“When would I see you?”

“I see what you mean.”

“Bye, Emily.”

“Bye.”

Thinking back, I wish I had said something better than bye. I wish I had told him that I loved him more than words could describe and that when he sang to me I felt like I was all that mattered in the world. I wanted to tell him that if he had just asked, I wouldn't have gone to college. I would have played his music with him.

I'm sitting at my computer right now, looking at a name on the screen on a website called “peoplefinder.” I want to call him and hear his voice, but I'm afraid. I'm afraid that he won't be my same Andrew.

I get a glass of cold water and sit on my couch. I picture myself having one last conversation with him.

Me: “Hey, Andrew.” (I say it so casually, just like old times.)

Andrew: “Hey, Emily.”

Me: “Why are you wearing a tie?”

Andrew: “Why shouldn't I be?”

Me: “I don't know.”

Andrew: “I have a job.”

Me: “Good.”

Andrew: “I'm a lawyer, Emily.”

Me: “That's great.”

Andrew: “You don't sound like that's great.”

Me: “Don't I?”

Andrew: “I live in an apartment in the city. I talk on the phone with other businesspeople.”

Me: “I'm proud of you.”

Andrew: “I have a diploma hanging up on the wall of my office. My office.”

Me: “Do you play music anymore, Andrew?”

Andrew: “Music.”

He looks at me as if he doesn't remember the word.

Andrew: “No, I don't play my music anymore.”

Me: “Oh.”

Me: “I loved you, Andrew.”

Andrew: “Loved? Past tense?”

Me: “I think so.”

Andrew: “I love you.”

Me: “Why'd you ask me out?”

Andrew: “I thought you were beautiful and smart, and I loved how shiny your dark brown hair was. I liked how you weren't too loud, and you didn't wear low-cut shirts like most other girls.”

Me: “I wish you'd said, ‘Because I felt like it.'”

Andrew: “Sorry.”

Me: “Me too.”

Andrew: “I have to be going.”

Me: “Yeah.”

Me: “Wait!”

Andrew: “Yes?”

Me: “I'd never had Chinese food before.”



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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 542 comments.


Realtai BRONZE said...
on Oct. 28 2010 at 6:24 pm
Realtai BRONZE, Port Orange, Florida
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be who you are for the sake of yourself.

Aww, i thought the ending was great. I really liked this :D

on Oct. 28 2010 at 5:34 pm
fairbrat BRONZE, Sacramento, California
3 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
Better to ask forgivness than permission

this is so good! Its really well written and funny, along with a good story line. awesome job!

on Oct. 28 2010 at 4:46 pm
That was amazing!! I wanted to read more, but when I got to the end of the page I realized there was no more. you should so add more to that story

iluvicecream said...
on Oct. 28 2010 at 2:06 pm
iluvicecream, North Andover, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
wow....this is really really good. and i like how there wasnt any boring parts. haha i'm not much of a reader or writer but i like this =]

fairydust said...
on Oct. 28 2010 at 1:48 pm
awwww that was amazing i loved it and keep writing you will create wonderful pieces

elizabeth said...
on Oct. 28 2010 at 12:52 pm

you had a great idea, but i think you should rethink the part where you were telling us about you. For example: This might sound like every other love story, and it may be, but it may not. If you don't read on, you'll never know.

 you could say the same thing with out coming right out and saying we should rean on.

Great Start!


alexxeo GOLD said...
on Oct. 28 2010 at 12:49 pm
alexxeo GOLD, Saint Helens, Oregon
12 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Absence from the ones we love is self from self-- a deadly banishment." -William Shakespere

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo De Vinci

"Seduce my mind
...and speak those words to the point of
contradiction.
Hypocrisy never seemed so beautiful.
Your lips have it down to an
art. Oh, I know I'm in love with
wordplay.
Speak to me,
'til your lips are numb.
We'll always have pen and paper. " -By Anonymous, Mississauga, Canada

yeah, I thought so too. The ending was PERFECT!(:

on Oct. 28 2010 at 12:48 pm
madison.stewart. SILVER, Saint Helens, Oregon
9 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Kristian is amazing."

This story is amazing! I really love it.

on Oct. 28 2010 at 9:11 am
Novelist05 BRONZE, -, Other
3 articles 0 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Live like you're going to die tomorrow and Learn like you're going to live forever"

It's really cute and original.

I love it


on Oct. 28 2010 at 7:24 am
xAllegria BRONZE, Singapore, Other
1 article 2 photos 112 comments

Favorite Quote:
Ça fait tellement du bien d’aimer les gens qu’on aime, que ça finit par faire mal. Je sais pas comment on survit a ça. Non franchement, je sais pas. LOL (laughing out loud) ®, Lola.

Nice. Very original voice and plot.

on Oct. 27 2010 at 10:21 pm
elizabitty BRONZE, Not Aplicable, California
1 article 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
The glass is never half empty unless it started fuller.

I loved it. This was so amazing, and really touching

on Oct. 23 2010 at 6:43 pm
Be_Free PLATINUM, Longview, Texas
37 articles 1 photo 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion overall." -- The Masque of the Red Death, Edgar Allan Poe

Awesome story. I really liked it

on Oct. 21 2010 at 6:12 pm
Kaylin_Mackenzie GOLD, Tomball, Texas
13 articles 0 photos 61 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You might not like me, but Jesus thinks I'm to die for!"
"L.O.V.E's just another word I'll never learn to pronounce...."

Awwww!!!  So sad!  They're supposed to be together forever and all that jazz!  Aw!!!  I'm sad now....

 

 

Extremmmmmmely well written.  I loved the first few paragraphs especially; the introduction to the dialogue was spectacular!  Well done!


on Oct. 21 2010 at 2:26 pm
BeautyandBeast BRONZE, St.Peters, Missouri
4 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
Mom: I learned my lesson, I had three of you!
Daughter: You didn't learn your lesson, you had three of us!!! lol :D

that story is adorable, it reminds me of myself

on Oct. 19 2010 at 12:39 pm
socrprncss12 SILVER, Weslaco, Texas
9 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
With God, Anything is Possible

awww...you had me on the edge of my seat tht something was going to happen and i loved the story.

on Oct. 17 2010 at 9:04 pm
bluegirl440 DIAMOND, Park City, Utah
84 articles 0 photos 48 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everybody lies. -House

made me smile in a sad way :)

Dayne22 SILVER said...
on Oct. 17 2010 at 4:23 pm
Dayne22 SILVER, Las Cruces, New Mexico
6 articles 31 photos 82 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication"- Leonardo DaVinci "Sometimes people are beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are" -Markus Zusak "I'm just trying to be me... Whoever that is" Unknown

aww...im crying!! how sad BUT REALLY GOOD!!! :'(

on Oct. 17 2010 at 2:18 pm
Dessometrics BRONZE, Charleston, South Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
currently seeking

i love it!!!

Keeta BRONZE said...
on Oct. 17 2010 at 1:08 pm
Keeta BRONZE, Lehigh, Florida
4 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
the past cant be changed so live in the present.

amazing i love it. a wonderlul story, keep it up

MosoSem GOLD said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 10:27 am
MosoSem GOLD, Maseru, Other
14 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I'm beautiful in my way, because God makes no mistakes, baby I was born this way!", Lady Gaga.

I love this! This is officially favorited, keep it up!