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.


Reigyn said...
on May. 18 2010 at 7:36 pm
Reigyn, Toronto, Other
0 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dance like no one is watching, love like you'll never be hurt,sing like no one is listening,and live like it's heaven on earth."- William Purkey
As we struggle to make sense of things, life looks on in repose. ~Author Unknown

Aw, this is such a sweet piece. I love it.

I<3mybff said...
on May. 18 2010 at 7:23 pm
It makes me think, i love my best friend more than ANYTHING can describe. And it makes me think what's gonna happen when this year ends? Will we ever be the same again?

Juless SILVER said...
on May. 18 2010 at 3:21 pm
Juless SILVER, New York City, New York
5 articles 7 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.” - Laozi
"God does not give heed to the ambitiousness of our prayers, because he is always ready to give to us his light, not a visible light but an intellectual and spiritual one; but we are not always ready to receive it when we turn aside and down to other things out of a desire for temporal things."-Saint Augustine
"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." - John F Kennedy

NAILED IT BRAVOOOO

I sound like a mom but I really did like it 

lmfao


on May. 15 2010 at 7:40 pm
kurairamen SILVER, Charlotte, North Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 7 comments
Awwww...I think i'm gonna cry!!! It makes me think about someone...That's what stories are supposed to do, write? Make you think about your past, sometimes? If so, you nailed it!

on May. 14 2010 at 9:06 pm
writergirl22 SILVER, In, New York
6 articles 0 photos 66 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never frown. You never know who's falling in love with your smile." -Anounymous

"Sixish sharp"

My two favorite words of the story. I love it! so original!


IT's ME! said...
on May. 12 2010 at 1:04 pm
This is AMAZING!!!! I almost started crying. Andrew reminds me of one of my friends perfectly. Great work.

on May. 8 2010 at 6:01 pm
Alice_in_Wonderland GOLD, San Clemente, California
16 articles 0 photos 620 comments

Favorite Quote:
“I could give up, I could stay stuck, or I could move on, So I put one foot front of the other, No no no nothing’s gonna break my stride, “ –David Archuleta (The Other Side of Down)

Great story. I loved it... Could you please read my writing and rate and comment on them? Thanks. Congradulation on getting it in the magazine.

on May. 8 2010 at 5:59 pm
Alice_in_Wonderland GOLD, San Clemente, California
16 articles 0 photos 620 comments

Favorite Quote:
“I could give up, I could stay stuck, or I could move on, So I put one foot front of the other, No no no nothing’s gonna break my stride, “ –David Archuleta (The Other Side of Down)

awww.... I was never really interested in reading romance stories before...but now I am! Great job! I loved this story. I think there should be a sequel or at least another romace story similar to this one. Great job.

on May. 5 2010 at 7:30 pm
chelseabelle BRONZE, Tampa, Florida
2 articles 0 photos 10 comments
this was really great. the end made me tear up a bit! keep writing :)

on May. 5 2010 at 10:14 am
live.create16 GOLD, Dedham, Maine
11 articles 4 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
- Louisa May Alcott.

this is really good! :]

on May. 5 2010 at 9:08 am
catherinemarinax, Converse, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

I really enjoyed reading this (:
Just the type of story I like, wonderfully written. Keep writing!

on May. 5 2010 at 12:03 am
AllYourBase BRONZE, Austin, Texas
3 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Awesome.

 

 

Awesome.


on May. 3 2010 at 8:29 pm
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

Aw, thanks Cripple :)

Did you see my comment on yours? I left one didn't I? I LURVED it!


Picky reader said...
on May. 1 2010 at 9:44 pm
I loved this story! Congrats on getting into the magazine! U desserved it, big time!

on May. 1 2010 at 8:55 pm
Just.A.Dream SILVER, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
7 articles 0 photos 430 comments

Favorite Quote:
Part of the J7X team. :)

Congrats on getting this into the magazine!

I can definitely see why they chose this!

Keep up the good work, I loved this story!


on Apr. 28 2010 at 4:55 pm
realRayofSunshine SILVER, Harvard, Massachusetts
5 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"One day the world will wake up to see the reality"-John Lennon

Fofia, I LOVE THIS! grats on getting it in the magazine :) you're awesome, and I love this story.

luv,

Cripple


on Apr. 28 2010 at 8:51 am
thats.about.it. BRONZE, Las Vegas, Nevada
4 articles 4 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
I was the kid next door's imaginary friend. -Emo Phillips

this was awesome! i loved it! and the picture was pretty cute, too.

LaChApIs said...
on Apr. 27 2010 at 3:47 pm
Very KHUTE!This is a very nice story and was worth my time unlike other stories! Keep writing! you should write a book when you do give me a copy k? XD

on Apr. 24 2010 at 3:41 pm
andshesfearless GOLD, West Harrison, New York
10 articles 1 photo 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
-jimi hendrix-

wow i got some great imagery from this piece! it was awesome

sxb1122 SILVER said...
on Apr. 19 2010 at 11:37 pm
sxb1122 SILVER, Lake Jackson, Texas
6 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Remember what John and Paul said." "The apostles?" "No, the Beatles. All you need is love."

At first I was iffy about if I'd like this or not, but although your writing style is unlike many I know, I quite enjoyed reading it. It was blunt, but in a good and enjoyable way.

~sxb1122