Neko's meeting | Teen Ink

Neko's meeting

December 5, 2015
By KalianTatum BRONZE, Georgetown, Texas
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KalianTatum BRONZE, Georgetown, Texas
2 articles 5 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Just because I have a mental disorder doesn't mean that I'm not human. It's because I'm human that I make mistakes."
~Jay (Victoria)~


I’m Kalian Tatum. Today I’m transferring to Soma High. I hope it’ll be better than my old school. I got bullied a lot because I was different. I didn’t know why or how I was until one day I saw something peculiar on my body, a fluffy and soft midnight black cat tail and pointy and fuzzy midnight black cat ears?!  I look so cute! I don’t wanna take them off, but I have to go to school now. So, I decided to take them off, but the thing is… It WOULDN’T! I tried taking them off again. But, every time I pulled the pain was excruciating, it was like they’re attached to me! So, I figured I should hide them so, I closed my eyes tight and thought REALLY hard about how to hide them, but then when I opened my eyes they were gone?! Was I imagining them?
“I don’t have time to be thinking about this!” I screamed while I ran out the door to the school, which happens to be around the block, thank God! So, I sprint to school and made it just in time. I’m out of breath, but I have to go get my schedule from the office. Just then I noticed that people are staring and laughing. I got up and walked into the school and into the front and look for the office. I couldn’t find it so I decided to ask around to see where the office is so I know what my schedule would be. I look around there’s a boy standing in front of what looks like a huge classroom.
“Excuse me, is this the main office?” I asked in a polite tone to the boy in front.
He looked my way and smiled, “yes it is.”
Wow he’s so hot! I wonder if I can get his number. No! That’s ridiculous! He probably has a girlfriend anyway. I look at my watch, crap I have to get going!
I smile at him say, “Thanks for your help!” before running towards the main office.
I wonder if I’ll ever be able to talk to him again. He looks popular so I doubt it.
I walk into the office and ask, “Hi, I’m new, and was wondering if I could get my schedule?”
“What’s your name dear?” a teacher asked.
“Kalian Tatum”
“Ok Ms. Tatum here you go,” she says as she hands me my schedule, “do you need someone to escort you?”
“Um, if it’s not too much trouble, then please?”
“Ok, one moment please.”
She got on the phone and said on the intercom, “Jaccob Sterner, please come to the main office, Jaccob Sterner, please come to the main office, thank you.” She gets off the intercom and says, “He’ll be here in a minute.”
“Yes ma’am. Thank you.”
I walk and sit down looking at a chair and wait. A minute later the guy I asked earlier walks in and talks to the teacher and points over to me. What’s going on and why is she pointing? He starts walking over. Why is he walking over here? Is he Jake? If so, is he going to give me a tour?
He stops in front of me and says, “Hello again, I’m guessing your name is Kalian Tatum?”
I nod and stand up, “Pleasure to meet you Mr. Sterner.”
“Please call me Jake,” he smiles at me and offers a handshake.
I nod and stand up and give him a handshake. His handshake is firm, yet gentile. His skin is smooth and he’s very handsome. I wish I could be his girlfriend. I blush and look down to hide my face. I bet he thinks I’m weird… Great, I messed up he probably won’t talk to me unless he’s required.
“Um, Mr. Stern… I mean Jake. Are you here to give me a tour?”
He laughs and says, “you’re funny I like you. Let’s get along well, okay?”
“Ok.”
“Good, okay now let’s go see the school, it’s still first period so we have all day to give you the tour!”
“Jake?”
“Yes?”
“Are you sure? I mean I can figure out the classrooms on my own.” I don’t want him to be seen with me it’d ruin his reputation if somebody does. I don’t want to cause him any trouble.
He stops walking and looks at me, “why do you say that? Of course I’m sure! Why wouldn’t  be?”
I can’t tell him, that I don’t wanna be seen with you because you might lose your reputation… What should I tell him? Will he even be hurt if I tell him? No, probably not.
“I, um, just…” I don’t know how to say it. I shut my eyes tight from being scared.
Just then the bell rang. Thank God I don't have to. But when I opened my eyes, he was surrounded by girls. I should’ve known. I should go. I shouldn’t be a bother.  I start walking forward without looking at him; I walked down the hallway into the Cafeteria. Where am I? Dang it I’m lost. I start looking around for a familiar place. Dang it! Where do I go? I walked to a staircase and sat down on a step. I wonder what I should do or where to go.  I hunch over and cover my face in my hands and think. I guess I should go look for someone else to take me? But I really want HIM to take me around… NO! WHAT AM I THINKING!?!  I stand up quickly and walk in the opposite direction in which he was. While I was walking away I heard the bell ring and someone call out my name.
“Kalian! Where’d you go?”
Isn’t that Jake? Why’s he calling for me? Oh, right he’s supposed to be giving me a tour. I should go and tell him I’m fine and that he can go to class.
“Jake? I’m over here”
He runs towards me and waves. All I can think is… Why is he running? Is he THAT bored?! He can hang out with those girls if he wanted. Or even go to class! Damn you don’t come over! UGGGHHHH! I walk up to him and he stops in front of me.
He says, “Where did you go and why did you leave? I was looking all over for you!”
I reply angrily, “You were surrounded by screaming girls, and I couldn’t get close so, I left.”
“I’m sorry Kali.”
“What are you sorry for? Being popular?” I force a laugh.
“Yes, exactly that, I’m sorry for that.”
“NO! You’re fine, it’s not your fault you’re so handsome,” I smile. Wait… WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!? I blush majorly hard. “Let’s just go Jake…” I look down and then walk forward. Jaccob grabs my arm and smiles. Why is he smiling so big and his face red? Is he blushing? No, can’t be. He must have a fever or something… I should check. I stop and walk up to him and touched his forehead with my hand. He gets even redder. He feels hot, does he have a fever? We have to go to the nurse’s office!

“Jake you’re hot!”
“Ka-kalian?!?”
“I think you have a fever! We have to go to the nurses office!” I grab his hand and walk down the south hall. Which way?!  I look around us. Come on which way?  I look at him worried. He’s even redder and he’s grinning! “Wh-what?”
“You’re holding my hand.”
I blush and let go quickly, “sorry... I thought you had a fever.” Looks at the ground and goes to the steps I was at before.
He follows me to the stare case and sits next to me on the step. I look at him; what was I doing?! Why did I hold his hand?! I hide my face in my knees. That was so embarrassing! I look up at him and he’s staring at me with a worried expression. Why does that look hurt my chest? Stop looking at me like that!
“What’s wrong Jake?”
“Kali? Do you not remember me?”
“Remember you? I don’t remember anything before my parents died.”
“They’re dead?!” He screamed.
“It’s no big deal don’t worry about me. I’m fine!” I force another smile.
Jake then hugged me tight and started crying. I never noticed how big he was. His embrace was warm and comfortable. The shape of his body is rather muscular; from far away he looks tall and scrawny. But, why is he crying? This doesn’t make since. 
“Jake? What’s wrong?”
“Kali? How come you’re not sad about your parents? They loved and cared for you, that time when you were lost in the wood they looked all night long. Then I was the one that found you and returned you ho-...”
I look up in a tears; that was him? Jake? No, wait his name isn’t Jake… It’s…
“What’s wrong Kali?!” He screamed worriedly.
“Nick? Isn’t your name Nick?” I say still crying and hugging him.
“Ho-how do you remember that?! We were so small… And you…”
I hug him tighter; how could I have forgotten such a thing! I’ve been so worried about him. But wait… Isn’t he the same as me? Is he hiding them? I want to ask him… Should I? I have so many questions!
“Nick, I’ve missed you so much! I thought I’d never see you again! After what happened I thought… I thought you died!” I cry harder.
Why did you do that in the first place? Why did you save me that time? Why, I thought he died. I regretted ever being happy in the first place. But… He’s… He’s alive! I fall on the floor crying, my ears and tail pop out. Crap I’m being too emotional in front of him that my ears and tail pop out! I have to leave now! I get up and bolt up the stairs and onto the roof to hide. All I can do is pray that he can’t find me until I calm down and hide my ears and tail. I miss him, but I don’t want him to see me like this. Not again, not after the accident that day. I never want to hurt him again.

15 Years Before


“Hey Nickie guess what! I 3 now! I’ll catch up to you in no time!” I wildly and happily smile.
“I know you are, today’s your birthday. Happy birthday Kali!” he said as he hugged me. “But you know I’ll always be older then you.” He stuck out his tongue and ran off.
“Meanie!” I run after him.
I was in a dress so it was difficult to run, plus he was fast! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to catch up to him, but I will one day. No matter how fast I ran I couldn’t catch up. Dang it I gotta run faster! No he’s outta my sight! No! I stopped to take a breath. Will I ever be able to catch him?! I start crying and ran off into the woods and found the highest tree I could find and climb it. I cried loudly until I fell asleep on the branch. When I woke up I found Nick ontop of me. It was really windy for some reason. I looked around and saw something swirly in the sky. What is that? Why’s it so windy?  I look at Nick. Why is he crying he looks like he’s in pain, what’s wrong with him?
“Nickie what’s wrong? Are you ok?!”
I look at his back and it has a slash of blood on his back. Oh my God what happened? Why is he hurt so bad?
“Nickie!?!”
I try to shake him awake, but he’s doesn’t. Nickie wake up! I shake him harder. He still doesn’t; I start crying again, but louder and more emotion behind it. Nickie, c’mon wake up. It’s not funny anymore! The wind becomes stronger and we start getting picked up by the wind. It’s caring us towards the swirly thing in the sky. All of a sudden I hear someone screaming my name, but it was faint and hard to hear.
“Kalian!” someone said in the distance.
It was almost too late, but I held onto a tree branch with one hand and Nick in the other. Whoever’s there could have us! I gotta cry out to them!
“Over here! I’m over here!” I screamed out!
Maybe they can’t hear me? What should I do?! I gotta get their attention somehow!
“I’M OVER HERE! HEY! OVER HERE! HEY!” I screamed as loud as I could.
How can I get their attention? Dang it! Are we gonna get sucked in?! I can’t hold on much longer! Hurry up, please come save us!
“OVER HERE! PLEASE SAVE US!” Oh no, my voice and I’m losing my grip! Someone please hurry! I started crying and then all of a sudden the branch broke and we were getting sucked in. Is this it? Am I going to die here? Well if I’m going to die at least I’m with him. I closed my eyes shut and then I started to pull him in when someone grabbed my hand and pulled me in. It was my parents! Mommy! Daddy! I grabbed Nick and tried to pull him in with me, he was too heavy and my hand was slipping I let go of my parents hand and grabbed his hand with both of mine. My mom grabbed my waist and started flying too then my dad wrapped his arm across a small tree not letting anyone go.
Don’t you dare slip away! I don’t wanna lose you! Just then he woke up.
“Nickie! C’mon we gotta go! The swirly thing is coming!”
“Ka-l-ian? W-what’s going on?”
He opened his eyes completely and saw me crying and observed the situation and saw the tornado in the sky pulling us toward it. Then he noticed that they were trying to save him. He then saw how hard it was to hold on. So he decided to let go. Nickie? Nickie!
“NICKIE!” I screamed at the top of my voice.
Just then my dad pulled us in and held us down to the tree his arm he was wrapped around. When the tornado passed us and it was safe all I could do was stand there like a pole and stare at where he was taken. My mom shook me hard, but all I noticed was the one spot; the spot that my best and only friend was taken away from me. My father then picked me up and ran me to the house and laid me down on my bed and I just laid there. What just happened? Is Nickie dead? Just then I fainted and then slept. When I woke up it was dark outside and my room was empty. Was that all a dream? It has to be! I gotta see Nickie just to make sure! I walked outta my room and snuck into his bedroom next door, but when I got there the room was empty. Where is he? No, is he really? No! It was a dream! It has to be! I can’t live without him! He’s my only friend! I started crying loudly and I ran throughout the house.
“Nickie! Nickie where are you?!”
“Kalian?! What are you doing up? You’r-…”
“Where’s Nickie daddy? I miss him, he’s usually right next door so I feel safe!”
“Kalian… Nickie isn’t here anymore. He’s gone.”
“Well then let’s just go get him back! That’s all we have to do right? I’ll go get shoes on and we’l-“
“KALIAN! He’s dead. I’m sorry, but he’s gone… He’s no longer in this world”
No… That can’t be… It was a dream right?!? It has to be! Maybe I’m still sleeping! I gotta wake up! I rand to a wall and hit my head against it, over and over.
“I gotta wake up!”
“Kalian! STOP! You’re not sleeping!” He said while running to me and holding me back.
“He’s.. He’s really gone?”
“Yes… he is.”
So, he is? He’s… really dead. I fall down to ground and cry as hard as I ever did.

Present Day


I thought I killed him. How could be alive? I wanted to see him for the longest time. I missed him; he was my one and only friend. I get down and start to walk towards the door. Then I thought to myself, I just ran away from him… He must hate me. Just then I heard the door slam open and saw Nick. He was outta breath, and sweating.
“Nickie?”
He sprint toward me and hugged me tightly but gentility. I shouldn't be hugged by him… I don’t deserve it, but I don’t wanna let go. I wanna be with him forever. I don’t wanna lose him again!
“Kalian. Please don’t leave me. I felt like I was dead when I was without you. Please stay with me Kali. I love you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you!”
I blush a cherry red, I love you too! I can’t live without you either, but I don’t deserve you. I thought I killed you. In fact, I can’t believe I forgot the things I did to you. I don’t deserve you kindness or your embrace or your love. Even though I want you to be completely mine; even though I want to kiss you and hug you and be with you forever, you just can’t be with me. I start crying, and hugging him tightly.
“I love you too Nickie, I missed you so much! In fact I never wanna let you go!”
“Then don’t. I wanna be completely yours and you mine. I thought about you every day waiting a chance to find you again, and if I’d even ever see you again.” He tightens his embrace, “So, please. Let me be with you again, let me always be by your side! Please!”
“Nickie, I can’t…” I push him away and turn around and cry harder but try not to make it too obvious.
“Wh-why not? I know this is sudden and all and that we haven’t seen each other in a while, and I just confessed my feelings for you but… Everything I said is true. You don’t have to love me ba-“
“That’s not it! The truth is that I-“
I can’t say it; I can’t say I love him again. I have to push him away! If I hurt him now he’ll realize I don’t feel anything towards him, but can I say it? I can! I have to! Alright I’ll do it!

“The truth is… I didn’t think about you at all and I never loved you in the slightest I lied to you and I never will!”
“You know what?”
I can’t turn around! If I do it’s all over! But he must be hurting… I don’t wanna hurt him but I have too. I love him too much to look at him hurting, but I have to do this to protect him! I have to act angry! Alright… I can do this!
“Wh-what?”
He spins me around. No! Don’t look at me! If you do, you know I was lying and how much I love you! Don’t look at me! I have to hide my face!  I look down and cover my face.
“Look at me Kali!”
“No! If I do then you’re gonna see me”
“That’s the point, please Kali.”
“No!”
I can’t let him see me but I can’t stop crying. I don’t wanna lose him, but I have to let him go. He pulled my hands away grabbed my waist and kissed me hard yet gently. No, stop kissing me, if you continue I won’t be able to push you away. Please stop. I struggle to get free until he pulled me closer. No! Damn it! I’ve always wanted to kiss him. I kiss him back. I don’t want to be away from him! I wanna be with him forever. He backed off and let me go and smiled brightly while he went to hold me hands.
“Kalian, I love you. I always will. I want to be with you… forever. Even if it’s as a frie-“
I kiss him deeply. I want to be with you too. I love you so much, Nickie.
“I love you too, Nickie. But we can’t be together. Because I’ll ruin and hurt you again.”
“I don’t care you’re mine!”
“Nickie… I don’t wanna ruin your reputation; you can have a new happy life here. And you can live like before and pretend you never saw me. Maybe it would’ve been better if you never saw me.”
I look down at the ground. I have to let him go no matter the consequences of my pain. I don’t deserve him, maybe I should go now. I don’t want him to see me crying. Ima move back and live a new life again, since I know he’s alive I can be happy. That’s what he deserves. He deserves happiness and joy in life and I just can’t provide that. I’m might feel like dyeing because I’m no longer with him, but it’s for his future.
“Nickie, I-“
“Kalian, do you really not wanna be with me? Do you not wanna be held in my arms when you’re sad? Do you want me to go away?”
“No! Of course I-“
Wait. I could tell him a lie that would make him back off! But it’s agonizing to me. That doesn’t matter, right now, Nickie’s my top priority! His happiness MUST come first no matter what!
“Nickie?”
“Kali? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t… Like you… anymore”
Dang it I’m starting to tear up! I have to get outta here now, but I… I don’t wanna leave him! We’re finally together again! Am I being to selfish? What if… I look up at him… he actually loves me. I look down at his hands that moved down to his sides into his pockets and he tried to hold back his tears. No. Don’t cry! I can’t see him crying! I hug him. I’m sorry Nickie don’t cry.
“Nickie, I was lying I’m sorry. I couldn’t ever stop thinking about you! You were always on my mind. Nickie you say you love me… Is that true? Do you love ME? Like truthfully and honestly love me? Because I love you! Your sweet and honey like scent and your long eye lashes and you hazelnut colored eyes. If I could be with you forever, no for eternity, I would without hesitation! So please, don’t cry, okay?”
“Kalian…”
“What is it?”
“I do… I do truly love you and what you said earlier about my ‘reputation’ I couldn’t care less what others think of me. Just you! I just want YOU to tell me what you’re thinking, every moment of every day.”
I don’t know what to do, I thought he was joking, that he couldn’t care less about my personal affairs, but he does, he does care!
“So Kalian, I’ve ALWAYS carried this with me. I know we don’t know each other very well and I get that, but…”
He gets down on one knee and says, “Kalian Mari Tatum, will you become my wife?”
Is this really happening to me? Did he ACTUALLY just purpose to me? My long awaited love asking for my hand in marriage?!
“Yes! Most definitely!”



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on Jul. 18 2016 at 8:25 am
KalianTatum BRONZE, Georgetown, Texas
2 articles 5 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Just because I have a mental disorder doesn't mean that I'm not human. It's because I'm human that I make mistakes."
~Jay (Victoria)~

This is a disappointment!