Chapter 3: I'm not that fine myself too

"I know you are hurt but she just makes me so happy.I wish I could be around her every minute of my life."

I waited outside the school compound for Kevin to come around and like before the summer break-we walked home together. Without fail, I always waited at our school sign which says 'Valley High School' for Kevin every weekday after school. Well, now he usually walks out of school with the jocks and cheerleaders and his arms around Macy.

I raised my arm to look at my watch- it's 3:40. Kevin is 10 minutes late. Alice, stop worrying, he will come out if he said he will. Suddenly a light bulb popped from my head and lit up. I sat down on the grass, leaning on my school sign, I pulled out my file from my bag. I took out the card that I made for Kevin which I did not manage to give him. As on that day I was about to give it to him, he was with Macy.

I looked at the card that I made. It was all our photos in front card with him and I in every photo. My favourite has and always will be the middle picture which I framed with corrugated card and tracing paper. It was a photo of us jumping under the sunlight.

I opened the inside of the peach coloured card and read what I have written,

Dear Kevin,

Thank you for being an AWESOME friend towards me. I wrote this letter to tell you that no matter what happens, I will be by your side. Even when you just lost everybody, I am here for you.

Don't worry Kevin! You have the power to choose to stay strong or to give it all up. And I am here to help you with that.

With love,

Alice xx

A tear dripped onto the card where the word power was. I rubbed off the tear from my eyes and read the sentence again 'You have the power to choose to stay strong or to give it all up'.

I smiled as I read that sentence. Even as hard as it is to get over Kevin, I have the power to stay strong or give it all up. I looked at my watch at it showed 3:47. I knew Kevin would have forgotten because he would always come at 3:35. Sharp.

I slipped the card back into the file and the file into my bag. I jumped up and started my journey home. Yes, I walk to and from school. Besides, I don't want to miss the Argentina and Germany game repeat at 4! I want to see Lionel Messi score his first goal at the Fifa World cup!

I have to admit that I want someone out there to love me for who I am, whether it is Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller or Kevin, I just want someone who will be there for me.

As I walked pass the Fier park, memories flashed through my mind about that kiss again. The reason- there was a couple on the lawn kissing. It's my sister and her boyfriend. She gets all the guys. This is like her 1000th kiss and my kiss with Kevin is the one and only one I had.

Suddenly, her boyfriend opened his eyes and stared at me. My sister, Amy, then pulled herself back from her boyfriend, turned around and looked at me.

"Excuse me," she said with that scarcastic tone of hers when she realised I was watching her.

"Sorry sis, I had memories flashing in my head when I saw you making out with your boyfriend."

Amy lifted one of her eyebrows and flashed me that please-go-away look. I nodded and left.

I threw myself on the couch and switched on the television. Just then it was the goal that Argentina scored which was offside. Don't you feel the same way too? When you worked so hard through the defenders, dribbling, tackling and striking and in the end-nothing.

My eyes widened as I watched Gonzalo Hugain shouting in anger and throwing the ball unto the ground. Wow. I feel the exact same way. I feel like screaming at my sister which shows no sympathy for what I am going through and Kevin for breaking my heart real bad.

After all that dribbling and tackling-all the tough times we went through. After striking the goal-striking the kiss. Thinking that we are assured of scoring a success in our lives, it's offside. It was not a real success-it was not a real kiss.

I changed the channel to the highlights of the Fifa World Cup 2010 match. I watched and watched as I saw matches from Spain with Paraguay, USA with Ghana and and Argentina match with Mexico. My eyes were glued onto the television.

A goal for Argentina against Mexico! It's nice to see something achieved right? But it will-most of the time-let us down. I have to move pass Kevin whether I like it or not. He is just like that offside goal. Now, I have to work on an onside goal.

Suddenly the snapping of fingers sounded from Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror on my phone. I picked it up. It was a call from Kevin.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hey Alice! Where are you now? I have been waiting for you at the school sign since 3:50. Are you coming?"

Wow. 3:50. 20 minutes late.

"Alice?" he asked again.

"Sorry, I left at 3:47. You usually come at 3:35. Sharp."

"I know Alice, you know. I was caught up with Macy. Please understand Alice."

I kept quiet.

"Alice. I know you are hurt but she just makes me so happy. I wish I could be around her every minute of my life. You want me to be happy right?"

We were silent.

"Kevin"

"Alice?"

"I.. ju..st. I just want.."

"Yes?"

"I just want to let you know that you don't have to hurt others to be happy."

I hung up the phone.

Moral of today: Don't let offside goals fool you. Even if they do, try again to score and onside goal.