That Week

A Chapter by Spilt Stardust

Monica woke up on Friday morning at 6:00am. She got ready for school and ran to catch the school bus. When she arrived at school, she talked with her best friends Jackie, Brynn, and Emma. "Hey, did you hear that Dylan was moving?" Asked Jackie. "No." Replied the rest of the group of friends. "Why does it even matter?" spat Monica. Monica was not at all fond of Dylan. He used to tease her about... "Because I heard he was moving into my neighborhood! That's why!" Monica's jaw dropped. "Oh my god. You live near me. If he moves near you, he moves near me. Oh god." Jackie raised her eyebrow. "So now it matters, huh?" The first bell rang.

On Tuesday, Monica's neighbors, the Browns, moved out. Huh, she thought to herself. "Dad, is anyone moving in?" Monica asked her father. "Yes, actually. A family. I'm not sure who, though." He replied. Monica went about with her business. She didn't even think that possibly, Dylan could be the one moving in.

The week went by fast. Days blurred together. Eventually, Saturday arrived. Monica was relieved. On weekends, she didn't have to worry about school, or fitting in, or the people at school. She could hang out, and be herself. Plus, on weekends she "hung out" with her friends. Really, she was in a band, Devil's Tools. She was the lead singer (and could play guitar). Jackie was the bassist, Brynn the guitarist, and Emma was the drummer. When she woke up, she noticed moving vans pulling in the driveway next door. She didn't really care. Monica grabbed her guitar, a yogurt parfait (from the fridge), pulled on some sneakers, and ran to Jackie's house down the road.

She rang the doorbell like five times before Jackie answered the door. "Finally up, sleepy head? It's 10:00 am! Emma and Brynn should be here in a few minutes. Are your parents home?" Said Monica excitedly. "10:00 am?! I slept in again. And no, my parents are not home." Jackie opened the door for Monica.

Emma and Brynn arrived after about 5 minutes. "So? Let's practice! Practice makes perfect, you know.' Shouted Emma as she walked inside. Everyone got thier instruments set in the garage. They started to play thier hearts out. Monica was lost in the music. She closed her eyes. She was playing the guitar fiercely and singing so loud, that she didn't notice when the rest of the band stopped to admire her in her trance. Monica felt sweat on her brow. She didn't care. Nothing mattered but the music, nothing. Soon she felt like she needed to move. When the guitar solo arrived, she jumped up, and landed on her knees. Leaning back, Monica strummed the guitar like her life depended on it. When the guitar solo ended, she opened her eyes. Breathing hard, she blushed. "I told you all I hate it when you guys do that!" She whispered, her voice tired. Everyone laughed, even Monica.

Dylan was just finishing moving in to his new house, when he heard music down the road. He wandered off toward the sound. The music grew louder and louder. Monica and her friends had opened the garage because it had become so sweaty and hot inside. Dylan came close to Jackie's house. He saw a band of all girls. He wasn't close enough to reconize any of them but he watched them for a while, then left.

Monica looked at the clock and stopped mid-song. "F**k! Jackie, you're parents will be hear soon! Pack up!" She screamed so the other girls could hear over thier music. They all rushed to pack up and clean up. Everything was ship-shape when Jackie's parents came home. Monica waved bye and ran back home. She didn't even look at the people who just moved in next door. She dashed into her room a put her guitar on its stand carefully. She put her hair up in a ponytail and plopped on her bed. She fell asleep. When she awoke, she decided to go greet her new neighbors. She fixed herself up, then looked at the sky through her window. Just at the moment Dylan looked through his new window and saw Monica. Then she was gone. Monica headed toward his house. She knocked on his door. Soon, a tall man and skinny woman appeared in the doorway. "Hello," The woman said. "Uh, hello. I'm Monica, I live next door. I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood." Monica smiled. "Oh, why thank you! I'm Donna and this is Mark, my husband. Let me get my son." replied the woman, Donna. She left and returned with no one other than Dylan. Monica saw him and her face fell. "Hi Dylan." Monica mumbled. "Uh, hi, Monica." Dylan mumbled back.

Monica plopped on her bed and gazed at the ceiling. She grabbed her phone and texted Jackie, Brynn, and Emma.

Monica: Dylan moved in next door... to my house

Dylan sat gazing out of his window, hoping for Monica to look out of hers and make eye contact. He didn't know why, but he did. After a while, he saw her. She came up to her window, spotted him, rolled her eyes and shut her curtains. He stared, replaying what just happened in his head. "What did I ever do to her?!" He said to himself.

Monica was lost in thought when her mother, Pam, came in. "Honey, the new neighbors invited us to go out with them. We think it would be good for us to develop a neighborly relationship. Of course, just your father and I will be going, to have grown up time. Is that okay?" Said Pam. "Yeah, I guess." Muttered Monica.

When her parents left, Monica grabbed her guitar, her escape. She went in the backyard for fresh air and began to shred. Dylan was home and heard the noise. He curiously went outside to hear better. He saw Monica with her guitar, and was confused. Dylan always thought of Monica as a shy, happy, colorful person. The annoying type. But when he saw her, he knew he was wrong. There was pain in the way she played. She must be wild, to play like that, in that way. He saw what she was wearing, a black cami, black leather pants, and red sneakers. Who is she? He thought. "Who is she really?" He asked himself. He thought he had her figured out, but at this moment he knew he never did. Monica saw him and stomped off. "Wait!" Dylan shouted to her. "Why should I, monster?" She shouted back. Dylan remembered those words. "Where do I know that from?" He asked. "That's what you said to me." Monica said, and went inside, with watery eyes.

Monica's younger sister died two years earlier. Stephanie was her name. Stephanie died from cancer. Monica knew Stephanie was dying, and she was angry about it. "It's so selfish of you to hurt me like this, because of your pain!" Those were Monica's last words to Stephanie. She didn't mean them, she was just so hurt, she didn't know what to say. Stephanie died right after. Somehow, everyone in the school heard. Everyone turned on Monica, judging her. Dylan was the worst. He said only monsters say things like that. "Stop it!" Monica had pleaded. "Why should I, monster?" He replied.

Monica missed Stephanie now more than ever. "Stephanie, I don't even know if there's a heaven, and if you can hear me, but Im sorry. Im so sorry! God Im sorry! I love you! You are my sister! You will always be my sister, no matter what!" Monica cried out into the air. Then she broke down and cried.

Dylan remembered what he said that day. He felt terrible. "Why would I ever say anything like that?" He slammed his fists on his wall. Dylan admired the way Monica played her guitar, she was fairly pretty, and could sing. He felt bad about anything he ever said to offend her.

The next morning, there was a knock on Monica's window. She got out of bed and went to the window. She opened her curtains, and there, on her balcony was a picnic basket. Inside, was Monica's favorite type of cake, with a note. It read:

Hey Monica, will you be my valentine?

-Joseph

Monica's ex, Joseph, was always trying to win her back. Monica wrote a big "NO!!" on a paper, tied it to a rock, and threw it to the ground. She had really cared for him. That is until he cheated on her- and again after he promised it was over with the other girl. She wanted nothing to do with him.

Monica went back into her room and closed the door. She shut the curtains, and huffed. She sat down and closed her eyes. Tried to forget everything. Then there was another knock at her door. She opened her door. It was Joseph. Monica was about to slam the door shut when Joseph stepped in. "Get out!" Grumbled Monica. "Why?" Asked Joseph. " Because I said, and it's my room. Get out." She replied. "No, not until you talk to me!" He argued. "We just did, get out." Monica demanded. "Talk about us."Joseph insisted. "There is no us. There is nothing else to be said." She said in a cross manner. Monica walked out on to her balcony. Joseph followed. "Leave me alone!" She yelled. "Why won't you take me back?!" Joseph yelled back. "Because I can't forgive you!" Shouted Monica. "Go away!" She added. Of course, Dylan heard. "Yes you can, you just won't!" Joseph cornered Monica. Dylan shouted at the top of his lungs "Get away from her!". Joseph glared at Dylan. "Watch your back, buddy!" Joseph threatend. He climbed down Monica's balcony and left.

Dylan climbed up Monica's balcony to talk. "Hey, have I redeemed myself yet?" Dylan asked. "Not quite yet," Monica said weakly. "Maybe if you try harder."