“Just Be Friends, All We Gotta Do Is Just Be Friends…It’s Time To Say Goodbye, Just Be Friends…”

You know those moments in life when you think you see something, but you can’t quite believe it until that something practically runs up and slaps you in the face?
I used to take those moments for granted, like if I saw an old school friend or a relative or someone. But now, in town, I always wish that those “moments” could happen again, and the “something” would have a cheeky grin, cat ears twitching softly in the breeze. I guess that it’s too much to ask for.

“Someday out of the blue
In a crowded street, or a deserted square
I’ll turn and I’ll see you, as if we always knew
Someday we could start again someday soon….”

“Detroit!”
I spun on my heels as I heard someone call my name. The square was empty, deserted, the sun just beginning to set. Everybody had gone in. I walked away again. Maybe it was just my imagination…I’ve been hallucinating a LOT recently since Zak left. But the call came louder, more frantic.
“DETROIT! Are you blind or something?!”

Then, a shadow tore towards me. Upon close inspection I saw it was a young man, with wild, messy blonde hair and the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. He looked familiar, though I didn’t remember him.
“Do….I know you? And how do YOU know MY name?” I asked, stepping away from this madman who claimed to know me. I was the only Detroit within the city, as far as I knew.

He laughed, and I got that warm feeling again.

“Very funny, Detroit….it’s me, Zak, remember?”

I looked at him, up and down, for a good five minutes. There were no ears on his head.
“E-Ears…? They’re gone…” I whispered, pointing to his head. He laughed and hugged me hard. I’d never seen him this happy.
“Yeah! I finally found out how to ‘manage’ my powers…they’re still there, but I figured out how to make them disappear so I can just about fit in with all the other “normal” people…”

It was my turn to laugh now. He was over-excited, but why? Usually, he’d just be casual. His eyes were sparkling.
“Come on, let’s go grab a drink. We have so much to tell each other…”

“We didn’t last, me and him. He kept ogling other girls…so I dumped him” I told Zak about my ex-boyfriend. Zak listened intently, laughing now and again. I never realised how much I missed that laugh up until now.
“Well…I met a girl…” Zak said, cheeks suddenly flaring strawberry pink. There was a silence at the table.
“Really? What’s she like?”
“She’s very nice. Absolutely beautiful, I tell you. You’d love her, Detroit”

I couldn’t help but feel a sharp pang of…was that JEALOUSY?
I stood up and stormed out of the cafe, slamming the door. No doubt leaving behind a very confused Zak..

Looking back on it now, I feel so stupid. Why did I feel this way….why? Zak was simply a friend and nothing more.
—-
Oh dear….looks like xThreeDaysGracex has been listening to VOCALOID again…
I tried to go for a humour kind of thing here….no doubt it’ll suck T^T
This was requested by the fabulous three people that are known as: ALooseAvian, raqshan and Cillman(:  Thanks you guys!

I think I had a right to be concerned. I’m losing Zak, day by day.

We met up again a few days after my “stupid” huff, and both of us acted like it had never happened. We did that now. Never mention the past, never mentioned the killings, the institute, Keenan, Dr Xavier….we talked of Roux sometimes. But not often. Roux is the only reminder we have that everything happened, everything was real.

“What’s this girl’s name?” I asked, picking up a few daisies and threading them.

“Arizona. She’s ever so nice, and absolutely beautiful I tell you”

I noticed that Zak was wearing a soft brown T-shirt and white cargo pants, but instead of the leather strap I gave to him for his 14^th birthday, a silver watch was strapped on his wrist. I tilted my head, squinting at it. He never went ANYWHERE without the leather strap. He noticed me staring.

“What?”

“The….leather strap, I gave you…it’s…”

“Oh, that thing…? I lost it ages ago. Arizona bought me this watch from Paris. Do you like it?” he asked, grinning at me. I nodded, and then turned away from him, to face the ocean, far away in the distance.

“Yeah, it’s nice” I mumbled, still threading my daisies. I looped it into a bracelet and handed it to Zak, a smile on my face.

“Here! This can replace that leather strap!” I said, as cheerfully as was physically possible. He took it, and gave me a fake smile. The smile was there, pearly white cat-like teeth…but his eyes didn’t light up. It was only a mask. Nothing more.

“I’ve gotta go…see you later, Detroit” Zak said, standing up, hitching up his trousers, pocketing his phone, and strolling away down the hill.

He’d left the bracelet of daisies.

I stood up, clutching it, shaking my fist at him. I wanted to throw it but didn’t seem to have any strength left in me. Since when did Zak become first place in World Class Jerk nominations?

Maybe it was just me. Maybe Zak had always been like this…no, that’s not it! The Zak I knew was sweet and caring and apologetic.

“Hey Detroit….sweetie, what’s the matter?” Mum called up the stairs after me. I slammed my door shut, flopped onto my bed and picked up the photo frame that had earned itself a place on my bedside table. It was picture of me and Zak and Roux, all of us in a huddle, heads together, grinning at the camera.

“What happened, eh Zak? What happened to you? What happened to us?”

Zak invited me out to meet Arizona later on in the week. And she was NOT nice. To me anyway.

Both of them sat together, Arizona giggling and stealing his chips….even if she hadn’t ordered any for himself.

“You shoulda ordered some for yourself! I haven’t had any!” Zak said, jokingly. Arizona giggled and punched his shoulder. Hard.

“Oh, you’re so funny Zak!”

Arizona went to the bathroom, and when she was gone, Zak rubbed his shoulder. I gave him a sympathetic smile and followed Arizona to the bathroom. Where she became a whole other different person. She glared at me as I washed my hands and made sure my hair looked neat (as neat as I could get it. I cut it a year and a half ago and started to grow it, and it’s stuck in that awful, straggly, in between stage) She fixed her make-up and pin-neat blonde hair, then turned to me.

“Who, are you? Zak told me something about a girl…just never realised that ‘girl’ would be you. What’s he doing hanging out with stupid kids? How old are you? You look 15! She snapped, hands on hips. She reminded me of Caitlin.

“For your information, my name is Detroit and I’m actually 20…I’m Zak’s BEST friend”

“All right, geez, I didn’t ask for your life story…and anyway, you stay away from Zak, he’s MINE”

She flounced out of the bathroom, leaving me stood there, dumfounded.

Don’t worry; there is a reason for why Zak is so cold towards Detroit. All will be revealed…sooner or later. Just keep an eye on Arizona’s “playful” violent behaviour.

PS: A few chapters will swap from Detroit’s POV to third person…..just clearing it up

So, Cillman, ALooseAvian and raqshan seemed to be worried that Chapter One was the end of it XD ITS NOT GUYS!!! I’ve got a good plot worked out here!

At home, I lay on my stomach on my bed, glasses on, chewing on a Pocky stick. I was MEANT to be studying, but thinking about Arizona’s odd behaviour was more interesting than algebra. Really.

I stroked the dog, who’d clambered onto my bed in the hope he could shred some coursework.

“What do you think, Doodle?” I asked, staring into his chocolate brown eyes. He leaned forward and licked my glasses, making them all smeary. He shifted his heavy Labrador body off my bed, stretched, and padded downstairs to see if he could snaffle something out of the fridge. And a few minutes later, there was a smell of a real doggy fart wafting around. Gross.

The doorbell went and I raced downstairs to answer it. Zak stood there, a lopsided smile on his face.

“Eh….can I stay here for a while? Kinda lonely…”

“Where’s Arizona?” I asked, more coldly than I meant to.

“Out with her parents….visiting her nan who is in hospital…” Zak said, uneasily.  I weakened and let him in. I then noticed a bruise on his eye.

“Eh? What’s that, Zak?” I asked, brushing aside his fringe.

“That….I got into a fight with a door…an’ uh…lost” he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, his usually pale face turning a strawberry red…

My heart swooped. I loved him more than ever when he looked like that. But no…I can’t let myself. He had Arizona, as annoying as she was. Perhaps she was just the insecure type, and she and Zak really did get on…?

“What’s with the…?” he gestured to my hair, spiky and just…EVERYWHERE, and my red glasses.

“I was studying, until you came along…I look horrible with my glasses, I know” I said, whipping them off and shoving them into my trouser pocket.

“You looked like Roux”

My bedroom was eerily silent at the mention of Roux’s name.

“So….how’s this Arizona treating you?”

“Eh? Oh…she’s nice. Like I said”

“You say nice all the time. Zak, I’m sorry, but I’m getting a really horrible vibe off her. And if Roux were here I’m sure he’d think the same…”

“That’s just your opinion, Detroit…like I said Arizona is really nice!”

“Yes, because punching you is real nice”

“She didn’t mean it, she said sorry after”

I sighed.

“Okay,” I reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched away from me, raising his hands over his head.

“Are you alright, Zak?”

ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN NEXT CHAPTER XD

Chapter Four – Laugh

(In third person)

Zak watched the sunset quietly. There was a cold chill in the air as night began to fall, but he didn’t want to return to the apartment. No way. Either way, it didn’t matter if he was late returning home. She’d still beat him, convinced he’d been seeing some other girl

“Especially that THING. I mean, is she a girl or a boy?”

Zak clenched his fists. SHE insulted Detroit so horribly.

He sighed and rolled up his sleeves and gently traced the bruises on his arms. The words rang in his head

“You’re pathetic. Can’t even stand up for yourself”

“You need that girl, don’t you? Tough”

“Freak”

“Don’t even think about telling anybody. I’ll kill you and that girl”

Zak closed his eyes and sighed. He wanted to tell somebody, but he couldn’t. He could imagine his friends laugh as he told them that his girlfriend beat him senseless, made him feel bad about himself. Worst of all, he could see Detroit laughing, a cruel, sick and twisted scream of a laugh, just like the one he had in that dream, years ago.

It was WHY he was treating her so coldly. He didn’t want Arizona to ever hurt her. He was pushing Detroit away for her own safety. He pushed everyone away now. Didn’t want Arizona to hurt them.

“Join me, in this parade

So, apologies for this short chapter, but the 3^rd person chapter will be short :3

You’re probably thinking “Wait, WTH?!”

But, I made Zak being abused my Arizona because:

1: It ties in nicely with his childhood, like when he though the hardship was over, it came back

2: It’ll fit in with what’s going to happen

3: Abuse in men is ALWAYS ignored, and tbh, I’m just trying to raise awareness of this kind of thing. Abuse happens in men too.

Oh, and the “lyrics” at the end are from a piece of fanart I did to go with a song me and my friend wrote(:

I promise won’t go into details about abuse and stuff. I reckon I’ve been far too depressing XD Oh, and be ready to have Phil Collins “Look Through My Eyes” fired at you xD

Just Be Friends – Chapter Five – He’s Dead

Zak seemed so sad as he left my house. I watched him go, leaning on the door, swinging listlessly back and forth. Swung too far and collapsed into a heap on the floor. I struggled upwards, re-adjusting my glasses. Zak didn’t even smile then. As he walked away, I noticed more bruises on the back of his neck, his shoulders, even his wrists.

Something was definitely going on. Zak wasn’t the clumsy sort and he’d definitely tell me if he’d been in a fight.

Closing the door, I nearly tripped over Doodle, who’d decided it’d be fun to stand behind me and make me fall for the second time.

“Doodle…oh no, my glasses!” I cried, picking up my glasses, which had flew off my face and skittered across the hardwood floor, bent in half, one of the lenses smashed.

I can see perfectly fine without them, but since a young age Roux and I suffered with mad headaches while reading, writing, and staring at a computer screen for far too long. And so, we were lumbered with glasses. The both of us were. I looked like a nerd, whereas Roux managed to pull them off and look like Harry Potter, for goodness sake. Man, now when I think about it, Roux and I shared so many traits. The allergy to peppermints, the same smile, and the same pose we both adopted when bored out of our minds. It makes me miss him even more.

I miss Ezra too. I don’t speak of him often because through my childhood he tortured Roux, pulling the heads off his teddies and tearing up pictures he did at school. Ezra always was jealous; often because Mother gave more attention to Roux then she did to me and Ezra. Ezra and I were the outcasts, the ones you took one look at and instantly thought bad of us. Ezra and I were tall, scrawny, stubborn, and very, very often got ourselves into trouble. Roux was tall too, slim, obedient (when I wasn’t influencing him) and very often took the blame for things I did.

I don’t speak of Ezra because it was possibly the way he treated Roux and treated me like I was a princess. He called me a princess too, when I was younger. Then he met those thugs he called his friends. And I was subjected to being his annoying little sister. Nothing more. Ezra didn’t like Zak either. Thought he was a bit of a freak, a bit of a troubled soul.

I reached out and picked up the phone on the hallway table. Dialling a number, I held it to my ear. I hadn’t spoken to him in ages. How would he react? He didn’t know about the death of Roux just yet. He was doing so well at Art College and it would be horrible to give him that sort of bad news.

“Hello, Ezra Stark speaking…,” His voice had changed too. I sat there, listening to it. It was deeper (obviously) and far more sophisticated than when he was a kid.

“Hello? Anybody there?!”

“Uh, hello….Ezra?”

“Who are you?”

“Your…sister. Detroit”

“Oh hi Detroit. How are you? What about Roux, still doing well? And how about, Zak, the strange one?”

xThreeDaysGracex : Hi guys! It’s me, I’m back!

NinJa: Go away, we don’t like you anymore…!

xThreeDaysGracex : Uh…. O_O So, sorry I haven’t updated in like….FOREVER >__< I’ve just been occupied with a bunch of other things like….school, another story I’ve got going (I often ask myself why I’m writing it because I nearly VOMIT with the pure horror I write down. AND NOT BLOOD AND GORE HORROR, another story I’m writing for a competition, AND we have a photography competition going at school that I might enter (If I find some people who are willing to dress up and pose….perhaps a cookie bribe? All we gotta do is recreated an important event that happened at some point in history…)

But I still read all your wonderful stories that make me smile (: Hope you’re all doing well and have had a fantastic week(:  TGIFriday!

I am not making fun of anybody who wears glasses. I myself wear glasses (RED ONES ) for reading and writing and that stuff…I still can’t see the board at school xD

Hope you’re all doing okay(:

xThreeDaysGracex
PS: Ignore the title…..tis rubbish xD

Just Be Friends – Teh Evil Plot Bunnehz

xThreeDaysGracex is a fail of a writer.

Why?

She just is.

Okay, so I have a better reason than that. I am a fail of a writer because I have left many unanswered questions. Like, for example, how did the Mother react to Roux’s death? Well, she reacted in a different way than Detroit. Detroit was just numb, cold, and never cried. Her mother, cried for at least 5 days straight, mourning the loss of her son. Now here is where the even sadder bit come sin. Secretly, she always liked Roux better than Detroit. He was quiet, thoughtful, and witty, whereas his sister was stubborn, loud, and very often leapt without looking. Eh DX

I think it was because I was in a rush to finish Smile, Troubled Soul. My muse had abandoned me, and I was left to struggle on with writing the darn thing.

Luckily, it came back when Just Be Friends was born DX AND EVEN THEN IT FAILED ON ME DX

So, Zak was being incredibly OOC, and he got a girlfriend, even though he always secretly loved Detroit. And now, he’s being abused by Arizona (because she’s a jealous, insecure weirdo XD)

ALooseAvian asked if Arizona KNEW about the cat ears and the mad-rage killing thing XD My answer….no. But, Zak doesn’t fight back because he’s JUST got over the past. He’s planning to start fresh, no killings, nothing at all. He knows if he fights back or runs away it’ll get worse.

Blah blah blah *flips through notes* meh, I think that’s it.

Any questions….no? Good. Class dismissed.