Chapters 10-13

Chapter Eleven
Time

Flix watched happily as Ksenia went to sit with the French girl instead of Daniel. So the rumors he’d heard had been true. They had finally broken up. It would be better if he knew for certain that she was the one to dump him, but Flix was pretty sure she had. He hoped that their coffee date wasn’t just an excuse to dump Daniel.
* * *
Flix sighed and sat down at the empty table. He had sat alone every day since Daniel started dating Ksenia, and even though it had been a month since they had broken up, he still had no friends. He started unpacking his small lunch when he heard footsteps coming over to the table. He looked up to see none other than Ksenia.
“Do you want to sit with me today?” she asked, smiling warmly.
“S-s-sure I guess.” Flix stammered in response. He stood up and placed his lunch back into the brown paper bag. He followed Ksenia to a large picnic table right outside the cafeteria. Flix wondered why he hadn’t thought of sitting outside all those miserable lonely days. The warm breeze made him feel better immediately, even though it smelled of smog.
“I love being outside too.” Ksenia said smiling.
“I didn’t say anything.” Flix responded in confusion. Ksenia’s face fell instantly. “But my mom back in Maine says it’s easy to tell what I’m thinking!” Flix said quickly, seeing his mistake.
“Yeah.”
“Ksenia! You brought us a friend!” The French girl yelled. She got up and walked over to Flix and Ksenia. She was much shorter than they were, but she seemed to tower above as she looked Flix over.
“Je m’appelle Celeste. Et toi?” She finally asked him. Flix stared at her in confusion, and frantically turned to Ksenia who was laughing.
“It’s French! You’re so stupid sometimes!” Ksenia laughed. Flix grinned in response.
“Well at least I don’t stand in the middle of Starbucks lecturing a C.D. on John Lennon’s taste in music!” Ksenia laughed harder and punched Flix’s arm. They sat down at the picnic table together. Flix had never had more fun at lunch. So he wouldn’t ruin the mood, he ignored Celeste’s questioning gaze that returned to him every time he interacted with Ksenia.
* * *
When Flix returned home from school, Lauren was gone. When he asked Stud, he just grunted “She said she was sick of me. Just like all the other ones.” Flix sighed at the response and wandered up to his room. There he found on his pillow an envelope from Lauren.
“I’m going back to Maine?” he asked Stud when he came back from his room, holding a plane ticket in his hand.
“Eh. She said that you wanted to go home, but you couldn’t so you had to visit.” Then he turned and glared at him. “You’ll go and after its okay, then you’re moving back. It sucks having you around. It’s ruining my image.” Flix stifled a laugh and went off to pack. The plane left that Friday.

Chapter Twelve
Little Birdie

Hey! Your boyfriend is leaving Friday for Maine. If he likes it, he’s moving back. L
Ksenia looked up as Celeste handed a note to her from the next desk. They were in Government class, one of Ksenia’s only classes without Flix.
He’s leaving on Friday? I hope he likes it better here with us. I don’t want him to move.
Ksenia wrote quickly and shoved the torn piece of paper to Celeste.
Oh really… I think someone has a crush on a certain someone! HA! Have you asked him out since that Daniel Starbucks thingy? You should.
Ksenia sighed as she read Celeste’s note. Like always, Celeste had jumped to conclusions. Ksenia couldn’t let her assumption be right though. She really was getting too close to him, and he knew too much.
I don’t like him, okay? I just think he would like it better here because
Ksenia read what she had written and realized how pathetic it sounded. She grimaced and erased it quickly, before Celeste could see it.
I don’t like him that way. He’s just a friend. I wouldn’t want you to move either, and he’s the same way. I think Mrs. Brooks is looking. We should probably stop.
She passed the note over to Celeste and waited for her response.
Eh, I still think you do. And of course you wouldn’t want me to move, what would you ever do without me??? J Yeah, we should stop. If Brooks yells at me again, I’m in detention for good. BYE!
Ksenia glanced over at Celeste. It looked like she was trying to stifle a laugh. Ksenia sighed and looked back at the chalk board.
* * *
When Ksenia walked over to the picnic table for lunch, she saw Celeste whispering to Flix. That couldn’t be a good sign.
“Hey guys! What are you talking about?” She asked, resisting the urge to start screaming at Celeste.
“Um, nothing really, you know I’m going to Maine this weekend right?” Flix stammered quickly.
“Yeah, a little birdie named Celeste told me.” Ksenia replied and tried to glare at Celeste but ended up grinning. She sat down in her normal place between Flix and Celeste and dumped a small lunch out of her brown paper sack.
“Yuck.” She murmured quietly to herself, and started nibbling on a stalk of celery.

Chapter Thirteen
Home

“Oh honey! You’re finally here! Oh look at you, you’ve grown so much, you’re so handsome! Everyone is so excited to see you, especially Darrell! How was the plane ride, did you get sick? Oh I’ve missed you so much honey!” Flix was greeted by his very excited mother in the airport. She hugged him tight as soon as he walked into baggage claim.
“Hi Mom, I missed you too.” He said to her, embarrassed. His mother, Julia, was about five feet tall and had long, curly, dark brown hair. Her olive toned skin was clear of any blemishes. Flix had always known that her beauty was the reason Stud had married her and created him. Flix hugged his mother and started walking with her to the parking lot, shivering in the cold as he left the warm airport.
“How was your trip honey? Darrell just has been impossible since you left. He attacks every dog he sees and whines all night. I just can’t make him behave. You’ll help though, won’t you?” She beamed proudly at Flix. Flix couldn’t wait to see Darrell, his dog. He couldn’t wait to see everything and everyone in his old home town, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he would rather be back at home in L.A. He was torn between two homes. He shook his head and listened to Julia.
“Hey Darrell, come here boy! I’m back!” Flix called as he walked into the house. He was assailed by familiar scent of blackberries. His mother worked in a store that sold and canned berries, and she often took her work home with her. At that moment Darrell came trotting into the living room. Darrell was a big and shaggy black lab, and he walked with a limp. He had been hit by a car the first year Flix owned him. Darrell was an old dog; Flix had had him since he was eight years old. Flix got down on his knees and scratched him behind the ears, laughing as Darrell licked his cheek.
“Honey, do you want to take him for a walk? I’ve got to get started on dinner anyway. Here, catch!” Julia threw him Darrell’s leash and a parka. Flix grinned and said goodbye, then walked out the door, talking to Darrell all the way.