Sequel: Her Letters
Status: Completed but comments are appreciated.

Superman

birthday

The 26th of December was your birthday. I woke up at 6 am just for you. I know that you know that I'm one of those people who wakes up late even though he or she slept early or late. I also know that I'm not the most artistic person in the world but I made you a scrapbook about us. I searched my messy room for my secret stash of pictures about us. When I found it, it was about 7am in the morning already. An hour passed already and I didn't notice.

It was actually an old Barbie lunchbox that I used when I was a kid. It was dirty outside but it was clean inside since it was closed tightly. I don't remember how many pictures were inside that box but I do remember that I spent a lot of time sorting all of it.

Did you know how many hours in total I spent working on that? 3 hours. I placed the scrapbook inside another old Superman lunchbox that my cousin had. I know how much you had loved Superman before.

My mom drove me to your house. And for the first time in my life, I dressed up nicely. I was so nervous that day because I haven't met anyone related to you besides your mother. You always avoid the topic of your family when I bring it up.

I found it unfair that you knew most of my family and I didn't even know yours.

My hands were shaking as I knocked on your door. And then, there you were standing in front of me wearing your favorite Rolling Stones shirt, beanie, faded skinny jeans and your black Vans. You looked amazing. Whereas I was only wearing my black skinny jeans with your Superman shirt tucked inside of it. My cousin curled my hair and that was about it. I think I dressed up nicely that day. That was the only time I dressed up nicely in my whole life. I did it for you anyways.

"Well, surprise!" I awkwardly said as I did jazz hands. You gaped at me (At least that was I think it was. You probably had been gaping at me because of the utter ridiculousness of my outfit) but you composed yourself and opened the door more, "Right. Zoe, come on in."
I released the breath I didn't know that I was holding as you placed your hand softly on my shoulder and led me towards the couch.

Once I was seated, you were moving to sit beside me when someone called you. I heard you mutter, "Shit." And I giggled a little at that. See, I also giggled for you. I never giggle.
You looked at me with this apologetic look on your face and mouthed a 'sorry' before leaving me alone.

"Well, aren't you just the cutest person I've ever seen," a male voice said. I looked at the stranger and couldn't believe my eyes.

He looked like you. He sounded like you and dressed in the same style as you (not in the same outfit). He had this slightly darker shade of brown hair than you and he also had the same brown eyes that I absolutely adored. Hell, you and him could pass as twins.

"Are you the famous Zoe Sanchez that I've been hearing about?" he asked me. I nodded stiffly. I was very awkward back then.

He smiled at me and oh, how my heart almost melted. He smiled the same way you'd expect, given he had dimples. I had a soft spot for dimples back then. He said as he offered me a can of Coke, "Care for a drink?"

I relaxed and took on his offer. I smiled shyly at him as I sipped the Coke. He was just like you. But I would still choose you.

"Are you Lance's brother?" I asked him. He grinned and nodded. "Yeah. He talks about you sometimes. I must say that you are quite the charmer. My name's John."

My heart sank a little when he said 'sometimes'. Though, I blushed at his statement of me being a charmer. We laughed and talked and did the process over and over again until I forgot that you weren't by my side. That was the first time that I had come out of my shell outside school.

"Oh, you see that girl?" he said as he scooted closer to me. I squinted at the person he pointed at a girl standing near the stairs and saw that it was Jasmine.

"What about her?" I asked and he replied, "Well, he always talks about her. She came here before Christmas."

The words 'before Christmas' echoed in my head again and again. My heart sank. It really sank. On the scale of 1-5 on which level my heart is right now (1 being the lowest, of course), it would probably a -10. I was that devastated. I didn't know that she was more important than welcoming your best friend back.

After talking for so long, John said he needed to go somewhere and left. I waited for hours for you to remember that I was here. I looked at my watch and saw that it was time for me to go home. I looked at the paper bag on my hand and sighed.

'It's all or nothing,' I thought to myself as I stood up and mustered up all of my courage and dignity I had left to give you the gift.

And then I saw you and Jasmine laughing together without any care of the world.

"So yeah, this is a scrapbook. I hope you like it," Jasmine said.

"I don't just like it. I love it," you replied and needless to say, my heart sank lower than the lowest and that was what I only needed to hear. I clutched the paper bag and left without a word.

Her scrapbook was better than mine anyway.
♠ ♠ ♠
I hate Jasmine. Don't you?