• I've never really liked anyone. Most guys are just too immature. Too silly and uncaring. And stupid. But a lot of girls are stupid too. So I've never really had any friends. No one so close to me that it would kill me if I had to part with them. I mean don't get me wrong. I've had friends. Just no one that was ever close. And I've had boyfriends. Just none who've ever made me say those 3 words. And most of my teachers hate me because I outsmart them on a daily basis. I've never had to ask questions in class. I've never gotten anything lower than a 95% on anything. And I always find a way to get a better answer, even if it's just by a little.
    So I guess I'm just too smart.

    B.A. (before Alijah)
    "Kyla Vandyke, if you don’t march your little skinny, smart butt down here, I'm going to pick it up and throw it down here!" My friend, Donna Clark, called from downstairs. It was prom night, and I was supposed to go with her and her boyfriend, Duke. But at the last moment I, for some reason felt like puking. I was so nervous. I groaned loud enough for her to hear me.
    "No! No groaning. I want you down here, looking like the glowing star you are!” I could hear her tapping her foot. Then I heard the doorbell ring. Donna opened it laughed at something the person said, and then yelled up to me, “You’re date’s here, and if I may say, he is really bringing it!” I really didn’t want to get up at first, but I wanted to see Hunter (my boyfriend). I walked slowly out of my bathroom and trudged dramatically downstairs. The reaction when I walked in the room was very, um, electrifying? Donna smiled brightly, because of course this was her work of art. Hunter cleared his throat and said, “You…you look brilliant.” I smiled gently at him. Hunter wasn’t the independent kind. He was kind of quiet most of the time. Duke laughed out loud and said, “Well looks like you have Hunt all tongue-tied. But you are one piece of work. If I wasn’t taken I’d…”
    “Do nothing but stare and look like the dog you are!” Donna said as she smacked him hard in his back. Duke chuckled and grabbed Donnas’ waist. He pulled her to him and kissed her full on the lips.
    “You’re a feisty little thing aren’t ya?” he laughed.
    “Save all of that for later you guys! We need to get a move on.” I said, like the reason we were going to be late was them.
    “Oh, please! Miss, “I don’t want to go I’m going to puke all over Hunters tux and end up working at some burger place cause I won’t have any money to pay for a new one and Hunter will probably think me working at a burger place is disgusting and he’ll break up with me and I’ll never date another boy again and I’ll turn into a lonely old spinster and never love again”. You have no right to be rushing us. But she’s right; we do need to get a move on if we want to get there before all the punch is gone.” So one after one we filed out the door and into Duke’s limousine. “Cater High School.” He said to the driver in the front seat. We buckled in and the driver took off into the wintry, shadowy, night.

    Carter High School 7:02 pm; Still B.A.

    I still felt like throwing up once we walked inside but the feeling settled once I began dancing. Hunter wasn’t all for the fast dancing, but he slowed danced with me a couple of times. After about five dances I went in the dining hall to get something to eat. Donna had come with me, and she was explaining how good of a dancer Duke was, “He really can keep a beat. And he’s very limber for how large he is.” I nodded to everything she said, though I wasn’t really listening. I was thinking about how I was so not interested in Hunter. And how, even though he says he is, he’s not really interested in me either. But something is keeping us from breaking it up. I just can’t figure out what. But it doesn’t really matter. “Are you even listening to me?” Donna said. I looked up at her, still sort of dazed.
    “Uh, yeah, yeah I am. I’m listening.”
    “No you’re not. What were you thinking about?”
    “Just about Hunter. That’s all.”
    “Uh huh. What about Hunter?” she asked curiously.
    “Nothing at all like what you’re thinking I can assure you that.”
    “Oh. Okay. So what do you want to eat?” She asked as she grabbed a couple of doughnuts and a cappuccino. I laughed at her and grabbed one of the doughnuts she was holding.
    “Do you really need all these calories? I think I’ll take one of these off your hands.” Donna frowned and picked up two more doughnuts. “Are you calling me fat? And since when did you become such a Julia (her mom who is always trying to get her to diet because she’s “not fat just too healthy”)?”
    “I’m not calling you fat. I just don’t want you barfing all in the limo on our way home.” I laughed and grabbed a vine of grapes. Donna shoved me playfully and pulled my hair.
    “Ooh look. Two major hotties walking our way.” I followed the direction of her finger and saw that Hunter and Duke were walking for us. I smiled slightly and watched Hunter intently. His walk was so nonchalant, like nothing in the world bothered him, when actually everything did.