Miyu's Wish (13 page)

“Kimberly, shh. It can’t be that bad,” I whispered gently. She remained silent but scooted forward, placing her head purposefully onto my shoulder. Her face brushed against mine, and I felt her tears run down my cheeks; her heart fluttered against mine, as if we were of the same mind and body.

“But it is…I’m so sorry,” she finally sputtered. She lifted her head.

We were both kneeling, facing each other, our noses almost touching.

“Sorry about what?” I asked slowly. Dizzily.

“I was the one who…” she whispered in a coarse voice, “who ruined your painting.”

I blinked, her admission like a splash of icy water against my face, and yet I knew I shouldn’t have been surprised. I leaned backward, seeing Keil fade away in my mind as he had done the night before.

“I see,” was all I could say.

Kimberly quickly reached for me. “Please Miyu, if I could undo it, I would. I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”

I pushed her arms down, holding them gently by her waist as I stared solemnly into her eyes. “Kimberly, you are everything a girl wishes to be, and I’m grateful I could be the one to save you. But some of the things you do, the things you say, are just too
hurtful.” I pulled her toward me slightly and kissed her on the cheek. “I guess I should go.”

Her lips trembled as she watched me rise from the bed. “Get better, OK?” I said, gazing at her forlorn face one last time. I closed my eyes, and then left through the door.

Everyone stared at me as I entered the hallway.

“She seems to be doing very well,” I told Ms. Sutton with a quavering smile. “We had a good talk.”

Aunt Mari must have seen through my facade. “Well, it’s been a trying event for all of us, and we best be off. Thank you, everyone. Kimberly will be in our prayers.”

We waved good-bye and, once we were beyond earshot, I hurried her to the car. I then exploded into tears and wept until we reached an ice cream shop. Aunt Mari ordered an extra-large sundae.

“I suppose there are two sides to everyone,” she said after hearing about Kimberly’s nasty deed and tearful apology.

I swallowed a mouthful of ice cream and gave an ironic sigh.

Chapter Eighteen

I
 
arrived early at school the next day. I moved like a little ninja, stealthily looking down hallways and ducking into rooms, until I finally reached Literature. The classroom was empty, and I exhaled in relief as I sat down at my desk. The idea of the entire student populace thanking or congratulating me was a little scary.

Students began trickling in, but I pretended to be absorbed in a book and paid them no mind. This worked until someone poked me in the back. It was Tamara, of course. She pulled a chair up to the opposite end of my desk, and with her chin on the backrest, looked at me oddly.

“Marlene told me about your incident at the Festival,” she said.

“Yeah, it was pretty crazy,” I replied, wondering again how far word had spread.

“Why didn’t you call me?” she continued, a sulky tone penetrating her voice. “Marlene is not your only friend, you know.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her; she had been acting much nicer to me lately. I patted her hand. “Tamara, I only talked to Marlene because she called me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spoken to anyone.”

Her stony expression softened as two girls—Margaret and Sue—walked over.

“Miyu,” they said, almost in unison. “We heard what happened! What was it like, being in a situation like that?”

“Um, I don’t know,” I said truthfully. “It’s all kind of a blur.” I looked over to Tamara, and she caught my signal.

“Miyu is still recovering herself, so let’s give her a little space,” she said curtly.

“Oh, we understand,” Sue chimed. “We just wanted to say, um, we think you’re really awesome, Miyu.”

They both nodded and blushed at me as I chirped a weak “thanks” in return.

Margaret then leaned in close to my face. “What was it like, you know, giving Kimberly CPR?” The nervous energy she was emanating sent goose bumps down my arms.

“Um…” I began, feeling my own cheeks starting to glow.

Tamara suddenly pounded her fist on my desk. “Get out of here!” she growled.

Margaret jumped back, looking indignant. “It’s a fair question,” she said petulantly. “Come on Sue, let’s go.” They both
left in a huff, but I noticed they were still peeking at me from the other side of the classroom.

“It’s going to be a long day,” I sighed.

Tamara said nothing, but she looked mighty displeased.

And so the day went. Everywhere I walked, an entourage of eager, bouncing girls followed; and when I managed to elude them, I found myself locked within a ring of guys instead. The teachers didn’t help either, always announcing my deed at the start of each class so that by the end of the day, there wasn’t a person in the eighth grade who didn’t know about me. My only solace was that Kimberly had decided to remain home.

Clarence watched me as I slouched in my chair during Biology. Mr. Skyzey had taken the day off, so we were left with a substitute showing us a video about the Serengeti.

“Yes,” I moaned softly, my eyes closed. “I gave Kimberly CPR. It was scary. I’m signing off on a book and a movie deal soon.”

“It’s not that,” he whispered, half turning to watch a lion tear into a gazelle on the TV. “I wanted to know…did you really go to the carnival with Thad?”

My eyes flipped open, and I peered at him peculiarly. “Well, I met him there,” I said slowly. “So?”

“It’s just, I didn’t think you were into guys like that.”

I continued to gape at him. “And what kind of guy is that? Strong, good looking, well spoken, funny, considerate?”

“Considerate?” Clarence hissed. “Do you know how he treats those he feels are inferior? He throws them into trash cans or stomps on their lunches.” His voice grew louder as he spoke, and I surveyed the class cautiously. Fortunately, they were all currently mesmerized by a pride of lions eyeing a baby elephant.

I turned back to Clarence, my teeth chomping together. “He does not do those things! You’re just being jealous. And besides, I’ve already talked to him about behaving better, and he said he would!”

He snorted and faced the TV. “If you believe he’ll change, then you really are stupid.”

I sat in stunned silence, having never heard him speak so condescendingly to anyone before, let alone me. He seemed to realize his error and suddenly swung back toward me, but it was too late; I was already shifting my chair down to the farthest part of the table I could.

“Miyu, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way,” he whispered desperately. He began scooting toward me.

A few students were beginning to look at us, and I glared at him to stop. Looking like a scolded child, he retreated back to his spot and stared gloomily at the TV.

When class finally ended, I left to join Marlene. I couldn’t help but notice he was still sitting there, alone and dejected, but I forced myself not to care.

“You OK?” Marlene asked, noticing my grouchy disposition. “You and your pal back there have a little tiff ?”

I said nothing, remembering how Thad had also hurt me with his inexplicable snub the day before. And he had completely avoided me today.

“Marlene, guys are jerks,” I said simply. I felt a strange prickle of irony and again thought of Keil.

“They can be,” Marlene said sympathetically, patting my shoulder. “But we can be pretty mean, too.”

I looked up, questioning her with my eyes. She seemed embarrassed.

“Sometimes,” she continued, “when I see you hanging around with Clarence and that brainy Mary Beth girl—you know, the nobodies of the school—I realize how nasty I can be. I mean, I would have never given those people any thought before.”

“But you do now?” I asked.

Marlene gave a sigh. “Yeah, I’m trying at least.” She shook her head haplessly at me. “You even saved Kimberly—not that I care too much about that.”

Her words were like a soothing tonic for my soul, and I immediately hugged her. “Marlene, you are too sweet,” I said, beaming. “You always make me feel better.”

We stood and looked at each other for a moment, but a wave of incoming girls calling my name cut the scene short.

“Guess I better get you out of here before we both get trampled,” she said wryly. She took my hand and, laughing, we slipped out a side door.

Chapter Nineteen

A
fter the Kimberly incident, time seemed to accelerate, as if someone watching from above was fast-forwarding through my life. Girls I had never met before now wanted to be my friend, wanted me to join their student club or organization, or just wanted to follow me through the halls like devoted groupies. There wasn’t much I could do about the third kind, but Tamara did her best to chase them off whenever they became too suffocating. The two that just wouldn’t give up—two cute seventh graders by the names of Ruby and June—eventually became absorbed into our group at my behest, sitting among us at lunch and occasionally joining us for trips to the mall. We often referred to them as the “Twins.”

“Have you figured out yet who your mystery beau is?” Ruby asked eagerly at lunch one day.

“Beaus, with an
s
,” June corrected. “There are
two
admirers after our fair Miyu’s heart.”

They both covered their own hearts and sighed serenely, as if touched by God himself.

Tamara snorted, but I couldn’t help but laugh at them.

Candace must have realized she was going to have to finish their thought. “So,
has
there been any progress?”

Everyone’s faces suddenly bore into mine, and I felt myself melt slightly into my chair. After the event with Kimberly, I received all sorts of notes and cards and flowers and trinkets from more people than I could count—including a few so-called secret admirers. Now, three weeks later, my time in the limelight had passed, but two admirers still persisted. They left me short, uplifting poems every few days, and it was becoming a ritual to share them at the table.

“Well, no, but I got two more notes today,” I said carefully.

“Well, let’s hear them!” Janet urged, accompanied by giggles from the Twins.

“I don’t know,” I said hesitantly. “
They
could be watching.” I looked at Marlene doubtfully.

She gave me the usual amused smile. “Why not? You can skip the really personal parts, if there are any.”

And so, emitting a little sigh, I lifted them out of my bag. The first was written on a sheet of blue stationery in an elegant calligraphic style. The other was folded in a red envelope. My eyes
hopped between the two of them; I had just found them in my locker before lunch, and hadn’t had time to read what they said.

“Read the blue one first!” June suggested, beaming at me.

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I unfolded the blue paper with a twinge of excitement. It read:

Comely Miyu, I want you to know,


Where you go, I would gladly follow.


Lovely Miyu, so wholesome, so sweet,


I bow at your feet, let us please meet.


Your Devoted Admirer


I looked up at the table, smiling under a blushing face.
What a sweetie.

“Awww,” the Twins sang in unison, stars shining in their eyes. “Rather pedestrian, if you ask me,” Tamara said grumpily.

Janet regarded me impatiently. “Read the next one!”

I folded the blue note and placed it in a special school folder—these letters were special to me, and losing them was unthinkable. I then opened the red envelope with delicate precision, revealing a card with two kittens—one orange and one black—snuggling side by side. I held it up for everyone to see, and then read the handwritten inscription inside.

I will honor you always,


For infinite days,


You are the sun’s splendid rays,


You deserve all praise.


My heart fluttered as I finished, and my bra seemed to tighten like a constrictor around my chest. If my friends hadn’t been there, I would have squealed in delight. The cards in the red envelopes sometimes had that effect on me.

“Ahhh,” Ruby whined. “That was so beautiful. I need a boyfriend!”

Everyone else looked too contemplative to say anything.

“What I don’t understand,” Marlene finally mused, “is why they don’t just show themselves. They obviously worship you.”

“Yep,” Candace grinned. “Best kind of boyfriend to have.”

Tamara snorted at both of them.

I placed the card gingerly into its envelope and put it with the first note. I then rose.

“I need to make an extra run to my locker, so I’ll see you all later,” I said, grabbing my things.

I felt a little dizzy, but managed to leave the cafeteria deftly enough. As I ambled down the hall, I heard Tamara call from behind.

“Miyu, remember we’re doing that haunted house tonight. Don’t forget to pick me up.”

“Oh, OK Tamara.” I didn’t really want to go, but she had looked so bummed when I first turned her down, I finally changed my mind. And it
was
almost Halloween.