Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
It was ten minutes until class begun as the students strolled in casually. Anesa and Travis were walking in together when they noticed Anton and Kyle were coming in from the opposite side. Travis quickly held up a hand to stop his friend “After you.” He specifically eyed Anton.
Kyle frowned strangely “What’s the matter with you?”
Travis straightened himself “Why, I wouldn’t want Anton to get angry that I walked in before him. Trust me, we wouldn’t want to see his temper rise.” He began laughing hysterically with his head thrown back.
Anesa smiled weakly as she pushed her friend into the class room and pulled him up to their usual seats “What the hell are you doing?” she hissed.
“What? You’re the only one that can make a joke?” he said heatedly while wiping his tears of laughter.
“It’s not a joke!” she was tired of trying to convince him.
Kyle and Anton eventually took their seats next to the two weirdos “I told you she was not normal.” Kyle whispered to his friend.
Anton raised his brows at Anesa before taking a seat next to her. Travis couldn’t help himself as he tilted his head to look at Anton and began chuckling again, earning a punch in the arm from Anesa. He narrowed his eyes strangely and flicked his finger for her to come closer “Does he know?”
She shook her head with wide eyes “No. Nothing.” She replied in a low voice “Apparently, it is even harder to convince him of the truth.” She snickered and quickly caught her tongue “Not that I was trying to rat you out.”
He smiled “I know you won’t.”
“Won’t what?” Kyle was trying to eavesdrop but he couldn’t understand the conversation.
“Don’t be nosy!” Anesa snapped.
He rolled his eyes away to the door and found Billie and Ellena walking in together. Waving his arm wildly, he called for her “Ellie! Over here!”
Billie turned to her friend “When did you two become such good buddies?”
“He’s just very friendly.” Ellena covered as she walked up the steps towards Kyle. He patted her on the empty seat next to him “Keep it down, I don’t want her to suspect anything.” She whispered.
“It was just a makeover Ellie, not like we slept together.” He said sarcastically “I wouldn’t mind but I don’t want my penis chopped off or something…you know she’d do it if she found out.” He muttered when Billie threw him another look “Can she read lips?”
Ellena turned to him an odd smile “I don’t think so.”
“Okay, I could have sworn she is reading me right now.” He tightened his lips to talk.
“What?” she could barely understand him.
Travis leaned over and placed a finger over his lips “Shhh! Or I’ll have Anton beat your asses!” he cracked up with laughter “Man, I’m on a roll!”
“Yeah, the only ass he could beat is…” Kyle faded away as he closed his mouth “Nevermind.”
“Good evening everyone. Thank you for coming back, I must say this semester has the bravest students. There are usually some that drop off mid-term but you guys are still here. So give yourself a pat on the back.” She smiled while the group laughed and turned to random people and patted each other on the backs “Tonight, we are going to get in depth with ‘Changes to Personality’. Let me ask you guys. When is it okay to change yourself to please the other person while in a relationship?”
Kyle snorted, “That’s easy.” He turned to Ellena “Listen and learn.” Raising his hand, Billie nodded for him to answer, “This is a trick question. The answer is never. You should never change who you are to please anyone. They should appreciate you for who you really are.” Proud of his answer, he pointed his nose in the air with confidence.
Billie bobbed her head up and down “I see…who agrees with Kyle?” about ten hands came up. She smiled “Is it safe to say all of you with your hands up have had plenty of failed relationships?” The people slowly lowered their hands “The correct answer is whenever necessary. It is true, you cannot change the core of a person’s born trait. For instance…stubborn, cocky, childish, optimistic, pessimistic…the list goes on. But this rule does not apply when it comes to dating. When you are in a relationship, suddenly you will realize the other opinion is just as important as yours. If you do not adjust yourself to the changes of your significant other’s personality, then it is doom to fail.”
Travis was intrigued as he raised his hand “So you’re saying, it’s okay to change when and if you are in a relationship that needs change?”
“Correct.” Billie pointed with a smile.
“Show off.” Anesa retorted.
She continued, “The reason why most breakup happens is because one of the two or both of the people are under the misconception that change is going against their beliefs and morals. They think by changing means that they are not being themselves. Contrary to what you might think the definition of change is…in the relationship world it is equivalent to the word compromise or some has said tolerance.” Billie hopped on her favorite seat, on the desk centered of the classroom “So when do you think it is necessary to change your outlook or personality?” she nodded to a guy in the center row “Go ahead Jimmy, give it a shot.”
He appeared to be deep in thought as he answered, “I dated this girl that really loved to argue with me. Over every little thing. Whether it was the dishes needed to be washed right away or watching a movie that she didn’t like. I think I was pretty patient when it came to the little things. I avoided all movies that she didn’t want to watch and made an effort to remember to wash the dishes right after we finished the last bite.”
“She crossed the line somewhere.” Billie heard a similar story before.
“Yes! She began controlling me and telling what I should and should not wear. She practically got me a whole new wardrobe and threw out the clothes that I was comfortable wearing. I had no choice but to break up with her.” He concluded.
“Typical male.” One of the girls snickered.
Jimmy frowned at her “What?”
“Explain for us, Kelly.” Billie pointed out with cross arms.
“A girl only wants the best interest when it comes to their man. She obviously thought you needed help with your wardrobe. What do you do for a living?” Kelly asked.
“I was an advertising agent.” He replied.
She nodded “So you wear suits everyday?” he slowly shook his head “So jeans and t-shirt to see your clients?”
“Not torn jeans, they are perfectly nice looking jeans.” He said in defense.
“And you do well at this job?” she patronized.
Jimmy squirmed in his seat “What does my clothes have to do with a job?”
Billie laughed with amusement as she watched the two bicker “So, are you still angry that Jimmy dumped you Kelly?” the two turned to her in shock, amazed at how she could read them “Let me take a guess. You felt a little smothered that she was on your case every second of the day. The fire that you once had, the easy going gal that you once knew and loved had turned into a manipulative bitch?”
“Well…she’s not a bitch…but yeah...” Jimmy agreed.
She pointed to Kelly “And you felt angry that he would have the heart to break up with you after all that you tried to do for him. Helping him with his wardrobe would only further his career and bring on more clients. Instead he took it in offense every time you opened your mouth. Until today, you still hold a grudge as to why he would be so cold as to leave you without a straight answer.”
“The story of my life.” Kelly snickered “How do you do that?”
“It’s a gift.” Billie hopped off her desk and approached Jimmy “Do you have something to say to Kelly?”
Nodding, he swallowed every bit of manhood to say the words “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have broken up with you without an explanation. I really felt like you had changed or hiding your true self with me when you became this controlling person. I had no idea you were trying to help me with my career. You know I don’t match the suit and tie thing.”
“I know, that’s why I suggested that you finish your computer science degree.” She smiled thoughtfully.
“I did.” He grinned proudly “I’m working at a graphics design studio.”
“That’s great!” Kelly was excited for him.
“Awww, how sweet!!!” Anesa squealed at the same time she applauded them “Now kiss and make up.”
Billie laughed with a shaking head “It doesn’t quite work that way. There are still grudges and hurt feelings involved. If you want to work things out, stay after class and we’ll talk.” The two mutually agreed with a nod of the head. She turned to her class with a clap “Okay, let’s do a fun exercise. I will pair off everyone and you guys will get a chance to perform in front of the class. Everyone will need to come up with an example of either changing or a fight occurring due to unwillingness to change.”
“Can I pick the pairs?” Anesa asked with pleading eyes.
“No.” Billie replied firmly. Kyle stifled a laugh while Anesa threw him a deadly stare “Kyle and Anesa is one pair.” The entire class laughed as they all knew about their history and how they could not stand to be around each other if not for their other friends “Anton and Jamie. Kelly and Jimmy.” She smiled at the two “Travis and our new visitor Ellena.” She finished the rest of the pairs and gave them twenty minutes to come up with a short scripted play.
Kyle reluctantly moved his seat next to Anesa while Ellena moved up to sit next to Travis. She pulled out a little notepad and pen “I thought we should go ahead and list out all the situations that come to mind and choose the one with the best dialogue or easy actions.”
Travis laughed “I was thinking more of brainstorming with words.” He raised his eyes at her strangely “This isn’t work.”
She knew he was right “Yes. That’s true…sorry, I’m a little nervous being in here.”
“Did Billie force you to come?” he asked nosily.
Shaking her head, she replied, “No, she didn’t. That’s not the reason why I’m nervous.” Her eyes moved over to Kyle, who too was stealing glances at her. She turned back to Travis who widened his eyes with a pointed finger at her and Kyle “No!” she shook her head vehemently “Not that…eh…”
“Shh, she’s coming!” Travis hissed as he pretended to be thinking hard when Billie walked around to check on her students “I was thinking maybe we can do a couple arguing about how the guy is overly jealous and he can’t trust his girlfriend to go out with any other guy.”
Billie smiled “That’s a good one, but it’s already been talked about. You guys could come up with something better, I’m sure.”
“Yeah…okay.” Travis nodded as he watched her move to Kyle and Anesa.
“Hey, so how often does Anton go out?” Anesa asked.
Kyle eyed her strangely “What’s it to you? Do you like him or something?”
“No, just curious that’s all.” She said weakly.
“Oh my God, you do. You have a crush on my roommate. You like him! Just admit it.” His voice rose.
Billie walked by with a frown “That’s good Kyle, but maybe you shouldn’t sound so angry. Anyways, I think Travis and Ellena are doing the same bit.” She continued down the row.
Anesa leaned in closer as she gritted her teeth “Look you freak, don’t you dare whisper a word to anyone about this or I’ll bury you alive.” She warned.
Kyle sat back with a short laugh “Like I fall for threats. Anyways, he’ll never like you. It’s against his…eh…religion.”
“What?” she yelped “Anyways, I’m his type. Heck, I’m everyone’s type.”
“You’re not mine.” He quipped.
“Thank God.” Anesa rolled her eyes and made contact with Anton. Smiling, she waved to him as he nodded with a smile “I know more than you know about your roommate.” She sang at Kyle, who could really care less.
He snickered “That’s what you think.”