Motivating Mara

Chapter One: She's Back

[Nick] Chapter One

"Nick Mara," my mouth parted and said my name.

Nick sounded better than Nicholas. I didn't hate having two names. I only hated having one. Nicholas Mara sounded like some weird ass kid's name. Nick Mara was what I was sticking to. Besides it's not like anyone is going to care, they don't care at all. It was just how things worked. 

Everyone's eyes were watching me, as I saw everyone who was with my for the past 3 weeks. Except further in the front I was set upon a pair of eyes that I haven't seen before in person. I quickly looked down, everyone who was staring at me; well I could care less.

"Since when did you become Nick?," Mr. Rivers interrupted.

Once again, my eyes went up to glaze at Mr. Rivers and correct him.

"Nicholas Carter Mara," I corrected him, disgusted to say my real name.

I looked back down, eyes catching the brown pair of eyes I haven't seen before. At first when I said Nick her eyes seemed carefree, but I guess after I addressed myself as Nicholas, they widened. Who was she anyway? 

Everyone seemed so interested in her or whatever throughout the day. Except I really didn't care, I don't really give a damn at all about anything. The world is a bunch of crap, what do you expect anyways?

The day went by fast, and I found myself walking home with my good friend; Dean Fuentes. Dean was shorter than me. We are completely opposite, but opposites attract, as they say. Fuentes was a sensitive guy, with a bright mind. His hair was always pushed back with gel, and his eyes always were hidden under his glasses. He wasn't as mature as most of the guys in our class, but overall he was my friend. The only thing we really got in common was books, and well like I said he was my friend. 

"How come you didn't do anything today Nick?," he asked, dragging behind me.

"What do you mean?," I asked back, not really understanding what "anything" meant.

"Your schemes, your plans?," his voice got smaller and smaller.

"It's Monday."

"That's your excuse for everything Mara," he replied back to me.

"Do I say it on Tuesday? Or Wednesday? No," I said, looking inside of the shop windows we were walking past.

"But Nick, you got to stop. You've been doing this for three weeks. You're better than that," he said.

It all snapped in my mind.

You're better than that.

You're better than that.

You're better than that.

Frustration rose in me.

"Better than that? Are you sure about that?," I raised my voice.

He didn't say anything, just dragged along

 We continued walking, I started to feel bad. 

"Hey Dean, you know I don't hate you right?," I made sure I didn't really crush his feelings.

And just like that he lightened up, smiled and said,"right!"

I didn't smile back at him, just nodded. He got the signal, and just smiled and continued walking.

He was a happy person.

I, maybe not.

Time passed and the walk felt longer than before. 

We passed by a few more shops and houses, and soon we'd be at the park. 5 minutes away from our houses.

"Hey Dean we're almost-," I got cut off.

"Look!!," he shouted.

I stared at him confused. What the hell was he looking at?

"NICK! NICK! NICK! LOOK!!!," he caught his eye on some poster.

"Hush up, What the hell are-"

I caught eye to eye at the poster he was staring at.

It was the same eyes I got caught to in math. 

I totally forgot about it all day.

"It's Kora!!," he smiled.

"What the hell Dean? Are you a fangirl or something?," I asked sarcastically.

He got mad for a second but then his mood changed again.

"It's Kora Acosta! From our school! She returned back to school today," he replied calmly.

Kora was on some advertisement for a tv show.

Then I realized she was on tv everywhere, I just didn't notice it at all. She was all over the show biz. On commericals, tv shows, NJ Teen Tv, and a bunch others.

"Wait she was that girl in math?," I asked.

"Yeah! She returned today from shooting that drama!"

Acosta was a small girl, short, but not too short. Her long black hair accompanied her skinny figure. She wasn't exactly skin and bones, but she was in the middle. She was just a normal girl. But everyone knew her from a tv show. But for me, it didn't trigger my brain until now. 

"She's in practically all our classes," he added.

I was caught up in realizing who she was and all, but now I only had one thing to say.

"I don't care."

Dean tore the advertisment flyer off of the wall and we said our goodbyes at the intersection of the road that splits our houses. 

I was frolicing in my pocket for my keys and finally found them. After that I slammed the keys in the door and stepped inside my house.

"DAD! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE THERE TODAY, IT'S FOR SCHOOLING!," I heard my brother Chris shout.

I slammed the door shut.

"SHIT DAD! NOW NICHOLAS IS HOME AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO BE THERE WHEN YOUR OVER THERE AND NICHOLAS IS AT HOME!?," his voice got louder and louder.

I started creeping upstairs, to go to my room.

"Nicholas! Where the hell do you think you're doing?," Chris shouted from the bottom of the staircase.

"Up to my room," I sent back to him.

"Get the hell out of here when I order dinner," he said.

I looked at him, and caught on. I turned my feet the other way and walked toward my room.

"I don't want to see you!," Chris shouted even louder.

I just continued walking till I entered my room, I slumped down on my couch and put my head in my hands. 

The remote was laying around and I pressed the power button. Immediately the tv caught life and the same Kora Acosta was on tv. She was the same exact girl from today at school. That's why everyone buzzed around her, and were so into her. 

She was smiling and bubbly. Her expressions were brisk, and she was constantly laughing and smiling with the host of the show.

Then she said,"sometimes you need to have a little motivation in life. Find it. Motivate."

I looked straight at her smile when she said it.

It played in my head, but I talked back to the tv.

"Welcome back. You don't know what the hell I'm capable of."