Izzy C

Izzy Chinn is a Holy Name student who loves reading, travelling, volleyball, and listening to music. She plays for a vollyball club called Slainte and is a libero/ DS. She also plays for the Holy Name CYO team and is usually a middle or outside hitter. Izzy also reads a lot and her favorite series is the Twisted Series and her favorite book is The Hunger Games or The Cheat Sheet. She usually exhanges books with her older cousin and friend. She's also travelled to a lot of places (mostly Disney) with family and friends. Her favorite places to go to are Japan, Disney Cruises, and Hawaii. She really hopes to go on the Disney Wish soon. Izzy also listens to a lot of music on Spotify. Her top 3 artists are Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Julie and the Phantoms. Her favorite Taylor Swift song is Wonderland, her favorite Olivia Rodrigo song is Can't Catch Me Now, and her favorite Julie and the Phantoms song is Wake up. 

Faking Friendship

By: Izzy Chinn

—-------------------------------------

Jake

I’m waiting for Alex to finish her volleyball practice. They’re only supposed to take two hours but ninety-five percent of the time they run over time by at least thirty minutes and unfortunately today is one of those days. I was able to get all assignments, some work, and also some unfinished business done. It felt like fifty degrees here and one hundred jackets wouldn’t even keep me warm here. I’d need so much more than that. I hated my dad for making me deal with this hell of a place. He died two years ago and as he was on his hospital bed dying and looking as pale as a ghost he made me promise him that I wouldn’t do anything crazy. But how could I? I didn’t want him to die unhappy though, so I lied to him saying that I would keep that promise. I lied to my dying father and even though I am one hell of a kid who has done many sinful things in the past, this was probably the worst thing that I’ve ever done. 

As soon as I finished the work at the hospital I rushed home and ran to my room and locked the door. I wasn’t sure who I was hiding from. Maybe my dad’s disappointment and disapproval but at that point I didn’t care. I needed to know my father’s murderer. I still remember getting the call from the hospital that somebody assassinated my father outside his office. Apparently the murderer was my father’s business rival aka Alex’s grandfather. So here I was trying to get closer to her to get to her grandfather so he and his family could go through the exact same pain I went through. I just hope I will be able to get my job done soon so I won't have to deal with this hell anymore. 

Alex

Jake was getting impatient. I could tell. I wanted to tell him to sit still but I knew that would provoke him and make him jump out of his seat as fast as a panther could run. And besides that he was the only way I could get to my practices. My brother was studying all the way in Japan and China and none of my friends could drive me. Finally practice was over and Jake could drive me back to my dorm. Jake and I have been friends since middle school even though he was two years older than me (I’m 18 and he’s 20). I met Jake when I was getting jumped and mugged by these high schoolers and was almost beaten dead until he came. It brought back so many memories and flashbacks that only Jake knew about -not even my brother- and has been protecting me since then. 

“You ready yet Little Mulan?” He asked calling me by his nickname for me. 

“Yes Jake. Where are the rest of the pirates?” I asked, giving him HIS nickname to the rest of his friends or as he likes to call them, his “acquaintances”. 

“Just hurry up unless you want to take the bus.” he grumbled. I knew he’d never let me take the bus on my own but it was still fun to mess with him sometimes. 

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I told him walking slower than my grandpa and a snail combined. 

“That’s it.” he muttered. That was the only warning I got before he hoisted me onto his shoulder as if I was as light as a feather. When we got to the car Jake got what I assume was a business phone call and picked up. I guess he didn’t know he was on speaker and that I could hear every single word the other guy was speaking. 

But then I heard the other guy saying, “You’ll do it to her when the time is right.” That’s when I squeaked and I guess he found out that I heard every single part of that conversation. He hung up before I-and the other guy- could say anything and tossed me into the passenger seat of his car. What the hell was that? What the heck is Jake hiding from me?

Jake

Frick. How had I been so careless? My plan would have slipped Alex hadn’t made a sound. I was so angry I would’ve just killed her grandfather right then and there. But I couldn’t. I just can’t do it. Not yet. Alex is my only true friend and I can’t lose her. Not yet. She was the only one who understood or who would try to understand. Maybe when I find someone as great as her I’ll do it. That’s gonna be pretty damn hard though. People always pretend to care and understand but I know they don’t. I learned that after my first and last girlfriend Brittany. I’ve had plenty of girls throw themselves at me as fast as I could hit them all. I guess I felt something with Brittany though so I asked her out. 

As soon as I tried to talk to her about my family she started looking really uncomfortable. That’s when I called it off. I’ve also tried with my other friends and they’ve had the same reaction as Brittany. Nobody knows what to do or say when you’re an orphan like me. That’s also when I realized Alex would be the only one I could talk to about this. If I was going to have lost two people in my life I at least want to have someone to talk to about it. That’s why Alex can’t and will never ever find out about my plan.

Alex

It’s been three days since the phone call and Jake has been quieter than a mouse. He hasn’t texted me or answered my calls. When I try texting them the little “read” sign and time show up and when I call him he immediately declines the calls. I didn’t even know if he was going to pick me up for practice today so I was just leaving my dorm when I saw a sleek black BMW pull up. 

“Get in.” Jake said in a very calm yet authoritative tone. He said it so harshly though that I obeyed. Now wasn’t the time to get into trouble with Jake. The car ride was so awkward. Usually we’re firing things back and forth at each other and complaining about the world's stupidest things but today we were just listening to the faint singing of Ed Sheeran singing “Photograph”. 

When we got to the gym and I was about to get out Jake pasted on the fakest smile I’ve ever seen and told me, “Forget about a couple days ago. It was nothing. We’re cool.” I was shocked. He ignored me for THREE days and now he’s telling me to forget about it AND is acting like I should be the one apologizing to him? This guy is acting way more psycho than usual. 

“Forget about it?!” I yelled at him. We were drawing attention. I didn’t even need to look to feel the heat of the stares of people. “You’re crazy! You ignored me for THREE WHOLE DAYS and you tell me to forget about it?” I hated how I was yelling at him. I know it brings back bad memories for him but at that point I didn’t care anymore. “You know what? Fine. Screw you.” I walked towards my teammates without looking back.

Alex

The next day after my volunteer hours with my friends I went to Jake’s house. I was still upset with him but not as upset as I was yesterday but still, I needed some answers. If he wouldn’t give them to me I’d get them myself. Some of the questions I needed answers to were like “what the hell is/was Jake going to do to this girl?” or “Why is he hiding stuff from me?” Jake never hides anything from me and I don’t hide anything from him. We were each other’s sounding boards AND best friends for Christ's sake. Aside from my anger I got his spare key from my purse and turned it into the keyhole. After I got in I put the code for his alarm in and quickly locked the door. I don’t know why I’m sneaking around. It’s not like I came here unannounced. I sent him a message telling him I was coming over and he said okay. And besides, even if I did come here unannounced it’s not like it’s unusual. We’re always going to each other’s place unannounced even when the other person isn’t there and it’s a complete stranger there instead. I will never let Jake go for going into a stranger's house no matter how many times he claims that was the first time he did it and that he was drunk. I doubted that was the case though given that he barely drinks. 

I was looking all over his house for a clue of what he was hiding. Maybe it was in his “secret” office or bedroom. Nope. And I knew he was too smart to leave it out in the open. There was only one place that I didn’t check and that was his actual office. 

I went in there and oh golly gee whiz. There were so many papers and folders scattered all over the floor and various desks. I guess it was time to start hunting. About an hour and a half later I found what I was looking for, I think. It was about his father’s murderer. I opened the file and my mouth shaped a perfect “O”. He was planning to murder someone. “Who is she?” I asked myself. I guess God wanted to help me out because a paper fell out of the folder. OH MY GOSH!

Jake wasn’t going to kill a she he was going to kill a he and the she that would be affected would me.

Jake

Something was up with Alex. She’s been avoiding me and I know she isn’t mad at me because whenever she’s mad at me she always tells me. And if she’s really pissed then she’d give me the silent treatment. She wasn’t doing either though. It was as if she was scared 0f me. Whenever I’d try to text me she’d respond but only with vague one word answers. It was almost as if she was scared of me. I went to her house to pick her up for practice but when I got to her dorm something felt strange. It almost felt… empty? I rang the doorbell. No one came. I rang it again. No one answered. What the heck was going on? Why wasn’t she answering the door? She was usually very quick unless… No! No she can’t be hurt! She’s clumsy so I wouldn’t put it past her. I grabbed my key to her house and opened the door. 

“Alex?” I asked the air in the room, “Alex, come out now! This is not funny.” But as I was walking around the house I noticed that the usual decor around the house wasn’t there. No pictures, no plush rugs, no throw pillows, no nothing except the basic furniture like a couch and table and chairs. I rushed out there and without even thinking I jumped into the car and sped around the city looking for her. She was nowhere to be found. The only place I didn’t check was the gym where she had practice. But how would she have gotten there? No one was able to drive her there. Unless… No. She’s too scared to take public transportation on her own. I went to the gym anyway and there she was! How did she get there? As if God were punishing me I saw an older guy who looked a lot like her sitting on the bleachers. I guess Alex felt the heat of my stare because she turned around but as soon as she saw me she turned away immediately without even waving. Something was definitely up.

Alex

What the heck was Jake doing here? Why was he… ohhhhhh shoot. I forgot to text him that I didn’t need a ride to practice. Although why does he deserve to know? I’m never interacting with that little poopy again. I called my brother Aidan who was coming back from Asia about what I found out from Jake’s place because, well, he deserves to know. It turned out he wasn’t the only living relative I had left. We’ve never been super close but when it comes to emergencies like this, this is something we would definitely need to work together on. Pulling me out of my trance I felt an arm pull me. It was Jake. Of course it was. 

“Why the hell did you move?” he asked me in a demanding tone so scary I would’ve ran away had he not been holding me. 

“Because I’m currently unsafe in my own dorm,” I told him emphasizing on the word unsafe, “You should know out of all people why.” He froze. He knew that I knew what he thought I’d never know about. That was his big secret. 

“How…” he started. 

“I did my own research.” I told him. After I went to his house I did my own research and as it turned out the he he was planning on killing was my grandfather because once upon a time his father and him were business rivals. And the rumors said that the person who murdered Jake’s dad was a so-called business rival when it turned out to be someone he grew up with. Even though this gym was warmer than the other gyms the air felt colder than Mount Everest. 

“I should get back to practice,” I announced unnecessarily because, duh I needed to get back to practice, “But you should know that you shouldn’t kill an innocent man without any actual proof.” And then I turned around, tears stinging my eyes as I went back to practice.

Alex

“Are you okay,” my favorite teammate and Liberbro/ Libero-Bestie Camryn asked me, “You’ve kinda been daydreaming and your passes aren’t… as strong.” 

“Yeah I’m fine.” I replied. She was right though. I wasn’t as strong as usual. I was shanking my passes and my serves were going like rainbows. I needed to focus. “Pipe pipe pipe!” I yelled. I was about to hit when a ball rolled onto the court. 

“Ball ball ball!” my teammates yelled. But at that point I didn’t care. I needed to hit the ball. I imagined that the ball was Jake’s face and hit the ball line. Just as I landed though my left foot landed on the ball and landed in a weird position. 

“Ugh…” I groaned. 

“Stay still! Don’t move!” Coach Alexa while Coach Megan came over with ace wrap. I loved Coach Megan. She was always so understanding and has been my coach since 6th grade. 

“Girl,” she said in a disapproving tone, “what part of ‘ball ball ball’ do you not understand?” She examined my leg and a worried expression came over her face. “You have a broken leg unfortunately,” she told me. “Who brought you here? Jake?” 

“No,” I told her with a weird sourness on my tongue, “My brother did.” 

“Well tell him to take you to the hospital right now. You’re gonna need this more seriously checked.” she told me. 

“Ok,” I told her and then yelled to my brother, “Aidan! Can you come here?” He was over in a heartbeat. 

“Are you okay? What happened? You clumsy little girl.” He kept spewing things out before anyone else could answer. Coach Megan told him what happened and next thing I knew I was on his back being carried back to his car. When we got to the hospital the doctors confirmed Megan’s statement earlier saying I have a broken leg and told me worse news. 

“Unfortunately your leg has a really bad break and you can’t play for the rest of the season.” I broke into tears. Not just because I can’t play for the rest of the season but because of all the fears and things I’ve lost. Now I knew the person who I trusted the most was just another scary person in the world.

Jake

When I went back to the gym Alex nor Aidan were there anymore. 

“Where are they?” I asked Alex’s other favorite teammate and outside hitter Slaniya. She was a flirt and also was one of the many girls that threw themselves at me but unlike the other girls she was smart and observant. She hesitated for a while before telling me she shouldn’t tell me. She’s been friends with Alex since they were in 6th grade and have been playing club together since 7th grade. 

“Stupid girl,” I muttered before turning to her other favorite teammate Camryn. I got the same response. “Where the heck is Alex?” I yelled to all her teammates. One of her teammates, Kennedy, the middle blocker and outside, told me that she broke her leg and went to the hospital. I rushed there immediately to find Alex crying. What did they tell her? Were the muggers back? I knew they constantly came for her by sending her random messages anonymously. 

“Alex,” I said softly. “What’s wrong?” She turned up and for a second and I saw all the scary things that happened to her before. 

“It wasn’t my grandfather,” she told me in a voice barely audible, “It was your mother.” And then she fell asleep.

Jake

Was it my mother? The one who left me and my father alone to fend for ourselves. The one who used to take me to Great America for my birthday when I still lived in San Jose and Great Wolf Lodge when I graduated from my elementary school top of my class. She became an alcoholic and she just left my dad and me. No note no nothing. Just left. I didn’t know much but my father told me she died shortly after she left us. I was devastated and angry. Mostly angry. And now I was livid. I went back home after Alex fell asleep and it turned out the detective got it all wrong. Alex was right. It was her. I needed an emergency meeting with my mother. But first, I needed to find her. 

Alex

  It’s officially been 5 days, 11 hours, and 23 minutes since I broke my leg and these have been the worst days of my life. I have no practice and I can’t do anything. My friends and teammates have visited but have also been busy with other extracurriculars and activities. The one person who hasn’t come to visit though is Jake. The last time I saw him was when I told him it was mom and he hasn’t been back since. I checked his location several times but he’s just been home or at work. I don’t know what made me feel this but suddenly I felt like he was somewhere else today. So when I checked his location today I saw that he was going to his old house. He hates going there though. I don’t know why but for some unknown reason I decided to go there. 

“Aidan!!!” I yelled, “Can you take me somewhere?” The next thing I knew I was in the car going there. 

“Alex!” Jake exclaimed, sounding shocked, “Why are you here?” 

“Because I- we need to talk.” I turned to Aidan, “You can go now. I’ll call you if I need you to pick me up.” Aidan glared at Jake and then drove home. 

“You should’ve gone home with him. It’s not safe for you to-” Jake was cut off by a very gruff sounding voice. 

“Jake, honey how are you?” the voice said, “It’s been so long.” The woman was very pretty and looked like she was in her mid 50’s to 60’s. 

“Yes mother. It has been.”

Alex

His mom? No wonder. Now that I looked at both of them I could see the resemblance. Also the person who killed Jake’s father.

“And who’s this young lovely lady?” she asked. After a moment of awkward silence I reached my hand out to shake it with her, 

“Alex.” I told her, “Alex Chan.” 

“Ah… such a lovely name. Are you the girlfriend Max told me about?” 

Slow down. Jake’s father sent her letters? And based on the look on Jake’s face this is the first time he was hearing most of this too. 

“No mother. She isn’t. I got my first girlfriend after dad died.” Jake said it in such a cool tone it was scary. He also emphasized on “dad died” as if he were giving her a hint. It turned out this mom wasn’t just a murderer but a stalker. 

I guess she found out she just got caught because she said, “Nice meeting you Alex.” she turned to her son, “And I loved seeing you again. We should all hang out soon together.” And then she strutted away.

Jake

It’s been eight days since Alex and I saw my mom. And I don’t think Alex wants to talk to me anymore. The pro? We don’t have to do the awkward stuff anymore. Con? I don’t think she’s forgiven me. I was just about to get to work when I got a call from Alex. 

“Hey what’s up?” I answered. 

“What’s up,” a familiar gruff voice said. “Is that your friend and her friends are hanging out with me right now. Aren’t you girls?”

“Mphfmph!!!!” was all I heard before, “You may want to come to your childhood home before anything bad happens to them.” That’s all I got before the call hung up. My fricking mom. I’ll deal with her later. I jumped into my car and sped toward my old home. When I got there I saw blood on the floor. No. No. Nooooo! I knocked the door down and I saw Camryn, Slaniya, and Alex tied up on chairs with ropes binding their hands and ankles with rope so tight it looked like it was cutting off their blood circulation and a bandana covering their mouths. At least my mother isn’t a total monster. 

“Let. Them. Go.” I said in a voice so cold it could’ve cracked ice. She ignored me. 

“You and your little friend found out I’ve been following you.” she said. “That means I know that she knows your plan to kill her grandfather. Unfortunately she was smart enough to do research and she knows it was me who killed your father. And she’s right.” She turned to her hit-men. “Go get the others.” 

I knew who it was before she brought them out. “If you’re going to kill me then you have to kill them.” She was holding Alex’s grandfather and brother hostage and held them as a shield. 

“Okay,” I told her. I pulled out my biggest gun and shot. The fake blood pooled out of them. Really it was just a taser. Then with my mom I pulled out the smallest gun and shot. She was dead. I untied the girls. 

When I got to Alex she gave me her iciest stare and said, “You’ll never be forgiven.” And then she was gone.

Epilogue

Jake & Alex

Alex

“You ready yet Little Mulan?” Jake asked me. 

“Yuppers Captain Jake.”  It’s been 5 years since the kidnapping and 2 years since we made up. Apparently Jake never killed my brother and grandfather. He just tased them and there was fake blood. I still don’t trust him but we made up and made a promise to never hide things from each other again. 

“We’re supposed to meet them up with them at the funeral right?” After the whole thing Slaniya and Camryn also forgave him as long as he let them be their makeup tester. Unfortunately Aidan hasn’t yet. Grandfather never got a chance to forgive him because a couple days after the kidnapping he passed. Today was the funeral and I only invited Jake so he could apologize and talk to him. When we got there though we saw a red car and when we saw who got out. No. No. Nooooooooooo!!! 

“Hey!” he said in an enthusiastic tone, “Are you Alex Chan? I’m Koby Chan. I’m your cousin.” 

“AHHHHHHHHH!” I screamed in reply.

Jake

Why does this guy look so familiar? And why is Alex so pale? “Hey!” The boy said in an overly enthusiastic tone, “Are you Alex Chan? I’m Koby Chan. I’m your cousin.” She let out an ear piercing scream. Suddenly I recognized him. This was the leader of the muggers when Alex got jumped. Koby looked confused, Alex looked traumatized, and I looked like I wanted to kill him. 

Suddenly he asked, “Are you okay?” 

Before Alex could reply I stepped in, “Do you remember jumping an eighth grader when you were in high school with an old crew?” He looked like he was retracing his steps. Then suddenly he looked at Alex again and smirked. 

“Yes,” Koby said. “Yes I do actually.”

text

this girl is waiting for a text

it’s suppose to come from her best friend Lex

she’s very ungrateful for oxygen a lot

then something appeared… a dot

Lex said “today’s going to be stormy,

so let’s watch Finding Dory.”

Lex was about to fall asleep so I sang him a luscious lullaby to help him sleep

suddenly a timer started to beep

he jolted awake and said he had to see this guy

he had to give this guy something so he wouldn’t die

“i’ll go with you.” i said

by the time we got there, this guy was dead