Jackson sat on the bench that overlooked the lake. It was the afternoon and the ducks quacked loudly as they dove in and out of the water. He looked at his phone, checking the time for the fourth time since arriving only seconds ago. He wondered what his date would look like. He knew she had changed from photos, but they were never detailed enough
Elaine was in the car. It took a lot to convince her parents to let her even meet a boy, let alone - alone. The car pulled up beside the lake, and she got out of the car. She closed the door quietly and walked towards the figure on the bench.
Jackson looked at the time on his phone again. Had she forgotten? Maybe something came up. He decided to call her, but then he heard a voice.
"I used to come here after school my freshman year. I'd tell my step-mom I was going to the library or something, then just come here for an hour or so. I'd do homework, or watch the ducks, or count the people. It was peaceful. It's like, you could be anyone and as soon as you sat on this bench, you could be the queen of England, but you'd just become a part of the scenery. A part of the peace."
Jackson smiled. "That was beautiful."
"I figured it was a better start to this conversation than, 'Hey' and 'Hey' then an awkward silence."
He laughed, then they got up and walked around the lake.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Prom
Mary sat quietly in class, ignoring the foolish remarks from her peers to her teacher. She disliked to see her peers disrespect the teacher the way they did. Occasionally, her teacher would look to her, as if for help in the situation. Mary would stay quiet, afraid to embarrass herself.
Mary was not much liked by the students in her class. It was a clique-filled room. The populars, the underdogs, nerds, and wannabes. She didn't really fit into any of them. Most of them saw her as small, and as a fool, herself. She had hoped for so long that she could change their minds. She wished she'd have some handsome man come in and take her away. For the time being, she sat at a crowded table, where she sat all alone. She had one friend, but he did not go to her school. She avoided telling people about him. She didn't want them to think of him as fake, imaginary, just a wish in her mind.
Her teacher was trying to explain something, but could not get the attention of his students. He tried talking over them, but was on the verge of giving up. Then someone entered the room. He was tall, and wearing a military uniform. He stood in the corner of the room for a moment, sure not to interrupt the teacher. His hands were behind his back, as if concealing some secret. To those who had noticed him, he looked focused and strong. Mary did not turn around for she had not noticed the stranger.
"What is it?" Asked the teacher, finally giving up on his students. Now, the students of the class had quieted down at the arrival of the soldier.
"Is Mary here?" He said respectfully.
Mary looked up. She knew the voice. She looked at the boy sitting across from her. The boy turned his head and gave her the, "Who's this?" look. Mary smiled at the boy, then slowly turned around in her seat and stood up. She faced the soldier. He was real. Surely, her classmates could see that now.
"Will you go to prom with me?" He asked her while he held out a rose.
The class was in awe. They thought that the soldier was a friend of the teacher's who had come to yell at them; however, that was not the case. Nobody said a word, except Mary, who spoke softly.
"Yes." She hugged him.
Some students applauded while other students in the class were whispering in surprise to this strong man who had chosen the small girl for his date.
When the hug was complete, the man waved to the teacher and exited the room.
Mary stood before her disrespectful class with a rose in hand. She ignored their ignorant remarks and weak questions that were being thrown at her. She just took her rose, and sat down quietly.
Mary was not much liked by the students in her class. It was a clique-filled room. The populars, the underdogs, nerds, and wannabes. She didn't really fit into any of them. Most of them saw her as small, and as a fool, herself. She had hoped for so long that she could change their minds. She wished she'd have some handsome man come in and take her away. For the time being, she sat at a crowded table, where she sat all alone. She had one friend, but he did not go to her school. She avoided telling people about him. She didn't want them to think of him as fake, imaginary, just a wish in her mind.
Her teacher was trying to explain something, but could not get the attention of his students. He tried talking over them, but was on the verge of giving up. Then someone entered the room. He was tall, and wearing a military uniform. He stood in the corner of the room for a moment, sure not to interrupt the teacher. His hands were behind his back, as if concealing some secret. To those who had noticed him, he looked focused and strong. Mary did not turn around for she had not noticed the stranger.
"What is it?" Asked the teacher, finally giving up on his students. Now, the students of the class had quieted down at the arrival of the soldier.
"Is Mary here?" He said respectfully.
Mary looked up. She knew the voice. She looked at the boy sitting across from her. The boy turned his head and gave her the, "Who's this?" look. Mary smiled at the boy, then slowly turned around in her seat and stood up. She faced the soldier. He was real. Surely, her classmates could see that now.
"Will you go to prom with me?" He asked her while he held out a rose.
The class was in awe. They thought that the soldier was a friend of the teacher's who had come to yell at them; however, that was not the case. Nobody said a word, except Mary, who spoke softly.
"Yes." She hugged him.
Some students applauded while other students in the class were whispering in surprise to this strong man who had chosen the small girl for his date.
When the hug was complete, the man waved to the teacher and exited the room.
Mary stood before her disrespectful class with a rose in hand. She ignored their ignorant remarks and weak questions that were being thrown at her. She just took her rose, and sat down quietly.
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