It happened again. The first time was in elementary school when Janice was five and the opposite party was seven. Janice had a thing for older men. It started when Janice was playing tag with the boys when she slipped and fell. He helped her up. From that moment on she constantly waited for the only time where they would interact; Recess. She waited for him, watched him, observed him but they never spoke. She had the makings of a true stalker. Finally, stepping out of the background, she wrote him a love note. It said, "Deer my prince. Thanq yoo for hellping me that 1 dey. I love yoo." The day she was to deliver the note she chickened out. The next day he was absent from his normal recess hangouts. Same as the day after. And the day after that. She never did get to deliver the note. Years past and as her feelings faded only one thing was certain, she was terrible at spelling.
This time would be different. This time Janice would be the exception to the rule. This time Janice would walk right up to that man that consumers her every though and spill her deepest darkest desires. So what if they've never spoken. So what if she secretly took pictures and photo shopped them being together. Technically they were already going out in Janice's make-believe fantasies so really she had nothing to worry about. Today was their six month anniversary. Today was the day Janice Wickerman would tell Steve Goeffery that she loved… had feelings for him… thought he was cute. Something! Today she was going to say something to him! Her plan was simple. She would coincidentally see him coming out of the library at his usual time. Finding that they walk the same way she would start up a conversation. Just as they split off to go to their lockers she would say something flirty and give him her phone number. The time to act was now.
Steve left the library. He was a kid with classic punk style and dark hair. A fairly standard crowd pedestrian under normal circumstances.
Janice's Vision:
THE Steve Goeffery emerged into her presence. He had raven dark hair that covered his mysterious deeply colored eyed. His shirt completely complimented his not-really definitely toned body. His jeans were worn out from the pressure of holding in all that hotness. He was a living breathing painting. Janice swore she saw flowers and fireworks behind him. She swallowed hard.
In the hallway Steve heard someone speak.
"Hello! How are you?"
Weird girl he didn't know was trying to start a conversation.
Steve, "I'm good… You?"
Janice, "That's good. I'm sooo nerv-excite-chill. I'm chill."
Definitely weird.
Steve, "Cool."
Janice couldn't stand the awkward pause between them.
Janice had three options.
A. "So Steve, I've been following you around and I think you're hot."
B. "I have no idea who you are, what's your name?"
C. "You got a name, or is it just Mr. Hot Stuff?"
Janice went with option C.
Steve, "My names Steve."
Janice, "That's such a great name! You know my name's Janice."
Steve registered that this weird girl just called him Hot Stuff.
No comment. They were nearing the break off point.
Janice had three options.
A. "I am desperately, hopelessly in love with you and I want you to have my number. Please call me at all hours of the day."
B. Abort mission.
C. "So here's my number in case you want to give me a call."
The third option is always the most correct.
Steve, "Nah, that's ok."
Boom. Unidentified comment coming in. Solution Unknown. System crash. Warning. Warning. Abort. Abort. Hope backup Procedure kicking in. Stubbornness Fire Wall Activated. Reassessing options.
Janice had three options.
A. Tell the Truth.
B. Run Away.
C. - - -unknown- - -
Janice, "Steve please take my number. I really like you. I saw you six months ago today and you made me laugh so I fell for you. I just can't stop thinking about you and the more I learn about you the more I love you. That's right, I said that. I love you Steve."
Understandably, Steve was completely creeped out.
Steve, "Please don't ever talk to me again."
He walks away.
Janice was stuck in her life's biggest mistake.
At home Janice. Cried on her pillow until all the frustration and sadness came out. Then she determined she would prove her love to Steve.
Steve was surrounded by his friends in Math class. It was just before the bell rang for class to start.
Steve, "Guys you won't believe what happened to me the yesterday."
Just then the weird girl walked into his class. She had medium hair length, medium skirt length and medium looks. The colors she wore were black, red and yellow. No make-up.
Steve's Vision:
The devil here to claim his soul in the form of the weird girl.
The girl strode up to his desk and gave him a letter. She went to a seat and sat down.
Steve, "What's that girl doing!"
A friend, "She's in this class."
Steve, "That was the weird girl that confessed to me. She's like a stalker or something."
Other friend, "Haha, Very funny dude."
Steve, "Then what's this."
Steve opened up the letter and handed it to his friends.
"Dear Steve, I'm sory about yesterday. I paniked. But I realy do like you. Please, if theirs someway I can make it up too you. I will do ANYTHING to prove my love."
Other Friend, "Borderline creepy."
Friend, "Are you going to go out with her?"
Other Friend, "Dude, she's not even that cute. You have to get her off your back."
Steve, "You think I don't know that! I don't want a creepy weird girl obsessing over me."
During class Steve just hoped he would find some way to get rid of that girl. As the bell rung and we was ready to dash out into the hall she got there first.
Janice, "I'll do anything to prove myself."
Steve, "Listen. I don't know you and don't want to. I'm sorry but I'm just not into you."
Janice, "Please! I'll do anything to show you I like you."
Steve, "The only thing I want from you is to leave me alone. I think it would be best if you didn't like me at all."
Janice took a step closer.
Janice, "I can't do that."
Steve, "Weren't you the one who said you'd do anything for me. I have the written document."
Steve pulls out the paper and circles the words with his finger.
Janice, "But I love you."
Steve, "Then fall out of love with me."
He gives the paper back to her.
Janice, "But-"
Steve, "Look, you said you'd do anything for me. Then do this. Fall out of love with me."
Janice was shocked. Her fantasy man was breaking up with her.
Janice, "Fine. I will. Under one condition."
Steve, "What's that?"
Janice, "You can't fall in love with me."
Steve, "Not a problem."
Janice, "I mean it! If I fall out of love with you and you fall in love with me that would be too much of a waste."
Steve, "I will waste not."
Steve walked away to class.
Janice closed the window she'd left open for days. She had hoped letting the sun in would give her the strength to succeed. Now that just seemed foolish. She looked at her foolish shrine with a framed picture of her fake romance. She opened her box of memories. Foolish, fake, embarrassing memories. She didn't want to throw them away. It's what Steve wanted. Steve would never love her, she knew that. She needed this. She needed to throw them away. How serious was her love for Steve? How serious was she about proving it. Not only to him but to herself and to anyone else who'd say she was crazy. Was she serious enough to give it up? She didn't want to delete all the files off her computer or tear down her Steve shrine or throw out all the momentous she collected. She hated the thought of burning all her Steve photos. But it was done. She had to move on. Then why did she feel like throwing herself off of a bridge...