Essays and Observations

Soooooooo... this drabble was just something that stuck in my head that I needed to get 'down on paper' as it were, so that I could concentrate on my homework. It is unbetaed so any mistakes spotted, I would appreciate it if you would flag them for me in a review, so I know where I've went wrong for next time, and so I can fix 'em.

"Hey Jason!" Martha's cry broke Jason's intense concentration, and he looked up as the dancer approached, lunch tray in hand.

"Hey Martha." He replied less enthusiastically. "How're you?" he asked, shifting his attention from the paper spread out in front of him as she took a seat next to him.

"I'm okay thanks; just still finding it a little strange sitting at the top of the cafeteria. I expect Sharpay to storm up any minute and threatening us with those pointy high heels of hers!" Jason gave a small smile at the joke, then sighed and rubbed his temples. "Oh c'mon, what's the matter?" Martha persisted. Jason groaned and gestured to the sheets in front of him.

"It's this stupid assignment! I'm supposed to write a paper on," Jason's face screwed up, like he'd tasted something foul," love! How am I supposed to write about that? I don't know the first thing about it!" The jock frowned darkly and buried his head in his arms on the table. "Martha, I need this grade really badly… I don't know what I'm gonna do." He finished rather petulantly.

"Jason, love is… all around you. Just look at the rest of the wildcats, for example!" The hip hop enthusiast offered. "I mean, you get a lot of people who think that they're in love when really it's just lust…"

Jason looked down to the cafeteria floor, where a crowd was parting to make way for East High's very own aristocrat. It was obvious that Sharpay was making a beeline for the basketball team captain, and Jason could've sworn that he could see the hungry glint in her eyes from his seat far above.

"… and of course, there's love that seems like it's straight out of a Disney movie, because the couple seem so sickeningly sweet and in love that you can't help but feel left wanting for something like that for yourself…"

Jason could see that Troy and Gabriella were off in their own little world again. They were gazing into each others eyes adoringly while Troy stroked his girlfriend's hand across the table. Even the blonde and accessorized juggernaut steaming towards them could make them break their gaze.

"… and you have the flip side, where it seems absolute like it's absolutely hopeless and the object of your affections will never reciprocate and it makes you, well, die a little inside…"

Further up the lunch hall Jason could see Chad and Taylor engaged in a lively conversation, but what really caught his eye was Ryan Evans, who was sitting next to the extroverted basketball player. He would look at Chad laughing and joking with Taylor, and then he would bite his lip and wipe away suspiciously gleaming eyes.

"… but while its important to know when to let go, this is love we're talking about, and hope springs eternal so you never say never…"

Jason watched intently as Chad stopped gesturing emphatically and turned round to say something to his blonde companion; Chad seemed to freeze in his tracks and his jubilant features sobered slightly at Ryan's distressed state. The basketball player placed a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder and whispered something in his ear that seemed to raise the rich thespian spirits slightly, while Taylor's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"…some people do hold on when they shouldn't though, and that's just a whole lot of negativity…"

Jason though about Zeke, and … Kelsi… holed up in one of the music rooms, or Home Ec classes. He shook his head to clear his thoughts; best not to dwell on that now.

"…but in the end this essay isn't really fair: love isn't something you can generalize or analyze; each relationship is different, because each person brings their own baggage to it, their own life experiences that'll shape the course of their," Martha snapped her fingers agitatedly, seeming to be slightly frustrated, "liaison, that's a synonym, liaison. Anyway, the point I'm trying to get across is that love, be it happy or sad, a thin veneer of lust or a deep ocean of affection, is ultimately unique."

Jason turned around and was eye to eye with Martha… and suddenly it was like electricity dancing up his spine.

"So did that help?" She asked expectantly.

Jason smiled and reassured her "Definitely. In fact… you could say I had a sudden inspiration."

"Say Martha, since I can get this nightmare of an essay out the way no probs, are you doing anything this weeked?"

The End

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