After Ramona's birthday party at the playground
Ramona was oppressive and matted with clammy sweat but she was without a care in the world. She faced the monkey bars with gritty conviction and tenacity, the one obstruction to her unlimited euphoria at that playground. This time, she resolved to challenge "Yard Ape" a.k.a. Danny from her class. "Go!" The timer was set, ticking rhythmically as Ramona exerted her strength, single-minded focusing on her decision to beat that rowdy, headstrong opponent she had grown to like as they grew older. Her eyes blazed with fervor and mock, her calloused hands nimbly and articulately maneuvering around the metal bars. The split second passed and Ramona had regained her bearings with a triumphant smirk spreading on her face. Danny looked mocking as he casually strutted up, and the timer was set. " Tick tock tick tock..." The seconds dragged on like minutes to Danny as he desperately skipped a bar. There. He had finished, "and the winner is... Drum roll please... Ramona!" Howie, the referee whooped jeeringly. "Not fair!" Danny scowled bitterly as Ramona claimed Danny's luscious cream cake. Soon, Howie pesky little sister, Willa Jean ambled up, ice scream blotched over her lips, Beckoning for Howie to leave with their cantankerous grandmother. Ramona grimaced, apparently unsatisfied to be left in Danny's company. As Howie reluctantly skulked along Willa Jean's side, Ramona awkwardly started a conversation to save Danny from the pleasure of taking the mickey of her. "so, how is school?" Ramona blurted out an obvious question, aiming at the short but expected answer he would give. "Actually," He started, looking abashed, "actually its not good." Ramona gawked at him incredulously, wondering why would a witty boy dislike school, unless it had something to do with... "Well... remember that time when I threw you a note, Mrs Meacham gave it back to me and she separated us, didn't she?" Ramona recalled the consequences of that incident, a funny look materialized on her face when she saw the mirth on their classmates faces. "I uh, want to give you back the note for your birthday, and you'll see why." With that, he declared that his mother had come to fetch him and whisked away devoid of his usual cockiness. AT home that evening, Ramona implored, "please mum, can I open my presents!" Finally, Mrs Quimby permitted Ramona to open a present a day. Jubilant, Ramona dashed to her present pile, subconsciously leafing through the enormous pile for an envelope. "To Ranoma"! Ramona had found that precious note, she snickered softly as she saw that particular name, symbolizing the times she had with that impish boy. She tore it open tentatively, half afraid to do so, half of her was swelled up with the growing anticipation. Mustering her courage, she glimpsed shortly at it, however, curiosity kills the cat and her eyes were glued to it. "Ranoma! Thanks for the valentines tingy you gave me! Also, I want to tell you that you are nice, not just nice, nice nice. Cya! If you really with what I said, go to the river next to the park!" With her heart in her mouth, Ramona embarked on a secret journey, only partially known to her mother as she suggested that she would make a trip to the park to get something. "well to get the answer to the note I guess!" Ramona thought to herself, chiding her self, feeling guilty for telling untruths to her mother. A million neurons processed the million different theories she had for that fated letter, gradually making sense of that fluttering feeling she had when she saw Danny. There, received by mixed feelings, she saw that the river banks were empty. Undeterred, convinced that her feelings were not made up, she wrote with a twig, "I love you" and stalked off, a feeling of empty satisfaction rose in her throat and she sprinted back, disbelieve that the one she thought loved her had never been there for her. Someone sat there on a bench, a blur, she made out it was a teenage boy, she still cried her heart out, and it started to rain like cats and dogs, as if heaven was crying for her, then after a while, her delusioned mind thought heaven was crying with her, as if ridiculing her for her foolishness, believing the note. "Get up! You'll get Hypothermia!"The voice, oddly familiar, and comforting, was Danny's. He had waited for her. Ramona wept piteously, "You didn't leave me!" her depressive state escalating to hysteria. "why, you're such a great catch!" His arms tightened around her waist, and he embraced her. That feeling could not compare to the satisfaction she derive from watching an episode of a never-ending soap opera. She had watched love, now she had it. "I love you!" She squealed, knowing in her heart it would always be true.