Here's a short story I wrote for one of my writing classes. I wrote it in 30 minutes to get out of failing the class. Please enjoy it. I doubt I'll add more to it.
Bad things always happen to me. I've always believed that I have bad luck. My parents spent years trying to convince me that I was just as everyone else. Placing money in my path, pulling strings here and there, I can't doubt that I'm lucky to have them.
However, this didn't stop fate from playing a cruel game with me. In high school, that's when it got really bad. I had almost gotten into a car accident approximately 5 times by my sophomore year. Eight times by the end of it. I also tried my hardest to avoid any sharp objects. I used charcoal sticks for 2 years before I went back to pens and pencils. What I wouldn't give for a lucky charm. Like a guardian angel of some kind. Besides that, I'm grateful for life.
In addition, despite the fact that I'm not the best person to be with in a car, I still have a great group of friends that I can depend on.
"Ezra!" my mother calls from the kitchen. "Ezra, come down and have breakfast!"
It's a bright and sunny Monday morning, birds chirping and all of that. I run down the stairs into the kitchen, grab a cereal bar and head out the door before she realizes I even came in the room.
"Ezra!" I hear her call out but I'm half way down the street to the bus stop. There I meet Ashley, my best friend since 6th grade.
" 'Morning, Ashley!" I come to a stop before her.
"Hey. Ready for another awesome day of school?" Ashley is a very sarcastic person. I enjoy it most when her facial expressions match her sarcastic tone to the "t".
The bus arrives (always early on Monday) and we board it. Waiting for it to reach our school is always annoying on Mondays. You always feel as though some change will overcome the building, staff or students while you're away for two days. Of course, then you're extremely disappointed when it's all the same. Maybe a new hair cut here, brand new shoes there but in the end the same.
The bus stops a clock from the school, we get off. As we walk up the double lane drive we see our two friends Melanie and Taylor.
"Hey girls." Ashley says waving enthusiastically.
"Hey!" they say in unison.
We proceed up the block and arrive at the main entrance of the school. We immediately enter our classroom, take our seats and converse before the teacher arrives. The class is noisier than ever. There's an air of excitement unusual for Monday mornings.
"Hmmm."
"What Ezra?" Melanie asks me.
"It's strange. Everyone's so jumpy and bright. I wonder what's going on."
"It is odd. Maybe there's a party this week." Ashley offers.
"Maybe." Melanie says dropping to her seat across from me. Suddenly, Taylor comes running into the classroom and toward us.
"There's a new kid! There's a new kid!" she says ecstatically in her high-pitched voice. " He's a junior too. I hear he moved here from a far off place."
"Typical. Everyone moves to the city. We're crowded enough." Ashley mumbles as she flips through a magazine next to me.
"Don't be such a downer, Ash. This is good news. It adds some excitement to boring everyday life." Melanie mentions.
"So this is why everyone's acting so strange." I add.
"Maybe he's rich and really smart. With curly dark black hair and hazel eyes." Taylor fantasizes.
"If you do that you'll be disappointed. What if he looks nothing like you imagined. You'll get all pouty as usual and scowl all day." Ashley reminds her.
"Shut up. I will not! I'm just trying to think positively unlike you. Your sarcastic tendencies are not needed at the moment so leave me be."
"Oh, Taylor. Let's say he's exactly the way you describe him as. What makes you think he'll pay you any attention?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Exactly what it sounds like!"
"You're no better. You think he'll look your way?"
"I can really give two sh-"
"Okay, okay! That's enough, ladies. Both of you are too excited right now." Our teacher, Ms. Jones intervenes.
"I'm glad you got them before we had to." I say looking at Melanie who's just as relieved as I am, I know it would have gotten extremely out of hand if all four of us got into a fight.
"Same here. Now take your seat everyone. I have an announcement." Ms. Jones says eying Taylor and Ashley who are still standing, pouting. " Girls, have a seat."
They obey, Ashley returning to her magazine, her face no longer grim but her normal sarcastic smirk and Taylor pouting as usual after a fight with Ashley.
"Alright then. As I'm sure, all of you little eve's droppers have heard, there is a new student joining us today. Let me introduce him to you all." She walks over to the open door and gestures at someone.
"Everyone, this is Angel. Angel this your new homeroom." A guy in all white enters. He takes his time to look around the room at the things on the walls, on the windows, and hanging from the ceilings. His eyes fall on me and I look away.
" 'Morning everyone." he says, his voice echoing off of the high ceiling,
" 'Morning!" everyone answers, returning to their conversations.
"Would you look at that? Not like you imagined, huh Taylor?" Ashley spits at her.
"Stop that, Ashley! It's too early for this crap." I say.
Ms. Jones directs our new classmate to his new seat in front of Melanie, diagonal to Taylor.
"No. he's not as I imagined. He's even better." she whispers to Ashley scowling at her. She turns to her desk and begins conversing with Angel. Ashley and I exchange glances. We know where this will go.
The bell rings and we head to our classes. My schedule is a mirror image of Ashley's but Taylor and Melanie only have two classes with us. It's better this way; Ashley and Taylor can cool off. By the time lunch arrives, I already expect them both to have forgotten the whole thing. They both know right from wrong and it's wrong for friends to fight about or over a guy. No questions asked. We all sit at our usual table except for Taylor.
"Ok, where is she? Don't tell me she's still mad? Ashley asks Melanie.
"No at all. She's out trying to find Angel."
We exchange glances again. To be forgotten in 10 minutes. We start talking about the day's 'interesting' events when we hear Taylor's irreplaceable voice.
"This way! C'mon, don't be shy, they won't bite. Well, Ashley might." she exclaims.
"That ditzy little -"
"Ashley." I warn her.
Taylor appears before us. Angel's forearm is in her hands. He appears uncomfortable as she pulls him along to a seat next to her.
"Angel, this is Melanie" Melanie waves. "This is Ashley." Ashley salutes (sarcastically) "And this is Ezra." I smirk and wave then return to my meal.
"That's a rare name." He mentions. We all stare at him. His voice is so smooth.
"My name isn't that rare actually." Taylor blushes, picking at her fries.
"No, not yours, Ezra's." He says, his gaze slowly falling on me. My name sounds so awesome coming from his mouth.
"Ezra." Ashley whispers under her breath, elbowing me lightly in the back.
"Ah, Ezra was one of my grandfathers names. I'm an only child so that's how it came about." I answer him.
"Oh. Do you know where the name comes from?" he asks digging into his plate of fries.
"Not particularly. I know it has something to do with the Hebrew Bible or something."
"Correct. The book of Ezra. It records the numerous events at the close of the Babylonian captivity."
"I've read about that somewhere." I say, excited to have this type of conversation. I look over at the girls, Melanie is flipping through Ashley's magazine, Ashley is listening and seems interested in what we're talking about. Taylor, on the other hand, looks bored and irritated and she's glaring at me.
"I have a couple of books on it if you'd like to have a look at them sometime." he says , smiling a jester's smile. I know he's just being friendly, but Taylor will misunderstand. I know what I should do.
I look up at the clock. "Shoot! I'm late! I gotta go but I'd like to look at the books. See you around." I look at Ashley, who knows exactly what's up and gets up along with me. We walk toward the exit, waiting until we get outside to talk about it. I turn around and Taylor is holding onto his arm gaily. Angel is looking at me, a confused expression on his face.
"I know what you're going to say, Ashley. I shouldn't have even bothered to talk to him, 'cause now Taylor's mad at me for no reason over some dude. I know!" I say pacing in front of my locker in our homeroom.
"No, Ezra. You should've stayed there. If he has more interest in you then in her ditzy, brainless self then who's to blame? It just means this guy is smarter than any guy we know." she says, closing her locker. " if you have any interest in him, just go for it. Why should you be the one to give up. This has happened too many too many times. It's her turn to give up, damn it." I turn around and look at her.
"I never said I liked him. It was just a conversation, it was nothing."
"Really? I've never seen you so excited. All while talking to a guy too. I've also never seen you so disappointed to depart from someone." Ashley says. She places her things in her bag.
We wait until the bell rings then we head to our next class; art. The teacher is out sick so we all sit on the bleachers in the gym along with the other classes without teachers. I spot Taylor and Melanie out on the court. I forgot they had gym this period. Taylor looks up at me and grins. We're okay, she's not mad. I take a notebook and doodle while Ashley flips through a manga and talks to Ethan who supplies most of her manga at a cheap price.
Someone taps me on the shoulder. I look to the bench above mine. It's Angel.
"Hey, where'd you run off to so fast?" he asks me, his hand still on my shoulder. Ashley is smirking at me and I notice Taylor looking at us from across the room.
"Go for it!" Ashley coughs.
"Oh.. I had a previous appointment I had forgotten about."
"Is that so? Is everything alright?" he asks, concern beaming from his dark chocolate eyes.
"Yeah. Everything's cool. My friend and I had an important project problem to discuss. You see, I thought my way of approaching the problem was correct. But she convinced me otherwise." I look at Ashley.
"Well, there's no shame in being wrong. You learn from your mistakes. Was your friend's suggestions helpful?" He asks eying my doodles.
"Yeah. They were very helpful." I smile.
We spend the remainder of the double period talking about random things. Half way through the second period, I notice Taylor gesturing at Melanie. She's angry.
"What are you drawing?" Angel snaps me back into the conversation.
"Nothing. I just get bored or distracted easily."
"Have I relieved you of your boredom Ezra?" he asks amused.
"You've saved us all from our boring lives apparently." I laugh, looking over at fuming Taylor.
"That's good, but most importantly, are you no longer bored?" he waits for my answer. His jaw in his palm and his elbow on a higher bench, forever gazing into my eyes.
"EZRA WATCH OUT!" I turn my head just as Angel catches a ball directly in front of my face.
"Th-thank you! You saved me!" I stutter. He throws the ball on the court and glances at Ashley. His eyes turn back to the court and widen. I look at Ashley who's glaring at Taylor. Taylor is standing next to her gym partner Melanie who looks remorseful. They are the only partners without a ball.
The last bell rings and Ashley an I head to the main exit.
"I forgot today I have some stuff to turn in. I gotta head back. Go on without me Ashley, I'll see you tomorrow." I say giving her a quick hug and turning around to go to homeroom.
As I approach the room, I hear voices coming from inside, whispering. The door is slightly opened and I peek inside. Taylor is inside, clearly aggravated, her arms are gesturing rapidly. Against the lockers is Angel. His arms are folded across his broad chest. He looks annoyed and sarcastic.
"I'm telling you, she's bad luck. Mondays are the only days where she has minimal accidents. You gotta stay away from her or you'll get hurt too." Taylor sitting on top of a desk.
"If that's the case then why do you hang around her?" he asks crossing one foot over the other.
"Hello! I don't hang out with her. We eat lunch together 'cause I feel bad for her because she only has one friend, that dumb weirdo chick who's extremely sarcastic." she answers calmly.
"He looks her over. " Are you out to get her or something?" he asks.
"No, the one I'm out to get is you." she places her graceful fingers on his chest. " I don't want you to be hurt by her. Is that so bad? And if anything comes out of me helping you, I'd be grateful." she puts her fingers through his belt loops and looks up at him.
He snickers, uncrossing his hands he holds the sides of her face lovingly. She smiles along with him as his face edges near hers. All the while, I am disgusted. To believe that she pretended all these years. And he's falling into her little trap. He's the same as all those other guys. Exactly the same. Their faces are half a foot away now. He strokes her cheek and looks into her eyes.
"Thank you for your concern, but do you really think I'd listen to this type of crap." He whispers loudly in her ear. She grimaces.
"What? Are you disappointed? Is this not what you expected?" he asks letting go of her roughly. " Do you always feed this type of crap to guys who don't like you? You're pathetic, this only proves your worth. You are lesser. Resorting to these tactics is low." He walks back over to her.
"Shut up! You know nothing!" she stands up. "You'll see, her bad luck will get you too. Mark my words."
"It looks to me like you're the bad luck in her life. Stay away from her, I warn you only once. Anyway, thanks for the advice and the uh.. offer." He laughs. "But I'll pass."
He starts walking toward the door then turns back around. "Tell you what, if you promise to leave Ezra alone, I'll give you a big ol' kiss." he laughs holding his sides.
I walk into the bathroom as I hear the door open. I hear him laughing his way down the hall way. I walk out, glance at the back of his head and go into the room. Taylor is sitting on the floor in the corner crying. I look at her and walk to my locker.
"Ezra! Ezra, he's so cruel." she exclaims running to me. "He rejected me and said some rally horrible things to me. I thought he was so nice. I guess you really can't judge a book by it's cover."
"You're too right." I say not even looking at her. I close my locker and walk to the door.
"Ezra, what's the matter? You're not acting like yourself."
"Neither are you Taylor. Stop the charade. stop being fake all the time!" I shout at her. "Quit hanging around me and Ashley if you don't like us. I think you are my bad luck."
"You were listening! You little creep! That was a private conversation. How dare you?" she shouts marching toward me.
"Just shut up, Taylor! I'm done. I have things to do. I don't need a crappy friend like you anymore. All these years, you were the one who put these silly things in my head. You're a horrible person Taylor! I hope you're content with what you've become. " I leave the room. I've never felt so liberated. I finish my tasks and prepare to leave. I walk out through the main entrance. There, sitting on the steps is Angel.
"You sure do take a long time." he says getting up and dusting his pants off. "What were you up to?"
I stare at him for a while. He's saved me from her wrath, from a unhealthy friendship with her, from her bad luck. I haven't had any accidents all day. I knew something was weird about today. I walk over to him and embrace him for a long time.
"What's wrong?"
"You're my guardian angel."