Chapter 4- Light Of Some Kind
I watch her from my parked car across the street. She's sitting in her front yard, talking to herself. I get out of my car and walk up behind her. She doesn't notice me. She's not talking to her self, she's singing lightly. "I'm just a girl
That doesn't like the thought of being alone
I need to be loved and held real close
I'm the kind of girl
That needs to be caressed and kissed so soft, yeah
There's no better way to turn me on
I need a man who
Who's gonna treat me right
I need a man who'll be with me every night
So I've gotta
Find me a man
With sensitive eyes
One who understands
Love is stronger than pride
So I gotta
Find me a man
A sensitive mind
Not just any man
One of a kind
I'm just a girl
That likes a man that knows his right from wrong
One that will keep his loving at home
I'm the kind of girl
Who likes to please her man the whole night long, ooh
But he's gotta please me just as long
I want a man who
Who's gonna treat me right
I need a man who's gonna be with me every night
So I gotta
I know what I'm looking for, and I know
He's gotta be wonderful, 'cause I know
I am to beautiful, to settle for nothing less, ooh
I know what I'm searching for, yes I know
It's someone incredible, don't you know
That I won't give up until I've found the perfect man
So I gotta
I gotta find me
Gotta find me a guy
So I gotta find me, find me
Find me a man
Not just any man
One of a kind."
"Sorry." She cries out, stands up, and turns around. "Sorry. I didn't mean… I was across the street and…"
"What?"
"I was coming over to visit, to ask you about the- the science homework. But then I figured it out and came over anyway."
"Oh. Of course. Yes. That's good. Well, anyway, I'd better go, because we…uh, we both have school tomorrow."
"Wait! No, please, wait…" She turns back to me, frustrated. "Before, when we were…when we were… you said that you loved me. An-and I wondered if…if—"
"If it was just an act?"
"Yes."
"Of course."
"Oh…it just felt…real."
She walks toward me. "Craig? I'm a flirt. I make men believe what they want to believe."
"Yes… Silly of me to think that you could…fall in love with someone like me."
"I can't fall in love with anyone."
"Why not?"
"I've seen love, Craig. I've seen what it does to people."
"It's the most wonderful thing in the world, Shannon."
"It's the most painful thing in the world, Craig. I mean, love makes people do stupid things.
"Like what?"
"Get pregnant. Run away. Kill themselves."
"Get married. Kiss. Have sex. There are two sides to love, Shannon."
"You- you will be mean." Shannon says, cracking.
"No I won't."
"And I'll- I'll sleep around." Shannon walks away from me.
"I know you don't want to commit to a relationship because of- because of Jay, we should be lovers."
"We can't do that." She says, not looking at me.
"We should be lovers, and that's a fact."
She turns around and looks at me. "Though nothing will keep us together."
"We can steal time just for one day." She stands close to me and whispers, "You're gonna be bad for my reputation, I can tell." And she kisses me.
… you can tell what happened next.