7
Chapter 11
After David had settled in…he decided to take a walk around the campus.
The hallways were fairly quiet; every once and awhile a cadet or an officer would pass by. David would avert his eyes every time.
The hallways were different from the mess; they were very gray and bland. Walking through almost made David feel a little melancholy. It was endless.
David eventually found himself in a small garden; it was filled with all sorts of lovely flowers. There were trees scattered throughout. And a little bench…that over-looked a small pond.
The sight of it immediately made David feel at ease.
He crossed over the concrete patio…taking a seat at the bench.
It was dusk now…the light of the setting sun shone rays on the calmly lapping water.
David found himself getting lost in the majesty of it.
It reminded him a lot of the small dock by the river.
He started to long to be back there…fishing and reading a book.
Or just relaxing and watching the water lap upon the shore.
David let out a long sigh.
"What have I done," he whispered to himself.
"What have you done?"
David was shaken out of his thoughts by the voice. He turned to see the owner.
It was a young girl…a little younger than him. She was short…with long luscious blonde hair. And a very bright, warm smile.
David couldn't help but return the smile.
"Hi," he said softly.
She delicately took a seat next to him.
"Hi,"
They sat quietly for a moment.
"I'm David," he said…a little uncomfortably.
"I'm Sephora,"
They both awkwardly averted eyes for a few minutes…looking out onto the water. David fixed his eyes on a frog resting on a lily pad.
"This place reminds me of back home,"
She smiled at him again.
"Really?"
He nodded…smiling back at her.
"Yeah…I used to hang out at this little wooden dock over-looking a river."
"Where is home?"
"Kansas,"
"Where is that?"
He shot her an odd look.
"I'm not from around here."
"Oh," he replied. "It's a little place a ways from here. Its dry and hot…but it has it moments."
She glanced out at a patch of roses past the pond.
"I love flowers," she said. "In the pal…"
She coughed a little.
"Where I grew up…we had lots of colorful and interesting flowers. I spent hours sitting and admiring them."
He grinned a little.
"This place is so…congested and sterile,"
"Oh I know! I feel almost suffocated,"
They sat quietly for a few moments. He picked up a small stone and tossed it into the water.
"I just don't know," he said quietly.
"Don't know what?" she asked smiling.
He looked her right in the eyes; they were a calm…crystal blue.
"I don't know…why I'm here,"
She furrowed her brow a little. She glanced towards the buildings behind.
"Aren't you…"
He nodded his head.
"Don't you want to be?"
He shrugged his shoulders. Her smile made him feel at ease.
"Its what my father would have wanted,"
She nodded her head; she seemed to completely understand.
Her face relaxed as he spoke.
"My father expects a lot of me too…"
"Oh?"
"He wants me to buckle down and be the perfect…"she trailed off.
"Perfect what?"
"Perfect…daughter."
"You want something else?"
"Yes," she said grinning.
"Is that why you're here?"
"Maybe…I don't know,"
She turned her head in discomfort.
"What do you want?"
At the very question…she slowly turned back to him and smiled wide like before.
The more David talked to her…the more beautiful she looked. The lines and contours of her face shone brightly; her smile melted his heart.
"No one has ever asked me that,"
David was speechless for a moment; she seemed so genuine.
"Well…I care about what you want,"
She looked him right in the eyes.
"Why?"
As he looked at her beautiful blue eyes…he felt something he couldn't explain. He almost felt like he'd known her all of his life.
"I don't know…I can't really explain it."
"What do you want, David?"
The question didn't feel intrusive; it felt warm and caring.
"To find myself,"
"That's what I want too,"
She slowly rose to her feet…her smile slowly disappearing.
"I should go,"
The feelings of pain and frustration started to slowly creep back into David as soon as she said that. She avoided eye contact with him.
She turned and started walking away. He grabbed her by the wrist.
"Wait," he said…a little panicky. "Will I see you again?"
She looked back at him…this time only flashing a small smile. But there was a glint in her eye.
"I hope so,"
She turned and left.
David turned back to the water…feeling oddly refreshed from their encounter.
He felt this odd assurance that he would see her again.
But that there was something he had to do first.
He just didn't know what.
David was snapped out of deep thought by the croak of the frog.
It was now nighttime…the light of the moon glistened on the water.
He stayed for only a little longer…thoughts of officers giving him a sense of urgency to get back to his room.
When David got back to his dorm…Spade was fast asleep. David tossed his shoes off…and tiptoed over to his bed. He pulled his shirt off…tossing it onto the floor near his shoes.
He climbed into his bed…curling up underneath his thin, gray bed sheet.
David was about to lay his head down…when he again noticed the book poking out from his duffel bag.
David laid his head down. He couldn't shut his eyes…the book filling his thoughts.
He laid there for five…maybe ten minutes…the thought nagging at him over and over again.
Finally…he'd had enough. He clamored to his feet…and snatched the book from his bag.
He studied the cover carefully…unable to process it immediately.
It was the science fiction book he'd been reading months ago.
David…on a whim…flipped it open randomly.
"I hesitated — and suddenly realized that, if I didn't take a swing at it, I would wonder all my life whether I was anything but the boss's son. "I'm going to chance it."
That same quote from before…the one that had stuck in his mind.
This time…the words had more gravity for David. That feeling he'd felt last time he read them felt much stronger.
But he still didn't know exactly what that was.
This time though…he decided he was going to find out.
Like Rico…David resolved then and there to take a chance.
And find out what he was made of.