Period 3: Math
Theme 1: Problem
Word: 271
Author: Lillie Bell
To say Chiba Mamoru had a problem was an understatement. He didn't know what propelled him into this particular situation. At least, that's what he would tell anyone who would ask him just exactly what he was doing crouched behind a prickly bush. The leaves pressed into his face as he parted the stickers to be able to peer just beyond, into the park. The cement wall dug into his back, its cold surface scratching against his T-shirt.
His knees and feet ached from their cramped position. A person of his size-or any size for that matter-wasn't really meant to fit behind the row of holly bushes hugging the back wall of the park. And yet, here he was, learning all kinds of new ways to contort his body into a human pretzel.
But that wasn't his problem. His problem lay twenty feet away from the bushes. A beautiful teenager with long, golden pigtails, who was presently engaged in a conversation with a boy her own age. Here was the problem: Mamoru did not like said boy. And the reason for that was Mamoru did like said girl.
But if you ever asked him, he'd lie. Of course, if he actually told her his feelings, instead of being afraid, he'd find out that she, too, liked him. And that these strings of boyfriends were really just her excuse to see how long it would take till he admitted his feelings. She knew he was there in those bushes, trying desperately to hide. Desperately hiding from himself what his real problem was-telling Odango that honestly, truly, he liked her.