So this is kind of depressing. Enjoy anyway! Love, Katie.
Castaways
The moonlight poured into her room casting shadows across her carpet and walls. She sat staring out the window to the street below.
She couldn't believe that she'd been working on this stupid assignment for A.P. English all night. They were supposed to write about their favorite memory. How hard was that? She even knew exactly what she wanted to write about. It involved a certain genius and a certain island.
The only trouble was that she was having some major reservations. What if someone other than Ms. Novak read it? She told herself that this was a ridiculous idea and it was almost midnight. If she didn't get this assignment done soon, she'd regret it in the morning. She decided that for safety's sake she would exclude the name of the person.
Finally, she pressed the pencil onto the paper and began to write.
Castaways
Sometimes life throws curveballs. It rains when you don't have an umbrella. You get a pop quiz in History that you never studied for. The water turns cold before you can even wash the soap out of your hair.
Your worst nightmare becomes your secret paradise.
When I was a young girl a group of friends and I headed out to the Equator.
The next morning at school, Cindy could barely keep her eyes open. She'd gotten just about an hour of sleep the night before.
"Good morning, girl! I brought you a little present!" Libby held out an Iced Mocha from her favorite coffee shop. She beamed.
"You are an angel, Libs!"
"I know," she replied smartly. "So, what did you end up writing about? When I went to bed you were still thinking you'd write it about that island that I know nothing about."
Cindy chuckled as she pulled out her English Journal and handed it to her best friend. Libby's eyes widened as she found the most recent entry.
"You did write it! I'm so proud of you."
"I never once wrote his name."
"Whoa! This must've taken you hours!"
"It did. I just hope that Ms. Novak appreciates the effort that it took."
"Whoa! Girl, this is really good!"
"Thanks! Now can I see yours?"
"You'll laugh."
"Hey! I think it's only fair!"
"I'll just tell you okay. It's about that trip I took with my family down to the music convention in South Carolina."
"You mean the one where you got stranded in that dinky little town?"
"Yeah that one, it's one of my favorite memories. We had a blast."
"I wish I had a family memory that I could write about."
"Cindy, we both know that your family is a bit, dysfunctional."
"Good point."
"Good morning, Vortex," Jimmy greeted as he pushed past her to his locker. Libby got one look at him, grabbed her journal from Cindy then took off down the hallway.
"Good morning, Neutron."
"You look like you didn't get much sleep last night. What a shame, because that means that it will be even easier for me to beat in you Debate today."
"You don't beat me every day, and for your information, I'm having caffeine."
"Caffeine will only cloud your thoughts, so like I said, easy win."
She clenched her teeth together tightly. "Shut it."
"Why are you mumbling?"
"I said shut it!"
He chuckled playfully. "See you in Debate, Cindy."
When Cindy got to the A.P. classroom, she turned in her journal first thing. She was glad to be rid of it. Now she didn't have to think about it anymore until Monday. Ms. Novak smiled at her.
"How did it go last night, Cindy?"
"I was having a really tough time choosing a memory."
"Well, I can't wait to read it."
The rest of her day kind of just went downhill from there. Jimmy's team won in debate, she got a B on her Chemistry quiz, and she fell asleep in Calculus.
Finally, the last period ended and the weekend had arrived. Or so she thought, until she saw the little pink post it note attached to the front of her locker.
Come see me.
Ms. Novak.
Oh, great. Now she was going to get in trouble. She sighed and headed straight to the classroom. Ms. Novak was sitting behind her desk, with her journal open to the most recent entry.
"Close the door behind you, Cindy."
She did as she was told you. Her heartbeat had escalated to inhuman speeds. It might just fly out of her chest. Ms. Novak gestured for her to have a seat.
"Am I in trouble, Ms. Novak?"
"No! No, dear. It's quite the opposite really. I read your journal entry during my lunch break and Cindy! I think this is one of the most beautiful things I've seen you write all year. I showed it to the other teachers and they agree that it should be printed in the school newspaper and then for the essay contest at the end of the year. So, what do you think?"
Cindy gaped at her teacher.
"Excuse me?"
She chuckled. "We want to print your essay, Cindy. But first, we need your permission."
"I'm flattered, Ms. Novak, but I just don't think that's a good idea."
"What? Why?"
"I sort of wrote it with only your eyes in mind. It's sort of a secret, you know?"
"Why?"
"Because I know for a fact that the other person I wrote this about would be embarrassed too. It's not really something we broadcasted after it happened. It was our secret, our own little slice of stolen paradise. Only a few people know the details. I'm not sure I want the entire school to know."
"This is a once in a lifetime chance, Cindy."
"I know, but I just don't think I can risk it."
"It's your choice, Cindy. I'm sure you will write many more top notch essays anyway. But, promise me that you'll at least read my notes at the bottom?" Ms. Novak asked as she slid the journal towards Cindy.
"Agreed, thanks again Ms. Novak."
Cindy took the journal and headed out the door. When she was back at her locker, she saw that the hallway was nearly empty. No sign of Neutron either.
She opened up the journal and found the pink pen at the bottom of the essay.
Cindy, this is breathtaking. Your description of the sand between your toes, the feel of his fingers in between yours is so realistic that I could feel it myself.
It's a beautiful story of two very different people finding friendship in spite of everything. First love is very strong. Isn't it?
Again, this piece was lovely, enchanting, adventurous and utterly romantic.
Congrats!
P.S. Don't you think it's time to tell him how you feel?
Cindy nearly dropped the book out of her hands. She flushed deeply. Throwing her journal into her bag, she flew back into the English classroom.
"Ah, I see you read my comments."
"How did you know?"
"He wrote a similar essay on a life or death situation he'd been in."
"That little copy cat!" She hissed.
"Actually he wrote it first."
"Point taken," she responded.
There was a moment of awkward silence. Cindy shifted towards the door, but Ms. Novak stopped her.
"Cindy, I think you should be honest with yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, that if you hide all those intense feelings eventually it's going to blow up in your face."
"I can't just waltz up to him and say I like you! He'll mock me for all eternity. He hates my guts."
"That is where you are mistaken."
"What?"
"If what you wrote in that essay is true then I have a good feeling that he does NOT hate your guts. In fact, I would venture a guess that he cares about you very deeply. Think about all the trouble he took to find that pearl for you. Think about how happy you were holding hands. No, Cindy, Jimmy is in love with you too. I'm sure of it."
"Libby is always saying the same thing. But, I'm not sure if I'm ready for the whole school to know."
"They all ready do."
She gaped at her teacher. She was sounding eerily like Libby. Had she been talking about them? Had she been spreading her most guarded secret around the school?
"No, they don't!"
"If you say so," she replied quickly.
"But, Ms. Novak you're a teacher, so why are you getting involved."
"Principal Withers has just about had the last straw with you two. He encouraged me to confront you about it."
"Okay, maybe you are right, maybe I should tell him. I want to tell him on my own time though, not with some newspaper article."
"Understandable. Now, if you'll excuse me Miss Vortex, I have a date this evening." With that Ms. Novak hurried her out the door.
Cindy opened the journal again and read the last few lines of her journal entry.
It was our secret, that little island and the things that happened there. It was our own slice of paradise in the middle of nowhere.
I often wonder if he still remembers. If he ever wishes we could go back. I wonder if he ever thinks about what would have happened if we would've stayed on that island.
I do.
I even sometimes wish that we could've been castaways forever.
But, that's just a dream, a wish, a reality that once was and never will be again.
-x-