Scheme

Scheme

Laurie passed me the note silently as Mr. Wan drolled on about the importance of understanding lowest common denominators. Carefully, I unfolded it and set it on top of my notebook so it would blend in with the pitiful little I had written. Want in on the plans for Joey? it said. I ground my teeth involuntarily at the name. Joey Parsons. The biggest creep I ever hoped to meet. Now there was a lowest common denominator.

He'd asked me out on a date a few weeks before. All the girls thought he was cute. Tall, athletic frame, blonde hair and blue eyes. He wasn't the lead on any teams, but he was certainly in that crowd. I'd said yes and then floated all the way home, calling everyone one of my friends to tell them what happened. We were all super excited for the date.

He picked me up at my house in his shiny black Camino. His dad gave it to him for his 16th birthday and then bought himself some new hobby car. Joey had helped rebuild the car and talked about details that I didn't care to understand. I was simply enthralled to be with him. We pulled up in front of The Burger Joint. Hamburgers, french fries, and a shared chocolate shake later, he paid the bill and we left for the drive-in.

He smiled at me a lot on the way to the drive-in. We were going to watch Twilight. I'd seen it when it came out in theaters, but didn't care because it meant sitting with Joey in his awesome car. He paid for our tickets and some sodas. We climbed into the backseat. When the sun set, the air grew chilly. He gave me a blanket and pulled me over close to him, wrapping his arm around me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at just being this close to him. It was going to be a perfect night.

After a few minutes, he slipped his hand over my shoulder and rested it over my breast. His other hand slid up my thigh. I was uncomfortable with this and quietly removed them. He persisted. I grew angry and impatient. I told him to stop and pushed him away and started to slide across the seat and out of the car. The butterflies in my stomach flew chaotically, trying to escape the situation. Joey wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his lap. "Where are you going?" he said. His tone was dark and dangerous.

"Let go of me," I said through gritted teeth as I struggled to pull free.

"What? You think you can just have me pay for everything and then leave without giving me anything in return?" His grip tightened around my waist.

I pulled my elbow back hard, catching him square in the chest. He let go, surprised at the force and sudden loss of breath. I scrambled out of the car. I would have fallen through the door had he not caught my wrist. I turned toward him so the majority of my body could continue to move away. "Yeah. That's exactly what I think," I said.

I pulled my arm away, but not before he slapped me. I fell backward from the force, hitting my head of the low end of the speaker pole. I could feel something wet dripping behind my ear and I could taste the tell tale sign of iron from blood in my mouth. I jumped up and ran to the concession stand where the girl's bathroom was located. I cried as quietly as I could inside the stall, dabbing away the blood on the too thin toilet paper.

Later, I found my purse hanging on the speaker pole. He'd used my lipstick to write his thought of me on my purse. He'd taken the time to destroy everything he could. The mirror was shattered, pictures torn, my cell phone sat in a mostly full cup of soda, my lipstick was smashed into the dirt.

The class bell rang and Mr. Wan told us to do the problems on the following two pages. I folded up the note and packed it in my backpack with my math books, etc. Laurie was waiting for me by the door. "I'm in. What's the scheme?" I said as we left the room.

*** One Minute Writer ***

Troubled Teen

She thought she had been struck by cupid's arrow. She had never experienced the sensation she had when she looked at Josh. Maybe band camp wouldn't be so bad after all. She walked over to him and smiled weakly. "Ummm.... hi Josh," she said. Her mouth was dry. She would have been willing to drink a bottle of mouthwash if it meant her tongue didn't feel like sandpaper in his presence. She watched him tug a little harder on the head of a gnome, trying to pluck it from his camp counselor's garden. The counselor had nailed it to a stake and buried the end deep.

He looked over his shoulder briefly. "Hey."

She felt the heat rising from her feet, up her legs and into her abdomen. It made her feel nauseous, dizzy, confused. Is this what love felt like, she thought. She stumbled forward slightly. Her bright red golashes glowing bright against the slightly damp color of earth. "Hey." she responded, her vision clouding everything but Josh out of her sight. She felt herself sway. I'm weak in the knees. It's a fairytale!

Josh looked over his shoulder again. "Are you okay?" he asked, forgetting the gnome and reaching for her instead. She could feel the heat rising up her chest and into her face. She was having difficulties breathing. She couldn't believe what a strong effect he was having on her. She swooned. The last thing she saw was Josh leaning over her and the last thing she felt was his lips pressing against hers.

At least, that is the way she preferred to remember it when the other kids at band camp taunted her. She kept this story alive inside of her using it mentally fend off the taunts of the other kids who had learned what happened. Maybe one day, she would be able to use it as the opener to her explanation of how she found out she was allergic to porcupine quills.... and why she would never attend another camp in the mountains again. For now, she had to endure the teasing and hateful words that teenagers are so good at conjuring up.

A Bizarre Gift

My birthday had been largely perfect. No fuss, no muss. My husband and I sat huddled up on the couch after having put my son to bed, my swollen belly taking up the most space.

"Did you get everything you wanted for your birthday?" he asked.

"I think so," I responded feeling content and happy. Our hands were intertwined.

He reached to the side of the couch and pulled up a smallish box. "Do you think you can handle opening one more present?"

I was immediately curious as to what was in the transformed shoe box. It stood up on it's end. The lid had been fashioned to look like little doors, complete with two small knobs to pull them open. It was the only gift I had received with the exception of the birthday card my son had picked out.

I opened the doors slowly and peered inside. I felt kind of guilty, as if I was spying on someone's life. Inside was a little bar and from it hung green things. I pulled the door open wider and reached in, pulling out one of the green shapes. It was a $20 bill folded into an origami shirt. There were pants and dresses too.

"There is $250 for you to go buy a new wardrobe. I know it doesn't do you any good now, but I thought you would want new things after the baby was born."

I couldn't stop admiring the little wardrobe. I was so moved by the amount of time it must have taken to create. It was beautiful in artistry and rich in love. Sometimes, money can buy happiness.