By Katelyn S. Irons (Writer’s Choice)
As I lay my head down on my pillow, I heard the familiar crinkle which greeted me every night. It was a soothing, calming crinkle like hearing the ocean outside my open window. It was a noise that reassured me of two things: that the note was still safely tucked under my pillow and of the message upon it. It was a simple message, but a message I would give my whole life for...
Two years ago today I was walking along the shoreline with acquaintances from my class. It was a sort of before senior year trip that the school forced us to do. I felt forced into it at least. I lagged behind, listening to snippets of their highly intellectual conversation.
"Did you catch the game last night?"
"Oh my gosh. I love your pedicure!"
"Look at that hot body up there. Rawrrr."
Just then I tripped. I'm talking face plant in the sand tripped. I looked up. The group had moved on. No one had seen. "Phew," I breathed.
"Yipes that was some fall." A strong hand grasped my sandy one and helped me up. "Sorry I wasn't close enough to you to catch you."
"So embarrassing." I mumbled and started walking away.
"Hey, wait up!"
I sighed and turned around. This guy, whoever he was, had evidently decided to be my hero for the day. "I'm Isaac. Weird we haven't met yet."
"I’m Jaclyn. Not a lot of people notice me." I said, hoping my moody attitude would scare him off. It was true that people tended to overlook me, no matter how brightly I dressed. I just didn't really complain about it.
"I'm almost sure I'd have noticed you."
Was he coming on to me? I stopped and picked up a shell. The thick end had worn away and a perfect hole had been made. "Perfect for a necklace." I said to myself.
"You like shells?" He asked looking into my eyes for the first time.
"Who.. ." I paused feeling my grouchy resolve softening. I smiled. "Who doesn't?"
I've heard people say stupid things about eyes, comparing them to the sky or water. It all seemed really cheesy until I saw it. His eyes were as blue as the sea, and as changing too. They had specks of grey and green and looked different every time I blinked. I made myself blink and look away. He was digging in his pocket.
"Here it is!" He pulled something out but kept it closed in his fist. "What will you give me to see it?"
He was being playful, this faux-hero of mine. I couldn't tell if he was being an annoying show off or if it was my cynicism getting in the way of his friendliness. "I dunno." I finally said stupidly.
He chuckled and grabbed my hand again. He was strong but gentle. I felt something cool slip into my palm. He closed his hands over mine and winked. "It’s magic. Take a look but don't lose it."
I carefully open my fingers. Inside the palm of my hand was a flat black pebble. It was common but somehow also extraordinary. It was so shiny it looked wet in the light when dry.
“Like it?”
I nodded. “It’s beautiful.”
Just then we caught up with the crowd. I handed the pebble back to him. It would be days before we would run into each other again. Then he was sitting behind me in class. I felt a poke on my shoulder. I looked to my left. I felt something slide past my right shoulder and, when I turned back, there was a package on my desk.
It was wrapped in newspaper and tied with yarn. I hid it under my desk as I unwrapped it. It was a box containing the shiny black pebble. A hole was drilled into it and a black leather cord was strung through it.
“Jaclyn?” I turned around to see Isaac whispering close to my ear. “Will you go out with me?”
My heart flipped then, just like it flips now whenever I look at the note under my pillow. It might be crumpled and getting old, but the message stayed the same. “I love you.”
As I lay my head down on my pillow, I heard the familiar crinkle which greeted me every night. It was a soothing, calming crinkle like hearing the ocean outside my open window. It was a noise that reassured me of two things: that the note was still safely tucked under my pillow and of the message upon it. It was a simple message, but a message I would give my whole life for...
Two years ago today I was walking along the shoreline with acquaintances from my class. It was a sort of before senior year trip that the school forced us to do. I felt forced into it at least. I lagged behind, listening to snippets of their highly intellectual conversation.
"Did you catch the game last night?"
"Oh my gosh. I love your pedicure!"
"Look at that hot body up there. Rawrrr."
Just then I tripped. I'm talking face plant in the sand tripped. I looked up. The group had moved on. No one had seen. "Phew," I breathed.
"Yipes that was some fall." A strong hand grasped my sandy one and helped me up. "Sorry I wasn't close enough to you to catch you."
"So embarrassing." I mumbled and started walking away.
"Hey, wait up!"
I sighed and turned around. This guy, whoever he was, had evidently decided to be my hero for the day. "I'm Isaac. Weird we haven't met yet."
"I’m Jaclyn. Not a lot of people notice me." I said, hoping my moody attitude would scare him off. It was true that people tended to overlook me, no matter how brightly I dressed. I just didn't really complain about it.
"I'm almost sure I'd have noticed you."
Was he coming on to me? I stopped and picked up a shell. The thick end had worn away and a perfect hole had been made. "Perfect for a necklace." I said to myself.
"You like shells?" He asked looking into my eyes for the first time.
"Who.. ." I paused feeling my grouchy resolve softening. I smiled. "Who doesn't?"
I've heard people say stupid things about eyes, comparing them to the sky or water. It all seemed really cheesy until I saw it. His eyes were as blue as the sea, and as changing too. They had specks of grey and green and looked different every time I blinked. I made myself blink and look away. He was digging in his pocket.
"Here it is!" He pulled something out but kept it closed in his fist. "What will you give me to see it?"
He was being playful, this faux-hero of mine. I couldn't tell if he was being an annoying show off or if it was my cynicism getting in the way of his friendliness. "I dunno." I finally said stupidly.
He chuckled and grabbed my hand again. He was strong but gentle. I felt something cool slip into my palm. He closed his hands over mine and winked. "It’s magic. Take a look but don't lose it."
I carefully open my fingers. Inside the palm of my hand was a flat black pebble. It was common but somehow also extraordinary. It was so shiny it looked wet in the light when dry.
“Like it?”
I nodded. “It’s beautiful.”
Just then we caught up with the crowd. I handed the pebble back to him. It would be days before we would run into each other again. Then he was sitting behind me in class. I felt a poke on my shoulder. I looked to my left. I felt something slide past my right shoulder and, when I turned back, there was a package on my desk.
It was wrapped in newspaper and tied with yarn. I hid it under my desk as I unwrapped it. It was a box containing the shiny black pebble. A hole was drilled into it and a black leather cord was strung through it.
“Jaclyn?” I turned around to see Isaac whispering close to my ear. “Will you go out with me?”
My heart flipped then, just like it flips now whenever I look at the note under my pillow. It might be crumpled and getting old, but the message stayed the same. “I love you.”