Perfect

“Its senior year dude.”
“Yeah, I know. What are you gonna do when you get out of high school then?”
“I don't care what I'm doing. You know what Coach says though: Once a panther, “
“Always a panther."
“As long as I got fame, money, and girls I will be just fine.”
“What about Aylin, man?”
“What about her?”

A story of friends at the crossroads of life…

In love’s eyes… We are all…

Perfect.

One Friday afternoon at McKinley High, Michael was rushing to go outside, it’s as if he was in a hurry to go somewhere. Little did he know, Blake, a senior jock who has it all and yet wants more, was behind him, watching his every move. Michael was speeding through the hall that is bustling with students readying for the long weekend since it will be Memorial Day on Monday when all of a sudden. BAM! He tripped over, Ali. “Hey watch where you’re going!” said Ali, the former star swimmer who happens to be bounded to her wheelchair since last year due to a freak accident with Lily, her childhood best friend. “Am so sorry, Ali! I need to go! See you!” Michael said panting. “Douche bag!” Ali said rolling her eyes.  Michael was in a trance, he doesn’t know what he is doing, all he knows he needs to be out and meet Aylin, who is an exchange student from Abu Dhabi and a daughter of an oil magnate who has strong ties with the Exxon Mobile Corporation, number one U.S. based oil company. “Michael! You’re late…” Aylin said. “I’m sorry Aylin, I was in a bit of a brush. Hehe…” Michael said blushing and scratching his head. “Its all good, so where are we off to then? I heard there’s a new theme park that just opened today. Wanna go there?” “Hmmmm…. Sounds like a plan.” So the two, headed off to the new park, not knowing that Blake was following them intently. “Michael, is in hot water now. I cannot believe what I am seeing. After all that we have been through. This is what I am getting from him. Some best friend.” Blake fuming red. The theme park was full of people, young and old alike enjoying themselves with all the sights and entertainment. There you can see different food and drinks stands, games, attractions, mini shows, clowns all around, small, big, on stilts. The park was full of colour, a sight for sore eyes! Something new for the small town of Lima, Ohio apart from having the New Directions. “This is so cool!” Aylin exclaimed. “I love this place! Something new in this town! Lets go check the Ferris wheel! I wanna ride it! Michael come on! Don’t be a wuss!”

“Uhm, let’s go grab something to eat first Aylin…” Michael flushed with fear.

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna chicken out on me love…” Aylin said jokingly. “Come on!”

“Uhm, okay…”

So the two went to get cotton candy and then went on to ride the Ferris wheel. Michael was afraid of heights. When he was small he almost fell of the gondola because the safety railing was misaligned and from then on he never rode any ride ever again. Michael was as white as paper and he was sweating and feeling nauseous. His heart was pounding like crazy. He was doing his best not to be noticed by Aylin that he was about to pass out. The ride was the main attraction since it stood 100 feet above the ground, the biggest and tallest in Lima’s fair history. Aylin was ecstatic about it. “Michael, I am so into this! This is so romantic! Here’s our gondola. Come babe!” Michael was paralyzed with fear seeing the gondola stop in front of them. “Whoopee! This is so exciting.” Michael said sarcastically. “Here we go now.” The two boarded the gondola. The attendant made sure the locks are in place and waved a signal to the operator that all systems are going. The ride started, Michael felt a rush of cold air down his spine, clutching the safety guard like its part of his body. Chills went through his body. He was clearly fear stricken, Aylin noticed that he wasn’t moving. “Michael, I am here. Thank you so much for sharing this time with me and being with me even though you are afraid of heights. You have shown and proven your love to me encompasses even your darkest fears. With that, I am truly honoured.” With that Aylin, gave Michael a very passionate kiss that washed away all his fears. Michael answered back with a strong affirmation of his love through his kiss. “I love you Michael” Aylin breathed as she kisses Michael unceasingly. “I love you more, Aylin” Michael replied. With this display of affection between the love birds reach its height, little did they know there was an individual watching them, hurting, angered, and jealous of that picture perfect moment, Blake. “Once I get a hand of you Michael, you will see and definitely feel the true meaning of pain.” Blake gritting his teeth in loathe. He was with Aylin before, they were an item, Aylin being the most popular amongst the seniors apart from being the most intelligent, she is dubbed to be the most desirable amongst them, she is considered to be one of the avant-garde Moslems in their school, not conforming to tradition, that made her stand out more. Aylin fell out of love already for Blake because she can was just a “plaything” for him, a status quo, since she was this item at school. Blake needed her for his machismo. Aylin knew that he was cajoling left and right with the girls around campus. Outside that tough exterior she was this girl, longing to love and be loved. With that, she decided to open her heart and thus came Michael. She was mistreated, misplaced and misunderstood by a lot, t’Was only Michael who saw the real her. At the far end of the fair by the game stands, there stood Lily crying her heart out when another elderly woman in their town belittled her once again for something that happened a year ago.  Ali saw her best friend sobbing. “Lily, what happened? Why are you crying? Hush dear, everything will be alright…” Ali comforting her. “I can’t shake it Ali. Everywhere I go in this town knows what happened. I’m the girl that did this to you.” Lily explaining as she catches her breath in between sobs. The elderly woman was mocking her continuously and gathered by-standers to join her. “It’s your entire fault! You are a disgrace to your family! You are the devil incarnate!” the elderly woman shouted. “Stop it! It wasn’t my fault! It was an accident!” Lily explained. Ali then, grabbed her and whisked her away from the jeering crowd passing Michael and Aylin. “What happened to Lily?” Aylin concerned. “I don’t know. Why don’t we go and ask her.” Michael said. The two went to comfort Lily and ask what happened. Ali on the other hand, seeing the two went to get something to drink for her best friend. It was last winter where Ali life had changed, she and Lily was driving by the pond, there was a hanging bridge there. They were on their way home from a concert. That time, the winds were picking since there was a snow storm alert. Ecstatic and elated from the concert, they ignored the warning. They continued driving that way instead of going to an alternative route that was announced, the winds began to howl and the snow is starting to envelope everything causing almost zero visibility. Then, there was a loud crash of thunder, thus spooking Lily, she lost control of the car, they veered and hit the middle post of the bridge causing it to crack, and then split making the car hang, the hood facing the freezing water. Lily, managed to get out of the car unscathed, Ali on the other hand wasn’t wearing her seatbelt hit her head on the dashboard causing a gash on her forehead. Just when Lily was about to get the unconscious Ali out of the car, the only cable that was supporting the car snapped causing the car to slide and hit the water hard making Ali snap her spine in two places. Seeing Ali at her state, Lily ran for help. After that harrowing event and three weeks in the hospital, Ali lost use of her legs from then on. Everyone in town blamed Lily for that mishap since everybody knows Ali, brought countless awards in swimming, represented her town in the Olympics, a proud daughter of Lima. Every time someone sees Lily there would be whispers and there were times that one would confront her for what happened. She lost her confidence and self-worth after the accident. As Ali was grabbing a drink for her she passed by the same pond where she met her fate. Shedding a tear, everything came to her like it just happened yesterday. It’s as if the gash on her forehead opened again and she felt the pain shooting again from her back, then slowly to her legs and little by little she was being drawn to the same place she fell. Little did she know, she was crying already and to her frustration she threw the drink that she got for her best friend. “Why did this thing happen to me? Why me?” Ali crying frantically. In a distance, Blake was plotting on what to do with Michael, when all of a sudden, a memory of his best friend passed him. “Its senior year dude.” He said. “Yeah, I know. What are you gonna do when you get out of high school then?” Michael asked him. “I don't care what I'm doing. You know what Coach says though: Once a panther,” he replied. “Always a panther." Both of them said laughing. “As long as I got fame, money, and girls I will be just fine.” He said cockishly. “What about Aylin, man?” Michael asking with concern. “What about her?” he replied dryly. “I’m not crazy. That’s what everybody wants.” Blake responded. “Not me man. I know what I want.” He was reminiscing the time when they were just chilling last summer. This was interrupted when, he saw Aylin walking past him. Everything went dark seeing her. “So you’re gonna be with Michael?” that came out from his mouth like an arrow speeding through its target. “You don’t understand Blake.” Aylin beginning to sob. “What was that at the Ferris wheel? What was that?” asking furiously. “He was just comforting me.” Aylin tears welling up. ”I don’t give a damn about you anymore!” kicking the haystack in front of him. “I’m pregnant!” she said crying and running away from him. Blake went the opposite way teed off.