La Crêperie

INES | APRIL 30TH, 2010

School mornings were never hectic for Ines, or so she thought.

Ines's pink heatless curls set lay uncomfortably on her head, making her groan as she slowly rolled up from her bed. Her grogginess suddenly faded as she saw her clock, which read 8:00.

No. Ines had planned out her entire morning, starting by waking up at 6:30, which made her have an hour and thirty minutes to get ready - now she had roughly fifteen minutes to fit everything she needed to do.

Ines hurriedly changed into her uniform - a basic white sweater with a dickey underneath to emphasize a formal collar, as well as her red tie attached. She wore her black frilled skirt which reached above her knees, and her white ankle socks. She quickly did her hair while hearing her father call her from downstairs. Ines frantically did her daily makeup look wore a red headband, and rushed downstairs, ignoring her smudged lipgloss.

"Where were you, Ines?" Father exclaimed while Ines stared at her clock in the corner of the kitchen wall. It read 8:17; she had nearly three minutes to eat and put on shoes.

"My alarm didn't go off!" Ines responded, quickly eating her crepes and strawberries, and drinking her glass of water, trying to spit out her tasted lip gloss. She set the cup down. "Let's go!"

As Father exited the door and stopped at the porch, while Ines was still tying her white sneakers' laces. "Daddy, what is it? We don't have time!"

"Ines, there's some large delivery for you, I think?"

Ines frowned as she stood up to see what Father was watching. "It was probably Louise or something to do with the pastry shop-" Ines froze to see a large board covered in red gift-wrapping paper leaning against her bicycle, along with a card lying in her basket, that Ines knew wasn't there the night before. "What on earth is that?"

Father sighed. "Just open it after school, we have to go-"

Ines's eyes were pinned on the letter left in her bike's basket as she grabbed her father's arm. Her suspicions couldn't be off. "School can wait for five more minutes, right? Please?"

Father sighed. "How important can this be? Fine, but never get a tardy ever again. This is so unlike you."

Ines stepped out onto her driveway to retrieve the large board and letter. She walked towards her bike, slowly holding up the board in her left arm and the letter in her right. Something seemed off, she thought. She placed the board down, leaning against her body, as she turned the letter around both ways. The front was sealed with wax, she realized. That was just so beautiful; she smiled to herself. Ines turned the letter around to see her name written in cursive and in pen.

She prayed with all of her heart for his name to be the one who claimed credit for this peculiar gift. Ines could feel her face getting warm, as she picked up the board and letter the same way and took it inside.

"Sweetheart, we don't have time for this. Who is this from?"

Ines rushed past her father as she immediately took the items to her bedroom, and threw them on her bed. She was going to shut her door but was completely wiped away by the strange delivery and board.

Who else could it be, besides Jackson?

Ines gently ripped the wax from one side of the envelope and pulled out the folded letter that was well-kept inside.

Ines's jaw slowly dropped as her eyes hovered over the words written down in bare pencil. Her eyes followed the format until she reached the signature.

Love, Jackson Bernard Shaw.

Ines's heart and soul nearly exited out of her body. She breathed in and devoured the words while quickly turning to the large board beside her.

Hurridly, Ines ripped open the wrapping paper to reveal her reflection... Ines lay the canvas against her vanity, holding her head in her hands.

Never in her entire life did someone besides family do something this nice for Ines. Tears were slowly streaming down her eyes, as her eyes traveled across every inch of the painting of her profile. Her hazel eyes in the painting were constructed perfectly. How could anyone have such amazing talent?

Ines felt foolish for crying, so she laughed and wiped her tears. She looked up to see her father standing in front of her door, looking at the painting, his jaw dropping as well.

"Ines? Who made this?"

Ines laughed and smiled at her father. "I'll tell you all about it after school. What time is it?"

"It's 8:26 - you're getting a tardy. Let's go," Father said, his arm going around his daughter's shoulders as Ines walked into the hallway with him.

"I'll see you after school, Daddy!" Ines called to her father's car as he drove off.

Ines was late for the first time at Saint Marie All-Girls School, which was even worse because it was the first day of the last semester. Ines was relieved to see other girls come late, but Ines always had perfect attendance. This never happened in all of Ines's education.

Ines had headed inside to the main office, where she now had to sign in for being late.

"Ines Dumont?" The head attendance lady, Vanessa, asked, "My, darling, what happened? You've had perfect attendance since the first grade."

"I know," Ines sighs, "my alarm didn't go off, and well, I became late."

Lady Vanessa frowns. "Alright, I have your name down. Go to class."

Ines quickly left the office. Homeroom was about to end in five minutes, but Ines wanted to meet her best friend before they had to go to their first class.

Ines was nearly flipping out. She needed Louise at this moment when she realized that Jackson loved her too. Ines had to slow her pace after seeing a few girls walk by.

There was no hope for Ines now - she would have to wait for lunchtime. Ines sighed deeply and walked to class before the bell could dismiss her to the first period.

Lunchtime came quicker than Ines expected. Once the bell dismissed Ines from her fourth-period class, she was on a search for Louise so she could spill her heavy bottle of emotions about everything that had been happening with Jackson out.

Girls were surrounding the campus as Ines made her way to the outdoor seating area, and Ines scurried towards the table hiding in the back - towards the gates where the campus ended.

Ines sat down with her backpack on the table, looking for her lunchbox. She looked up after trying to take her small lunchbox out of her backpack as she saw her best friend, Louise.

"Louise!" Ines had practically shrieked, pulling her best friend's tie towards her as Louise, who had a confused expression on her face, sat down quickly.

"Ines- what's wrong?" Louise answered as the two ignored the other girls staring in their direction. "Did something happen?"

"Yes," Ines sighed, lowering her voice, "Jackson gave me a love letter and the most gorgeous photo of myself I have ever seen."

For some reason, Louise wasn't caught by surprise. She looked... content, due to her small smile. "That's amazing, Ines."

Ines froze and leaned her back upright. "What do you mean? Louise, this is huge."

"Oh, I know. What all did he say?"

Confused, Ines decided to still explain everything Jackson had said in the letter and the two decided to meet after school to see the portrait and letter.