Forever (Original)

Forever [1: Mark, Will, and the Spork]

Forever: Mark, Will, and the Spork

Maria sat next to the window on the school bus with her knees pulled up to her chest, staring out at the passing cars, houses, and other various things. Her chocolate brown hair was let down, falling down into waves past her shoulders, and the front locks were clipped up so her bright blue eyes were visible.

There was a loud "YIP!" and a "Watch it!" and Maria looked around just in time to see her best friend Jane collide right into her.

Jane laughed goofily as she squashed Maria up against the window with a feeble "oomph!"

"I guess it's too late to shout 'cannonball,' huh?" Jane asked jokingly as she scooted away, giving Maria room to peel herself from the window.

Maria, mumbling bitterly under her breath, shot Jane a glare.

"I'm sorry!" Jane squealed, enveloping her into a suffocating hug.

Maria let out a sound that seemed to be a mix between a gag and a snicker.

"Okay, Jane?" Maria choked out. "I love you too, but I kind of can't breath in this position."

Jane giggled and let her go. Maria turned to the seat in front of her, seeing another best friend of hers, Kirsten, and her boyfriend Cadan. She leaned forward, knowing that why could see her perfectly well despite that they didn't acknowledge her presence.

"Psst!" she hissed.

Kirsten rolled her eyes as she turned to look at Maria.

"Yes?" she inquired, fake sweetness in her voice.

Maria giggled like a five year old. "Hold hands!" she whispered loudly, and the next moment, Kirsten's hand was flying up and hit Maria in the face with a small "thwack!"

"Owie!" Maria yelped, throwing herself back into her seat. "Best Friend Abuse!" she said loudly before turning to Jane. "Where's Seth?"

Jane looked up, hearing her boyfriend's name. "He's sick."

"Tell him I said to get better," Maria said and to which her comment was responded with a loud "okay!"

Kirsten turned around to face Maria and Jane and asked, "You guys still coming over after school?"

The pair both grinned and nodded.

Maria, for a moment, studied her friends. Jane's thin body was bouncing up and down with extra enthusiasm. Her light brown hair was pulled into a bun and held back with a bright green headband. Her brown eyes were flying all over the place, not resting in one place for more than a few seconds. Kirsten, on the other hand, had her eyes on Cadan, who was obviously telling her a story judging by the looks on both of their faces. Her hazel eyes were glued to Cadan's face and her slim fingers were twirling her dark red hair around and about.

Maria now turned her attention to Cadan, whose dirty blond hair fell around his boyish round face and over his sweet blue eyes. Now that Maria thought about it, Cadan was a really good friend of hers, despite that they usually tended to snap and tease each other when set face-to-face.

She grinned at her reflection in the window, and let the day continue on.

 ~x~

Maria stared at her lunch.

"What is that?" she said, poking at her food with her spork. She frowned as the horrifying stench of it reached her nose.

"I don't know, but I think it's moving," Mark told her, giving Maria a sympathetic look and biting into his apple. His short, orangey red hair was gelled into spikes, giving Maria the impression that a fire had been set on top of his head.

Maria shot him a look of annoyance as she stabbed it repeatedly with the spork.

"Is it lasagna?" Jane questioned, peering over Maria's arm to get a look.

Maria shook her head.

"No, I think lasagna would look much more appetizing then whatever the hell this is..." Maria glared at her food, silently praying that it wouldn't suddenly grow an eyeball and blink at her.

"What in the freaking hell is that?" a loud voice chimed in from behind her as the empty chair to Maria's rights moved and someone sat down in it.

Maria punched Will just below his rib cage, knowing it wouldn't affect him.

"Don't be mean to it," she said sarcastically. "It just wanted to make friends with innocent school-goers."

Will rolled his eyes at her. He glanced at Jane on the other side of Maria and gave her a small nod. He smirked as he rested his chin on Maria's shoulder.

"You coming to the game tonight?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.

"I've told you all this week already that I am," she replied without looking at him.

Will's mouth stretched into a grin and he kissed her cheek.

"I know," he said. "I was just making sure." He stood up and walked away to sit with some of the other boys from the football team.

Maria stabbed the spork into her food once more, but let it go so that it stuck straight up out of it.

"I'm not eating this junk," she said with a grimace.

Mark snickered at her, handing her a baby carrot.

"Either way, you're a veggie-head," he reminded her.

Maria bit the carrot in half. "Shut up, you ginger," she mumbled.

© 2011 Sean Thornton