Epic Short Stories

Terrible Things

This is a short story inspired by the song "Terrible Things" by Mayday Parade. Song is on the side. Read the story fist though if you are the sort of person who doesn't like spoilers. Cast is also on the side. This story was originally for _HaleighVanGuard's Writing with Music contest but I guess that's been discontinued due to lack of interest... which is partly my fault since it took me an unreasonable amount of time to write this. I'm extremely sorry about that! It ended up being twice as long as I thought it would be. Anyways, hope you guys like it...

Oh and it jumps around in time a lot so make sure you pay attention to the bolded words, they will dictate the time period of the following few paragraphs. Enjoy!

February 14th, 1982.

Ken DeLuca squinted at the pink crepe paper. He was meticulously wrapping a little box with the uncooperative stuff and it needed to be perfect - absolutely perfect - because he was making it for a perfect girl. He glanced up from the important work and looked at her. Little Ken didn't have the sharpest of memories, but her name was easy to remember. It was the most beautiful name Ken had ever heard. Celine Violet Jennings. The most beautiful girl in the world. She was sitting by herself, working diligently on something that Ken couldn't see.

Ken struggled with the crepe paper. It didn't seem to want to stick to the little box, which had once held expensive earrings but now held something much more precious. He couldn't bring himself to slather the delicate parchment with paste, which wouldn't dry before class ended and was too messy anyways. After much debate with himself, Ken decided to wrap the whole thing with plain white string. Once it was finished, Ken smiled to himself. It was definitely the most beautiful thing he'd ever made, and that was really saying something because eight-year-old Ken had made lots of things in his short life.

He carefully picked up the little present and set it in his pocket. The walk over to Celine's lonely table seemed to take hours, and he nearly chickened out. Thankfully, once he got there, Celine saved him the frightening ordeal of speaking first.

"Hi, Ken." She smiled, brushing long blonde curls out of her face.

"H-hi..." Ken stuttered, managing a shy grin. She knows my name! Her brilliant blue eyes gazed up at him, and he thought that he easily could have looked into them forever. But he had a present to deliver.

"Who's that for?" He asked, nodding at her Valentine's Day creation.

"My cousin," She replied, going back to her drawing. "She's sick in the hospital."

"Oh... Aren't you in love with anyone?" Ken asked, surprised and a bit disappointed. Hopeful, as well.

"No," She said softly. "Falling in love is very sacred. I don't think I even really know what it is yet. When I do, I'll make a valentine for that person."

"Oh."

"But I do like someone a lot." She smiled shyly up at him, but Ken failed to notice. He was to busy wondering if her opinion on falling in love would make her hate the little present of paper and string. After one long moment of hesitation, he grabbed it and held it out. "I...I... ImadeyouapresenthappyvalentinesdayCeline."

Then he was gone. Ken scurried back to the safety of his table. He watched from behind a big box of markers as Celine used a pair of safety scissors to snip off the white string. She pulled off the paper, and opened the little box. Her face lit up with childish joy and she pulled out the homemade necklace of beads and stones and noodles. On one of the stones, Ken had carefully carved her initials: C.V.J.

She looked over at him and smiled the beautiful, wonderful smile that set Ken's insides to fluttering like a horde of caffeinated butterflies. She mouthed the words "Thank you". And, after hiding back behind the marker box for another moment, Ken peeked out and mouthed the words "You're welcome."