Stephen and Sharpies ~ Watty Awards 2012

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

-Alec

    Sharpie number ten is the color of the Valentine card you gave me last year. It was purple with a little bear holding out his arms. I smiled at the front of the card and then opened it. Inside was a little note that said “Be Mine” and then a short note from you. It read:

    Please be my Valentine friend on this lonely Valentine’s Day.

    I had smiled and agreed to be your Valentine. We laughed about it and then the bell had rang.

    Before you left with my trash in hand you turned to me. “Meet me after school. See you later.” That was it and then you walked away.

    I spent the rest of the day awaiting the end of the day. I wanted to know why you wanted to meet me after school. I waited and waited and finally the final bell rang. I basically ran to my locker and put my stuff away. I went to your locker and waited. You walked up, wearing a huge smile and opened your locker. You put everything away and then told me to follow you. You took me to your car and told me to get in.

    “Where are we going?” I asked finally after you started driving.

    “You’ll see,” you said with a huge smile on your face.

    We drove for about twenty minutes and then stopped at a little place on the side of the road. It looked like an old diner, the sign read Poppa Al’s. I could feel the skepticism creeping across my face and you just shook your head; telling me to just wait.

    I walked in first and then you followed. You smiled and said, “Go sit down and I will order for you.”

    I obeyed and went and sat down at a small booth. You walked over to where I was sitting and handed me a chocolate milkshake.

    “Thanks.”

    “No problem.”

    We sat and talked for a few minutes and then a guy brought over our food. Two burgers and fries. I ate slowly and we talked more, it was mostly nonsense. It was a great day, it would have been a cheesy date if it was a date. Though it still would have a perfect date. Before I knew it, it was over and we were leaving with a second chocolate milkshake in our hands. You drove me back to the school and dropped me off. I waved goodbye and then got in my car. I drove home and saw you going inside your house as I passed by. I remember thinking about how nice it would be if this was really a date. I think we could have been a great couple, one of the few who could have made it far maybe even forever. I know I sound stupid, but before you start thinking I am completely crazy, let me finish the story.

    I went home and found on my doorstep a red rose with a note attached.

    To Stephen-

        Thanks for being my Valentine today. Hope you had fun.

                                    -From Alec

    I put that rose in water as soon as I got upstairs in my room. I kept that rose until all of its petals died and fell off the stem. I kept it as long as possible. I never told Carissa about the day. It has always been our secret.

-Stephen

    I drop the letter and Sharpie back into the box. I sigh as I think back on that day. I remember the card, the dinner or better yet, the date, and the rose. I remember the day with perfect memory. Also I remember it as the best day I had, I just couldn’t admit it at the time. This day sucks.

    Period.

    I fall asleep, I don’t know how with the tons of thoughts running through my head. I stretch carefully trying not to wake Taylor. Slowly I reach my hand into the box, finding another letter. The Sharpie is lying near it and after a few seconds I am reading again.