Serendipitous Moments: Writing Contest [Completed]

Prompt 1

PROMPT 1

1.     Write a scene where your character falls out a window.

2.     Write a song where your character listens to an old song on a jukebox.

Male Perspective

Characters: Alec (Sweet) and Vanessa (Self-conscious)

        The hallway bustled with students hurrying to the cafeteria for lunch. Few students stopped at their locker to change their books. Vanessa, a quiet girl, dropped her heavy book bag on the ground. She entered the code for her locker and opened it. She bent down, took out her books, and stood up to place the books in her locker.

        BAM!

        “Ow!” Vanessa gritted her teeth and rubbed the sore spot on her head, where she accidentally bumped into her locker door. She stuffed her books her locker and took out the ones she would need for the next class.

        She slammed her locker door and headed to the rest room. A few girls bumped into her on her way in, but she kept silent and hurried inside. I walked away looking back at the door she had closed.

        I’d always admired her. I don’t know why, but there was something that drew her to me. I think it was her quiet demeanour and natural beauty. I’ve been wanting to talk to her for the longest while, even to know a little bit more about her. Maybe I’ll get my chance soon enough.

        She finally entered the cafeteria and ordered her lunch. She sat by herself at the large open window, where a few rose bushes stood about three feet below. I had always noticed her sitting alone, and that intrigued me. Her long, brown tresses shielded her round face. I had longed to get a good look at her eyes, but most of the time her head was either down or her hair hid them from me.

        Just as I was about to approach her, a basketball player blocked her from my view, holding out his hands to catch a ball. He backed up so much that he bumped into Vanessa, and she fell out the window. The basketball player—I think his name was Jon—caught the ball and hollered at his friends. He didn’t even notice Vanessa falling out the window. Who throws a basketball in a cafeteria?

        I ran through the door, down the steps, and to the rose bushes where she lay with her juice soaking her shirt and ketchup and sandwich stains on her shirt. I didn’t even hear her scream. I took her hand and pulled her out of the bush.

        “Are you okay?”

        She lowered her head and looked at her shirt. “I’m fine, thanks.”

        “You’re gonna need to change your shirt. I can lend you mine, since I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt under my T-shirt.” I pulled off my T-shirt and handed it to her. She looked at the shirt, then me.

        Her eyes were a chocolate colour. I liked them, because it was like they showed me how innocent she was. The close-up I got of her face made me see she was more beautiful.

        “I’m Alec, by the way. We’re in the same English and French class.”

        She furrowed her eyebrows.

        “I guess you never noticed me then, but I’ve always noticed you.” Her eyes bulged, and I feared I said that wrong.

        “I didn’t mean it like a stalker or anything. It’s just that you have a calming presence.”