Shocked by this sudden turn of events, Michelle askes, "since when?"
"since sixth grade"
The rest of the year went by in a blurr, Noah and Michelle spend most of their time together, avoiding the topic of highschool. Michelle was still weak from her surgry and is just getting used to her prospetic leg, but Noah was there for her every step of the way.
Ryan watched as the blazing sunset sunk down through the cool dark sky, sprinkled with stars. Alone on his favorite hill, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, the temperature was perfect for a night under the stars. Suddenly a dark cloud overtakes the sky, smelling of asphalt and smoke, blaring from the horizon, comes a firetruck, bringing along with it, a mob of cars, with their horns blaring.Ryan gets up to start for home when suddenly everything goes dark.
Ryan slowly wakes up as sulight streams through the heavy curtains, he deicdes to go back to sleep, but realizes that its moday, thats wierd, where's grandmother, she usually wakes me up in the morning, thought Ryan, the clock on his desk shone 7:50 a.m., oh fudge thought Ryan, he's going to be late for school, he quickly finds his pants, puts on a hoodie over his pajamas, grabs an ice-cream bar and his bag and rushes out the door. As he rushed past the delinquints of his school whose always late, Ryan wondered where evrone was cack at his house, it was awfully quiet. He walks past, avoiding eye contact, past a group of people, the usual crowd of trouble makers,holding hands with their girlfriends and boyfriends flirting, red lipstick, shirts barely covering anything, a couple kissing by a wall. Ryan puts all that past him, disgusted, he rushes into homeroom and sits down next to Noah,
"hey" said Ryan
"hai rai-chuuuuuuu" replied Noah
"geez Noah, stop calling me that"
"you cant escape destiny"
"whatever, have you noticed the rise of those people in the lower calsses? they're kissing in public and flirting everywhere, what are they trying to achieve in life? to be drug dealers and strippers?"
"you are so arrogant Ryan, it's not like the upper classes are that much better, some of our classmates are nearly just like those guys in the lower classes"
The two walks out of homeroom together as the bell rings, into a crowded hallway, full of running pee wee sixth graders and strolling seventh and eighth gragers.
"so Noah, how's Michelle?"
"She's ok I guess, I'm thinking of giving her something when school ends, any ideas?"
"What are you thinking of?"
"I'm thinking about something small and memorable, fun and interesting, do you have anything in your father's git shop?"
"I guess being a gift shop, there's all sorts of things in inventory right now"
"ok then, I'll just come by later toda"
"ready for the spanish test?"
"yeah, I've been studying all night, made flash cards and everything"
"wow Noah, I'm just going to wing it. it''s not even hard"
"your're future, not mine"
As the day wore on, Michelle struggles with her new leg, still getting used to it, it seems so impossible right now, her friend, maggie comes up from behind, talking about Michelle's current state and about Michelle's thoughts on Noah and about Maggie's thoughts about love.
After school, Noah comes by Ryan's gift shop, as he walks through the double glass doors, he's greeted by the scent of sherry blossoms and green tea, on the right are shelves of tanks filled with aquatic plants and fish of every color, on the left there's shelves of Japanese gifts, the store is bustling with customers. Ryan's mother greets him as he walks to the counter, "Noah, it's been so long since I've seen you, would you care for some tea?"
"Hi, um I was here just yesterday with Ryan, and no thanks I'm fine, have you seen Ryan?"
"oh yes, he's in the back, I'll get him for you"
"As she walks to the back, Noah smiles as he notices how everything in the store is neat and tidy. Something catches his eyes as he turned toward the register. Behind it are shelves of glass capsules, small bottles and elaborate works of glass, all filled with green balls of various sizes and décor
"hey Noah"
"um what are those?" Noah points to the shelves.
"oh those are our new stock, these are Japanese Marimo balls, they originate from Japan, they are a aquatic plant which only grows about 5mm a year and lives for centuries, which would represent everlasting love"
"Which one d you think would fit Michelle?"
Its the morning and Michelle wakes up to Noah's ringtone,
"hey Michelle, awake yet"
"well now i am, what's up?"
"the ceiling but anyways, can I come over right now?"
"oh yeah sure no probem"
"ok can you get the door? I'm in your diveway"
Michelle slipped into her casual jeans since it's saturday morning, checked her face in the mirror and walked down the stairs, still getting used to her new leg. As she opens the door, sunlight pours into her face, blinding her, unsteady on her legs and started to fall down. Noah watching as she fell, rushed in with speed he didn't know he had. Michelle gasped as she landed in Noah's arms. Noah saying,"Michelle, cut back on the burgers" and they both fell down and rolled down th driveway. Both laughing, the summer breeze blowing and the air smelling of dasies, Michelle said," Ok Noah, I don't eat those disgusting burgers, I preffer sushi, sushi by the pound, there's nothing wrong in that and what did you want to desparetly tell me?"
"you wann grab some kung-fu tea? maybe?"
"...sure"
Noah ordered his favorite, passion fruit green tea, with tapioca and ordered Michelle's favorite, taaro milk tea, no ice, while she waited by the tables. Michelle waited and was secretly, testing if Noah really knew her. Noah brought back the drinks," passion fruit green tea for moi and a taro milk tea for Michelle, no ice"
"I'm glad you remembered"
"well anyways, I wanted to give you this" Noah pulls out a small corked, glass capsule, the size of a small perfume bottle, it was filled with water, and inside there was sky blue colored sand, her favorite colour and the strangest thing about it was that on topic the sand, there was a small green, mossy looking round ball.
"um, thanks, but may I ask you, what is this?"
"Its called a Marimo"
"...yes I totally get you"
"just search it up, I wanted you to figure it out yourself, well anyways, just enjoy life for alittle while eh? ahh" Noah said while sippng on his tea.
Later that day,Michelle was on her bed, on the computer, searching up what a marimo was, scrolling down the google page, she clicked on a random site, skimming the screen, appantly, a marimo is considered a national treasure of Japan, its a moss ball, and grows 5mm a year, plus a marimo represented everlasting love because it was used oftenly as family heirlooms and could live up to hundreds of years. Michelle stayed awake at night that day, replaying today's events, pondering on her marimo, foreverlasting love...
Before they realize, its the last day of school and its time for goodbyes.
Noah awkwardly walks up to Michelle, "well...i guss this is goodbye"
Michelle quickly kisses Noah, shocking him, making him blush and handed him a small glass capsule,"no Noah, its not goodbye, call me ok and don't forget about, us ok?"
'Michelle", Noah managed to studder out
By that time, Michele is in tears and flees the scene. Noah looks down into his hand, at the glass capsule, Michelle had left him with, it was a marimo, but on a bed of navy blue sand, there was a slip of paper tied to the cork, " promise to think about me when you see this marimo~your foreverlasting lover, Michelle"
