Short Stories

Significant as the Moon

Toby flinched at the sound of his name being said. His eyes slowly flickered over to the group of girls that sat in the corner of the playground. He could see Courtney smiling with her friends as she listened to them whisper under their breaths. He sat by himself at the bench the boys that generally sat with him had run off to play on the table, he sat alone with only the wood keeping him company. Courtney laughed and he could feel himself blush and look away toward the sky. He looked as the clouds drifted silently past watching as he stuck around her. They would probably laugh at him, for doing something like that.

“Come on lets go to the library.” One of the girls announced and they all nodded in agreement and stood up. I looked down at the table, my finger humbly scrolling down the cracks, until each and every one of them past and I was left alone. I thumped my fist angrily on the table angry that once again I hadn’t said anything to her, then I stood up and walked toward the oval to kick the ball around with my friends.

I was at the back of the class in six period, I stared at Courtney’s silky brown hair, tied into a high ponytail. The teacher talked about dividing continents, while I stared dreamily at the back of Courtney’s head.

“That is called the what? Toby” he asked looking toward me. I wasn’t listening, everyone turned around at me, as I grew red. One of the girls called the answer and they all turned back to the front. I felt my heart pumping against my chest. The look that Courtney had just gave me, did she think I was stupid? Or dumb? What kind of person did she think I was? When the bell rang I grabbed my books and slowly walked out of the class, behind everyone else. As I stepped out of the door I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there was Courtney. She pulled me to the side, and looked me in the eyes. The girls that hung around with her, waited from a far distance.

“Go on, I’ll see you after school” she said to them, they giggled and walked away.

“Toby” she said looking toward me.

“Yeah” I said having a hard time talking, my mouth felt clogged up whenever I talked to her.

“Are you alright? Generally you know stuff that Mr Vutter asks in class.”

“Ah…”

“Is something wrong?” she asked. I felt my heart hurt painfully as it pumped and I gulped and looked her in the eyes with a  stroke of bravery scrawling across my face.

“No. Courtney. I really, really like you.” I said. She kept her straight face, and looked at me. Then slowly her mouth crippled into a stiff smile and I listened to her giggle.

“Will, you go out with me?” I then said. She continued to smile.

“Only if you bring me something as significant as the moon.” She beamed. I looked at her stunned, my mouth partly open and my brows slowly crossing.

“What?” I asked.

“You heard me” she slowly moved away leaving me, astonished in the middle of the hallway.

I slowly pulled down the reigns of the horse. The horses skidded to a halt, beside a rope. I slowly picked it up, pushing it through my fingers. Feeling how light it was and how strong it seemed.

“YA! YA!” I yelled. Hitting my horse’s side for it to start running again. It ran across the desert, I watched at how quickly the sun disappeared over the horizon and how the moon, slowly drifted up, giant and white. I held the horses reign with one hand and then with the other held the rope. Like a cowboy I started to twist it around and then I through the rope to the moon. It flew up toward it and it slapped against the moon and feel back down to earth. I cursed my fail and stopped the horse and pulled the rope back in. Then again I got the horse to run and I swung the rope around in a donut pattern and with a great lunge I slung it toward the moon. It flew toward it and slowly tumbled over its side. I turned the horse to turn around and run and when I looked back I saw I was taking the moon with me, holding it tight by the grip of the rope. I came up near Courtney’s house, who for some reason was already outside as if she was waiting to me.

“Courtney!” I called.

“Yeah!” she asked.

“I did it. I got you the moon!” When her eyes beholded the moon she ran up to the horse her hands on her mouth in amazement.

“You did it.” She cried out.  Suddenly I took an immediate blow to my gut and my eyes popped open.

“Get up, time to go to school.” Brian, my older brother said, stumbling out of my room. I wiped my hand down my face, I couldn’t belive that I actually though I was bringing Courtney the moon.

At morning tea I sat were I always sat except with my friends. When they decided to go to the oval I turned to Courtney.

“Okay guys” I said. While they walked off I called her.

“Courtney can I borrow you for a second.” She looked up and nodded. I took her a little far away, from where her friends could’nt hear us.

“I cant do it.” I mumbled, feeling disappointed in myself.

“Do what?” she asked oblivious.

“I can’t bring you the moon.” She smiled.

“Toby I didn’t ask you to bring me the moon. I asked you to bring me something that is as significant as the moon.” She said. I frowned.

“There isn’t anything that is as significant as the moon though.” I replied.

“That’s not true.” She said and her hand went firmly to my chest. I looked into her eyes. “Toby there is something as significant as the moon, and that’s you. I don’t need the moon. I just need you.” She said.

“But I’m not as significant as the moon” I pointed out.

“You are to me.” She said then pecked me on the cheek.