Life Is Normal

Everything was normal for an instant; a town full of misunderstood people, cars lined up at the parking lots, everyone happy in their own way, and a grand clock that chimed at every hour. Everything was perfect at one point and then the next day happened and something messed up everything. There was a boy who seemed special at the time with his dark brown hair and hoodies he wears practically every day. There was something about him that whenever he walked by the people who lived in the small town, they just stared. He didn't know why the people stared at him so much. Was it because of what he was wearing? Was it that his hair was combed in a different way than the other boys? Or was it because he was happier than the town itself?

He never could figure out that basic question, so he would always go home and forget all about what he was thinking about. Every day after the other, the boy took the bus to school and tried to bring a smile to everyone's faces but there was no use; he would fail every time. On the boy's 16th birthday, he wished on a candle that there was someone out there who would smile; and not by obligation, not by force, but because they really wanted to. He blew out the candle and went to bed.

The next day, the boy woke up for school. He walked to the bus wearing a gray hoodie and listening to music through his earbuds. When he got to school, he looked all around him but no one smiled at him. "And I thought that today would be different?" The boy said and entered the school through the glass doors. Later that day the boy exited the school and was about to walk down the same road to his bus like he does every day until a girl walked in front of him as she passed him. She smiled when she looked at the boy. To his surprise, the boy's wish came true. "Hey!" The boy said and the girl turned around. "Hey." The girl said. The boy smiled before saying anything. "Is something wrong?" The girl asked. "Actually no, you're the first student to smile at me this year." The boy said. The girl smiled again. "My name's Easton, by the way." The boy said. "Marley." The girl said.

The girl and the boy went their separate ways and said goodbye to each other. When Easton got home, he told his mother what had happened but she only smiled to see that her son was happy. "I wonder if I'll see Marley again?" Easton said. "It might be tomorrow?" Easton's mom said. Easton couldn't explain how the wish he'd made the night before on a candle came true because the only explanation didn't make sense. There had to be another way. On Saturday, Easton woke up, ate breakfast, and got dressed. He asked his mom if he could go meet with his friend, and she nodded her head. To Easton, the town he lived in was very small where everywhere he goes was just a mile away from the next building, like the school was 30 minutes away from his neighborhood. When he left, he planned to meet up with his friend, Mason, at his house. He needed more information about this wish.

Easton walked passed the community park on Alvin Dr. and Beacon Ave., took a left by Elmor Side Library, and took a right into Mason's neighborhood. When Easton knocked on the door, Mason told him to come inside. They walked into his room so they could talk. "So you think that the wish you made has something to do with the coincidence that happened yesterday?" Mason asked. "I know it seems weird, it's weird for me too! This girl, Marley, smiled at me. I didn't even have to say anything." Easton said. Mason paced back and forth from his bed and then sat down next to Easton. "Easton, you know what I think? Maybe Marley smiled at you for a reason." Mason said. "Did you say something during the day that would make her want to smile at you?" Easton knew exactly what.

"I did make a joke about the teacher, but that's it!" Easton said. "Well, there you go. The reason why she smiled at you was because she thinks you're funny." Mason said. "But I barely know this girl." Easton said. "Well, right now you don't, but later in life you will find out more about her." Mason said. "But it seems odd how I've never seen her in my class." Easton said. "Like I said, reason. Fate pushed you into meeting her in the first place!" Mason said. "Are you saying that our meeting was a coincidence and that magic is the only explanation?" Easton asked. "If you believe in magic, then yeah." "You're absolutely insane, Mason." Easton said and smiled. "I have to go. Thank you for everything." Easton said and left Mason's house. He walked back to his house and right when he closed the door and locked it, he turned around, and the Mayor was standing in the living room wearing a purple pant suit.