Fairy Rock

Chapter 2: Tevin Gets Embarrassed

Tevin wakes up and jumps out of bed as he smells the aroma of cooked bacon. He steps over his wrinkled shirt, grass-stained jeans, muddy socks, and tattered shoes he wore last night.

He glances at all his first-place science fair trophies he wins every year and goes downstairs to the kitchen, where his parents are eating their usual scrambled eggs and turkey bacon breakfast.

His mother and father have their police officer uniforms on as they sip their coffee before work.

"How is my science whiz doing?" his mom asks.

"Okay," Tevin replies.

"Ouch!" His dad touches his mouth. "I burned my tongue on this bleeping coffee!"

"Take your time, sweetheart," Tevin's mom says.

She takes a wrinkled napkin and cleans the liquid off her husband's face.

Tevin hugs both of his parents and heads toward the door without eating.

The fresh air of the summer day sends a jollying smile across his face so big that his cheeks stick out.

The roses in his mother's garden are gorgeous, and he imagines handing a bundle of them to Serenity and getting a kiss from her.

He closes his eyes and daydreams about dancing with her on his parents' long brown porch to jazz music. The rhythm of the drumbeat and saxophone fills his imagination, making him jig and spin around the patio. He gets down on one knee practicing, proposing to the woman of his dreams. "Will you marry me, Serenity? No, that's not good enough; she needs a better proposal!"

He stands up and gets right back down on one knee again. "Serenity, you are the love of my life. You are the most astonishing and elegant woman in the world. You are more beautiful than a sunset on a tropical island. Will you marry me? Yeah, that will work."

He gets up, snaps his fingers, and jumps for joy.

He spins around and spots his parents watching him through the black bars on the living room window.

Tevin blushes and puts his t-shirt over his head, hiding his face as his parents laugh at him. He raises his hands in the air. "Yes, Richard will help me win a date with Serenity today!"

He dashes toward his best friend's house. Richard can do anything. I believe in him because he was our high school graduation valedictorian.

***

Tevin arrives at Richard's place and trips over the front step, landing face-first into one of the new lawn chairs.

Richard opens the door holding a black leather jacket in his hands.

"What's that for?"

"This, my man, is your new coat."

"Thank you! I'm glad the weather is still cool enough for me to wear it."

"Stop blushing! This jacket is supposed to make you look like a bad boy."

"Why?"

Richard takes his durag from his black kakis shorts and ties it on his head. "I researched, and all of Serenity's boyfriends have been bad boys."

Tevin put the smooth black coat on while hunching his back and folding his arms together with his head down.

"Look up! Stop staring at the floor and make eye contact with people. Bad boys aren't supposed to have low self-esteem."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing! Bad boys don't apologize."

***