BARRIERS OF A FIRST LOVE
Chapter Twelve
September 5, 2003
Mr. Kells confronted the classroom.
"Glad to have you all here with us." He eyed Rose. "Now, every
month I’ll give you one class period to work on your year-long project. Since
this is the first Friday of the school year, that’s what this period will be dedicated
to. So pair up and get to know each other!"
*****
"Hey," Jack said to Rose.
"Hey, yourself."
"Where were you yesterday?"
"Um…I was just talking to Cal."
"Yeah? What’d he say?"
Jack was being playful and smiling. That
would make it a lot more difficult for Rose to say what she had to say next.
"Look, Jack, we can’t keep doing this. I can’t see you again."
"It’s because of him isn’t it?"
Rose didn’t answer.
"Have you ever seen a butterfly trapped
in a jar? It taps its wings against the glass. But no matter how much fire that
butterfly has, eventually, that fire burns out. If you stay with him, stay in
that world, your fire is gonna burn out. too."
"I think we should get on with our
project." She avoided eye contact and stared down at her paper.
"What’s your favorite color?"
*****
Jack was sitting on the bridge after school,
facing out towards the water. The wind rustled through his hair when he heard
an angelic voice say, "I changed my mind."
He turned around to face Rose. She was
wearing the same outfit that she had worn to school, but he hadn’t had a chance
to get a good look at her until now. Her clothes consisted of a silky blue
skirt with a top of wrap-around deep purple sleeves and a ruby design. Her hair
was loose and flew around her; wild and free.
"How’d you know I’d be here?" he
asked her.
"I just knew." She walked closer
until they were only a few feet apart.
"Close your eyes," he whispered to
her. She obeyed, and he drew closer and put his hands on her hips. She thought
that he would kiss her, but instead he stepped behind her and guided her
forward. He gently prompted her to stand on the low bottom railing. He wrapped
his hands in hers and lifted her arms on either side of her. Then, he took his
own arms down, but hers stayed up, like wings.
"Open your eyes."
Rose gasped. The sky was unimaginable shades
of blues, pinks, and violets, while the breeze shifted through her. The railing
was out of her sight. She was flying.
She felt Jack lean in oh-so-slightly closer.
He brought his hands to hers once again, and brought both of their arms to her
sides. She tilted her head so that her silky hair brushed against his cheek. It
was in this position that they shared their first kiss. As it grew in passion,
they were two immortal beings soaring above the earth.