Young Writers Society

There’s a long silence between my mom and I. She’s in her fighting stance; one knee bent, weight all shifted to one foot, hand on her hip, and lips taut. I have my own; arms crossed, eyebrows knitted, and legs tense.

Her attitude ceases to frighten me, so she switches to pleading, “Reagen, at least consider it. Please?”

“Fine,” I lie, because no way in Hell am I even going to begin to think about doing something so selfish.

My mom leaves at that, perhaps believing that she had convinced me to date him.I head off in the opposite direction, searching for Ashton.

I find him after about two minutes in the upstairs hallway. He’s smiling faintly at one of the hung up pictures. I’m mortified when I realize that it’s my school picture from fourth grade, when I had an unkempt pixie cut that was curly in awkward places, braces, and two missing teeth.

Ashton must senseme, because he abruptly turns and grins at me. “Reagen, you were such a cute kid.”

“If the term cute suddenly means mildly disgusting, then yes, I was cute,” I reply.

Ashton frowns, advising, “You really shouldn’t joke about yourself like that.”

“Oh, it’s fine. I know the girl, Reagen, personally. She doesn’t mind,” I joke.

Ashton grins humorlessly. “Why can’t you take anything seriously?”

“Why be serious?” I point out. “Seriousness comes with hardship and pain. Humor is a demeanor of carefreeness and joy.”

“Carefreeness is the seed of ignorance, and joy, denial. You can’t fool me,” Ashton retorts.

“I didn’t want to get into a political debate,” I murmur.

“Fine. Then I will present you with three choices, Ms. Bennett. Option one: Date me. Option two: Go out with me. Option three: Become my girlfriend,” Ashton offers .

“What about option four?” I question.

“Option four?” Ashton repeats.

“”None of the above!” I declare. I take Ashton’s hand, pulling him down the steps. “Now, Ashton, don’t take this personally, but…. Get out!” I push him out the door and shut it. I wait for a few moments, ear pressed against the wood. I don’t have a peephole, so this is my only assurance that he’s gone. I go to sit, but a knock on the door interrupts me. I sigh, opening the door to see Ashton standing there, hands behind his back, smiling.

“Excuse me, do you have a moment to talk about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?”

I can’t help but laugh, burying my face in my hands. I look at Ashton through my fingers, to see him still smirking. “Ashton, I won’t say yes.”

“I’m not leaving until you do,” Ashton replies, his smile augmenting.

I glance around desperately for some inspiration to get this boy to leave. “Don’t you have to be somewhere?”

“Well, school tomorrow, but so do you,” Ashton answers.

I stick my hip out, placing a hand on my waist. “Fine.”

Ashton jumps up and down with pleasure as I continue, “You will take me out once. You will have a dinner with my parents first; I’m a good girl. You will have me home by curfew at 11:00, and know that I will be wearing a chastity belt.”

“Could this one date lead to more?” Ashton wonders hopefully.

I decide not to cruelly destroy every molecule of faith in this boy, by lying, “Maybe.”

Ashton squeals happily, hugging me. He rubs my back, giving me one last squeeze before leaving. As he hops into his car, he waves, calling,

“See you, Reagen.”

The next day at school, I open my locker to find a card and a small teddy bear about as large as my hand. The card is pink, and in Gothic calligraphy reads, “Cordially Invited….”

I open the card to read the inside, which is handwritten in Ashton’s precise scrawl.

“Dearest Reagen,

We will be attending the waterpark this Saturday. I will pick you up at 11:00 a.m., and you will be home by 3:00. Make sure you bring a swim suit, as you will get wet!

Forever yours,

Ashton

I can’t hold back my smile. I tuck the card into my backpack, making sure it doesn’t get crumpled. I shut my locker and turn to go to class, when I see Ashton. I sneak up behind him and tap his shoulder. Ashton faces me and smiles. “Did you get the card?”

I nod, biting my lip. “I did. Thank you, that was very sweet.”

Ashton lifts his hand, cupping my jaw. He brings his thumb across my cheek, complimenting, “Anything to make a beautiful girl smile.”

I blush, and mutter, “I’m really not pretty.”

Ashton’s brows furrow, and he asks, “Oh, you don’t know? How can you not see it?”

I say, “Goodbye, Ashton”, successfully avoiding the subject.

When I get home from school, I show my mother the card and stuffed animal, and she just about cries.

“Oh Reagen, honey, I think he loves you!” my mom chokes out.

I play with the ribbon tied around the bear’s neck, thumbing the silk. “I doubt it. He just met me, after all.” I glance up at my mom, adding, “It’s a crush at best.”

My mom shrugs, patting my shoulder. “Well, call it what you want, but don’t think I can’t tell when a boy takes an interest in you. And my, has this one taken that attraction and ran with it!” She stands, leaving the room.

I sit there, reading the card over and over. It’s unreal. I never really thought I’d be going on an actual date with a guy. Granted, it’s at a cheap water park, but I think that almost makes it better. To Hell with fancy restaurants and to Hell with moonlight picnics. Let’s give it up for flimsy dates in a dirty place, because they force you to make the time memorable.

I read over the card once more. ‘Forever yours’ is how he signed it. Ashton Riley, forever mine. I’m starting to grow accustomed to that.