Last day of School
Malcolm was late, really late. He was still pulling clothes
out of his dresser and holding them up at arm’s length in front of himself.
“This is stupid!” he sighed and pulled out an old Cure T shirt that once belonged
to his older brother James. He was pulling it over his head as he ran down the
stairs, out the back door and jumped on his bike. He was already half way to
school when he realized he forgot his lunch on the counter. It was right beside
the cold toast he never ate for breakfast. “Just great” he muttered but kept
going all the same. The day went pretty
much the same way through to final class.
Mr. Oldman was already up at the board writing out the
problems to review for the next year. He wanted to prepare us for the future he said, emphasising the word as
he explained to his best friend Rob a couple days later. Mr. Oldman barely
noticed which was fine by Malcolm and kept right on going.
Second period started
with the realization he grabbed the wrong books and had to make his way through
half of the school to his locker and back. He was sweating and panting as he
ran into the room and tripped over Sarah Johnson and barely missing two other
girls as the books left his hands and flew across the room.
“So glad you could join us.” remarked Mrs. Mahoney.
“You can just leave the books at the door!” snorted Gary
Robinson that got everyone laughing. Malcolm was hard to embarrass normally but
he red faced now. Not because of what just happened but because he was now
pretty much on top of Sarah. He was mesmerized by the tight fitting outfit she
was wearing and couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He had never seen her this way before and never thought of her in any
other way other than a friend. Sarah and
Malcolm had been friends since grade 3 and lived a few doors down from each
other. Sarah had noticed Malcolm however
and from the way Malcolm was now looking at her she knew he had finally noticed
her too. It took Gary to break the silence with a protracted cough to get
things moving again.
The jocks were all
busy organizing the football gear with the coach taking inventory in gym, so he
just tried reading a book on the bleachers but thoughts of Sarah kept creeping
in between the lines. He eventually gave up on the book and closed his eyes. He
ended up sleeping right through the lunch hour and had a noticeable burn on his
face as he made his way back into the school. It took nearly 5 minutes for his
eyes to adjust to the din of the hallway but the air conditioned coolness felt well.
The rest of the day was a blur but mercifully short thanks
in no small part to Mr. Able the shop teacher. “Off you go lads, your free,
enjoy the summer!” Malcolm had no reason
to go back through the school; he could have just walked out the back door of
the shop. It was a beautiful day after all but an urge to see if Sarah was
still around gnawed at him. Her locker was on the other side of the school and
the last bell sounded as he was still walking. In a heartbeat there was a swarm
of people spilling out of every door in front and behind him. He almost felt
like he was in a strong river current heading downstream. Sarah’s locker was
empty and the door hung wide open. A foreign sense of loss shrouded the walk
home. William was of course waiting of him by the first set of doors closest to
the road. “Let’s take a walk boy” whispered Malcolm. They set off down Rebecca
and away towards the lake, unknowing that Sarah was would be waiting another 5
minutes at Malcolm’s closed locker that still had the pad lock in place. She
knew the combination and thought it would be okay to check considering it was
the last day of school. The locker was empty with the exception of a couple
pencils and a questionably healthy water bottle. She grabbed her pack and raced
down the stairs to where she knew Bill would be waiting but knew instantly she
was too late.
It would have been easy to just give up and head home but
the heart isn’t that easy to give up on. Sarah let fate carry her on the path
and she headed off down Rebecca in the same direction as Malcolm was travelling
but with a 15 minute head start.
Sarah reached the park and scanned over the soccer playing
kids, the families at the pole mounted barbeques, and finally far across the field
to someone playing Frisbee with a black dog.
A broad smile lit up her face and she crossed the park as fast as she
could but as she got closer she could see him disappear around the far corner
of the fence by the lake and open the gate. She hesitated for a second breaking
her stride but kept going.
She stood at the archway to the opening of the yard and
peered in. It was beautiful; a small tiered garden rose up from the grass and
was already full of some of the earlier plants and many herbs. A grey plume of
smoke circled the yard like smoke rings but had a mesquite aroma.
It was Andrew that noticed Sarah first. “Hello, come in,” he
said in such a warm inviting tone that she could not resist.
“Do you know Malcolm?” questioned Andrew. William bounded up
to her and lifted her hand up so it was on top of his head.
“Sarah? Hey, uh, what
are you, how are you here? Do you know Andrew?” asked Malcolm.
Andrew laughed, “No Malcolm she doesn’t but
I would love to get to know her” and he reached out a hand to her and guided
her towards the patio. Are you hungry?” He questioned. “I’ve overdone it as
usual and there is a ton to eat! Please come in and sit and you can explain to
Malcolm why/ how you’re here because from where I’m sitting it is pretty
obvious.”
Andrew served a Grilled
New Mexico pepper rubbed veal rack chops with grilled fingerling potatoes and
grape tomatoes which was amazing.
The sun was setting by the time dishes were done and it was
time to say goodnight.
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