FicWad

Chapter 6- More Than You Think.

Rainbow. It begins at one point, and stops at another. The colors appear and suddenly the world is at peace for one moment as you discover the inevitable love of it.

It was so misty and shiny as it reflected off the water. How can such magnificent colors come off of dirty water? If only you could touch it, feel it in your palms. But you can’t. All you can do is cherish the moments that the Rainbow gives you, because the next second…It’s gone.

Tuesday. Such a ordinary day. Nothing too special about it. Desirae’s hair swatted her face from the morning breeze. She held the small blue notepad in her hands as she went over the notes and things her mind couldn’t seem to write. She would patiently wait for Health class and start her evaluations. She forced herself off the ground and grabbed her books. She said goodbye to her father, who wasn’t listening, and she was off again walking down the familiar dirt path that lead to the school and city.

With Fall on it’s way, she could feel the change of the wind. It came so soon, but that’s how New Jersey is. The weather was unpredictable, and you just have to live for quite a while to get used to it. Half of her had always wondered what the west coast states were like. She had heard many stories on how the sun never fades. The wind never comes, and they skies remain their natural blue as another year passes. Rain was just not in the vocabulary. That was the hard part. She had loved rain and the calmness brought. If she focused hard, she could recall the exact sound of rain falling. She had loved both, but she couldn’t have them at the same time. It was impossible.

She shook her head several times in attempt to stop her hair from falling all over the place. She reached the familiar schoolyard that seemed to mock her every time she arrived. It was big brown, and it just screamed she’s was out of place from the rest of the students. She looked to her left, and smiled as she saw Shanna playing with a girl who had auburn hair, light skin, and her hair was in the cutest pigtails. Shanna seemed to feel Desirae’s eyes on her, because when she looked up she beamed. She gave a rather large wave, and Desirae waved back and continued her way into class wondering how a child could make you feel the slightest of better.

Subjects. They were all different, and yet they made her feel the same confusion and slight bitterness as she worked through all of them. Math was a dread and a horror. Science was okay. History wasn’t so bad, just a lot reading and studying. Physical Education…Enough said. Made to embarrass the uncoordinated. English, she could survive. It involved writing, and she liked writing. It was a nice break from the regular studies. Wishing she was back with Shanna in the elementary school, where all she had to do was simple math.

Lunch was already here, and she quickly got her tray and was immediately called to the lunch table in the courtyard by Lisa and Kimberlee, Theresa was nowhere in sight.

“So Kimberlee how are things happening with you and Ray?” Lisa mocked. Kimberlee snarled before stabbing her fork into the mashed potatoes.

“We’re from complete planets it feels like! It’s just…difficult, and I don’t want to talk about it!” She huffed.

“Well I can’t cross you completely, I mean Frank is just unruly.” Lisa added. Desirae giggled to herself as she witnessed her friends who were sisters talk to each other. They were so different, but then they would be just alike. They would fight, but then they were civil. Maybe it’s a sibling thing, and Desirae would never know how that works.

“What are you laughing at Desirae? You got paired with Bob.” Kimberlee directed her target to Desirae who shrugged.

“He’s not that bad…just quiet I suppose.”

“He’s too quiet, and you know you have to be careful about the quiet ones.” Lisa smiled at her joke, which Desirae didn’t exactly find funny.

“I think that if I talk to him more, I’ll understand him a little better. You should do the same with Ray and Frank.” Desirae retorted, which Lisa and Kimberlee frowned. She was right, and they knew it. Desirae finished up her lunch and walked her tray to the lunch lady who gently took it from her.

“All I know is that Frank mentions his father’s shotgun again, I may just have to use it on him myself.”

“Good luck, Ray is just too smart me, I don’t like it.” Kimberlee half whined as they entered the Health room and Mr. Angell had on the same smile he always had.

“Well I trust that everyone looked through the books. Today we can actually start writing in them. Only pen please. Now go to your expected partners and we’ll begin.” Desirae slowly got up from her seat and walked her way over to his desk where he looked up this time.

“Hi. Again.” She said softly.

“Hey.” His voice barely above whisper. She grabbed and empty chair and sat silently opposite of the desk.

“How are you?” She suddenly asked. She mentally slapped herself when his face dropped a little.

“I’m okay. You?”

“Fine.” She replied and averted him as the teacher clapped for attention.

“Good. We can begin. Today you will write in your notepad I gave you, and list 4 things about that person. I expect it to be turned in tomorrow. I want you and your partners about what interests you. The more you have in common, the better you are to develop a sincere relationship. Get to it.” He nodded and sat at his desk.

The awkwardness returned to the couple as Bob didn’t open his notepad like Desirae had. She sensed she would be taking control of the conversation, not by wanting, but having no other choice.

“What music do you like?” Was all that could come up.

“The Beatles, and mostly jazz.” She smiled some.

“The Beatles are my favorite too.” He nodded, more talkative today. Not a lot, but it was a great effort.

“What about favorite destinations? Do you like to go out of town?” He shook his head.

“Not really.”

“Oh…” Some silence had returned. The sound of paper hitting her back made her close her eyes and take a deep breath as Joey continued to roar with laughter. Since when was paper funny? It really hurt if it’s thrown at a certain angle [it really does.] and it did get old. Well for Desirae, not for Joey.

“Favorite animal.” She snapped unintentionally. She just needed something to take her mind of the throbbing in her back from previous attacks. He gave her a weird look but answered anyways.

“Zebra.”

“Zebra?” She smiled again. He looked down, and she wondered if maybe he thought she was making fun of him.

“Zebra’s are pretty.” She added. He looked back up. She felt less of a moron when he did.
“What about you?” He asked.

“What about me?”

“Favorite place, animal?” She blushed from idiocy.

“I don’t have a favorite place, and my favorite animal is a hare.”

“A hare?” He mocked her.

“Yes, a hare. They’re very cute.”

“I guess…” She just shrugged. The silence continued. He made no movement, she didn’t speak. She was out of questions, which that didn’t sound personal. She also didn’t want to mention she was practically best friends with his younger sister. She stared at Lisa and Kimberlee with no interest. Lisa was trying so hard to listen to Frank speak. Desirae heard his muffled voice but couldn’t make out a single word he said. Kimberlee was of course pretending here nail beds were doing something important that required her attention.

“Five minutes left.” The teacher suddenly called. Desirae turned back to Bob who was staring at Frank with a smile. Maybe he understood Frank’s language. Frank was now giggling for an unknown reason. It was sort of funny to see him laughing about well…nothing she assumed. Lisa was less than humored.

“What’s that on your wrist?” His question snapped her out of her trance.

“What?”

“That. What happened?” He pointed and she averted his gaze and shrugged.

“I fell in the river.” If she only had a penny for every time she said that excuse. He didn’t say anything else, which she was grateful for. But she could still see him looking at. She smoothly fixed her sweater sleeve to cover it.

“Looks rough.” He said softly.

“It doesn’t hurt.” As bad it did the other day She thought to herself.

“Oh.” He nodded. Desirae patiently waited for the bell to ring and when it did she coolly walked out.

“He saw, that’s just great.” She whispered to herself. She knew he was wondering about it. She had lied when it said it didn’t hurt. It was sore and the slightest movement made her cringe on the inside. She had taught herself to not show emotions on the outside. It was easier that way. She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. Besides the bruise spotting, she had enjoyed today. She talked to him more than she thought. It was short, but any kind of words were good right? It was only when she was turning the corner the call of her name, and the voice calling her made her smile come to life.

“Shanna.” She said softly.

“Hi!” Her cheery voice beamed.

“How come you don’t walk with your brother?” She asked not to sound rude, but Shanna always walked by herself. Although she already knew the answer.

“I don’t like walking with him. When he’s with his friends, their goofy.” Desirae laughed.

“That’s why you won’t walk with him, cause’s he goofy?” She smiled. Shanna nodded proudly.

“I’m not a goof.” She said defiantly.

“We should hope not.” Desirae mocked. She held out her hand to Shanna who took it.

“Well come on. You’ll be my walking-home-from-school-buddy. Do you like that?”

“Of course. I don’t like to walk by myself, but its better than..”

“Being a goof?” Desirae finished for her. Shanna giggled and nodded.

“It can’t be that bad.”

“Well its not so much Bob, its’ Frank and Gerard. Frank’s the goofiest. I think he has goofy parents, so the goof genetic was passed on to him.” Desirae laughed once more.
__________

Blue. It was the color that was staring back at her as she once again returned to the notepad but with something to say this time. She tapped her pen in thinking, and the words weren’t just fit enough to be written.

Shy? Quiet? Always thinking? Sometimes stand offish? It’s been the second, maybe with time she’ll be writing more. Until then she settled for the simple words.

Date : August 29th 1962

Words to describe partner: Shy, worried, concerned, caring

She hoped that was enough to fill the spaces of the paper. She laid on the grass letting her mind slip into the sunset ahead of her. Her rainbow didn’t return that day. She knew it would though.

“Mama I am doing?” She whispered into the air. The breeze carried leaves overhead and danced in the air. She smiled as they fell into the river and watch it swirl down the current.

Now all she could do was stare at the sky, and wonder if he wrote about her…
~~~

“Bob! Are you coming in for dinner? Rosalina made pot roast.” Shanna’s voice squeaked.

“Yeah. Be right there.” He called back and Shanna ran back inside. He stared at the red notepad and swirled the pen in the dirt before bringing it to the paper. He couldn’t find the right words, but he would just put down what he could.

Nice, quiet, He was going to put in clumsy, but he shook his head. The last word remained unknown. He had liked talking to her. He kept his guard up, but he couldn’t help it. He frowned before tossing a penny into the river and walking back inside to eat dinner, with the notepad safely in his hands…..