3TS: The Chances of Starting Again

My Date??

Jan. 29 I'm hoping, but feeling hopeless.

Walking into school this morning, in squishy wet shoes as I had gone through all the puddles of rain from last night, I was at a jogger's pace. Arlene always walked at a fast pace whenever she was excited. Arlene was babbling on about this guy she literally fell into yesterday (Journal, she tripped on the last step as she came to the second floor, and he caught her in her fall. But in the process, he fell with her). And then, the topic moved onto the V-dance.

"The guy asked me if I had a date to the Valentine's Dance..." Her fingers beat down repeatedly on the textbooks she was holding.

"And what did you say?" I asked hopefully. Hopefully that maybe she will get a new crush. Her own dance. Someone other than Trent...

"I said...I don't know. But I told him I will get back to him." She winked. And I laughed but then sighed.

I know what she was thinking. She was still hoping for Trent.

And I was still hoping for him too.

Then, suddenly a flash of silver caught my eye. I blinked and then gazed at where the silver had flashed. The strange woman was there, leaning against the silver tricycle I had seen her drive before. Her arms were crossed, and she had sunglasses on even though it was cloudy this morning. But I felt like she was looking at me. My heart suddenly stopped. And I slowed down. What was she doing here, Journal?

I kept on walking slowly, and then tripped on a slightly raised tile. Arlene turned to look back at me and laugh slightly at my clumsiness. "Are you alright?" She said as she pulled me to my feet.

I laughed sheepishly, but then looked back to see the woman. But she was already gone.

**

I stood near the door, holding my lunchbag, waiting for Arlene to grab her lunch and extra dessert. Which was most always chocolate.

Today, Arlene wanted to sit outside together with me. Get away from the noisy crowd within. And I felt the same.

Then, someone stepped outside. I turned to see Trent, but he didn't turn to me as he sat himself at the first bench, looking toward the cafeteria door once in awhile as if waiting for his friends. Sitting on a bench, one of his knees kept bouncing up and down as he ate a piece of bread.

So, there we were, Journal. Kind of alone. Kind of awkward.

Suddenly, Trent started to cough. And then he coughed even harder, his shoulders shaking badly as he crunched over.

I stared for a moment, and then realized he was probably choking. I instantly moved to his side, hitting his back hard. "Are you okay? What happened?"

And then, as it had come, his cough was gone. He sat up straighter as he opened his palm from where he had coughed into. "I think..." He stuttered, "I coughed up something."

At first, I was grossed out, journal. It was probably vomit. Or his chewed up piece of bread.

But...no. It wasn't anything I had expected. It was the unexpected.

He looked up at me, "I think I coughed up my heart." He said as he placed a small paper heart between us.

In small-but neat-handwriting he had written in the middle of the heart, "Chemistry".

I couldn't breathe. Was he trying to relive our memories together? Was...he...wait...what was he trying to do?

I gulped.

He cleared his throat, "Can you be my date to the V-dance?" He said nervously.

Time slowed. He smiled and laughed as he waited for my answer.

I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. Because...I didn't know what to say.

Well, I knew the words I had to say. I knew the words what I wanted to say. They were on the tip of my tongue.

Mixed feelings were swirling through my heart like a hot chocolate drink with ice that had suddenly been dropped in.

Arlene wanted him as her date.

And I wanted him as my date. But I wanted my friend to be happy.

But he had asked me. And I'm sure my friend wanted me to be happy too.

Besides, I couldn't let his coughing-out-his-heart-for-me act go to waste.

My mouth gaped open. I took in a breath. And then time went back into its normal pace again.

"L-Let's go as good friends." I stuttered as I smiled.

Trent smiled. Wide.

Which probably meant, Journal, that all that registered in his mind was that I had said yes.