short stories

Letter to Jane

I was 15 when he moved here. Used to sit by my locker with a book, never talking, or work on a new song, that was my favorite. I'd been that way since I first started reading. The librarian always had to put a limit on the number of books I could check out. Ya, I know what you're going to say, why didn't you use your phone, like the rest of us? The truth is, I didn't have one. So I stuck to my books. Besides, I always felt that a hard copy was magical somehow. It transported you. I was never the same person after a good one. Something had always changed in me.so I wasn't ready when he sat down beside me.

"Hey, my name's Justin, what's yours?" he pulled the book from out of my face, and looked into my eyes.

"Huh, oh sorry, I'm Fell, would you please release my book?" I said, glaring at him, I was reading a romance novel, and unfortunately, the dialect stuck in my voice. He smiled, and did as I asked, I was too shocked to speak, so used people throwing it across the hallway, and me hoping they didn't break it. He laughed, looking at me like I was something special. I wasn't, I was worse than garbage. So why did this boy look at me like I was...beautiful? I went back to reading, smiling as the main character was swept up in the arms of her future. Then I finished it up, and set it down, sighing. I wanted something like that, a handsome young suitor who spoke kind words to me, and didn't leave me. Sometimes I dared dream, and he, well, he was perfect. Looking over at the book I was reading I realized that Justin was sitting across the hall from me, just staring at me. Perhaps he was waiting for me to say something, but he must have noticed me watching him, because he spoke

"I like that book." he said, nodding to the one I just finished.

"Me too, I think I've read it over a hundred times." I laughed, "It always makes me wonder."

"Wonder what?"

" If there really is someone out there for me, like him anyways. Someone that looks at me like he looks at her." I gave him a sad smile, and looked at my hands. I used to have conversations like this with Niana, but then her family had to move, again. That's how it always how it went. I make a friend, they stay for maybe two years, and then they leave.

"I believe there is." Justin whispered. He'd made his way beside me, and I think he saw my tears, because he wiped them away. Then he smiled, " I'll always believe that, after all, god didn't make this world to give some people happiness, but not others." In one of my romance novels, this would have been the part where we kissed, and I realized my someone was him, but it didn't happen that way. In reality, the bell rang, and he helped me up, then he asked where his next class was. I took him to it, and we talked about our favorite books. I was in that class, science, if I remember correctly. I do remember sitting through the whole class drawing him. He sat in the desk in front of me, and I did my best to depict his dark brown hair, and the blue sweatshirt, and the way he leaned in the chair, and raised his hand. The way his confidence showed through his stance. I finished that drawing during that class, I still have it in my scrapbook, and I'll never get rid of it. The next few weeks were filled with more laughter than I'd known in my entire life. People kept trying to convince me that I should ask him out. I would just laugh and say, "No, we're just friends, and I like it that way," But one day he changed that. I was at my locker, again, reading another novel, this time a scifi, when he sat beside me.

"What's up?" I said, looking over at my best friend in the whole world. He gave me a little smile, and then he grinned,

"Hey Fell?"

"Yeah?"

"You never told me what your real name was."

"Oh? You'll laugh." I said, smiling back.

"No, I promise," He said, drawing an x over his heart with his finger

"It's Fell, just Fell. It's supposed to mean 'a field'" I laughed. I didn't think he saw that one coming.

"Well Fell Melody Hardell, will you go on a date with me." He said, giving me a hopeful look.

"Oh my gosh, yes, but..." I said, obviously more shocked than he

" But what" He said, slightly confused.

"How'd you know my name." I said, and he laughed, grabbing my hand, and squeezing it.

"You'll never know" he whispered in my ear.

That Saturday, He surprised me, driving up to my house in a red convertible, and holding a bunch of wildflowers. My mother opened the door, and spoke to him while I finished my makeup. When I dashed down the stairs, they were waiting by the front door. Mom raised her eyebrows, and I laughed. Then I saw Justin's face, and laughed harder. He was shocked, but he managed a smile. My mother had put the flowers in a vase, and I ran and hugged him. Mom laughed, and waved at us as he helped me into the car. Then we drove away, the town speeding past us, until we were in the woods nearby. It wasn't until we reached a little parking lot that we stopped and parked. Then he helped me out of the car, and took me by the hand. He led me down a trail, and we didn't stop until we reached a beautiful little log cabin. For a moment I thought, this is like something out of a fairy tail. We walked in through the door, and the scene surprised me. The table was set, a candle in the center, and two china plates faced each other. A wonderful smell came from the oven, and I couldn't help but remember the book I was reading that first day.

"Wow," I Breathed. It was just like a fairytale

"You like it?" He looked at me, face hopeful.

"Like It, It's beautiful!" I sighed. And it just got better after that. The meal was beautiful, that wonderful smell? Well it was steak, and after that, he pulled a pie from the counter, it was perfect. And then we sat on the couch, just talking. In the middle of a conversation about our favorite song, I looked at him and smiled.

"Justin, I I love you"

He smiled, and leaned down. The next thing I knew, he leaned down and kissed me. Then he whispered in my ear,

"I love you more." That is one day I'll never forget.

The drive home was filled with smiles and music. We sang and laughed. When we got home, before I opened the door, he kissed me, and asked me to the Prom. I said yes, and the next few years were filled with the most wonderful days and nights. I still have the dress I wore at that prom, a white gown with black lace, styled after the kind you'd see a lady from a romance movie wear. Seven years after that first date, Justin took me on one to match it. That was the night he proposed, and three months after that, we were married, smiles wide, and laughter throughout. Our entire lives were based on that, smiling and laughing. Justin was drafted into the army when he was 26. I moved back with my parents, while he was fighting an unknown battle. That Christmas, we got a letter. Justin hadn't survived. His letters were kept in a box, and I wrote this story, hoping that someday you would read it, and be inspired. Justin taught me that everyone can be loved, even those of us who sit by our lockers reading novels. And someday, that right guy, or girl will come to you. I love you, my little angel, Jane.