High school: A cheesy love story

9

Lunch time becomes my favourite time because I get to do the things that I want to do after long hours of doing things that are wanted by others.

Apart from spending time in the fountain of knowledge, I enjoy spending time with nature. I like hugging trees. Trees talk and they listen without judgement and they are of course the best and most generous huggers.

Getting to the tree seemed to be an easy task. I don't recall being pricked by thorns or being shackled by stems. I should've just got out the way I got in; on the other side of beautiful bush surrounding the big tree.

When the plants are finally ready to let me go, I fall into the hands of a stranger. Our embrace isn't awkward at all, it seems he is reluctant to let go of me.

I recognise him by his scent and he automatically becomes familiar. I look at the ocean in his eyes.

"Are you stalking me now?" I ask.

"You did it first." He retaliates.

"I wasn't stalking. I was gathering information."

"You threatened Ms More."

I chuckle.

"Must you westernise everything Luke?"

"It's not my fault I can't pronounce it. But that's not the point."

"What's the point. Why are you here?"

He instantly turns red.

"I thought we could go to the beach this weekend."

I'm sure his palms are sweating and all I want to do is make him sweat more.

"I can't. I have a date with my real dad."

He gives me a funny look and I realise that this is more fun when I do it with my mother.

"Friday, then." The colour on his face increase by the second and it gives me an idea.

"Sunday." There's so much space between us, I can't even remember the exact moment we broke the hug.

"I've got church on Sunday."

"We'll go when you return, then."

"You're bleeding!" He exclaims as if I'm bleeding to death.

I hadn't noticed until now that the thorn was stuck in my thigh. I pull it out and the blood flows quickly down my leg.

"What were you doing in there. Students aren't allowed in there." He scolds me as if I'm a mischievous toddler.

"I wanted to hug a tree. Despite all men's rules and regulations, they permitted my entry, however they did not want me to leave. Nature is gentle and kind but you wouldn't want to feel it's wrath and anger."

Luke stares at me like I'm this crazy person.

"It's anger?" His condescending tone makes it clear that he lacks understanding.

"Yes." I'm quite confident as I reply. "When plants are scared or angry, they release toxins. It's a defence mechanism, some have thorns or toxic fruits."

"That's why we should stay away from them." He grins in the most idiotic way.

"The tree was begging for a hug. It's clearly lonely."

"It has friends like itself." He points at the bush.

"Look at the distance between it and them."

Luke shakes his head.

"Let's get that wound cleaned up."

"It's nothing..." Before I can protest I'm lifted and then placed carefully on a rock.

"Okay." That's all I manage to say.

"I have a first aid kit in my bag." He speaks as he reaches for his backpack.

"I need to clean the wound." He works and talks at the same time. He takes out a water bottle, pours the water on the cotton wool. He starts right above my ankle, cleaning up the dried up blood. His hands begin to tremble as he approaches my thigh, where the wound is.

"I can do it." My voice is barely above a whisper.

"It's fine." His voice is huskily thick.

I, too am avoiding speaking too loudly out of fear of discovery.

He then cleans the wound with an antiseptic. He puts on a bandaid with plenty of trouble.

"All done." He clears his throat.

"Thanks. I guess."

"No problem." He smiles awkwardly. He is so red I'm afraid his face might just blow up at this very moment.

***

As soon as I get home, I can't wait to get started on my idea. I first start with a face. A sort of faceless face. The eyes are there but they are bare. The nose is only a cavity. There are no lips, only teeth.

By the time I'm done with the painting, it looks like blood exploded out of a face. It's dripping everywhere.

"That looks scary." My mother creeps up from behind me.

"I thought the only scary thing here was my nudity."

"Are you okay?"

"Your concern concerns me." I grab a towel and wrap it around me. "I need a shower.

The water doesn't do much to alleviate the tension I'm feeling. The way that I'm thinking about Luke isn't the way I should be thinking about him. I just have to distract him, not get distracted by him but it just feels wrong. There's just too much conflict within me and it grows each time I'm near him. I need a distraction, something or someone who will make mad enough to focus on the end goal.

I guess I'm going on this date afterall.

"Tell him it's fine." I tell my mother. She's been sitting in my bedroom, fixated on my recent painting.

"What?"

"I'm ready to see my real dad." I'm not very enthusiastic about this idea.

"I know we're not the best of friends but you can tell me if you're not okay."

"What are you going to do about it Ma?"

"It's not about me. It's about you releasing emotions in a healthy way."

"I prefer releasing emotions in the form of art not words. That's healthy for me."

"Fair enough," she says. She's not disappointed at all. "Will you join me for dinner?"

"No. I just want to sleep." I don't know how I'll be able to sleep when I can't even sleep. Thoughts about Luke have colonised my mind. He has even taken over my art.