She was sitting there, all alone on the swing. Her eyes were downcast and I had
a flower in hand. Sure, I’d picked it for my mom in the field bordering the schoolyard, but
right then Sally looked like she needed a bit more. So I jogged over to and held out my
hand. I was a real manly boy, blush and stuttering and all. She’d taken the flower with a
smile that made my day

Now that he looks back on how things were he can’t help but grimace at the
foolish love. What had it gotten them? a baby at fifteen? a ruined future that could never
be retrieved? Yes, it’d gotten them both that and many more things that reared it’s ugly
head everyday of their now miserable lives. When he looks back on things, he almost
wishes he’d ignored her like the other girls.

The rain soothed the children inside the to some extent. A serious storm was
brewing outside, but the occupants inside were oblivious to it as they colored and painted
wonderful works of art they could tack to their fridge. The teacher walked by, approving of
pictures and watching her students work diligently. She wasn’t drawing though, she
wasn’t even moving. So reaching over he helped her make a picture of the sun in the sky
and birds flying freely towards the horizon.

What they were doing was wrong, so very wrong. Yet they couldn’t stop. Unkind
words tumbled from her lips as she accused and cussed at him, angry tears rolling down
her cheeks. He defended himself readily, pointing out his own doubts and accusations.
She kept firing away though, and his patience broke. A vase whizzed past her head,
shattering on the wall beside the crying baby’s crib.

They’d come down to the river for a reason, but she seemed intent on ruining it
for all of them. She sulked on a rock, dress still on and bow still in her hair. Every body
taunted her for being boring and not having fun, but eventually they’d grown bored and
left to waddle in the stream and splash about. He was different though, instead of
taunting he took her hand and, dress and all, led her into the water. She giggled and
smiled just for him as they had their own water fight that none of the others could join.

Love was a fickle thing, it was something that slaps you in the face when you
least expect it. Sort of like her. He stared into her angry eyes, not believing this was the
woman he’d loved and married so early. She’d slapped him and for what? Asking her to
play nicely with their baby instead of screaming at it to shut up? He’d have none of it so
instead he started yelling and another battle between the two started to rage.

“… My mom said she liked your dress yesterday at church,” he said awkwardly.
Biting his lip he sat back and reached for her hand shyly.

“My mom said you looked cute yesterday,” she giggled squeezing his hand.
Leaning her head against his shoulder she sighed merrily and stared off into the endless
forest of green and of life. “Do you promise, to never leave me?” Her voice wavered
unsurely as her fleeting happiness started to fade.

His only response was to smile and lean his own head against hers. They
needed no words to seal the promise, because in their hearts they knew it would stand
true. In their hearts they believed their love would last for ages to come and would be
carried on through generations of young children who would find that special someone to
lead them from the dark. In their hearts…

“I’m leaving… we’re through,” she screamed. This time she was serious. Packing
her bag she slammed the door.

Thunder boomed and lightning cracked behind him. The windows shook and the
whole foundation of their crumbling apartment seemed as if it might fall. Job applications
were left on the table, no longer wanted or cared about. The baby cried and cried, wailing
and protesting of the atmosphere around it. He just stood there with a smile, face about to
crack and heart about to break.