Have You Ever
truly lived?
— Twelve years later. —
“May I have your attention, please?” Ms. Harrison called out across the classroom, silencing all of the students, “We have a new student that’s joining our class today,” She said, watching as the door opened and a tall, gangly boy walked in, “This is Sean North class, please treat him with your utmost respect.” Ms. Harrison looked around the classroom for a moment, “Peter, you can show Sean around the school, correct?”
Peter nodded as he grinned over at the new boy, “Perfect. Please, go back to your reading students.” Ms. Harrison finished, pointing Sean to a desk in the back of the room before she sat down herself.
Sean walked towards his assigned seat, smiling at the girl who was in the desk besides him, “Hey,” He whispered as he sat down, pulling out the books that had been given him earlier that day.
Taylor looked up from her book, smiling at the boy, “Hey,” She whispered back, looking the new boy up and down.
Sean wasn’t anything extraordinary, but he definitely wasn’t unattractive. His sandy blonde hair was rather shaggy, hanging down into his grey eyes. He was extremely skinny and tall, from what Taylor saw, looking to be around 6’4 if he were to stand up straight. Taylor could see no sign of any serious muscles, but that wasn’t anything major at their high school.
“I’m Taylor,” She whispered, tightening her black ponytail as she spoke.
Sean nodded, cut off by the bell before he could introduce himself. He watched as Taylor walked out of the classroom and out of his sight, walking over towards Peter as the classroom emptied, “You friends with Taylor?”
Peter looked up from his backpack as Sean spoke, nodding at his question, “Sure, almost everyone is.” He answered, shrugging as he slung his backpack over his shoulder, “She’s nice to everyone, surprisingly.” Peter said, waiting for Sean before the two walked out into the hall.
“What do you mean surprisingly?” Sean asked, walking besides the other boy.
Peter shrugged again, “From what I’ve heard,” He started, “She watched her mom drown when she was, like, four years old.”
“Shit,” Sean whispered, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke.
Peter nodded, “Taylor hates talking about it though, so you’d better not mention anything about it.” He warned, opening the door as the two walked into the lunchroom.
Sean watched as Taylor got up from her chair, heading out towards the front lawn, “I-I’ll catch up with you later, ok?” He asked Peter, hurrying after the leaving girl, “Taylor, wait up!” He called out as she got to the door, running over to stand by her, “Mind if I join you?” Sean asked, a large smile growing across his face.
Taylor returned his smile, nodding at his question, “I’d love that, actually.” She answered, tucking a loose strand of her black hair behind her ear. Sean nodded, opening the blue door for her as they both walked outside.
____________
Sean looked over at Taylor, half of her face hidden by the shadow of the tree that they were sitting under, “What’s your last name?” He asked, smiling at his question.
Taylor giggled, “Dagge,” She answered, “Why?”
Sean ignored her question, leaning back on his elbows as he looked up into the sky. He smiled as he felt the sunshine on his face, closing his eyes for a moment before he continued talking, “Taylor Dagge, have you ever truly lived?” He asked, looking back at the beautiful girl.
“What?” Taylor asked, confused by his question.
He shrugged, “Have you ever dreamed about tasting the clouds, or touching space? Have you ever wanted to climb a mountain or over come your childhood fears? Have you ever gone swimming at midnig—“
“I don’t swim.” Taylor cut him off, bringing her knees up to her chest as she spoke, “I don’t.” She repeated, looking over at the new boy.
Sean nodded, “That’s acceptable,” He whispered, watching Taylor as she stared down at her knees. There was an obvious pain hidden behind her eyes, “What are you hiding Taylor Dagge?” Sean whispered, moving closer to the sad girl.
Taylor shook her head, “More then you can imagine.” She answered, her tone so quiet that he could barely hear her. But her words did reach his ears, causing a frown to appear on his tanned face.
He looked up at the leaves that covered their heads, sighing as he heard the distant school bell ringing, “I can see that,” Sean whispered, standing up from the soft grass. He held a hand out to Taylor, offering to help her up. Quietly, she took it, wrapping her fingers around his hand like she had done with her mothers.
“May I have your attention, please?” Ms. Harrison called out across the classroom, silencing all of the students, “We have a new student that’s joining our class today,” She said, watching as the door opened and a tall, gangly boy walked in, “This is Sean North class, please treat him with your utmost respect.” Ms. Harrison looked around the classroom for a moment, “Peter, you can show Sean around the school, correct?”
Peter nodded as he grinned over at the new boy, “Perfect. Please, go back to your reading students.” Ms. Harrison finished, pointing Sean to a desk in the back of the room before she sat down herself.
Sean walked towards his assigned seat, smiling at the girl who was in the desk besides him, “Hey,” He whispered as he sat down, pulling out the books that had been given him earlier that day.
Taylor looked up from her book, smiling at the boy, “Hey,” She whispered back, looking the new boy up and down.
Sean wasn’t anything extraordinary, but he definitely wasn’t unattractive. His sandy blonde hair was rather shaggy, hanging down into his grey eyes. He was extremely skinny and tall, from what Taylor saw, looking to be around 6’4 if he were to stand up straight. Taylor could see no sign of any serious muscles, but that wasn’t anything major at their high school.
“I’m Taylor,” She whispered, tightening her black ponytail as she spoke.
Sean nodded, cut off by the bell before he could introduce himself. He watched as Taylor walked out of the classroom and out of his sight, walking over towards Peter as the classroom emptied, “You friends with Taylor?”
Peter looked up from his backpack as Sean spoke, nodding at his question, “Sure, almost everyone is.” He answered, shrugging as he slung his backpack over his shoulder, “She’s nice to everyone, surprisingly.” Peter said, waiting for Sean before the two walked out into the hall.
“What do you mean surprisingly?” Sean asked, walking besides the other boy.
Peter shrugged again, “From what I’ve heard,” He started, “She watched her mom drown when she was, like, four years old.”
“Shit,” Sean whispered, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke.
Peter nodded, “Taylor hates talking about it though, so you’d better not mention anything about it.” He warned, opening the door as the two walked into the lunchroom.
Sean watched as Taylor got up from her chair, heading out towards the front lawn, “I-I’ll catch up with you later, ok?” He asked Peter, hurrying after the leaving girl, “Taylor, wait up!” He called out as she got to the door, running over to stand by her, “Mind if I join you?” Sean asked, a large smile growing across his face.
Taylor returned his smile, nodding at his question, “I’d love that, actually.” She answered, tucking a loose strand of her black hair behind her ear. Sean nodded, opening the blue door for her as they both walked outside.
____________
Sean looked over at Taylor, half of her face hidden by the shadow of the tree that they were sitting under, “What’s your last name?” He asked, smiling at his question.
Taylor giggled, “Dagge,” She answered, “Why?”
Sean ignored her question, leaning back on his elbows as he looked up into the sky. He smiled as he felt the sunshine on his face, closing his eyes for a moment before he continued talking, “Taylor Dagge, have you ever truly lived?” He asked, looking back at the beautiful girl.
“What?” Taylor asked, confused by his question.
He shrugged, “Have you ever dreamed about tasting the clouds, or touching space? Have you ever wanted to climb a mountain or over come your childhood fears? Have you ever gone swimming at midnig—“
“I don’t swim.” Taylor cut him off, bringing her knees up to her chest as she spoke, “I don’t.” She repeated, looking over at the new boy.
Sean nodded, “That’s acceptable,” He whispered, watching Taylor as she stared down at her knees. There was an obvious pain hidden behind her eyes, “What are you hiding Taylor Dagge?” Sean whispered, moving closer to the sad girl.
Taylor shook her head, “More then you can imagine.” She answered, her tone so quiet that he could barely hear her. But her words did reach his ears, causing a frown to appear on his tanned face.
He looked up at the leaves that covered their heads, sighing as he heard the distant school bell ringing, “I can see that,” Sean whispered, standing up from the soft grass. He held a hand out to Taylor, offering to help her up. Quietly, she took it, wrapping her fingers around his hand like she had done with her mothers.
♠ ♠ ♠
this part has a stunning 791 word count.please, bear with me. i've almost finished.