My Calamity

Mom told me I've been spending too much time inside on the computer and that I needed to get some fresh air. Fresh air is common in Michigan. Fresh, hot, sticky air, actually. None-the-less, I trudged outside and sat in the chair on the porch with my almost-dead copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. I read the book in seventh grade, but I couldn't remember a thing, so I was beginning to believe I hadn't actually read it in the seventh grade.

It was the last book I'd have to read for my summer work and then I could spend the last of my vacation doing whatever I pleased. If I had it my way, I'd find myself a girl to spend my time with. I loved Benny's company to death, don't get me wrong here, but he had gotten himself a gal and she was all he talked about when I was with him. And when I wasn't with him, he was with her. I wasn't the jealous type, but I was kind of jealous of Benny. It was obvious to me there was young love blooming between the two.

I rocked back and forth in the wooden chair, the sun burning my leg through my jeans. I wondered how long I'd have to stay out here till I could go back into the air-conditioned house. Mom walked out with her wallet, and keys in hand and I smiled at the answer.

"I have to go into work," she said as she walked down the wooden steps to the flagstone walkway.

I nodded my head.

It was nothing new with her.

"Jessica should be home from Pottery in an hour."

"Alright."

"You should try and finish that book."

"Yepp."

"You're just agreeing with me to get me out of here."

"Absolutely." I laughed.

Mom smiled, and gave me a small wave as she disappeared into her hybrid and started up her car, backing out the drive way and heading down the road towards the city.

I relaxed in my chair and decided to get at least one chapter done before I headed back inside. My mind wandered though to what school would be like as a Senior. I was excited for school to pick up as much as I was nervous. Sure I'd have my friends, and entourage, but you never know what could happen. The whole town could be struck by a meteor and I could be the only kid that lived, forcing me to go to school and endure Chemistry alone.

I shuddered at the thought, and dropped my book on the round table beside me. I got up, ready to head inside, but the sound of footsteps on the side walk caught my attention and I looked out over the banister of the porch and that was when I first laid eyes on her.

She was walking with her head in the clouds, oblivious to the world around her, and me staring at her, and I knew, I just had to know her. And it was surprising that I didn't already know her. Harbor Springs was a pretty big area, what with it being divided into city, and town, but everyone pretty much knew everyone, and there was only one high school in the town. So it was crazy that I didn't know her, which didn't help settle the need to know her.

My eyes traveled her and up and down, like any seventeen year old male would do, and I took in endless legs, thin freckle-covered arms, and a heart-shaped face dusted in cinnamon, surrounded by a thick, red mane.

My eyes circled her and then zeroed in on the Band-Aids. She was covered in them. Okay, maybe not covered, but she was sporting her fair share. There was a blue Spiderman one wrapped around her ankle, and two SpongeBob SquarePants on her calf, and a Scooby Doo on her elbow.

I watched intently, not the least bit caring this was considered creepy on many levels, and tried to commit every little feature about her to memory. I wanted to be able to close my eyes and picture her exactly the way she looked. I wished I could get closer to her, maybe see her eyes. The distance between us made it harder for me to familiarize myself with every minor detail of her face. Maybe I could just go right on up to her. Harbor Springs was an overly-friendly neighborhood, so I didn't think it'd be odd.

My thoughts were cut short when she tripped and went soaring through the air at an alarming rate only to land roughly on the pavement. One minute she was walking, head high, shoulders rolled back and then she was free-falling to the ground. Her hands took the worst of the fall but I could tell she had hurt herself.

I descended the steps taking two at a time, and jogged over to her. She was planted on the sidewalk, holding her knee up.

I will tell you I had never seen so much blood in my life. It was flowing out of her leg like a waterfall, which was a disgusting image to digest.

"Are you alright?" I asked quickly, looking from her flushed cheeks to the look of distress in her eyes, and then back to her knee. "Oh, wow, that's a lot of blood."

Without a second thought, I pulled off my shirt.

And I swear to god her face turned the color of her hair.

And it was the most adorable thing I've ever seen.