The Trial of the Century

For the first time in about three weeks, it was raining.

I took advantage of this change in weather by opening my blinds, turning on a dim light in my living room, and pulling out a laptop filled with newly downloaded albums. Add a few good reads to the mix, and it sounded like a pretty casual Tuesday night.

I was so ready for a night alone, that you can imagine my surprise when I looked out my window and saw Genevieve running up my driveway, tears streaking down her cheeks through the rain.

Quickly I got up from my chair and ran to the door, opening it for my very wet best friend.

"Gen, what are you-"

"You were right okay!?" Gen turned as she walked into my living room, teeth chattering. "Kyle was, fuck it Joel he was an asshole. God, I feel like an idiot."

I shook my head quickly, walking over to the red-headed girl and taking her in my arms. "No, no, Gen you're far from dumb. You just," I paused, "well you should probably stop dating assholes, for a start."

Gen laughed softly, looking up at me. Even now, with her make up staining her cheeks and her hair damp from the rain, Gen was one of the most beautiful things in the entire world to me. I'd seen her that way for as long as I could remember. Slowly she nuzzled herself back into my chest as I held her closer, wishing she'd see me in a similar light.

"Do you want something to drink?"

She nodded slowly and I led her to the kitchen.

"So um," Gen laughed, looking around my living room, "partying hard tonight, I see?"

I blushed, ducking my head into my fridge. "Tour is soon, so I thought I'd have a quiet night in before the chaos begins."

Gen nodded. "Sorry for ruining that."

"No," I said quickly, "Gen, I'm always gonna be here when a stupid guy fucks you over. You know that."

She smiled, taking the glass of ice tea from my hands. "You're the best Joel."

But I would never be the best in the way I wanted to be. And it was all for the stupidest reasons. I liked to blame it on the damn-

"Fuck, the list is wet."

"Oh, what a shame." I said out loud.

Gen shook her head at me before taking it out of her pocket. "The ink is a little smudged but-"

"Again, what a tragedy."

"I never understood why you hate the list so much."

And that was just the problem.

It was May 23, 1997. Genevieve and I were about to embark on a very important discovery.

“Slow poke!”

I panted, catching up to my pig-tailed friend. “You got a head start!”

Gen laughed, sliding her socks against the cold, hardwood floor of her attic. I followed after her, a smile on our faces as we'd just finished our last day of the third grade and I'd also eaten one too many pixie sticks. Plus, I was always on a different level when I was with Gen. We'd been best friends for as long as I could remember, and despite the cootie rumors, I swore I was in love with her.

“What are we doing up here?” I asked, coughing from the dust. "We should just go back to your room."

She shrugged, leaning down and peering into some old boxes. “It'll be an adventure!"”

I nodded, not about to question the love of my life. Sure, I was young. But Gen was perfect. She always was willing to go on adventures and never complained about getting dirty. It seemed like no matter what, Gen was always happy. That made me happy.

Her hands gripped a box labeled “Wendy” with dust coating the top.

I paused. “Isn’t that your mom’s name?”

Gen nodded slowly, brushing off the dust. I looked behind us, making sure her mom wasn’t on our trail.

Without hesitation, Gen opened the box to reveal books, CDs, and papers. I bent down next to her, looking at the filled box as Gen’s small hands went through it. I wasn’t sure what she wanted to find, or if she knew either.

Soon her hands gripped onto a paper and a smile crossed her lips.

“What’s it say?” I asked, looking over her shoulder curiously.

Gen held it up as she read the title: “The Perfect Guy:”

I gulped, my eyes locking with the piece of paper in the girl’s hands as I read the short list of qualities.



As soon as my eyes read over the last word, I couldn’t help but go back and associate every single one of the traits with myself. I watched as Gen let out a breath, wishing she had also found this startling revelation. I would spend a long time wishing that.

Instead she let out a breath, her smile remaining. “I bet that’s what my dad was like.”

I nodded slowly, his heart beating against his chest. Gen’s dad had died when she was young, and she never got to know him. Slowly I realized why this list might mean more to her than I'd originally thought: maybe this list was her dad, or what he could have been.

But as much as I fought it, I couldn’t help but think the list was me.

Quickly Gen folded up the list and stuck it in the pocket of her overalls, that soft smile still on her lips.

“Are you keeping it?” I asked.

Gen nodded. “I’m gonna find a guy just like that.”

You already did. I thought. He’s right here.

Still now, as I looked at the cross-legged girl on my couch sipping her ice tea with a smile on her lips, I wished she would look down at that list and see what she didn't need to look for anymore. I'd tried to tell her, or make her see, but it was really no use. Gen wanted what she wanted. Unfortunately, I never seemed to make the list.

"So what did Kyle do?"

Gen shrugged, setting down her drink. "Cheated on me."

"Again?!"

"It was only the second time, sheesh Kanitz." She laughed. "But I just couldn't do it anymore. Besides, this is more fun."

I nodded slowly, her eyes darting back to the television.

"Ya know," I paused, her attention back on me, "have you ever thought of going off the list for once? Just looking other places, is all I'm saying. It's not like it's brought you all that much luck-"

"Joel, fuck you it totally has!"

I rolled my eyes at the girl. "Name one time the relationship has proven substantial."

"Um," Gen thought for a moment before snapping her fingers excitedly, "Robbie! Senior year! That lasted for at least a semester."

I nodded slowly. "Isn't that the one you broke up with on Christmas Eve?"

Gen thought again before nodding slowly. "Yeah, but he ended up being super clingy and-"

"Wait, wasn't his name Ryan?"

"Alright enough with the twenty questions. What's your point?"

I turned my body to face hers on the couch, scooting a bit closer. In the end, I just wanted Gen to be happy. I wished she saw how I could be that person for her, that person that makes her happy.

"My point is that you don't need that damn list to tell you who to date," I sighed, our eyes meeting, "because all it ever leads to his you back at my place, telling me about how some asshole treated you badly or just wasn't good enough for you. You deserve better than that, Gen."

She nodded slowly, gripping her glass in her hands before setting it down on the table as she bit her lip. It was silent for a moment.

"It's just that," Gen looked up at me, "you know the story. My mom wrote that about her perfect guy, and when she met my dad, she just knew. He turned out to be everything on that list and more."

"Maybe that's not how your story is supposed to play out."

It took me this long to realize how close we actually were. Our faces were really only inches apart, hers leaning on the back of the couch as her gray eyes stared back at me. I looked down and noticed how close our hands were: close enough to touch.

"I don't have anything else." Gen whispered as chills flew down my back.

I shook my head quickly, my hand hovering over hers. "That's not true. You have me."

Gen's eyes suddenly stared back at me with a new look to them. Like instead of a stare, it was a true glance, like there was more thought to it, maybe passion.

"But you don't love me?"

A laugh left my lips as I looked away from her for a minute, not daring to look back as I knew the next few words that were about come out of my mouth were long over do and there was no use pushing them back in.

"That's where you're wrong."

Once the words left my lips, my eyes looked back up to hers which hadn't moved. They were still looking back at me.

"I uh," I paused, "I think, no I have, I've loved you since we were kids. I never knew how to say it. I never thought you wanted me to. But I did, I always did. It was never anyone else and you always had that list. And you never thought that list could point to me-"

I stopped as I felt Gen's lips hit my cheek softly. Slowly I turned, her face paused so our noses touched with the movement. Within a moment, Gen's lips crashed onto mine. I paused a moment, gaining my composure, before bringing my hand to her waist gently and deepening it. I'd waited for this since the third grade, and it was worth it all. You know the kisses in movies, the ones with the fireworks in the background? This was that kiss for me.

As soon as Gen's lips left mine, I formed them into a smile. Our foreheads still touched.

"It always did point to you, didn't it?" Gen laughed softly. "I was just too blind to see it."

I nodded slowly. "Always."

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting." Gen laughed, her hand lighting grazing my chest.

I laughed with her, kissing her cheek quickly. "Don't worry about it. I've got as long as you need."

"That's good," Gen smiled, looking up at me. "I'm a little bit scared."

"It'll be an adventure."