Morgan Rice: Resurrected

The group found a spot on the shore, close to the water, and they all took makeshift seats on various logs, stumps, and boulders. They sat in a loose circle. Scarlet went to sit beside Blake, but Vivian directed him to a small log, just big enough to hold the two of them, and Scarlet had to sit on the other side of him, on a rock, a few feet away. Blake looked over at her, and she could see that he felt a bit guilty. But still, he wasn’t doing anything to change it.

A cool breeze swept in off the lake, and Scarlet hugged her green, fall jacket tightly around her chest, starting to feel cold. She felt shaky, but didn’t know if it was from the weather, or from feeling so left out, so nervous to be with this crowd who she barely knew. She wondered how she got herself into this mess to begin with. She should have listened to Maria. She shouldn’t have come. A part of her just wanted to get up and leave, but she couldn’t bring herself to.

One of Blake’s friends skimmed rocks along the lake. Another reached into his jacket pocket and started rolling up small pieces of paper.

Scarlet blinked, shocked to see that he was rolling up a joint. Pot. She couldn’t believe it. It was Richard, Blake’s best friend, also on the football team, short and stocky, with bright blonde hair. She’d always known that he was trouble, but didn’t suspect he’d be smoking pot, especially during a school day.

In moments he had a joint rolled and lit; he took a deep hit and then, to Scarlet’s dread, he passed it around. Blake’s other buddy, another football player, took it and inhaled deeply. He coughed as he did, and Vivian’s friends erupted in sharp, mocking laughter. He turned red, embarrassed, but then inhaled again, determined, and managed to hold it this time.

He passed it along, continuing around the circle, counter-clockwise.

Scarlet’s heart started to pound as she realized the joint was being passed around and would head her way. Everyone else was inhaling it. She was the last person in the circle, and knew that it would come her way – and that Blake would be the one to hand it to her.

She felt more disappointed than ever. She hated peer pressure, had never smoked pot before, and didn’t intend on starting now. Sure, a few times she had sipped some beers or wine coolers at a party. But that was about it. That was where she drew the line.

But as everyone passed it around the circle, she felt more and more pressure. If she was the only one to say no, she would be so conspicuous, would look like a goody-goody. Which she didn’t want to look like in front of Blake. She was torn.

The joint reached Vivian, who sucked on it for an extra-long time, filling her lungs. She then turned, grabbed Blake by the back of his head, leaned in, put her lips on his, and blew into his mouth.

The small group oohed and ahhed as she did.

Blake was clearly surprised, caught off guard. But again, he didn’t try to pull away. He let her do it, inhaled, then coughed it out.

Scarlet watched in shock and disgust. She had never guessed Vivian would be that aggressive – and she had never guessed Blake would be that cruel, to allow her to kiss him like that, right in front of her. She felt more snubbed than ever.

As Blake reached over and held out the joint to her, Scarlet just sat there, staring at it, in shock. She hardly knew what to do. Either Blake was really into Vivian, or he didn’t have the guts to show it to everyone. Including himself.

For the first time, Scarlet stopped wanting Blake. She just didn’t care anymore. For the first time, she realized she was better than all this. She didn’t need to take this kind of treatment from him.

“What’s the matter – you chicken?” mocked one of Vivian’s friends.

“Bac-bac-bac-bac-bac!” another one of Vivian’s friends said, making chicken noises.

Scarlet had enough. She rose, turned, and walked away from the group, heading back towards the forest.

“Goody-goody!” screamed one of Blake’s buddies.

“Loser!” screamed one of Vivian’s friends.

“Let her go,” Vivian yelled out. “She’s just a waste of space anyway.”

Scarlet felt herself tearing up as she hurried away from the group, back towards the forest trail. She was so mad at herself for agreeing to come.

“Scarlet!” came Blake’s voice.

He yelled out after her, and she heard the regret in his voice.

But she didn’t care anymore. It was too late.

She hurried into the forest trail, breaking into a jog as she ran farther and farther away, wiping tears. Behind her, she heard a rustling of leaves, getting closer. She already sensed who it was: Blake.

“Scarlet, please!” he yelled out.

She could hardly believe it: he had left the group, and was running after her.

Soon he caught up to her, cut her off, and she had no choice but to stop. She was now crying, and she looked down, wiping away her tears, as he stood across from her, holding her shoulder. She turned her head, looking away from him.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I really didn’t mean for it to go down like that.”

“Why did you leave?” she snapped back. “You like Vivian. It’s obvious. Why did you even ask me to come?”

“I don’t like her,” he answered.

“Then you shouldn’t have let her kiss you,” she snapped back. “Especially in front of me.”

For once, Scarlet was standing up for herself, saying what she felt and believed, and it felt good. She no longer felt afraid to voice her feelings. Even to Blake.

It was Blake’s turn to look down. She could see the regret in his face.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.”

“Whatever,” she said, looking away. “We’re just different people. We’re into different things. I’m sorry, but I don’t cut school. I don’t get high. It’s just not me. I think you’re better off with her.”

“But it’s not me either,” he pleaded back, his face softening. “It’s really not,” he continued. “I… I guess… I was just… trying to impress you.”

“Impress me?” she asked, dumbfounded.

“Show you how cool I was. Cutting school, smoking, all that. I’m sorry. It was stupid.”

She looked at him, and could see his sincerity. It made her wonder. Was he really being sincere? She felt that he was. He had been trying to impress her.

She thought about that, and for the first time it dawned on her: that meant he liked her. He really liked her. Her. Scarlet. Not Vivian.

“Can we start over?” he asked. “Just you and me?”

She stared at him, debating. A fall breeze blew up a bunch of leaves by their feet, and he reached out for her hand.

“I know a great spot. Down by the river. Just the two of us. Without my friends. And without Vivian. You’re the one I want to be with. Please. Can I try again?”

He was smiling.

Slowly, she broke into a smile, too. She couldn’t help it. This time, it felt right.

She reached out and took his hand, and it fit perfectly in hers.

They headed off down the trail, sloping towards the river. He clasped her fingers between his, and she found herself clasping his back.

Despite herself, she found herself hopeful once again.

Scarlet and Blake walked through the forest trail, thick with leaves, down the gentle slope, heading through the trails towards the river. As they went, the wind picked up, blowing scores of leaves off the trees. They showered down all around them and as they hit the late afternoon sun, all the different colors lit up brilliantly. It was magical.

Blake held her hand the entire time, and Scarlet felt as if she were walking into a fantasy, a fairy tale. She felt her heart warm with each step, felt herself filling with newfound feelings for Blake, with hope for their relationship. She was feeling good about them again, just as she had that night they went to the movie. Vivian was slowly becoming a distant memory.