Miakoda

 

Marian lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling. Meditation didn’t help her. She knew that she threw the dust too hard. Well of course she messed up. Humanity. And she totally forgot to not throw it that hard. Or throw too much. She had never had to sneak out of the theater before- until she had to evade explaining to the janitor about where all that dust came from.

 

She closed her eyes. Yeah, she was using her magic for good. Yes, she was trying to help people. Yes, she was trying to do what was right. But what became of it was evil. No, not evil, she thought to herself. Evil is too strong a word. Well, it wasn’t good that came of it. I was trying to help, but now I’ve gone and made the situation worse. I was trying to do what was right…instead I was doing something so wrong that, oh dear…great. I was playing with love and now love is coming to play with me. Perfect.

 

Marian climbed out of bed and fetched her shoes. She had to make a little pilgrimage.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

The moonlight shone through the stained glass windows. She let the holy water drip down her forehead, like it always did when she went to church as a child. She entered the church, walking down the red-carpeted aisle she received her confirmation on. She bowed her head. Even though she was trying to do good like her religion told her to…she was still practicing a faith she shouldn’t have. She said she was one thing, and she did something else completely different.

 

She walked onto the altar and to the podium to the left. She opened the Lectionary. There was nothing wrong with flipping through the Good Book, right? She was lost and she could use an instruction manual.

 

She opened the Lectionary to the Old Testament. She smiled. She remembered the days when her teachers taught her how to read the Bible and the stories that were within. She flipped to the book, Song of Songs. She giggled. Human love and sexuality must be really important issues, she thought to herself. They dedicated a whole book to it. She got the message about God’s love for His people, but it was still…an interesting thought.

 

Getting lost in the lyrical writing of a perfect marriage, she reached Chapter Three. She smiled. How beautiful it was. Just a kind of love she desired…although she’d find it strange if somebody said that her cheeks were half pomegranates.

 

She sighed in sympathetic sadness, that poor soul. Her lover wasn’t there. Ever since she first read it, she never quite understood where he went. She never knew if he was gone, or if he didn’t exist. She read the last part of verse five. Then she stopped right where she was. She closed her eyes. So. That was what she did wrong. She shut the Lectionary closed and made a run for Mahina’s house.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“Mahina! Mahina! Let me in!” She held onto the tree branch as she tapped gently on Mahina’s window. Why did she pick the second floor room anyway? She heard a bit of rustled movement and finally, the window was opened.

 

“Marian? What are you doing here? You know Jacy and I are busy doing a spell!” Marian lifted an eyebrow.

 

“You are? But you never do spells up in your room…” Mahina shrugged.

 

“It’s a…it’s kind of a special job. Wait a second. If you know that I do spells in the living room, how did you know to come up here?”

 

“Because you weren’t in the living room.”

 

“…Oh. Yeah, right.”

 

“Can I come in?”

 

“Not right now! Jacy and I are kind of busy!”

 

“Wait just a minute. You’ve never shooed me out because you two were working on a spell. What’s the deal with this?”

 

“It’s a spell that only Jacy and I can do, just let me-”

 

“Mahina, I am coming in, whether you want me to or not. And if you call anybody on me, you’re going to have a hard time explaining…whatever you’re doing. So let me in.” Mahina growled.

 

“Alright. Give me a minute though.” Mahina closed the window quickly. Marian thought she heard some hasty speech and then the window suddenly opened with Jacy coming through the window.

 

“Um, Jacy-”

 

“Thanks a lot, Marian,” he grumbled as he climbed down the tree. “Hm. Why am I getting this feeling like I’m missing something…” Marian lifted her eyebrows momentarily before climbing into Mahina’s room. Marian sat down on Mahina’s bed as she locked the door.

 

“Ok. Now what was so important that you had to come bursting in here at…two in the morning?! I mean, that was really something-”

 

“Where’s the incense?”

 

“…downstairs. Why?”

 

“You and Jacy usually light incense before you do a spell-”

 

“Well, that’s not the damn point! What the hell are you doing here in my room in the middle of the night?!”

 

“…James is in love with Renee now-”

 

“And the point is? The spell worked! Now, can you PLEASE get out of my room-”

 

“And so is Randall!” Mahina stopped right where she was.

 

“…Randall too? Does that mean…the spell got everywhere?”

 

“The janitor swept up the rest of the dust…from the back to front. Mahina, it got everywhere…and I saw a pair of eyes at one of the doors. Whoever it is fell in love with somebody…and I’m getting a nasty feeling inside of me that it’s me.” Mahina grabbed her forehead.

 

“The spell was ruined…oh man…oh, I thought you were ready. Apparently not…but it is gray magic, you’ll never be able to actually do white magic anyway…”

 

“Mahina. There’s also something I want to say.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Mahina…I can’t practice this anymore.” Mahina looked at Marian.

 

“Marian…what are you saying?”

 

“I’ve betrayed my faith, Mahina. I can’t do that anymore. I don’t feel right anymore. I was supposed to do magic for the good. But I’m not. Even though I mean so. But my doing magic has only turned my world upside down. I need your help so I can conjure my last spell so I can undo what I have done. I shouldn’t have done what I did.” Mahina sat down next to her.

 

“What have you done that’s conflicted with your beliefs?” Marian opened her Bible and handed it gently to Mahina.

 

“ ‘I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and hinds of the field…’ Marian, your book has weird wording.”

 

“Just keep reading it!” Mahina rolled her eyes.

 

“ ‘…by the gazelles and hinds of the field, do not arouse, do not stir up love before its own time…’ Oh no.” Marian nodded her head.

 

“It’s kind of hard to explain. But from what I can tell, I conjured up a spell that made James fall in love with Renee, right?”

 

“Yeah…?”

 

“But it’s not the same. It’s what Shakespeare called, ‘love-in-idleness’. Love isn’t supposed to be, ‘idle’. It’s supposed to be…well, like I said, it’s hard for me to explain. Love isn’t supposed to make a person so blind that they would do just ANYTHING. I guess what I’m trying to say is that love is supposed to make somebody do something that is right, not necessarily what the other person wants. And it’s not supposed to happen right away, either. That’s what the spell does. Just sprinkle, and, voila! In love! No. Do you have any idea what Renee is going to do tomorrow? You’ve any idea what a culture shock this is going to be for her? Here’s this guy whom she loves so…and he doesn’t love her. He treats her like crap. And all of a sudden, zoom! He’s on his knees, confessing his love for her! Don’t you think that’s a little much? Just out of the blue, saying how much he loves her and doesn’t want to live without her when not only ten minutes earlier, he said that her key word was, ‘loved’? And what about poor Ann? Randall proposed to her and they were supposed to get married in Washington. I was supposed to be part of the bridal party. And now look at what kind of mess it’s conjured!”

 

“Ok, ok, Marian, I-”

 

“James isn’t in love with Renee because he’s in love with her. He’s in love with her because I literally turned his heart back to hers. No matter how much I think they belong together, it is not my place to make James love somebody. That is nobody’s place but his. What I did was more than stir love before its time. Its time probably was never to be! What I did was conjure up what first off, I was never meant to conjure, and I conjured something that was not supposed to be in being. And in the process? I killed a love that was strong and true, and turned it into a love that will ultimately destroy my four friends! I never meant to hurt them, Mahina. But what I did was a huge risk of their hearts and possibly even their lives. That’s why I have to reverse this magic I’ve done.” Mahina nodded understandingly and reached out to cradle Marian.

 

“I understand. From the start, you were pretty shaky about it. I can see you were right to be worried. But not to worry. Do you want to undo any other spells you’ve done?” Marian shook her head.

 

“No. It will be too much, and the longer I stay in this profession, even to undo what I’ve done means I’m lengthening my time frame in which I am still betraying my faith. Just undo this last one. At any rate, this caused the most damage. I don’t know if anything will ever be what is was before. And it’s all my fault.” Mahina nodded again and sat at the edge of her bed and looked out the window.

 

“Ah…miakoda…do you remember that term, Marian? It was one of the first terms we taught you.” Marian smiled, warm with memory with her first spell lesson. She remembered how she couldn’t concentrate for the meditation and Mahina and Jacy thought she would never stop cracking her knuckles or humming idle tunes to herself.

 

“Yeah. It’s a name that means, ‘power of the moon’.”

 

“Yes. Miakoda, no matter what you do, my dear Marian, will always rule you. Even if you stop doing spells. It’s in your soul and in your heart. I think we’re all connected to some sort of natural phenomenon, simply because we are creatures that nature helped create. We are part of this world, our skin and bones are of this world. It’s no surprise that each of us is attracted to some sort of form of nature. And look outside the window.”

 

“Yes? What is it about-?”

 

“Look at how strong the light of the moon is. The stronger the light, the stronger the power. You have some major undoing to do. We can get started tomorrow. Beg your God for forgiveness. I think He would understand that you’re trying to make things right between the two of you.”

 

“Ok. I’ll see you later. And Mahina?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thank you. For everything. For everything that you’ve taught me. Everything, from the spells to the life lessons and wisdom that you and Jacy are always willing to give me.”

 

“You know I would. You are more than my pupil, Marian. You are my friend. And because you’re my friend, I have something to ask you. Are you feeling anything weird inside of you? Anything that you haven’t felt?”

 

“Well…not really. How come?” Mahina shrugged.

 

“I don’t know. Whenever you’re not fussing about your four friends, your mind seems to be elsewhere nowadays. Like you’re daydreaming off somewhere. I’ve never seen you with this kind of look before. Well. Maybe it’s nothing. Come in tomorrow, ok?”

 

“Alright.” Marian stepped off her bed when she heard a muffled crackling underneath her shoe.

 

“Uh…Mahina?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Uh…what’s this?” Mahina’s eyes widened in horror as she snatched the slim, aluminum object from under Marian’s shoe.

 

“Nothing! Nothing at all! Jacy and I were working and we kind of um…well, let me explain, I…” Mahina trailed off, wondering what lie she could conjure that had a greater affect than any spell she had done.

 

“Uh, don’t answer that question, Mahina. I don’t really think I want to know anyhow.”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“…what makes you so sure of that?!”

 

“Because I feel it! I could run ten miles and not be tired, I’m so in love!”

 

“Oh yeah? I’ll bet you COULD run ten miles if there were a cheeseburger involved with finishing the miles!”

 

“Why, you son of a…”

 

“Hey!!!” James and Randall turned to face the rest of the people at the table, apparently having a hard time studying.

 

“Do you guys know that this is a library? In case you haven’t noticed, we’re trying to WORK. So if you roosters want to have a c**k fight, could you go outside and let us work in PEACE?” James and Randall quickly gathered their books and ran away from the five foot, one inch freshman girl who apparently knew who was the ruler of the barn.

 

James and Randall got outside the library, the doors nearly trapping them as they got out. For a moment, there was a confused peace between the warriors of the heart.

 

“…what did she mean by, ‘roosters’?”

 

“No idea.”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Marian sat down at her desk in her philosophy class. There was her balding teacher, walking around as usual, with his coffee cup handy, and of course, bad jokes prepared for the day.

 

“…remember this for primary substance. That is the answer to, who are you? Who, who, who, who? Got that?”

 

“…” The confused senior sat there in his desk, staring up at his teacher.

 

“Uh…yes?”

 

“Good!” She shook her head. He was always around to butcher a good song by turning it into a bad joke. She looked up to see that somebody was going to sit in the desk next to her.

 

“Hey, Randall.”

 

“Hey.”

 

“You alright?”

 

“Yeah. Why?”

 

“Well, it’s just that lately-”

 

“I’m fine, Marian. Nobody can help me with anything.”

 

“You sure about-?”

 

“But I love her, Marian. I feel it. It’s down so deep. And James says he could run ten miles for her! I could run a thousand, maybe more!”

 

“But Randall, what about-?”

 

“Nothing else matters but Renee, now. Nothing.”

 

“Not even-?”

 

“Nothing, Marian. Nothing!” Marian bowed her head. Oh yes. The power of the moon.

 

“It will always haunt me thus,” she muttered to herself.

 

“What will always haunt you thus?” She looked up to be found once again to be staring into Frank’s deep emerald eyes.

 

“Well…it’s nothing.”

 

“Yes, it is, Marian. Please, tell me?” She took another glance into his eyes.

 

“Well…I just kind of did something I wasn’t supposed to. I mean I…”

 

“What?”

 

“I…I did something to my friends that really is damaging our friendships all over. It’s all my fault.”

 

“That’s it? You’ve nothing else to tell me other than that?” Marian tried to open her mouth. But nothing came out! There was so much she had to say, but it just couldn’t reach her lips. Frank was there, waiting for her to spill out her heart. Marian took a deep breath and struggled for her next words.

 

“I…I tried to make everything ok for my friends. Like…try to make their everything alright. But all I did…was mess up their lives even more.” Marian bent her head down and she felt a strange sensation come over her hand.

 

“Marian. Were you trying to help your friends?”

 

“Yes, I was”

 

“You meant no harm to them at all?”

 

“None, Frank. If there were a way I could have prevented all I have done…I would have done so…” There was an interesting silence that came over the two. Another strange sensation ran through her.

 

“Marian. What you are describing…you need to talk about it. You need to get it out. Want to join me for lunch? Let me try to help you. Will you?” Marian noticed gaps in his speech that she never recognized. It was then she realized that he was waiting to see if she was going to say something in between his sentences. It hit her suddenly that this was also the first real conversation she had ever had without being terminally interrupted.

 

She was about to answer him when the bad jokes rose again.

 

“I know we’re not vegetables but…let us begin…”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Marian walked down the street to Mahina’s house and opened the door. Once again, it was wide open. She blinked and felt the drowsiness of a spring afternoon hit her. Spring fever. This was her spring fever. Though it was stronger than ever. Like she herself were under a spell she conjured…

 

“Welcome, welcome, Marian,” Mahina’s mother chorused from the kitchen. “Mahina is upstairs waiting for you, dear.”

 

“Thank you Mrs. Martext.”

 

“No problem, darling. Oh, I wonder what spells she’s conjuring up now…she’s so faithful to what she does. I’m so proud of her! Nothing could have made me prouder when she got to Agent of Justice herself…”

 

“Yes. Well, I should be getting upstairs to meet her now.”

 

“Alright! Come downstairs when you girls are hungry!”

 

“Ok.” Marian climbed the flight of stairs to Mahina’s room. When she got there, the strong scent of cinnamon incense captured her senses.

 

“Alright. So we begin…”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“Alright, you got it. Good luck, Marian. Just remember this time: even though it’s not a moon spell and can be done at anytime, it is still just as messy as a moon spell! So only use the amount you need, which is no more than a pinch of dust! Now go out there and reverse that love-in-idleness!”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“…is that what’s been bothering you this whole time?”

 

“Yeah. I’ve never been this worried in my life.”

 

“Marian, it’s just an SAT. You’re going to community college anyhow, it doesn’t matter how good or bad you did. I’d be worrying if I were applying to a four year college.”

 

“Oh. Well, if that’s the case, then alright, I’m fine.”

 

“That’s what I like to hear.” Frank looked into Marian’s eyes and she felt herself…with a strange feeling. Something that had never overcome her before. What was with her all of a sudden? Frank had always been something different to her from all the other people in her life. There were people who were her fun group- the ones who she always hung out with in the hallways and chatted in between classes. Then there was her drama group- literally. They were the ones she was in plays and skits with, and some of them consisted of her fun group. Then there was the group with Ann, Randall, Renee, and James. Those were her closest friends. The ones she confided into, at least while they all still got along. Frank…was this guy who almost always had a joke to tell, no matter who got it. At least she was proud to say that every so often, she got his jokes. Now that she was thinking about it…he was telling jokes, and most of the time now, she got it. At first, his joking seemed merely annoying and something she had to put up with just because he sat in front of her in class. But now…

 

“Marian! Where are you? Marian!” Marian looked away from Frank and she felt another feeling inside…like she didn’t want to stop looking at him.

 

“Marian, there you are! I have been- Frank? What are you doing sitting here with her?”

 

“I’m…sitting?”

 

“Oh. Marian, I really need to talk to you.”

 

“Well, sit down, Ann. What’s up?”

 

“What’s up?! You want to know what’s up?! Well, let me fill you in, since you’ve been so busy talking about your life with other people! Randall’s in love with my best friend and he’s treating me like we’ve never had anything between us! He’s totally forgotten that I exist, except when I jump in front of him to get his attention! And he just pushes me out of the way, calling me a little freshman!” Marian giggled at Ann’s attire.

 

“Well, c’mon, you’ve got to admit that your Strawberry Shortcake backpack is rather girly and for younger kids and at any rate, you ARE kind of on the short side…”

 

“Will you shut up for once in your life and listen to me?!” Ann yelled, getting the attention of the rest of the lunch area. “I still love him, but he’s trying to get all over Renee and he doesn’t give a crap about ANYTHING we’ve had! I think Renee had something to do with this. There’s no way he could JUST fall in love with somebody else! No freaking way! And I KNOW Renee had something to do with this, I know she’s been jealous of what Randall and I have-”

 

“But you guys are broken up from what you’re telling us,” Frank said. “So you guys don’t have anything anymore.”

 

“And what’s worse,” Ann continued, not even noticing that Frank opened his mouth, “is that even James is treating me like crap! I don’t know what’s wrong with those guys! Guys are completely fickle and they can’t keep any promises! Renee’s thinking of leaving the school, I’ve heard her talking...what hurts so much is that I think that Randall would actually follow her. Even if she disappeared into Africa!”

 

“Ann, could you please get a hold of yourself, so we can talk about this rationally-”

 

“I don’t WANT to be rational for God’s sake!” Ann screamed, tears beginning to creep down her face. “I’m hurt and in love! Marian, I love him so much, but I don’t understand how he could do this to me…” Marian tried to reach for her, but Ann already turned away and ran off to cry somewhere else. Marian sat down and shook her head. Frank bowed his head.

 

“And she doesn’t know what you’ve been doing?”

 

“I think they’re actually way too blind to see it,” Marian said. “That’s why I have to undo what I’ve done. That’s how powerful it was. Anybody with a rational mind could deduct that I had something to do with it, since I’ve been moping around for a while since it’s happened. But I guess the dust was even more powerful than I thought. Because instead of pointing to me as the culprit, they’re at each other’s throats. I’m going to undo what I’ve done to bring truth and restore things to their correct grace.” Frank smiled.

 

“That’s your job as Agent of Justice if I recall correctly?”

 

“Yeah. When I was an Agent of Justice. I’m dropping magic completely after I correct all of this nonsense.”

 

“You don’t have to stop practicing magic to be an Agent of Justice. You can always bring truth and restore things to correct grace no matter what religion you are.”

 

“True. Let me change the subject for a moment. Are you going to go to the talent show to watch my performance?” Frank smiled and Marian found herself smiling right back at him.

 

“Yes, I am. I just hope the janitors are ready.”

 

“How come?” Before he could answer, the bell rang for fifth period to begin. Why was it that every time she was trying to ask him something even semi-important that something had to come and interrupt?

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Under a lover’s sky

Gonna be with you

And no one’s gonna be around…

 

“Wait, stop! Ann! What are you doing? Renee, are you alright?” Renee dusted herself off as Ann stood not far away from where she fell.

 

“I’m fine, Marian. I guess SOMEBODY missed a step…” Ann smirked.

 

“I guess so.”

 

“So, you want to tell me how we’re supposed to work in you tripping me?”

 

“I was kind of hoping that you could be my dance mat, I don’t know. Maybe walk all over you like you’ve been walking over me?”

 

“I HAVEN’T come anywhere near you for the past while now, if I recall,” Renee shot back. “Mostly because every time I try to talk to you, you just walk off like some pissy little brat!”

 

“Oh, is that the best you can do, you juggler?”

 

“Oh my GOD, somebody has actually been paying attention in English. So tell me, did you ever learn what a noun was?”

 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, there’s not much of a noun where I’m looking.”

 

Marian rubbed her head. This was getting nowhere. This was the furthest they had gotten the whole day and all that had been happening were arguments. Marian stared at them with despair. Not only was this dance going to fall apart, Ann and Renee virtually became enemies in an instant. Ann and Renee were so close before, and just because of one mistake Marian did…all of that went down the drain.

 

“You want to start something?!”

 

“Yeah, I do, and I think I’ll start with your eyes-”

 

“ENOUGH!” Marian yelled. “Just cut it out, you two! Just shut up, both of you! We have a performance we have to be ready for, in ONE MONTH and you two are bickering like…ugh, it doesn’t matter. If you two want this dance to fall apart, that’s too bad, because I don’t! If you guys aren’t going to be mature about what’s going on and you’re deciding to be unprofessional about this, then I suggest you leave. Now. Because I don’t want to put up with this crap anymore!” Marian threw her towel down and stormed backstage. As she wept bitterly, she sank into a chair. Overcome with emotion, the waves of her heart were beating her down. Tears dripped down her cheeks like the ocean that her heart was, and indeed, the pull of the moon was making her ocean ebb violently. Everything seemed to be crashing around her. Her friends were breaking up, and the tearing affected more than just them. Ann, Randall, Renee, and James were her supports when everything else seemed to fail. Now the only one who seemed to be dependable was-

 

“Hello? Is anybody else in here? I’m coming in to clean the auditorium. Nobody here? Wow. I thought there was supposed to be a dance group out here.” Marian cried even more. How was she supposed to do this dance alone when it clearly called for more than one person…?

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Late that night, Marian lay in her bed, watching as the moon waned, the full force of it dying to be resurrected the following month. She closed her eyes. Frank imprinted himself in her eyelids and she was at peace as she began to dream…

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

The mist surrounded…wherever she was. The soft strumming of music was around her, and she could vaguely hear a clock tolling. The mist had layers of color that were randomly scattered and floating around. There was a deep red that helped pulsate the blood through her body and reminded her of her heart. The sea green fueled her sense of freedom…the freedom that she longed for that she only found for a few minutes in music. The light blue reminded her of her soul, which for the moment, was at peace. She couldn’t place what kind of dress she was wearing, only that it was a more contemporary prom dress that fitted her body perfectly, even being somewhat overweight. Her long hair came down smoothly and felt soft against the bare skin of her shoulders. She could breathe…an interesting sensation that never felt this pleasurable.

 

The singing was deep and soothing. She felt her body floating, and she felt no bearings for her body. She was free. And alive. This was something she wished she could have in real life, but could only be true in dreams.

 

And love.

 

Then she saw him. She couldn’t quite place what he was wearing, though it was also a prom tuxedo. He looked exactly like he did in real life. But there was a kind of radiance, glowing through his face, which most considered to be ugly. His smile…was always captivating in real life, but now it was amplified by the essence of the dream. Her heart dropped but immediately rose back up to dance. It was a strange feeling inside of her body.

 

She closed her eyes and felt arms wrap around her. Something inside of her told her that even if there were other people around them, she would still know it was him. He brushed his cheek against her neck and breathed. The feeling of it made her knees grow weak, but she couldn’t fall because they were both floating.

 

I have been wrong about you
Thought I was strong without you
For so long nothing could move me
For so long nothing could change me

 

“Frank, I…” He put his finger to her lips.

 

“Shh…there’s no room for words here…don’t try, you’ll never find the words to describe it…I know I can’t.”

 

Her heart was slamming against her chest. She looked around to see that a gray mist had surrounded them, with silhouettes of others around them, walking aimlessly. Marian pulled away from Frank. When she pulled away, she realized that he too was surrounded by the same three colors she was. He smiled.

 

“We’re the only two who have these colors. Obviously, we’re two of a kind.” Marian felt a strong smile stretch across her face, and was proud to see that the same thing happened to him. She felt her knees going weak again and as she felt herself falling, Frank was there in less time it would take to blink an eye and he caught her in his arms.

 

Now I feel myself surrender
Each time I see your face
I am captured by your beauty
Your unassuming grace

 

“Dance with me, Marian.” Marian wrapped her arms around him and they slowly moved their feet in time with a waltz, though they could not feel a ground to be standing upon.

 

“You’re so handsome…” Frank turned away.

 

“No, I’m not. Face it, Marian. I’m not handsome. Marian, I don’t know how much I have to offer you. But I’m not handsome, you don’t have to stand there and say so because we’re here like this.” Marian smiled.

 

“You can’t tell when I’m speaking from my heart? You are probably the most handsome man I’ve ever seen before in my life. Nobody I’ve met has ever gotten me like you have. Frank…you are beautiful.”

 

“Well, I have to say something like that to you too, Marian. You are undoubtedly the most beautiful creature that has ever captured my eyes. And don’t say you’re ugly. None of the guys around you know what they’re missing when they don’t see you.”

 

“Why though?” she asked. “Why do you say I’m so beautiful?” He shrugged.

 

“I don’t really know. Why do you say I’m so handsome? Why do you think I’m beautiful?”

And I feel my heart is turning
And falling into place

Marian pulled his face close to hers. Now her heart was beating a hole in her chest. Though it was the least of her worries, she noticed that her dress became a more princess kind of dress, with a bell shaped skirt and it was off-white. She closed her eyes as she felt the beauty flowing into both of them. For a moment…in this dream…she understood everything in life that she never got before.

 

“Because I love you, Frank,” she whispered before kissing him.

 

I can't hide
Now hear my confession

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Marian smiled as she watched Frank go to his second period class. Still as handsome as he was in her dream. She straightened up. Time to get down to business.

 

She walked down the hallway to see Randall and James, going at it with their verbal war. She shook her head. For as long as she knew them, they were good at picking fights, but not very good at fighting them. She couldn’t even say they were better at talking a fight than actually fighting.

 

“…and I’ll bet that your mama’s so stupid she thinks fruit punch is a gay boxer!”

 

“Oh, like I haven’t heard that one before!” Marian shook her head. Finally time to put an end to all of this.

 

“Hey James…and Randall?” The two kept up yet another staring contest that even the bewildered freshmen were unimpressed by the two seniors. Marian shook her head. Morons, she thought to herself.

 

“Um, guys? Could you get out of my way? I kind of need to get to class.”

 

“And what makes you think Renee wants you? You’re the one who put honey in her car seat and it took her hours to get it cleaned up!” Randall yelled.

 

“And what about you?” James shot back. “You’re the one who hid her clothes in sophomore year and she had to go around the rest of the day in her gym shorts and a baggy old shirt because they wouldn’t let her wear the tank top for class around school! A pity too, she’s so beautiful…”

 

“You got that straight, she’s beautiful! But it’s a wonder how you just FINALLY figured that out, after you’ve been pushing her away all this time!”

 

“Yeah, and you just threw away Ann like she was nothing!”

 

“So did you!”

 

“Guys…do I have to do this the hard way…?”

 

“You wanna bring it son?!” Randall challenged, standing over James.

 

“Bring it, loser!”

 

“Ok, then!” Marian chorused. She walked in between the two and flicked the pinch of dust in their eyes.

 

She didn’t look back as they argued about how beautiful Ann was.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“Frank…you’re being awfully cuddly today…not that I’m complaining.”

 

“I know. It’s so weird. I don’t know what it is, Marian…but all of a sudden-”

 

“Shh,” she said, imitating him from her dream. “Don’t talk. We don’t need words.” Frank smiled that smile that melted her heart. She snuggled into his embrace. So this was what it was like to have what Ann and Randall HOPEFULLY had again by then…

 

She sat up when she saw James come to the lunch area, desperately looking for somebody. She watched nervously as he approached where now she finally saw Randall and Ann holding each other tight again…no, he was going past them! She gaped as she saw him racing for Renee’s table! She ran across the lunch area, Frank following closely behind, probably because he was holding on so tightly to her hand. They stopped when they saw James on his knees, weeping into Renee’s lap…

 

“Renee…baby, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened to me! Like, all of a sudden, I like Ann, and then I feel this sudden rush for you, and then I’m back to liking Ann…but this time, when I started liking Ann again, I started missing all sorts of things…like how you always had a way for rubbing my neck when I’m sore or upset. Or when you just know how to hold me for whatever day I’m having. Or sometimes, you just always know how I’m feeling when the rest of the world doesn’t. Renee, there are too many things to name that I miss. That must only mean that I miss you. Renee…I have treated you like crap, and I have no excuse for everything I’ve done to you. I know I don’t deserve you, and I really don’t know what happened that caused all of this. But everything we had before we ended…it’s back. And it’s so deep within me that I know it’s real! And I know they’re only words, but even through liking Ann…there’s always been something for you. And I’m getting this feeling that even though I liked Ann, everything I had for you before never left. It was just hiding. Please, Renee, forgive me. I will understand if you can’t take me back, I’m not expecting you to. But I love you from the depths of my heart, whatever that means to you and for all the good it will do. I love you, Renee. God, it feels so good just to say it! I will always love you, Renee. My heart is yours. Do with me what you will.” He buried his head into her lap, as if waiting for her to strike the back of his neck. Renee lifted his head with her finger and stood up with him.

 

“Why there’s a wench,” she whispered. “Come on and kiss me, James.” Marian had to hold back tears of joy when they joined into a kiss. The hoots and cheers from everybody in the lunch area were deafening, but the newly reunited lovers paid no mind. All that mattered in this world were themselves and the first of resurrecting kisses…

 

“Oh, Frank…” Frank cradled her from behind.

 

“So beautiful, isn’t it? It wasn’t that long ago that James was treating her like crap, and then the next thing I knew he was worshipping the very ground she was dancing on…I’d like to say I saw more, but then all of a sudden, some dust got in my eyes…” Marian looked up at him with horror.

 

“You…you what?”

 

“I got some dust in my eyes. I went and checked back later, the whole auditorium was covered with dust…” Frank didn’t even blink his eyes, and Marian was gone.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Bitter tears once again graced the surface of her face once again in the auditorium. Oh, the unfairness of it all! She went back and corrected her mistake with her friends. She went back and reversed what she had done! Ann and Randall were back together, putting their wedding together, and Renee and James…oh, if only Renee and Marian had been patient! James was going to feel the rightness of love rushing through him again for Renee…if only Marian had waited…this whole mess could have been prevented and James and Renee would have been back together again…

 

But without her mistake, she wouldn’t have had Frank. With that, the tears fell with a plethora of pain and love and in great amounts. No…Frank wasn’t in love with her. Or if he was, it was only because of that stupid dust! She cradled herself in the dark. Then she felt the arms wrap around her again…oh, they were so strong. That was something she loved about Frank- he was always filled with surprises.

 

“Marian…baby, what’s wrong?” She looked up into his deep eyes. So deep…like a dream. She got on her knees and faced him. Taking his face into her hands…she almost kissed him, but she stopped. No. She wanted his kiss because he was truly in love with her. Not because she threw dust with love potion in his eyes. It was then she finally understood…that love came freely from the inside of a heart. That was the only way to love somebody. The way she loved him…from completely inside of her. The outside could not breed true love. What happened between James and Randall had proven that. If what they were feeling were true love…they would have not loved in excess like they did. But why did Frank not love in excess like them? However…it didn’t matter. The dust was the only reason why he loved her. And she was going to put an end to it. She was going to make sure that this love he was feeling came from deep down inside of her.

 

But she wanted to hold on to this moment while she could.

 

“Frank…I…oh God, I love you. Baby, I love you. And I’m so sorry.”

 

“Marian…for what?” She closed her eyes.

 

“For this.” She dug into her pocket and took a pinch of the dust. She didn’t toss it into his eyes like she did to James and Randall…no, she was much gentler, by blowing a soft breeze of it into his eyes.

 

His green eyes never lost their beauty as they flared with an anger she had never seen before. He stood up and left her on her knees.

 

“What…how…Marian? What are we doing in here?”

 

“Frank, I…” He stood his ground.

 

“You know, I’ve tried to get close to you. But every time…I don’t even know what is up with me right now. But Marian? When you learn how to not be uptight, you can talk to me.” He stormed off. Marian leaned back against a wall and cried her ocean out. When she heard the doors of the auditorium shut, she shouted.

 

“I love you, Frank! No matter what you say or do, I love you! When you see an ugly person in the mirror, I will show you the beauty only you have! When you offer this wench hate…I will offer you love! I don’t care if I lose my senses over you. I won’t die so long as I love…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Drew Wade]

(I'm writing these after reading the sections, so they're fresh in my mind.)

The first paragraph is utterly amazing. A perfect summation of what went wrong.

The second section had me googling song of solomon to remember what I had forgotten, and I heartily agree with you. That's the problem with all of the girlfriends I have ever had: We're not supposed to stir up love or awaken it until it pleases, and then we engineer circumstances to make it come around, and it ends up biting us nastily.

the third section was good, too, but I think you could trim up the dialogue a little- like, less explanation, even though it didn't seem forced, it just made it longer than it had to be. and what the heck is the slim, aluminum object??? could that be the reason they were up in the bedroom? you're right.. we don't want to know, unless you tell us!!!

honestly, the fourth section, with james and randall, could be cut. It was entertaining and a cute episode, but I can't see how it establishes the story more. maybe I'm wrong. maybe when I'm finished with the story, it will all make sense.. As I see it right now, though, maybe you should start looking at dividing this whole episode into two or three smaller ones, for pacing's sake. I don't know.

fifth section, you allude to the conversation that happened in the fourth section. cool. I think you could just allude to it without having the fourth section in it. let-us continue to the next!

"Anybody with a rational mind could deduct" maybe 'anybody with a rational mind could deduce?'

I like the way you're developing frank and marian's romance.

"If what they were feeling were true love" maybe 'if what they were feeling was true love?"

I loved this episode. It did have some problems- length, which I already mentioned, but which can be fixed.. umm, some of the dialogue was melodramatic, but these are high school kids we're dealing with here, and they can be melodramatic, so I don't know if you should change the style of it.

I think the ending was incredible, and really set us up for the last episode.