Anne felt like a normal person. She didn't like that, but she didn’t know how to change it either. She felt like she was just a normal person doing normal things and not feeling like anyone noticed her. She considered herself the most average person in the entire school. Her talents were playing piano and writing. As for looks, she knew that she wasn’t homecoming queen material. She’d look at herself in the mirror each morning and stare at her soft red hair, silk-white skin, and then her liquid dark green eyes. She wished that her eyes were any color but green. Her mom had told her that every few generations or so there would be one or two with those dark eyes. They would be the envy of the family, for the others had blue. Anne would look around at the other people in school like the jocks, the science nerds, and the other groups that littered the hallways and not feel like she had anything in common with them. In a way she stood out from them with her striking features, but no one seemed to notice. They were busy with all sorts of after school liveliness and whatnot. Anne didn’t really participate in the typical extracurricular activities, even with the encouragement of her parents and physical education teacher who apparently thinks she has a talent for tennis. She waved it off as something they wanted her to do, not as something she wanted to do.

Everyday she would go to school and sit in class wondering about the others and the lives they lead in or outside of school. She especially liked to sit in her Literature class and write short stories about the people around her while Mr. Rames would be rattling on and on about his favorite author or playwright of that week. The days went just like any other. Anne would sit in class stealing glances at the people around her and wonder. Two rows up on her right side was Holly Blake.  Between classes Holly would disappear into the bathroom, spending an eternity there looking in the mirror to see if her blonde curls were in the same place they were an hour ago. Anne could picture Holly in her cute, sugar-pink room in the morning with a curling iron in her manicured hand staring into a lighted mirror. She’d be delicately twirling those long locks around a hot tube that would transform her hair from straight and ordinary to a perfection of spirals. She’d watched them bounce down in her soft, make-up touched face as she took another lock of hair and did the same. Just thinking about that gave Anne a slight chill. 

While Mr. Rames spoke endlessly on the characteristics of Hemingway’s stories, she wrote Holly into a quick short piece. Holly was a prim and proper young lady all of a sudden shipwrecked on an island with the only other survivor being a lone cabin boy who knew his way around in the wilderness. She smiled to herself as she wrote about Holly’s troubles gathering fruit and trying to clean that day’s catch with only a knife.  For the cabin boy, she chose Chris Connerly. His dad is known as the biggest game hunter in town and he taught him just about everything when it came to surviving out in the wilderness. That and the fact that he couldn’t stand Holly Blake made them perfect characters. Anne found this a good release from the droning of Mr. Rames. 

 

 

One day, Anne's normal life stirred. It happened when she was looking around the drab Literature classroom. The room had plain, cream colored walls with various pictures of period pieces of different eras in English literature hanging about. They would depict people in Elizabethan dress or on horses or out by a stream or river on a sunny day.  They were definitely not anything to get excited over.  That is when she noticed the guy sitting in the back corner of the cream room looking out the window towards a cluster of trees that dotted along the pavement that leads out into the somewhat busy street. He, much like her, didn’t really care what or whom Mr. Rames was talking about. He’d rather be outside under the warm light of the sun.  She studied his profile rather carefully. He was a rugged individual with a rebel appearance. He had his arms bent in his literature book. The backs of his strong hands were cradling his chin. She could see some rippling detail in his forearms while in this pose. Anne knew that this person knew how to get what he wanted. Something inside her lit as she looked on carefully.  

"Mr. Randall," said Mr. Rames, "the poem is not written on that tree outside, it's in your book. Pay attention please," Mr. Rames' voice was stern and cold. Some of the students in the class let out muffled chuckles. Anne noticed that the girls in the class had turned to look back at Jimmy Randall. They covered their mouths and looked at each other with gossip and desire in their eyes; eyes that were gleefully telling a story of the desire to have that classic rebel-looking guy as a boyfriend. But they wouldn't dare do such a thing because it would bring a bad reputation on them. He was the school troublemaker after all. How he managed to not be expelled from school was a complete mystery. There was definitely more to him than meets the eye.

Jimmy swiveled his head towards the front of the room and placed a fake look of interest on his face just long enough to keep Mr. Rames from badgering him. Anne couldn't help but notice Jimmy Randall. It was as if his very being entranced her. His skin was hinted bronze from the long days of working outside. She'd seem him many times during the summer when he was working for a roofing company that was fixing the old Magnetta place three houses down from her own. Anne had caught a glimpse of his lean frame as he carried shingles and other things up a ladder and throwing them off of his strong shoulders as if they were pillows. It was in class that she was close enough to see his eyes. The very eyes that all of the girls whispered about. They were soft and light blue, hypnotic in a sense. A few locks of his dark hair occasionally hid them. Generally, he would leave the locks right where they fell and went on doing whatever he was doing. He kept most of it pulled back into a low ponytail. Anne imagined what it would feel like to run her fingers through those long locks. She then took a lock of her hair and twirled it between her fingers to get a feel for what his would feel like. ‘I bet his hair is as soft as silk,’ she said to herself. Her thinking kept her from noticing Mr. Rames coming to her desk.

"Miss Price, do you find The Raven written on Mr. Randall's face?" Mr. Rames asked. She began to blush as others around her began to giggle.

"That will be enough. If you all find this poem so interesting, then you won't mind doing a two-page paper on it. Due Friday," the class let out a moan as Mr. Rames gave the assignment. The bell then rang freeing them from any more homework. Anne gathered her books and slid them into her book bag. She took one last look at Jimmy and didn't notice that Mr. Rames was coming back to her desk again. He looked down at her open notebook and noticed the writing that she'd been doing.

"Miss Price, this doesn't look like notes on Poe to me. If you want to write, take a writing class. In here we discuss literature,” he looked at her noticing that she was looking at Jimmy instead of listening to him, “It also seems that you've taken an interest in young Mr. Randall."

"I-I'm sorry," she said closing her notebook and tucking it under her arm, “I’ll pay more attention Mr. Rames,” she allowed her dark eyes to look away from Jimmy Randall to Mr. Rames. He nodded then headed back to his desk.

Anne walked out into the near empty hallway towards her locker. She was relieved that she had a free period. Now she could hide herself until she felt the embarrassment that reddened her pale cheeks had ebbed. As she fumbled with the locker combination, Jimmy Randall walked up and leaned against the locker next to hers.

"That guy's such an ass ain't he," he said. The sound of his voice startled her and sent her notebook crashing into the brown marble-like floor. She couldn't think of any reason why Jimmy Randall would out-of-the-blue walk up to her. The simple fact that he did shocked her so that she didn't realize that he'd bent down and picked up her notebook. He held it out to her, "What's the matter? Did I scare ya or sum’thin'?" She blushed and began to come back to reality.

"Well?"

"Well what?" she said. Not realizing that she actually found words to say to him.

"Rames," Jimmy said, "Don't he act like an asshole sum’times."

"Yeah, I-I guess," she said gingerly taking her notebook.

“You don’t talk much do ya?” he said leaning closer to her.

“I-I guess I don’t have much to, um, say really,” she spoke.

Jimmy leaned closer to her. His blue eyes burning into her with a gentle intensity, “You got a pretty face.  Why don’t anyone talk to ya?”

Anne shrugged. She took out a copy of The Catcher in the Rye and was about to tuck it between her arm and notebook when Jimmy took it from her.

“This book is ’posed to be good huh,” He said looking over the plain cover and then flipping a few of the pages.

“That’s what they say,” Anne spoke. She reached for the book. Jimmy, being the character that he is, reflexively pulled it out of her reach, “Can I-I have my book back please?”

“How ‘bout ya let me borrow it for a while,” he said.

“Why would you want to borrow it?  It wouldn’t suit you,” Anne said reaching for her book. Jimmy held it up just high enough so she couldn’t reach it on tiptoe.  He almost towered over her 5’7” frame. She brushed part of his lean muscular forearm with her delicate hand.  

“Ouch,” he said playfully as his face contracted as if he’d been hit.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t me-,” she started.

“That’s alright,” he interrupted. He gave her a smile and handed her back the book. “How ‘bout when you get finished?”

“Um, ok,” She muttered softly sliding the book between her forearm and notebook. She closed her locker and began walking away. Jimmy soon followed her.

“Are ya scared of me or sum’thin’?” he asked.

“I-I just never figured you as the type that would want to t-talk to me,” Anne said. Jimmy lazily draped his arm around her shoulders as they walked down the hall to a large door.

“Well you’re dif’rent from those otha chicks.”

“Yeah I know. I’m not a pretty or as popular as they are.”

“They’re too preppy anyways. Not my type at all.”

“I’m not much your type either.” 

“Why do ya say that?”  Jimmy asked looking at her, “Hey, where ya headed anyway. Ain’t you got a class to go to?”

“I’ve got this period free,” she said pushing on the sliver bar that opened a heavy brown door that was a side entrance of the school. “I just go and find a quite place to read and not bother anybody.”

“Geez you’re lucky. I got gym right abou’ now.” Jimmy said.

“Aren’t you worried about getting caught?”

“Nah, the worst they can do is give me detention. I ain’t afra’d a that.”

The two walked across the grounds to a small cluster of large oak trees that were far away enough that the other people that were outside didn’t notice that they were around. Many were busy watching the basketball game that was going on, cheering and having a good time. Anne came out to this hideaway a lot. No one really noticed that she walked out there. But today was different. She was walking out there with Jimmy Randall. Occasionally, there would be a guy that would turn around and yell ‘hi’ to Jimmy. He’d throw up his hand to the guy and keep walking.

 

 

          Something about Anne intrigued him. He’d steal a glance at her profile and notice her soft white skin just barely tanned from being out in the sun. He noticed that she had a slight bounce in her step whenever she walked. He’d seen her before walking down the halls but this time was different. It was if she were more alive than when he saw her in school. He’d seen her walking by the Magnetta place during the summer. It seemed that she kept to herself. He liked the liveliness that Anne illustrated as they walked to her oasis on the campus. It suited her better than what he saw before. A smile came across Jimmy’s face.

 

 

Anne realized that Jimmy was still walking with her. She also caught on to the fact that she was walking with a slight vibrancy. Being near this guy was making her important in a way. This feeling was bubbling inside of her like never before. She stole a glance at Jimmy and caught him smiling. “What are you so happy about?” she inquired.

“What do ya mean?” he replied looking to her.

“Well, you have this smile on your face so you must be happy about something,” He closed his eyes and nodded, still smiling.

They reached the small grove and Anne found her usual place to sit. Jimmy plopped down beside, her leaning back against the oak. She opened her book and began reading. She could only manage to read a few lines before it actually hit her that Jimmy was still with her. She looked up at him and he was staring right back at her.

“You like looking at me for some reason. Why?”  She said.

“You’re int’restin’ to look at.”

“You can’t be serious,” Anne looked back down at her book. Suddenly the words began to swim and burst into many vibrant colors. She couldn’t believe that she was around Jimmy Randall. She thought about all of the little movements that he made from when she first came up to her until this very moment. Anne looked back at Jimmy who was now fascinated with her red hair.

“Does no one compliment you or sum’thin’?” he said taking a lock of her hair and twirling it around his slender index finger. Anne could barely contain her excitement and awe as he was doing this. She smiled and looked down at her book once more.

“You’ve got pretty hair,” He whispered. Before she even realized that he was closer to her, he brushed her left cheek with a kiss. She pulled herself away and stared at him with complete shock on her face.

“What did you do that for?” she asked quickly.

“You’ve never been kissed before or sum’thin’?” he answered.  Anne looked away. Jimmy saw her face turn a light shade of red. The light spot of small freckles on her cheek looked brown against the red. He leaned over to look at her face more, “You ain’t never been kissed. Man, I didn’t know that girls like that existed.” 

“No one’s ever had a reason to,” She said, “Why’d you do it?”

“What, kiss ya?”

She nodded.  He looked down at the grass hoping there’d be some kind of answer to be found there. He couldn’t believe that she’d never been kissed before, even something as simple as a kiss on the cheek.  ‘How could that be true?’ he thought. When he looked at her, he saw a beautifully shy person that could intrigue anyone if given the chance. He wanted to tell her that any guy who didn’t want to be around her had to be completely out of their mind. The words were only spoken in his mind, ‘She’d probably think that I’m just playin’ a joke on her if I did that,’ His thoughts of her were interrupted when the sound of her voice trickling into his ear.

“The answer is not on the ground Mr. Randall,” Anne said mimicking Mr. Rames, “It’s in your head,” Jimmy looked up at her then laughed. Anne laughed with him.

 

 

 

All during her math class, the only thing that Anne could think about was the kiss on her cheek. She slid her hand lightly across the spot where Jimmy’s lips had touched so gently. It was her first kiss from a guy. It was the most remarkable feeling she’s ever experienced; and from Jimmy Randall no less, the school’s misfit. It was absolutely unbelievable. Finally the last bell of the day rang allowing the building’s occupants to be free from teachers and study. Anne smiled all the way home. She went straight to her room and locked her door. She walked over to her dresser and looked at her reflection. She turned to the left to see if there was any trace of Jimmy still there. She looked at the area to where the kiss was placed and stared hard, almost wanting to see an imprint of his soft lips on her cheek. Anne smiled and went over to her bed. This will be one day that she’ll never forget. Anne closed her eyes and thought back through the events that led up to that glorious moment. She pictured how Jimmy sat next to her under the giant oaks, his legs bent at the knee. She could still feel his breath against her skin as he leaned closer to her. She twirled a lock of her hair the same way he did before he whispered in her ear and then the momentous brush of his lips on her cheek. 

At dinner, Anne went through the usual routine of telling her parents the same boring things that happened at school. Her mother would tell her to try and do something different for a change like trying out for the cheerleading squad or the yearbook staff, then drop in a hint to try out for the tennis team.  She’d nod her head and then hear from her father about how those types of thing build confidence and character in a person. “That’s not what I’m in to dad,” she’d say.  Her mind kept fluttering back to Jimmy Randall. That night, Anne could barely really think about her homework. She was thinking about Jimmy Randall, but not about the kiss. She began to analyze the possible reasons he would have to kiss her. ‘He was probably doin’ it as a joke,’ she thought. Anne started to think harder on this reason. She was a practically average person, made good grades, and felt that she didn’t have the look that would attract attention from any of the guys at school, let alone Jimmy Randall. “He had to have been doing that as a joke,” she said sleepily. She went and climbed under the dark blue covers of her bed and drifted off to sleep.

 

 

The next day Anne was interchanging books from her book bag to her locker. “How I dread English,” she said pulling out her notebook and sliding it into her bag.  She thought back to the embarrassing giggles that triggered the events with Jimmy, “I really hate that class,” She said shaking her head. 

“Then don’t go,” came a voice from behind her locker door. She pulled the locker door towards her to get a look at the face from which the voice came from, “Hiya doin’ Red.”

“Jimmy?” She mouthed. He was actually talking to her again.

“None otha. Wha’sa matta, you supris’d to see me or sum’thin’?”

Anne nodded, “I just wasn’t expecting you that’s all.”

“I’m hurt,” He said placing both hands over his heart. Anne couldn’t help but let a smile escape her lips, “That’s betta,” Jimmy said drooping an arm over around her shoulders.

“So, are you ready to endure another lecture on E. A. Poe?” She asked.

“Nah, I got a betta idea,” he answered, “Why don’t we go out to those trees like yesta’day and hang out.”

Anne turned and looked at him, “You mean skip class?”

“Sure, ain’t you ever skipped class before?”

“No. I never thought about it before.”

“So you mean to tell me you’d actually go to Rames’ class and listen to that boring crap instead a hangin’ out wit’ me?” he said pulling away from her slightly.

“I just never thought that you’d want me to be around you, that’s all,” Anne said closing her locker, “I was kind of thinking that yester-,” she began.

“Was a joke or sum’thin’?” He interrupted.  She nodded looking away. Jimmy took her book bag and slung it over his shoulder. He leaned in close and gave a gentle grip of her shoulder. She could smell the faint scent cigarette smoke in his shirt. “Come on Red, we need to change your routine a bit.” He whispered in her ear. They began walking towards the large brown doors at the end of the hall. Anne’s normal life was about to be changed when they walked through those doors. She felt many different sensations surge through her body as came closer to the heavy doors. The only other time she had felt this way was when Jimmy kissed her. She could only imagine what new opportunities were about to open up for her. Maybe she could learn something from the school misfit. The look in his eyes gave her an idea that Jimmy Randall could be the one person that could change her life from the dull and ho-hum to vivid and exciting. Jimmy pushed open the doors and light spilled over them. They headed for Anne’s oasis among the oak trees in the comforting warmth of sunshine. When they reached the cluster of trees Anne chose her usual spot and down. Jimmy handed her her bookbag before dropping down beside her. This time he stretched out so that only his head rested against the tree. She sat there fumbling around wondering what to do next. She couldn’t believe that she was actually skipping a class. She thought of the reaction on her parent’s faces when they receive the dreaded phone call from the school telling on her. It brought a small grin to her face.

“I see you’re likin’ this,” Jimmy said looking up at her. She looked down at him and smiled, “Kinda figured ya would,” he closed his eyes and grinned.

“I never would have imagined that this would be so much better than listening to Mr. Rames.”

“There ya go,” he said “See, a little change in your routine won’t hurt ya.”

“It will when my parents find out.”

“What, they don’t expect you to do a thing like this?”

“Never in a million years.”

“I wouldn’t worry ‘bout it too much. They’ll get over it. Just tell ‘em that you didn’t feel like hearin’ Rames run his yap today,” Jimmy said looking up at her again.

Anne leaned back against the oak and closed her eyes. ‘This does feel nice.’ She thought. She could turn this into a rather exciting story. A proper girl befriended by the school misfit. Yes, this would be a good story. She could only dream of the things they could get into. ‘Anne, your days of being a normal person are coming to an en,.’ she said to herself smiling.

They spent the time under the cloak of the oaks talking about various things. Anne liked his company.  He wasn’t like any of the stories that she’d heard in the hallways. Those stories made him out to be nothing short of a mischievous thief out for cheap thrills at other’s expense. She liked the Jimmy Randall that was sitting beside her.

 

 

‘She is so amazin,.’ Jimmy thought to himself, ‘What’s so bad about it is that she don’t even realize it.’

He thought about her façade of shyness and wondered if he could actually break that shield she secured herself behind. He was definitely caught up in her. Before, he had thought that Anne was one of those bookworm types that would end up being an old maid. He thought that she’d be one of those old bittys that sat on their front porch knitting and thwarting off little kids with that old witch’s look upon her face.

Her face.

It was the most intriguing part about her.  Her skin felt so soft when he kissed her cheek. Its smooth creaminess was just barely tinted with a hint of color.  Jimmy didn’t even notice before yesterday that she had a cute array of freckles. He looked up and caught her glance while she was saying something to him.

Those eyes.

They almost seemed in complete contrast with her skin. Those dark liquid orbs that held such mystery to him. He wanted to unlock that mystery. Jimmy couldn’t help but to gaze into them with a sense that they were calling him.

“Jimmy?” Anne said. He looked at her and said nothing, “Are you listening to me?”

 Again nothing. She waved a hand across his face to bring him back to reality.

“Huh? What?” he blurted, blinking.

“You didn’t hear a word I said, did you,” she said softly.

“Uh-,”

“Admit it. You were out there.”

“No I wasn’,” he chimed in. Anne cocked her head to the side and placed an evil look on her face.

He sat up and looked at her, “Ok, so maybe I didn’t. I mean, well-,”

“Well.”

“I mean it’s kinda hard to do that when those eyes are starin’ straight through ya.”

“What?”

“Your eyes. Man, does everyone in your family got those color eyes?”

Anne closed her eyes and shook her head, “I think there are only about three of us who do. All the others have blue.”

“They’re awesome.”

“That’s because there not yours. They make me feel like I’m an alien or something.”

“Naw, they make you unique, that’s all,” he said smiling.

“You’re just sayin’ that,” she spoke, eyes still closed.

“It’s true. You don’t see anyone else in school with eyes like yours.”

“Why are we talking about my eyes anyway?” Anne asked finally opening them.

“’Cause I like them,” he answered leaning closer.

‘He’s gonna do it again!’ She exclaimed in her mind. She began to feel panicky. She’d never done this before and immediately a million questions were shooting in all directions of her mind. She felt her mind began to spin and colors were dancing everywhere. All of the madness that was going through her mind came to a sudden halt when she felt something gently pressing against her lips. Jimmy’s lips. Jimmy Randall was kissing her on the lips.

“And just what do you two think you’re doing out here!” came a shrill woman’s voice. The pair quickly put space between their faces and looked in the direction of the woman that was marching towards them. It was Mrs. Baker. Mrs. Baker was a stout woman with her hair piled on her head in the tightest bun imaginable. She always seemed to be wearing some kind of dark blue skirt that covered her legs to the ankles and you could hear her heavy black heels clicking through the hallways during classes making sure no student was in a place they weren’t supposed to be. Anne remembered seeing her outside during her time in Mr. Rames’ class. Anne’s cheeks flushed with color. They were caught. Her first time doing something out of her norm and she gets busted.

“Aaah, we ain’t doin’ nut’n ya old broad,” Jimmy spoke to the teacher.

“We’ll see about that. Both of you up, now.”

Anne and Jimmy got up from the grass and headed in the direction of Mrs. Baker’s finger back towards the school. Jimmy carried her bookbag as they tried to tune out the teacher’s rants about students not caring about their education and what could happen to them later on in life. The whole walk back Anne’s face was red, mortified that she’d been caught.

“Don’t sweat it Red,” Jimmy said, “The worst they can give ya is detention.”

Anne swallowed and looked at him. She knew that her parents would find out about this and they weren’t going to be too pleased with her when she got home. ‘So much for being adventurous,’ she thought.  He smiled at her.

“At least I’ll have someone to talk to this time ‘round,” he says nudging her with his elbow. Anne couldn’t help but smile. Somehow the thought of being in detention with Jimmy Randall wasn’t a bad idea.