You couldn’t miss her. She was jumping up and down, giggling like the world would stop turning if she didn’t, her lush red ringlets bouncing along with her feet. There was a boy with her, taller than she by easily three inches, with dark, cropped hair and piercing green eyes. “John, why aren’t you dancing with me?” the girl asked, for that was what she was doing now.
Nick watched her back with interest from across the crowded plaza, narrowing his deep brown eyes against the blinding glare of the sun. ‘I wonder if she’s like that every day.’ he thought to himself.
“Stacy, because I’m not a beautiful ray of sunshine like yourself. I’m that cloud that ruins a picnic,” John replied, smiling mischievously.
She batted at his arm, saying “No you’re not! I keep you around, don’t I?”
“You haven’t the option of getting rid of me,” he retorted, smirking again. “Our parents have known each other for years. You decide to rid yourself of me now, Stace, there’ll be questions. And I wouldn’t be leaving without a fight.”
“Oh, alright,” she sighed, pretending to give in to the argument he was pretending to present. She turned toward Nick, her head hung so low he only saw the top of her head. She started to walk away from John, only to have him to grab her around the waist to halt any further movement.
“Oh no you don’t!” he called, and began to tickle her. At first she was only giggling, but as the torture increased, peals of laughter rang out across the plaza. She lifted her head, and, as she flung her curls back from her face, Nick could only gape, stunned by her beauty.
“Yo, yo, bro. Redhead across the plaza, one to ten?” Nick asked as he nudged his best friend Jake, playing a game they’d been involved in on and off for years.
“Solid six,” Jake replied without a moments hesitation.
“Six?? Dude, what gives? She’s gorgeous!” Nick reacted heatedly.
“Gorgeous? Her nose is off center and looks like it’s been broken once or twice, she’s got too many freckles, she’d be lucky if she hit five foot three, and she’s with tall guy. Attached automatically knocks off two points, you know that.” Jake said matter-of-factly
“But… You don’t know that she’s WITH tall guy…They could be…Siblings,” Nick protested weakly. Then he continued, “And dude, she’s got like, ten freckles!”
“Well, if you were paying ANY attention, you’d know that their ‘parents have known each other for years.’ And you know I go for the tall, beach-y blondes. She’s pale and short with a crooked nose.”
“Her nose is endearing. And I’d be lucky to hit five three too, I’m like five two and a half.”
After a pause, Jake turned to Nick. “What’s up with you man? She’s just a girl... You don’t even know her name.”
Nick jumped up “Its Stacy!” he snapped, a bit louder than he should have, for the girl in question looked up, startled.
Jake stood to face Nick, shook his head, and muttered “I’m going to go get an ice cream or something. I’m hungry. See you later, man.”
Nick plopped down on the bench they’d been sitting on and rested his head in his hands. ‘Who the heck is she, that she gets this reaction from me? I just yelled at my best friend, over some chick I’ve never even met’ Now, unbeknownst to him, the object of his deliberation was crossing the busy plaza toward him. She stood awkwardly in front of him for a moment, then she began softly, “Excuse me sir, are you okay?”
His head snapped up, and as soon as he saw her, crooked nose and all, he drew a sharp breath. Then, before he himself realized what he was doing, he stood, cradled her face in his palms, and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes, pale blue and as clear and beautiful as a Christmas morning snowfall, went wide for a moment, before her eyelashes fluttered closed. He pulled away, feeling like he had been struck by lightning. “I’m doing wonderful. Just trying to think of a way to tell you how beautiful you are, and that your boyfriend over there had better hold you tight and treat you right. Have a delightful day.”
Before she fully recovered from the shock, he picked up his coat off the armrest. So many thoughts raced through her mind, ‘Boyfriend? What boyfriend? Who IS that guy? He’s got gorgeous eyes.. What’s his name? Wow, he’s a good kisser..’ As he began to walk away, she recovered enough to call out “What’s your name?”
He turned, the setting sun glinting off his deep blonde hair. “Nick. Nick Matthews. See you around, Stacy.”
As he rounded the corner, she lifted a hand to her lips, still tingling with the energy of the kiss. “Nick…” she whispered softly.
John came up behind her. “Well, it appeared as though you know him.”
“No, actually…” she breathed, “his name’s Nick, and he’s got gorgeous eyes, brown, flecked with gold. That’s all I know.” Her eyes were bright, and her freckles stood out against paler than normal cheeks.
“Um, Stace? Are you feeling alright?” he enquired, knowing she often had fainting spells.
“Yeah… I think I’m fine…” But he knew the signs, and as her knees buckled beneath her, he swept a wiry arm down to catch her legs, his other arm already supporting the rest of her slight frame.
“Stace, when are you gonna learn?” he questioned her unconscious form. He sat down on the bench Nick had recently vacated, gently as not to jostle Stacy. Her head against his shoulder, he placed his arms around her softly, enjoying the feel of her warm, frail body against his toned chest. “When are you gonna see? Wake up and realize you needn’t ever look for anything you desire, including love? That I’ve always been here for you, always will be? That I’ve been hopelessly, helplessly, head over heels since I could spell love? You’ve never wondered why I have such unwavering devotion? Questioned why I long to be by your side day in and day out? For someone as bright as yourself, Stace, you’re awful dense when it comes to seeing what’s right in front of your face. I love you, Stacy, why can’t you see that?” He sighed, and shifted her body so he could reach his pocket and the smelling salts that helped her regain consciousness. Being an almost permanent fixture in her life, he always kept some on his person, for incidents such as this one.