0 comments

High School Happy Romance

Georgina had been closing her eyes for almost half an hour, her consciousness was alive, yet she pretended she was sleeping. She can hear the noise from her background: the roaring chug and chuff of the train; the distant sound of the people around her; and the little girl from her right calling her mother's attention

" Mommy, I am hungry." her cry blends with the shrill noise from the crowd and hearing the little girl's cry makes her feel like she can't indulge the foreign environment anymore.


Georgina slowly opens her eyes and looks around her surroundings, still afraid to get eye to eye contact with the man across from her, knowing he's been staring at her for a long time. She cleared her throat and leveled her eyes at the man.


He hurriedly turned his head away after noticing her attention. Georgina was amazed as she stared at the man. He was not that bad-looking. In fact, pleasing to her eyes. She didn't catch much of his sight earlier as she was afraid he was a member of pickpockets in the subway. She wondered why the man had followed her? She heard a lot about different criminals, and her ignorance and innocence of the things outside her comfort zone make her naïve.


Her father called her earlier to say that he won't fetch her from school as he got an emergency meeting with his client. It was the first time in her senior high school life to travel alone. She thought being in a private school seeing few people in her whole life makes her paranoid. She could have just called a taxi. She now regrets why she chose to ride in the subway.


She suspected he was following from the street on her way to the train. He doesn't look like he can kill a rat by studying his profile. She felt sorry for herself for being too judgmental. When the guy turned his head and looked at her, she didn't know why her eyes couldn't keep away from his compelling eyes. He smiled politely at her, "Hi." Georgina didn't know how to reply to his greeting, so she just let herself be, "Hello there, I thought you'd been following me from the street. May I know what you want from me?" She wanted to sound friendly, but her nervousness made her voice stiff. His face became serious, and he adjusted his sitting position as if he was about to deliver an important message "I'm sorry I didn't want to scare you. I hope I didn't frighten you, but I don't know if I will be able to talk to you again, so I follow you here." Now the guy's speech makes her fascinated. Why would he follow her around the train? Is she someone special? Did she do any important things in her life that made this man follow her, or did he like her the first time he met her? Is she that pretty?" Georgina thought. 


She wanted to laugh at her silly thoughts, but she didn't like the man to think differently of her, So she tried to look serious and asked him why. "I have seen you perform in your school. I was in charge of the sound system, and I just thought your voice was perfect for my band. Ares explains, "You have a band?" she became interested and excited. She used to sing during their school program. At first, her parents forced her to sing. They said she had a good voice and enrolled her in a singing class. As she grew up, she realized her love for music. It uplifts her soul, and she becomes a different person on stage. "I understand your doubt, but Mister Jorge Mcdowey is my uncle, your school technician, and I was his substitute during that program because Aimee also has a school presentation that day," he explained. "I'm Ares, by the way." even his name is pretty. Georgina thought she knew he was not lying after mentioning their friendly school technician Mister Mcdowell and his cute little girl Aimee. She had seen Mister Mcdowell with Aimee at school many times.


Alright, so he is not a pick pocketer, and he has pretty eyes, and he knows her school technician and his cute little girl she always saw in the school hallway is his cousin. He is offering her to be their band vocalist? She recalled the information. She knew she loved to sing in front of many people. That is her passion, but her father would not let her. "I'm sorry, Ares, but I can't," And went to the exit door after it opened. "I'm really sorry, thank you for the offer but no thanks." she had already gotten out of the train when Ares shouted politely," it's okay, George," 


George was in her classroom with her best friend Maggie while telling her what happened yesterday on the subway train. " Isn't that weird he knew your name? OMG you have a stalker George." Maggie's face looks worried. But Georgina knew he was far from creepy after she remembered his face. "Hey you're smiling, why are you smiling like that? Didn't you say he don't look like a pick pocketer, so does that mean he is handsome?" Maggie exclaimed, "shh… Your voice is too loud, our classmates might hear us." Maggie pretended to pout her mouth "let them hear, I don't care." I smile" Yes, he looks like the younger version of Christopher Hemsworth." "OMG, really, I wanted to see him."


Maggie giggled. "Why didn't you have his number? If he really looks like the younger version of Christopher Hemsworth, without thinking I would have thrown myself to him and agreed with his proposal right away. What's wrong with you?" Maggie was overreacting." I know, but I know my father, he wouldn't allow me to do that." Maggie got silent because she knew how overprotective her parents were to her. "Unless you tell him." "What do you mean?" Georgina was curious though she had an idea what Maggie was thinking." Don't tell your parents you will join his band." "Are you serious? How will I do that?" Maggie thinks again and gives up her idea. "I'm sorry George but I think you are right, you will never have a chance to sing in the crowd like your dream." Maggie's words saddened Georgina a little, but she knew her friend was right. Their conversations were cut when their teacher stepped inside the classroom. 


"Good morning class, before I will start out lesson for today I would like to introduce to you our new transfer student from Ashton City, he is Mr. Mcdoweys nephew, Mr. Ares Mcdowell." My eyes widened after seeing Ares. His eyes were instantly fixed on me when he entered the room, and I couldn't understand the butterfly feeling in my whole body. My heart skips faster, and I can almost hear its beating. I was still shocked when he walked towards me, passed by my chair, and sat behind me. He said a soft "Hi" with his husky voice. I didn't turn around to see his face because I was afraid he would observe me blushing, but I replied to his greeting enough for him to hear. I turned towards Maggie's direction, and she was also giggling. I wanted to stop her reaction, but I turned away and focused my eyes on the front board.


The whole one hour and 30 minutes were very long for me as I felt like his eyes were on my back. When Mr. Antonio finished his lecture, Georgina and Maggie went outside the room to their music lesson. "George, wait up." Ares called her. She turned to look at Maggie and gave her a knowing look and smile before her friend left. "Ares, Hi, so, we are classmates now, what a small world, it's nice to see you here." George pretended to sound lively. "You don't like your happiness to see me." Ares commented. Georgina got guilty for being too engrossed with her own feeling. She forgot he was a transferee and must not know anyone from the school except her. "Hey buddy." Ares gives Jonathan, their basketball star player, a high five "glad to see you here, Ares." As they started to walk toward the next room, another student came in Ares' direction and greeted him. "You're popular," Georgina commented, but she sounded sarcastic because of her stiff voice. Her nervousness makes her act weird. Ares didn't answer her but just smiled weakly.


When they got into the music room, the last chair was only the one from the back, and she had no choice but to sit beside him again. She looks at Maggie sitting in front of her and winks in her direction after giving Ares a meaningful look. Georgina wanted to disappear in her chair. She regretted telling her friend about Ares. If she knew he would become their classmate, she wouldn't have told her about him, but who would have thought fate would do this to her. "I got your name from my uncle, I have been doing substitution for him in the technical room ever since before, so I always saw you perform, George." Georgina's name sounds good to his lips. "Oh." Georgina didn't say anything to him and pretended to listen to their teacher. "Okay, let's group ourselves into pairs. "Johnny and Megan, Theo and Amanda….." the teacher had called names by pair. She was unsure if she would be paired with Isaac in her left or with Ares in her right "Georgina and our new student Ares." "You will all practice a song together and present it to the class next meeting. We will present it in the auditorium, so make sure you have practiced your song very well." Their teachers' last speech.


Ares and Georgina had been practicing their song for the next more days. They've done the practice inside Ares's house since he has complete equipment. The rustic color of Ares's music room and the romantic dimness of the light is perfect for Georgina and Ares's blended voices. It was beautiful. After the song, Ares asks Georgina again," Your voice is beautiful; please be our vocalist George, ask your father to let you?" 

"I don't know Ares, I like what we did earlier; I love the song, and I love to sing, but I'm afraid my father will not allow me." He looked her in the eyes. Georgina knew their feelings were mutual. She likes him a lot; it's as if she had met her soulmate; agreeing to join him in the band; there is no way she can avoid Ares. But music is pulling her to him, one more pull, and she knew she'll give in, and Ares's conviction is tempting; Ares said: " You'll never know unless you try."










March 06, 2022 17:15

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

0 comments

RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. 100% free.