Post by Seashellstarz on Dec 5, 2004 11:40:00 GMT -5
“Hey Carol, come in.”
For a second or two, Caroline Westfield surveyed her childhood playmate, neighbor, friend, and classmate.
Good old Jake, she thought.
They were not inseparable or anything dramatic like that, but when it really comes to departing, Caroline could barely handle it. Caroline could not envision a time without Jake Harper around, joking and laughing with everyone within sight. At the current condition, she could not foresee a future, either, without Jake Harper’s presence.
“Well, so, what’s the matter, Carol?” He seemed to sense something.
“Um… I, I have to…” Caroline’s voice trailed off; she didn’t think her decision would please any one of them.
“Caroline,” Jake used her full name, “What is it? Tell me, please.”
“I’m leaving.”
“But you just got here!”
So very true, Caroline thought perceptively, I’ve only had, how many years with this wonderful friend right here? Oh, yeah, 16. Now, it comes to when we can’t have each other anymore.
“Why don’t you come in? Are you alright?” He asked, “Something is wrong, I can tell.”
No, I take that back, Caroline thought with discernment, you should never say that because you never had him, and he never had you.
Confused and lost in her tangled, tousled notions, Caroline avoided Jake’s impressionistic gaze. She had always admired his eyes for viewing things like he did; but now, she was too scared to behold them.
“I’m leaving for England,” she finally choked out the words.
“That’s good, isn’t it? I heard it is a wonderful place.”
Shocked by Jake’s overt, unexpected attitude, she gaped at him with more veracity than she had ever had, “I’m going to such a faraway country! I don’t if I’ll be happy there, and I don’t even know when I’ll return! My parents are sending me, but I have no intention of¾ ”
Jake lightly placed his hand over her quivering lips, “Don’t be upset. Let me tell you, I knew you will be happy there, and I know that you will return someday.”
“No. I don’t believe it. You’re lying, Jake. I may be guileless, but I’m not gullible,” Caroline took a step back. Suddenly as cold as a stone, she said, “you sure have insight for everything, my old crony. Only I have myopia.”
“Carol, you do not have any shortsightedness, and I am not the most insightful person you have met. Tell me, why the sarcasm? Why don’t you want to go to England?”
She took another step back, “I cannot understand your hypocritical consolations because I’m going to England nevertheless. You don’t want me around, do you?”
“No, no, I’m just thinking for your future happiness,” Jake explained; his attempts to be patient became futile.
“I can’t understand your duplicity.”
“Caroline! I’m just thinking about your future happiness and where your life is going!”
“I can’t be happy without you!”
“What? Caroline…”
How long it took Jake to sink in, he himself didn’t even know.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, please forgive me,” Caroline covered her face with the flounce on her sleeves, turned around, and ran from the house, or rather, from Jake.
Jake sighed. The sun in the 1960s indeed has a different shine.
He yearned to see again that lighthearted glisten in Caroline’s eyes from three years ago. Where is it?
He looked for Caroline the next day, but he never found her. He had long forgiven her for saying how he was devious and fictitious. He knew that she never meant any of it.
“The duplicity in humans is truly puzzling, in addition to the fact that people never masquerade themselves intentionally,” Jake had been aware of a saying.
Jake’s family moved, too, after a month.
Later, Jake Harper and Caroline Westfield grew up to be reputable adults. They never stopped trying to find each other. Jake never forgave himself for letting Caroline go without a clear explanation of his feelings. Caroline never forgave herself for attacking Jake the way she did, and she never forgave herself for trying to contact Jake after a whole month.
For a second or two, Caroline Westfield surveyed her childhood playmate, neighbor, friend, and classmate.
Good old Jake, she thought.
They were not inseparable or anything dramatic like that, but when it really comes to departing, Caroline could barely handle it. Caroline could not envision a time without Jake Harper around, joking and laughing with everyone within sight. At the current condition, she could not foresee a future, either, without Jake Harper’s presence.
“Well, so, what’s the matter, Carol?” He seemed to sense something.
“Um… I, I have to…” Caroline’s voice trailed off; she didn’t think her decision would please any one of them.
“Caroline,” Jake used her full name, “What is it? Tell me, please.”
“I’m leaving.”
“But you just got here!”
So very true, Caroline thought perceptively, I’ve only had, how many years with this wonderful friend right here? Oh, yeah, 16. Now, it comes to when we can’t have each other anymore.
“Why don’t you come in? Are you alright?” He asked, “Something is wrong, I can tell.”
No, I take that back, Caroline thought with discernment, you should never say that because you never had him, and he never had you.
Confused and lost in her tangled, tousled notions, Caroline avoided Jake’s impressionistic gaze. She had always admired his eyes for viewing things like he did; but now, she was too scared to behold them.
“I’m leaving for England,” she finally choked out the words.
“That’s good, isn’t it? I heard it is a wonderful place.”
Shocked by Jake’s overt, unexpected attitude, she gaped at him with more veracity than she had ever had, “I’m going to such a faraway country! I don’t if I’ll be happy there, and I don’t even know when I’ll return! My parents are sending me, but I have no intention of¾ ”
Jake lightly placed his hand over her quivering lips, “Don’t be upset. Let me tell you, I knew you will be happy there, and I know that you will return someday.”
“No. I don’t believe it. You’re lying, Jake. I may be guileless, but I’m not gullible,” Caroline took a step back. Suddenly as cold as a stone, she said, “you sure have insight for everything, my old crony. Only I have myopia.”
“Carol, you do not have any shortsightedness, and I am not the most insightful person you have met. Tell me, why the sarcasm? Why don’t you want to go to England?”
She took another step back, “I cannot understand your hypocritical consolations because I’m going to England nevertheless. You don’t want me around, do you?”
“No, no, I’m just thinking for your future happiness,” Jake explained; his attempts to be patient became futile.
“I can’t understand your duplicity.”
“Caroline! I’m just thinking about your future happiness and where your life is going!”
“I can’t be happy without you!”
“What? Caroline…”
How long it took Jake to sink in, he himself didn’t even know.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, please forgive me,” Caroline covered her face with the flounce on her sleeves, turned around, and ran from the house, or rather, from Jake.
Jake sighed. The sun in the 1960s indeed has a different shine.
He yearned to see again that lighthearted glisten in Caroline’s eyes from three years ago. Where is it?
He looked for Caroline the next day, but he never found her. He had long forgiven her for saying how he was devious and fictitious. He knew that she never meant any of it.
“The duplicity in humans is truly puzzling, in addition to the fact that people never masquerade themselves intentionally,” Jake had been aware of a saying.
Jake’s family moved, too, after a month.
Later, Jake Harper and Caroline Westfield grew up to be reputable adults. They never stopped trying to find each other. Jake never forgave himself for letting Caroline go without a clear explanation of his feelings. Caroline never forgave herself for attacking Jake the way she did, and she never forgave herself for trying to contact Jake after a whole month.