A World Without You. A. S. Peterson
an endurance marathon while waiting for Thursday. As much as he enjoyed playing football, his secret meetings with Briana were the paramount part of his summer. Destiny remained interested, but he did his best to avoid her.
When Scott and Briana met each Thursday, they scarcely noticed the unseasonably warm weather with very little rainfall. Their thoughts were on the anticipation of developing their relationship.
On June 11, Scott arrived inside the park to find Briana reading the book Pride and Prejudice. As he approached, she closed her book and set it aside. She smiled shyly, stating she was very interested in this book. Scott nodded thoughtfully, remembering the past school year. For his advanced reading class, Pride and Prejudice had been a required book to read. As much as he tried, he couldn’t get into the story. He ended up getting a B for that class.
Briana moved over on the bench, making room for him. She said, “My mom recommended this book. She read it when she was young. Have you ever read it?”
“No, I’m more of a nonfiction reader.”
Briana nodded while Scott suggested they hike the northwest path inside the woods. Today they spent their time exploring several different trails. At eleven fifty, they stood at the entrance. Scott was pleased with their day. He learned two things about Briana from just observation. She liked to read and she also liked to solve puzzles. She had showed him a photograph of her dog, Minnie, a black dachshund. In the picture, Briana was sitting on a chair, working on a crossword puzzle, while her dog rested on her lap.
Before leaving, Briana handed Scott an envelope. “Read this after I leave.”
As soon as she turned the corner of the block, Scott opened the flowered envelope and removed the matching paper. Her penmanship was as elegant as her mannerisms.
Scott, your poems hypnotized my heart. In return, I wrote a poem, using your name. Scott = Strength of character. Captivated my heart. Only boy for me. Talented poet. Tremendously handsome.
Refolding the stationery, Scott grinned as he placed the poem inside the envelope.
Later that evening, he sat at his desk, tapped his pencil on his notebook as he mulled over and played with words. Finally he wrote,
Briana, here’s a poem with your name. Briana = Beauty in the park. Respects her loved one. Intelligent girl. Affectionate dog lover. Not a talkative girl. Always waiting for Thursdays.
*****
On June 18, with his poem inside his pocket, Scott sat with Briana on the rock inside the woods and played a game he had made in his seventh-grade shop class. The game had a triangular light-green wood base consisting of nine holes. Golf pegs were placed into eight holes, leaving one empty. Showing Briana the rules of the game by playing it, Scott jumped one peg over another and removed the jumped peg off the wood base. The object of the game was to remove as many pegs as possible. When Briana played the first time, she removed all the pegs, except the jumping peg which remains on the wood base.
As she played, Scott studied her intense concentration. Since the first day he met her, he figured she was intelligent because of her careful observations. Today she proved it. He smiled at her. “You’re good at solving puzzles.”
Briana blushed. Then over the next three rounds, she was unable to remove all the pegs off the wood base. “I guess I had beginner’s luck.”
As she returned his game, Scott grinned. Her strategy to lose had been as intense as her strategy to win. “I know what you are doing, Briana.”
Frowning, she replied, “You do?” She had worked hard to try and hide her tactic for losing.
“I really don’t mind if you beat me in that game,” Scott joked, although like Briana, he had solved the game’s solution on the first try.
He moved his attention from the game to her eyes. Suddenly conscious of her warmth filtering into his body, his breathing became shallow. He knew this was the moment he’d been waiting for. Since their second meeting, his urge to kiss her had monopolized his thoughts. Moving forward slowly, he wasn’t about to let this opportune moment pass without his lips being introduced to hers, but the moment he tilted his head, Briana turned hers in the opposite direction, looking at the path that leads to the park.
Scott swallowed, trying not to feel rejected. He stared at the oak tree in front of him, wondering if he had once again misread her expression. He controlled his disappointment. “Do you want to play the game again?”
“No,” Briana replied.
Scott hopped off the rock, suggesting they sit on the park bench. The warmth of her body was now agonizing and he’d rather focus on something else than her very close proximity.
On the bench, they spoke very little. Their uncomfortable silence was broken when a 1992 red convertible Corvette zoomed into the parking lot. A couple in their early twenties emerged, strolling flirtatiously to the far northeast corner of the park where the girl wrapped her arms around her partner’s neck, giggled at his comment, and then enjoyed a physical kiss.
Scott groaned inwardly, got off the bench, and commented on his thirstiness. The last thing he wanted to see was some other guy enjoying a passionate moment. After sipping some water at the drinking fountain, he entwined his fingers with Briana’s, guiding her around the corner of the restrooms. He leaned against the wall. The view of the woods was more welcoming than the young couple in love.
Scott and Briana stood quietly, watching a squirrel scamper up a tree with an acorn. The restroom wall hindered the soothing breeze and the late morning sun beat down on them.
Scott asked, “Are you hot?”
“I’m okay,” Briana replied.
Sweat built up between their enclosed hands, but Briana couldn’t bring herself to release it, worrying Scott would think she didn’t enjoy holding his hand. She watched the same squirrel run along a branch, thinking how Scott purposely avoided seeing the couple kissing. Was he annoyed she had turned her head? How was she going to explain her parents’ overprotectiveness to him?
The minutes ticked by slowly. When the Corvette left the park, Briana was surprised at how quickly their uneasiness vanished. The timing was perfect. She needed to leave. At the entrance of the park, Scott asked for her shoe size, telling her it was a secret for next Thursday.
After she told him, Scott reached into his back pocket. “I wrote another poem for you. I liked your poem, especially the part where I was the only boy for you.”
Briana smiled shyly. “It wasn’t as good as yours.”
“I know. It was better,” Scott announced as he squeezed her hand.
Seven days later, Scott entered the park, carrying a large bag of grass seed. He strolled over to the bench, observing Briana’s confused expression. Scott smiled, reached into the empty bag, and pulled out Felicia’s and his roller skates. His neighbor kept her skates in the garage, and Scott had simply borrowed them. Luckily for him, Felicia had the same size feet as Briana.
As Briana studied the skates, Scott said, “I hid them in here. That way, if any of my friends see me, they wouldn’t question me.”
Yesterday he had begun his summer ambition to beautify the two parks near his house. He sprinkled grass seed on the vacant lot adjacent to Second Street Park after getting permission from Mr. Orson who owned the lot.
Scott sat on the bench beside Briana, untied his shoes, and glanced at her. She was twisting her hands together. She watched him slide his foot into his skates.
Briana said, “I don’t know how to roller-skate.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you,” he replied gallantly.
When he finished tying his skates, Scott helped Briana tie hers. “You ready?”
She gave a hesitant nod, and he clutched her hand, guiding her to the basketball court. He rolled onto their makeshift rink, circling his arm around her waist firmly to keep her from falling.