Fall Roses

Chapter 1: Deidra

Deidra O'Connor smoothed out her maroon cardigan before walking into the classroom. Like most late September mornings, the air outside was crisp and she needed to wear layers for her walk to school. The rouge of her cardigan paired nicely with her high-waisted dark blue jeans and light-pink tank top. Her strawberry blonde shoulder length hair was pinned back in the front by two bobby pins, allowing her green eyes to sparkle in the early morning sunlight. She liked to dress professionally for school. Though only a junior, she was set on being her class valedictorian and possessed an air of maturity when she walked the halls of Glatner High. She found rip jeans immature and crop tops frivolous; after all, she never knew when some bigshot would wander across her quaint Iowan High School and offer her a full ride to Harvard or MIT.

Normally, her boyfriend Mark drove her to school, but after last night's game he partied a little too hard and needed an extra lie-in before getting ready for school. She had been dating the senior quarterback since the end of her sophomore year, him eyeing her up during the spring powder-puff game he was coaching as a school fundraiser. Deidra was the team kicker and Mark adored her competitive spirit. He took her out after practices and would make out with her in the back of his car, feeling up her slim waist and boobs. Deidra didn't mind it, for she was now the arm candy of the king of Glatner High at every party. She didn't really understand the fuss her friends made about the "sparks" felt when kissing a boy, and she often let her mind drift away to her homework plans for later when he kissed and touched her.

Deidra left extra early this morning to compensate for the walk in place of drive, but she must have been a brisk walker because she arrived to class fifteen minutes early. As she stepped through the doorway, Deidra noticed she was not the first one there. In the back corner sat Mackenzie Finck, the only senior in AP Literature. AP Literature was normally a junior level class, but Mackenzie must have opted-in after excelling in normal English III the previous year. She was quiet in class, never volunteering on answer or speaking unless spoken too. Now, she was leaned back in her desk chair with a book in her lap. Deidra could not see the cover but assumed that Mackenzie was reading the assignment for that day: Act II of Hamlet.

"Figures," Deidra thought. "Of course the jock would wait until last minute to finish her work." She didn't know much about Mackenzie, but from the numerous loudspeaker proclaiming her track-meet wins and her front cover appearances on the school newspaper breaking through a finish line she did know that Mackenzie was an all-star runner. Last spring she broke the regional record for the 3,000m in track, and now she was eyeing the state cross-country title. Mackenzie was dressed in her usual attire: a ripped pair of baggy light-wash jeans, dirty New Balance sneakers, and a grey oversized t-shirt with the graphic "GLATNER TRACK AND FIELD." Her brown hair was in a low ponytail that cascaded to her mid-back, with a few wispy pieces framing her face around her light blue eyes. She was tan, with sparse freckles littering across her nose and forehead. She sat next to an open window, cheeks flushed pink from morning chill.

As Deidra sat down in her desk and dropped her bag on the floor, Mackenzie looked up. She was startled by the "clang" of the bag filled with various textbooks. "You're here early" she said, eyeing Deidra up and down as she placed her book on her desk. Deidra observed the title The Picture of Dorian Gray, curious that Mackenzie was reading two books at once. Deidra did not have time for pleasure reading – her four AP classes and two honors classes took up enough of her reading time. She was surprised that Mackenzie had said anything to her and felt a rush of nervousness permeate her body.

"Well," Deidra responded with a false confidence, "the early bird gets the worm. I guess you know a thing or two about that."

Mackenzie rested her elbow on her desk, placing her hand in her palm. "I guess," she replied. "My coach likes me to do an extra bit of mileage in the morning to loosen up for the afternoon, so I usually run to school, shower and change in the locker room, and hang out in here before class starts."

Deidra was impressed by Mackenzie's tenacity. "Are you getting ahead on class reading?" Deidra asked. She had not remembered The Picture of Dorian Gray on the class syllabus, but maybe Mackenzie was trying to get work out of the way before her racing season started.

Mackenzie stared at Deidra, never breaking her eye contact. "Nah, just rereading it for fun. I've always loved Wilde's prose style. I find kinship with him."

Deidra did not know how to respond. She had never read the book before or knew who this "Wilde" was. "Well, that's cool, I guess," she answered, befuddled after a few seconds of awkward silence. Mackenzie nodded and went back to her book, underlining something she read.

Deidra felt so anxious around this girl, an uneasy fluttering in her stomach that fleeted once other students started filling into the classroom. A roar of conversation soon erupted, and she let herself get lost in the tumultuous waves of conversation flooding the English hall. The classroom fell to a hush when their teacher Mr. Tulson walked into the classroom. He was a taller man, in his late twenties or early thirties, with light blonde hair that contrasted his dark brown eyes. All of Deidra's friends thought he was "so hot," but Deidra never really got the appeal.

Mr. Tulson greeted the class and afterwards handed back their papers. Mr. Tulson plopped one down on Deidra's desk, telling her "Great job!" with a sweet smile. 96%. Deidra was elated. Mr. Tulson rarely gave a grade above a 95%, so this meant her paper really knocked it out of the park. The lesson commenced, reiterating the events of Act II of Hamlet. In the last ten minutes Mr. Tulson gave an announcement.

"Alright class, we are going to start our first partner project." Immediately eyes started to dart across the room, Deidra drawing hers to her best friend Chloe who sat diagonally behind her. Chloe wasn't the smartest, but Deidra didn't mind doing the project by herself. She enjoyed hanging out with Chloe even if their work was unproductive.

Mr. Tulson continued. "I want you pairs to synthesize a presentation on another Shakespeare play and compare it to Hamlet. I have already picked your partners," – a collective "ughh" rang out across the class – "but I will allow you all to pick the second play. Tell me what you are doing by the end of the week to make sure there are no repeats. I'll read out the partners now."

Deidra prayed under her breath for someone she knew: Chloe, Tommy, even prissy Sierra.

"John and Chloe; Tommy and Jack; Sebastian and Sierra."

Deidra listened as he droned through the names, hoping that her name would not be said with one person in the class.

"Deidra and Mackenzie."

Deidra knew it. Murphy's Law, as they say. It's not that she didn't like Mackenzie – she hardly knew her besides the athletic accolades the runner had accumulative in her tenure at school. Still, she never worked with Mackenzie before and was afraid to how she would divvy up the project work equally based on her partner's skill level. Not to mention that this girl ignited in her an unshakeable anxiety, one that both made her want to come closer but run away in the other direction all at once. She turned behind her and looked at Mackenzie, giving her a shy smile and a wave. Mackenzie flashed one back, tilting her head to the side and giving Deidra a wink.

Deidra's checks flushed bright pink and she turned around before Mackenzie could see her. "Oh no," Deidra thought, "I hope we can get this project done fast."

A/N This is a story that has been rattling in my head for a while and I needed to spit it out. I've never published anything on this website so I hope you enjoy! I'm super open to suggestions and would love feedback. :)