When Adam Maitland discovers that there is a new student in his English class, he expects himself to be curious. What he doesn't expect is love at first sight.
Adam edged his chair closer to his bedroom desk, doing the best to angle the tail of his paintbrush properly. He had begun this model of his house two weeks ago and his focus had been set on fully piecing it together. His attention to the project had paid off, showing in the detailed floral brown and gold structure. Only the roof remained, triangular with a tall chimney."Adam, Sarah's here!"His mother called, making him turn his focus towards the bedroom door. Although Grace Maitland's voice was given the barrier of a bedroom door, it did not get past her powerful set of pipes. As far back as Adam could remember, his mother had had a strong way of speaking. A blonde-haired woman of forty-five, she was an influential individual with a quick wit. If she hadn't already been a clothing designer, Adam knew that, in some way, she'd be involved in politics. He rose from his desk, placing his paintbrush down in the process."Adam, come on school won't start itself!"His mother called again."Coming!"He replied as he opened the door. Downstairs, he could hear the scrambled voices pounding through the static of Here Come The Cowboys, his father's favorite radio station. His father, Joseph Maitland, was a gentle man of forty-six. Soft and sweet natured, he owned his own floral shop in town. Bespectacled and sixteen with a loving nature all his own, Adam couldn't help but look to his father a little bit for what he had gained personality-wise. His mother met him at the stairs with a smile."There's my future architect!"She praised him."Mom, don't, I don't even know if I want to be an architect."Adam replied, blushing slightly."Well, who says you won't be?"His mother smiled after he dismounted the last step. She ruffled his hair playfully, causing Adam to smile."Come here, let me look at you."She said, placing him before her, hands on his shoulders. He met her eyes, those intense yet loving sky-blue eyes."Whatever you become, I know that it will be great."She said with a loving side-smile. Adam gave her a grateful smile."Now go on, get out of here!"She said with a playful pat to his left shoulder. Adam left her side, grabbed his backpack, and went for the door, stopping briefly to bring the record player by the door to life. You Are My Sunshine was sailing throughout the house a moment later. As the song filled his ears, Adam let his eyes wander the house. Old photographs climbed aging wooden walls, rose-patterned wallpaper hugged other sections, and a rough rug with an intertwining branch pattern decorated the floor. The Maitland Family had always had a soft spot for the Victorian aesthetic, something that was timeless, elegant, and what Adam's father said 'fairytale-like'. Adam turned back to the door and opened it to find his friend, Sarah Williams, perched on the doorstep. An imaginative, raven-haired girl of sixteen, Sarah's grey-blue eyes were always alight with sparks of wonder. She was a dreamer, and Adam felt that, somehow, if a teacher or parent couldn't pull her down, he might find that one day she had flown off on the wings of her own fantasy. Now she stood before him, backpack casually moved to one shoulder, eyeing him with curiosity.
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Their English class's reading; Labyrinth, was resting against her chest."Shall we be off?"She smiled."Why not?"Adam replied, closing the door behind him. He fell into step with her a moment later."How was the book?"He asked, grinning mischievously. Sarah was a bookworm, if any classmates would ever be guilty of finishing a reading first; she would be the first for that mug shot."You know me too well Adam Robert Maitland."She said as she flashed him a smile. Adam flinched; he hated his middle name. Sarah had used it as a comeback for his teasing of her and, despite his hatred of it, Sarah's blow was perfect."You know I do."He grinned eventually."How about you?"She asked."I finished last night."Adam replied."What was with all the strange and witchy words; 'dangers untold and hardships unnumbered'?"I'll tell you what was with it; a fantastical, mythical world, that's what."Sarah replied."I thought that the language was beautiful. You just need to get your head out of the hardware store and take a stop at the library. Look at more words, words are amazing!"Adam laughed and gave her an amused smile."Maybe."He said, edging his glasses up his nose."Do you think that Miss Gardener will have any new books assigned when we walk in?"Sarah asked."One can only dream."Adam replied, giving his friend a smile. *** English swept in as the first class of the day. Miss Gardener's room was a twenty-eight desk classroom with walls painted with a powerful storybook aesthetic. As for Miss Gardener herself, she was a short woman of twenty-five with a warm gaze and tender nature. Adam took his seat next to Sarah and let his backpack drop to the floor. Etched in chalk on the board was; Today's Agenda: Discussion of Labyrinth Chapter Three. Adam leaned in towards Sarah with a smile."You might as well discuss all of the chapters."He whispered with a smile; she laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, Adam noticed a brown curly-haired teenage girl sitting in the last row. Her eyes were lost in a book and her features were bent into a focused frown. Adam stood and eyed her with a tender curiosity. I've never seen her in class before, she must be new. He thought. He went over to her and cleared his throat to get her attention. She raised her head and met his eyes with a large pair of chocolate brown eyes. When her eyes met his, Adam felt his heart suddenly skip a beat. Beads of sweat suddenly crept onto his forehead and his tongue hugged the roof of his mouth desperately. Nice job Adam. He thought, letting his gaze fall to his shoes."You noticed the new girl, huh?"She said. He let his gaze meet her's again. There was no offense in her gaze, only purebred amusement."Yes, I did, because you're new-no, I mean-"He struggled."I'm sorry, I-"The amusement in her gaze never faltered. She placed the book down on her desk, Peter Pan he noticed, and stood."I'm Barbara, Barbara Krelborn."She smiled, offering her hand."A-Adam, Adam Maitland."Adam replied, letting his hand slide into hers. He noticed that when she smiled, her features became alive with dimples. Those dimples . . . He thought; suddenly his heart was pounding."Nice to meet you Adam."She said."You too."He smiled."I saw that you were reading Peter Pan."Yes, it's my favorite."She replied."Would you mind reading some of it to me? It's hard to tire of a good story . . . I mean especially if it's Peter Pan."Adam offered casually."Why not?"Barbara laughed. She sat down in her seat while Adam made himself comfortable atop her desk."When the first baby laughed for the first time, it's laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about . . .."Barbara began. Adam's gaze never left her as her lips birthed each word, and, as the classroom clock ticked nearby, his heart took in each moment he was at her side. **** "Who's your new girlfriend?"Sarah teased him as Adam left the classroom with her. Barbara had still been organizing her books within her backpack when the pair had headed for the door. Adam felt the color run into his face."Sarah, she's not my girlfriend!"He argued as they joined the chattering sea of students within the hallways of Winter River High School."Well if you say so."Sarah smiled."But I can tell that you like her. I don't think that I've ever seen you blush that much."Really?"Adam asked, his voice darting up an octave. He turned his head back towards Miss Gardener's door. Barbara was on her way out, fingers curled around the straps of her backpack like a young explorer. She caught his gaze three steps out and cast him a friendly smile, causing her dimples to dart across her face. Within his chest, Adam felt his heart practically doing back flips and he gripped one strap of his back pack as his palms began to sweat. He lifted his free hand in a friendly wave, which Barbara returned before starting down the hallway. Sarah gave him a playful nudge when he turned back to join her."Yes, really."She replied.
