365 letters

Letter 27

dear landon,

Always remember,
"Life is short.
Break the rules.
Forgive quickly.
Kiss slowly.
Love Truly.
Laugh uncontrollably.
And NEVER regret anything that made you smile." -unknown

After I went to the mall in attempt to think of what to get Landon I was ready to give up. Our lunch break was only 1 hour. The walk here was 5 minutes and I had already walked around for 45 minutes. I was walking towards the food court to buy myself a pretzel as I came across the perfect manikin with the perfect shirt. Batman. His all time favorite super hero. Very guy like thing to like but I went with it.

I ran into the store quickly as I tried not to waste time. I looked through the variety of batman shirts and couldn't decide which one out of three options to buy him. So I did what anyone with a unsure mind did, I bought all of them.

I checked the time and I saw I had 5 minutes. I was starving but maybe I could run on my way there. But while eating a pretzel? Not a good idea. Maybe I could eat it during study hall. I decided to wait in line since there was only one person waiting for it. He looked awfully familiar to me. He had dirty blond hair and broad shoulders. Like a football player I'm guessing. I was trying to figure out if I had seen him before but he turned around ready to leave before looking down at me.

"Clare?" He smiled.

Lance. I hoped that it wouldn't be awkward after I canceled our date. I "wasn't feeling good." But in reality I canceled it because of Landon really. I thought about it and he never minded when I talked to any other guys, well if you don't count the glares he sent them. But when I told him about Lance it was like everything changed. And I knew Lance was also a sophomore so Landon must've known more about him. So I decide to listen to him and not go out with him.

"Hey," I awkwardly greeted like the awkward person I am.

"How have you been?!"

I jumped back slightly as he yelled for some reason. Guess it comes with being in football. The captain I think? I don't really watch football, or any sport for that matter. Besides soccer and baseball since those are the family sports. But I prefer soccer.

"Great!"

"That's good do you need a ride back to school? I mean break is over in 3 minutes?"

"Sure that would be great thank you! I just need to get a pretzle, do you mind waiting?"

"No problem," he stepped aside as I got cinnamon pretzel.

"Let's go?"

"Yeah," he said as walked to the car as I ate the small pretzels. I loved cinnamon it was my life just as much as I loved Yougurtland.

As we arrived at school I had finished the pretzels. I thanked Lance for the ride as I scurried of to the class that I was late for.

~

As we walked out of Spanish class I grinned at Landon in excitement.

"What?"

As I approached my locker I replied confidently, "Nothing... it's just that I figured out your birthday."

I opened my locker and then I handed him the bag that was still in the paper it was in when I purchased it.

"Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it up nicely," I shyly said looking down in embarrassment.

"It's fine! Don't worry! Want to go to the lake today? Just us two."

"Sure!" I jumped oddly as I threw my books in my locker before slamming my door as we walked out towards the lake.

"How has your day been?"

"Good thankfully I don't ever tell many people my birthday. Just the important ones and those who are smart enough to figure it out."

I smiled looking up at him as we actives to the park, "I guess it's better to be smart than important right?"

"That's not what I meant I was going to tell you but after you wouldn't have a chance to get me anything. But that plan backfired."

"Sureeee," I dragged out the last vowel. I grinned as I thought of something that couldn't backfire.

"Happy Birthday!" I yelled as I shoved him into the lake.

His eyes seemed to want to pop right out of his face as he looked surprised as his body hit the water.

"I can't swim!"

"Landon!" I yelled.

It wasn't until I jumped in that I realized the water wasn't at all deep and he knew how to swim.

"I've always wanted to do that since it's always shown on movies."

"Dork," I muttered.

"So your calling me a dork now? What happened to looser?"

I gave him a puzzled look as I laughed, "what do you prefer then?"

"Hmm," he pondered, "Lan."

"Alright then Lan I say we get out so we can dry."

"Okay." He agreed as we walked out unsuccessfully since we both fell back into the water laughing.

"Looser."

"What happened to Lan?" He wined.

"I prefer Looser," I teased. This time as we tried to get out we were successful.

"So why don't you like birthdays?" I asked as we laid on the grass under the sun trying to dry up.

"I just don't see the point in it. I mean if I think about it to me it just seems as if I'm just aging another year and nothing in my life is... worth it. Do you know what I mean? Like I've done nothing successful with my life and it seems pointless to celebrate another pointless year that had passed and await the less interesting one ahead of you."

"Landon if your unhappy with your life then you have to do something about it. You can't just talk about how upset you are with it and make absolutely no effort to try to change it. That's just not the way that life works. You have to work for what you want. Nothing in life is just given to you. Tell me one thing you want to do."

"Go to college," he whispered.

"That's good! But first you have to graduate elementary school then High School. And so far your close to that goal. Just 2 more years. I know you can do it Lan. I believe on you."

He grinned widely sitting up as he pulled me up to embrace me into a hug, "You called me Lan."

I rolled my eyes although he couldn't see it, "Is that all you heard from what I just said?"

"No."

"I do believe in you Lan," I quietly spoke into his ear.

"I believe in you too. You'll be successful in life too. You too smart not to be."

-clare