One Shots

Victoria and Elijah Brown

            “The best thing in life is knowing that the person you love, loves you back” Elijah Brown said as he read his essay in front of his class. “And why is that, Mr. Brown?” His teacher, Mr. Feeney asked. Elijah sighed and looked up from his paper also trying to avoid eye contact with her. “Well sir…” Elijah began. “We’re human. And despite what people say, all we really want is to be loved. And we want to be loved by someone we love… My dad, he loves my mom… he always has but what if someone else loved my dad? My dad would still be loved like he wants to be, but he wouldn’t be loved by my mom so it’s not the same. It makes you happy when someone loves you, but you’re always twice as happy whenever the person that loves you, is who you love” Mr. Feeney looked at Elijah.

            “I’m not making any sense, am I?” Elijah asked. “Well, you’re on the right track, would you like to continue?” Mr. Feeney asked. Elijah shrugged. “I guess so” He said. He sat his paper on the podium in front of him and stepped out from behind it. “Every human both needs and wants to be loved” Elijah said. “But sometimes, it’s weird or different whenever it’s not the person you love. My friend Cameron… his girlfriend Alicia, she loves him, and he loves her. It’s been that way for a while… But then there’s my friend Tyler, he’s single but he does like someone, but he’s not sure if she likes him. Then there’s another girl, she does like Tyler and for him, it’s weird because, well, he doesn’t love her…” Elijah stopped talking and sighed. “It’s much easier to explain whenever it’s about someone who does love someone else and not the whole weird part” Elijah said.

            Mr. Feeney looked at Elijah. “I see where you’re going with this Mr. Brown” He said. “But please elaborate for your peers” Elijah sighed and scanned his essay. “Love, it’s a good thing, right?” Elijah asked. Elijah’s classmates nodded but most of them stared at him blankly. “We all want love, right?” Elijah asked. Again his classmates nodded. “Well, would you want to be loved by someone you love, or someone you don’t love?” Elijah asked. He started walking around a bit like Mr. Feeney does sometimes when he’s lecturing. “Victoria!” Elijah said, a bit loudly. Victoria dropped her pencil and snapped out of the trance she was in. “Yes?” She asked. “Would you rather be loved by the guy you love, or by some guy you either don’t know well or just one your friends with?” Elijah asked.

            “Well, the guy I love, I guess” Victoria said quietly. Elijah nodded. “And why is that?” Elijah asked. “Well… I guess because, I love him. And I know that even if we’re friends that we can try to make things work or that it won’t be awkward because we both want it work… whereas if one of my friends liked me, it would only be them wanting it to work and it would make things different… if only one person wants something, then that means only that person is willing to work for that. And if two people want something, then that means that both of them are willing to work for it and they’ll try to make it work and if there’s any struggles along the way, then they’ll be there for each other to help them get through it” Victoria said. Elijah smiled and turned towards Mr. Feeney. “I rest my case” Elijah said. “The best thing in life is knowing that the person you love, loves you back” “Alright, very well proven, Mr. Brown” Mr. Feeney said.

            Elijah handed Mr. Feeney his essay and he went to take his seat back to Victoria.  “So” Victoria said. “Are you loved by the person you love?” Elijah shrugged. “I like to think so” He said. “Wait… how’d you know I love someone?” “The way you looked when talking about this… a girl can tell these things” Victoria said. “Oh” Elijah said forcing a smile. “What about you?” Elijah asked. “I don’t think he does…” Victoria said sadly. The bell rang and everyone in the class, including Victoria, ran out. Elijah sighed and walked out to her locker. He tapped her on the shoulder and she shut it and turned around. Elijah placed his hands on the locker and leaned down and kissed her long and soft. After they pulled away Victoria smiled. “How’d you know?” She asked. “I didn’t… I just took a chance” Elijah said. “Well you definitely took the right one” Victoria said smiling. “I love you, Elijah” Elijah smiled and kissed Victoria again. “I love you too” He said smiling.