Shoreview, Jordansberg: A Collection of Short Stories

Shoreview, Jordansberg Section 3

My ears picked up on the loud splash one of the kids made when they jumped in the pool behind me. I payed it no mind. There were plenty of 10 to 15 year olds splashing around in the pool we were in. I payed them no mind. I was in the water up to my chin, barely moving. I stayed fixed on it. By 'it' I mean The Desk.
Yes, I have given that huge, dark brown, wooden desk a name: The Desk. How long has it been? Going on three weeks? I can't believe I still come to this pool area after what happened. I barely even swim anymore. Letting my long, blonde hair relax in the water. I don't do that anymore. I just get in the water, become still as I stare at The Desk. That fucker. I can't believe I got over it so fast. Am I over it? Of course I am, I mean, I stayed quiet this long haven't I? Nobody knows, and I want it to stay that way. Maybe for forever, like it never happened.

I hate pity. I don't want people to pity me, especially my boyfriend of five months, Gabriel Munez. I say his whole name because I like it. My fear is for him to pity me. And once he pities me, I'll be seen to him in a different light. There won't be no more Dawn and Gabriel Munez. And I would hate to see that happen because I truly love him; his name and especially his wild, dark, curly hair, that lays on his shoulders. When he wears it out he looks mixed, but when it's wrapped up in a ponytail he looks Latino. I like him either way. And we have that in common. He loves my hair too. It's on the light side of blonde and it passes my shoulders by a few inches. It's always neat and straight; not a hair out of place. But what he also loves is my eyes. They are pretty unusual I guess. They are a pale green. Gabriel says that they are a scary eye color, but they don't make me look scary, just beautiful.

Like I previously said, me and Gabriel have been dating for five months. I know it's not a long time, but we've known each other since middle school. I don't know why we officially started to date in our senior year of high school, but, oh well. One thing I am, and he is not, is a virgin. I told him I was a virgin, and I'd like to believe it. I was- no- I am a virgin and that's what Gabriel knows.... and it's the truth.

"You're so quiet and reserved and that's what I love about you," Gabriel tells me. He's not from Section 3, but Section 1 where every thing is loud and there is violence. In Section 3 it's more quiet and peaceful.
"I'm actually glad I live here now," he had said. I don't really talk much and I'm on the timid side, I'm even still quiet around Gabriel, but he doesn't mind it.

We were sitting outside of school as other students strolled by and drove off. I got some disgusted looks from the other white girls. I'm not preppy like them and my boyfriend is of another race. Majority of the people around here are prejudice, my dumbass older sister too. She is so self-centered. I disheart her.
"So what's the plan today?" I asked Gabriel.
"I was hoping you could come over to my place and chill." Gabriel's parents are almost never home, so if we were to have sex, which we are planning to sometime soon, then it would be at his house. So off we went to his house. It's been like this for a few days. We'd go over there, cuddle, then kiss, then makeout, but it didn't go further than that. I don't know why.
"I know you're scared to loose your virginity, but it hurts only one time, so I've heard."
"Have you been with virgins before?" I asked this question before, but I don't think he had heard me.
"Yeah, only one other. She said the first five minutes hurt and then she was fine." That's a lie..... but I just said 'oh'.

"I look so good in this dress," Misty said. I was the only one with a full length mirror so Misty usually came in my room to check herself. It was Thursday night; Ladies' Night. The week was almost over and it's going on four weeks since I last had contact with The Desk. I'm over that though. "So what are you going to do? Stay home?" I hate her voice.
"I have homework you know? School night," I said like 'duh'.
"Right." Misty didn't have classes on Friday so she was set to go. Sometimes I feel like Misty needs to grow up and act her age. She's 20, still lives at home, goes to the community college of all the colleges around, and her friends consist of girls from 16 to 19, who she feels she needs to guide. And she thinks she has a life. Yeah. Right. "Okay, bye loser," she said and left. The best thing she has ever did was close the door on her way out.