“Whatcha doing?” Startled, I dropped my pencil in the water, and struggled to try to retrieve it.

“Well, I was drawing, but then you startled me, and I dropped my pencil in the water.” I said officiously.

“Oh, sorry about that. Why are you out here so late? Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”

“I could say the same about you. At least I’m actually doing something, you’re just walking around scaring people into dropping their pencils.”

“Well I come out here all the time, I think its nice to have the night to myself. I’ve never seen you before, are you new? What’s your name? Where are you from?” His obtrusive manner forced me to close my sketch book and introduce myself.

“My name is Marseline Jones, and yes I am new. I’m 10 years old and I’m from Chicago, Illinois. Who are you?”

“My name is Jack Wood, and I’ve been at Forest Green Academy for Boys for three years. I’m 11 years old, and I‘m from Syracuse, New York.” Jack Wood climbed up the slope leading to the dock and jumped up to shake my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Marseline Jones.”

“It’s nice to meet you too Jack Wood. So I must be going, because I no longer have a pencil to draw with anymore. Good night.” I turned my back from him and started walking back down the dock to the school grounds.

“What were you drawing Marseline Jones?” Jack ran to catch up to me and peered over my shoulder to look at the sketch. He wasn’t very tall, not taller than me at least. He had a mop of messy red hair, which stood out in the dark of night. At that moment I couldn’t tell the color of his eyes, but they seemed to be a light grey, the same color as mine. He had a short stubby nose, that turned upwards, and freckles that dotted every inch of his face.

“I was drawing the lake, with the reflection of the moon. I thought it was pretty.” I slowed my pace so he wasn’t forced to peer over my shoulder.

“It’s good. I could never draw anything like that. I really don’t have any artistic ability. I don’t really know what my skills are.” Jack took my sketch book from me, and flipped through the pages. “You know, you should really become an artist when you grow up.”

“I would love to, but my father told me that artists don’t make much money, so I should do that for fun.”

“My father told me that I have to become a business man when I grow up, because those are the only men who make money. Maybe you and I should become business men together, we could share a company.”

“How could we share a company, I just met you Jack Wood. You don’t even know my middle name. And I don’t know yours.”

“You know what? You need a nickname that’s what.”

“My middle name is Elle, if it’s any of your concern.” Because of his disinterest in my middle name, I snatched my sketch book from his hands and gave him an indignant glare. He stood still, letting me rip the book from his hands.

“Elle, that’s a great nickname. Marseline is to long. Elle. Would you like to be called Elle?” He completely ignored my glare and continued to follow me down the dock.

“Don’t you have to go back to your school Jack Wood?” I could not keep from calling him by his full name, because at that time, I felt that when you don’t know somebody, you call them by there full name.

“You can just call me Jack, oh and my middle name is Geoffrey. Jack Geoffrey Wood at your service Marseline Elle Jones.”

“Well then Jack Geoffrey Wood,” I said turning around to face him, “it was great meeting you but I must go to bed, I feel that I will have a big day tomorrow.” I swiveled on my heel and walked away back to Forest Green Academy for Girls.

“Good night Elle.” Jack yelled from the dock. I didn’t respond, because by then I was to close to the school.