Teen Ink

Red Rose

The night was calm and the sound of crickets made it a beautiful night. Johnny and I walked back to the restaurant together, and when we were just about there I suddenly asked, " Out of all people, why would you ask me to the dance?"

He smiled and looked at the ground, " Sandy wanted me to go with you, so she asked some other guy."

" Oh," I spoke softly, " well I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow?"

" I'm not going' to school tomorrow, I gotta help my dad with his part of the shop."

" Do you like to cook?" I asked.

" Yeah, it's fun sometimes. Only when you know what you're doing, " he laughed, " but my dad owns a bakery."

" Interesting, I thought you guys owned a restaurant," I replied, " like us."

" We used to, but then my dad decided to change things up a bit."

" Oh, okay," I said, " well I guess you got a big day tomorrow."

" Yeah," he smiled.

" Good night," I said walking inside."

" Good night," he answered back walking inside his part of the restaurant.

I took a quick shower, put on my night gown, and walked slowly to my bed. I took of my light and slipped into the soft cotton blankets. The moonlight shone on my face, making it hard for me to fall asleep. So I kept turning and turning and turning, but before I knew it, morning had came. My eyes slowly opened, I didn't want to see the time because I was afraid I was goingg to be late for school. So I opened one eye and then the other. I slowly reached my hand for the alarm clock, but before I looked at it, it started to ring and shake. It frightened me so I dropped it and sat there for a while. I finally laughed at myself and got up to brush my teeth. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was just rising and the air smelled of...summer. It had that feeling that would just make you want to lie down in the green freshly cut grass and close your eyes. While a sweet summer breeze just brushed through your hair. I was happy this morning, not because Johnny had asked me to the dance, but because I had one real friend I could depend on and express my feelings to. Last night when I told him how I felt, I felt like all my stress had been let out and I could now relax. I looked at my wardrobe and tried to choose something to wear. I picked out a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt that was cut on the shoulder, showing a pink strap. I tied my hair up in a pink ribbon, but left my bangs out. I dabbed a little bit of lip gloss on my lips and smiled at myself in the mirror. I quickly walked out of the restaurant and started walking to school. But when I was walking away from the restaurant my dad called me. " Dawn!"

I rushed back inside to see what it was and my mom and dad were sitting at the table with concerned faces. I looked at them and sat down. " What is it?" I asked perturbedly.

" Well your mother and I have come to the understanding that we can no longer pay off the bills here." my dad said.

" So, we have decided to move again," my mother added.

My happy day just went back to sad. Tears formed in my eyes and thoughts raced through my head. " We're moving next month." my dad stated.

" Which will buy us lots of time to pick a nice house for us to live in, and a nice school for you to go to," my mother included.

" Are you alright, Dawn?" my father asked.

I looked at them and then ran outside. I decided to skip school today and just wonder the streets. Just when I was getting used to this life they ruined it and told me that we had to move one more. Maybe it's not even the last time that we move. They don't understand that I want a life too, they already lived their one. They got married and had me. Now it was my turn to find someone, and get married. Or even just find a job or do something I like. I looked at the sky and started to cry. I used to see in magazines that teens go through hard times during their lives. Well I just proved that statement, a fact. As I was sitting on the sidewalk something blocked the sun from hitting me. I looked up and saw Sandy smiling. I smiled back quickly and then looked back at the road. " What's the matter, Dawn?"

" It's nothingg," I spoke softly.

" Of course its something," she replied sitting next to me.

" Don't you have school today?" I asked.

" Yeah, but I skipped it like you did," she replied.

" My parents want to move again," I said, " but I don't wanna go."

" I know how you feel."

" No you don't!" I snapped, " it's alwas people like you that bug me. They always know how you feel, but they actually don't."

" I do know how you feel. With your parents not caring for you and all." she replied, " my parents abandoned me when I was three."

" Oh, I'm sorry, " I answered back, " I didn't mean to..

" It's alright," she smiled.

I smiled back and said, " How come you didn't accept Johnny's invitation to the dance?"

" What invitation?"

" He said you wanted me and him to go together, so you asked some other kid."

" No," she laughed, " he likes you. He never asked me, but if he did, I'd probably refuse."

" Why?" I asked.

" He'd never ask me because he likes me, he'd only ask me because he needs someone to go the dance with him."

I laughed, " You know, you're a great person!"

" Thanks, so are you."

" Are you sure Johnny like likes me?" I asked.

" Sure he does, " she replied, " Every day I hear, 'Dawn looked so pretty today, or Dawn is gonna be the one I ask to the dance,' yeah I'm pretty sure he likes you."

I giggled, " Okay whatever."

" Why do you like him," she smiled mischievously.

" Maybe," I teased.

" Seriously!" she yelled, " Dawn Huntsberg likes Johnny Moore, Dawn Huntsberg likes Johnny Moore!"

" Shut up!" I laughed.

" You like him!" she stated.

" I do not!"

" Hey guys!" Johnny said coming out of now where. It was weird because Johnny and Sandy would always appear out of thin air. " What's up?"

" Nothin' we both just skipped school!" Sandy smiled as she put her arm around Johnny's shoulders.

" Yeah, nothing special," I added.

" Oh yeah," Sandy included, " Dawn's....

I gave her the look and then she said, " Dawn's excited about the dance!"

" Me too," he smiled, " It would be something if something went wrong."

I gulped, " Why would anything go wrong?"

" Just sayin', stuff never goes right when you're with me," he replied.

" Oh," I mumbled.

" Oh yeah, " he said smiling again, " I was walking and I saw these to pretty flowers."

" Yeah," Sandy said looking at him, " what's so special about them.

He laughed and said, " Well the rose is for Dawn, and the daisy is for you."

He handed me the rose and smiled, and then he handed the daisy to Sandy laughed. " Oh my god!" Sandy screamed as she dropped the flower. " Did you see how huge that bug was!'

" Sandy," I laughed, " it was just an ant."

" So what! I'm terrified of bugs!" she exclaimed.

Johnny laughed and started to walk away when he yelled, " Later!"

" Do you know what the rose usually means?" Sandy asked.

" No," I said with a tint of confusion.

" Love!" she teased.

" Oh, shut up!"

" Well, I gotta go!" Sandy yelled as she pat me on my shoulder.

" See ya!'

I thought about what Sandy said and thought to my self, maybe he does like me. But things like this had never happened in my life before. Even though I was moving, I was still happy that I get to go to the dance with Johnny.