AllFreeNovel
Share Us
1
Lucy
Setting my heavy backpack on the table, I sink into an uncomfortable wooden chair with relief. I thought I’d burn some calories by walking to the computer repair shop, where my boyfriend’s laptop is waiting to be picked up. I shouldn’t have been so generous because the chore’s been nothing but a pain in the ass.
First, the creepy guy at the counter ogled my curves, and said that if I needed anything else repaired, he’d do it for free if I gave him my number. (Obviously, I declined.) Then, I wore blisters into the backs of my feet from the new pair of flats I’m wearing. I practically limped the last three blocks, looking like a gimpy donkey. Now, to finally be back in the school library, sitting down, is a joy I’ll never take for granted again.
I don’t mind spending time in the library. It’s probably looked exactly the same since the 70’s, like the rest of my high school, but I like its retro charm. I love to read, but haven’t had a chance to do so for entertainment very much lately. Either I’m studying for end-of-semester exams, like I’m about to do now, or I’m spending time with--or in this case, running errands for--my boyfriend, Jasper.
I flex my feet in my shoes, wincing a bit at the tenderness in my toes. I much prefer hanging out with him over running his errands, but Jasper’s always busy. He’s the captain of the tennis team and very popular. I’m still not entirely sure why he decided to date me because honestly, I’m pretty low on the popularity totem pole. But we’ve been together for almost a year, now, and I’m very happy.
Well… things aren’t perfect, but I don’t need perfection to be happy. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
I open my backpack and take out my own laptop. Jasper and I have a huge American history exam to study for, so he’ll be coming to the library after tennis practice. I figured I should hit the books asap because I’m a good student, but this semester has been particularly brutal. Senior year, I’m learning, is no joke. I guess teachers are trying to prepare us for college, although this experience is making me doubt my fitness for college, to be frank.
If only I could admit that I have other plans for my future.
Focus, Lucy! I admonish myself, securing my curly brown hair in a pile atop my head. I have big plans for myself, plans that I want Jasper to be a part of, but this history exam has to come first.
I reluctantly open my laptop and blink at myself in the reflection of the black screen. I have a round face and regular brown eyes, with freckles sprinkled across the bridge of my tip-tilted nose. I pull a silly face at myself and grin. I used to be insecure about my appearance, especially as a bigger girl, but I’m learning to love myself. Dating someone as classically gorgeous and popular as Jasper doesn’t hurt my self-esteem to be honest. He can get any girl he wants, and yet, he wants to spend time with me.
Smiling, I turn on my laptop and pull up the methodical notes I’ve been taking in class--notes that Jasper will definitely want to copy. While he excels in athletics, academics aren’t exactly his strong suit. It’s not that he’s dumb; I think he’s smarter than he gives himself credit for. He’s just so easily distracted. That’s okay, though. I don’t mind helping him.
For a while, I immerse myself in my studies, reminding myself of the intricacies of the Revolutionary War. It’s pretty interesting actually because it’s not one big war, but rather a series of battles that led to American independence. However, the websites I need for research are loading slower and slower, and when I click, it feels like it takes ten years for something to appear on screen. With a frown, I close some unnecessary tabs in my web browser, thinking that could be the culprit. No such luck. Suddenly, my laptop powers off on its own, going completely black.
“Shit!” I exclaim. I cringe immediately as my cry seems to echo throughout the silent room. Library, Lucy, I remind myself. Pipe down.
I poke at some buttons on my laptop, trying to get it to turn on. Finally, the screen flickers a bit, and I suck in an optimistic breath. Then, it whooshes out heavily when the screen becomes a static bright blue. That, I’ve been told by my more tech-savvy friends, is the kiss of death.
“Well, great,” I mutter, rubbing at the furrow between my brows. “This is just excellent.” Even if I bust open my piggy bank, I definitely don’t have the money for repairs or for a new laptop. This is not ideal for my end-of-the-semester studying.
