2879. Envelope under the door

Marissa was taking the same papers at college as Brodie. When she came into the lecture theatre she always tried to nonchalantly sit where he might notice her. And notice her he did!

“Hi!” he said to her one day in the cafeteria. “We take the same subjects. I wonder if you could help me out?” He sat down at the table and took a notebook out of his bag. He explained how he was stuck on some problem or other. Marissa could hardly breathe, but she managed to explain things relatively coherently.

That afternoon Marissa was in her room and an envelope was pushed under the door. It was a used envelope. It had Brodie’s name crossed out. There was a note inside.

 Marissa savoured the moment. She clutched the envelope to her breast. This was the beginning of something. She opened the note.

Hi Fiona – Thanks for a wonderful time at the Fair. Tomorrow? Brodie

Wrong door. Marissa’s name wasn’t Fiona. And she had never been to a Fair in her life.

1612. Pretty garden flowers

There was nothing wrong with Shelley really. She was simply a goody-goody. She was one of those girls who was always proper and correct and nobody liked very much.

When the teacher gave students the task to write about their favourite thing in the garden, Shelley handed in what she thought to be the most beautiful reflection (complete with coloured-in drawings) of the poppies of Flanders Fields. She even stuck in a poem. Most of the other girls had gone in for something ordinary, like pansies. The boys, except for Gavin, went for potatoes or parsnips. But Shelley! Oh! exclaimed the teacher, what a darling! Oh it’s fabulous, Shelley! You have a wonderful gift! I have a special reward for you!

It was enough to make you sick.

You could tell. Shelley had a crush on the teacher. She was all starry-eyed and thought Mr Cvetkovic was the cat’s pyjamas. Personally, I hated Mr Cvetkovic, especially when after school he’d take me out to the school’s maintenance shed and tell me it was our little secret.