One Yard of Tears

I was bored out of my mind. I had been picking grass while lying down on a mat for three hours.
“Put it down Clint, not everyone wants to hear about the current news on Stephanie Rice.” I said, sick of the small talk
So far, I was not enjoying myself. Instead of spending the day relaxing at home, I was out in Clint’s backyard. A guy I really liked, and Clint obviously did too because he had asked me out on a date. And who would have guessed that I would be waiting till 3’o clock to come around to say “it looks like its three o clock, let’s go”. That doesn’t sound like me, especially if you consider who I was out with. Yes that’s right, Clint the gentle, soft guy that holds the door open for every girl in class. He was the guy who said ‘excuse me’ when he passed people. He was different to the other fourteen-year old guys who had obviously not heard of the word ‘maturity’. Or so I thought. I, Alice McLain, hadn’t realized there were two definitions for maturity. (Webster’s dictionary) Maturity: A time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed. Let me add one tiny detail. Maturity: The period of time in your life after your growth has stopped and you are fully developed in the heart.
So basically, for these past few hours, Clint and I have been sitting on the same mat, at the same place and with the same people…each other. For once I actually want to be with other people while on a date. And what did Clint decide to bring along to make the date even more exciting? Yes, a Sun Herald, iPod, and of course, the science textbook. After talking about how well the Australians will go in the Olympics, I was almost relieved when he remembered he had an iPod, with his favorite song on it. And after an hour, Clint is still listening to ‘The Lipsynchers’, as it is still on repeat. Has there been any offer to his date, if she perhaps may want to listen to it? No, because that would be rude.
“Guess what, Stephanie Rice’s favorite food is rice, that’s so cool.”
“Great, don’t you just wish you could meet her, hey and if you do maybe you could ask her out on a date.”
“That is so funny!”
“Aww, thanks Clint, I always wanted to be a comedian.”
“No, no, Stephanie says that her favorite band is the Beatles, isn’t that funny, they’re so old. It’s great she doesn’t get embarrassed.”
Okay, that’s just going too far.
“Well, time flies; I guess I better get going then.”
“It’s only two o clock, we’ve only been here for like…”
“Three hours! I have been here for three long hot hours of listening to Clint, or is it Stephanie, I’ve just heard so much about her I almost think she’s here!”
I got up and ran out of the yard and didn’t even turn around. Oh great Alice, just embarrass yourself even more, oh but if you hold in the tears he may like you because you won’t look embarrassed. And if I dye my hair brown and wear brown contacts he will see and hear me. What’s the bet that he’s already chasing down the contact details of her. I can’t believe I’m even thinking this. He’s a guy that is obsessed with a girl way older than he. Yet I’m worrying over this insensitive guy. Yeah, nice self esteem Alice.
I wonder what will happen tomorrow at school…


Great, now he acts like nothing has happened. I am at school and my ex-date is chatting to me casually, why isn’t he freezing me out, or confronting me. Why did he have to be so polite and gentle with girls? I don’t get him, he’s so confusing.
“So Alice, do you mind if Britney joins us for the Science experiment task?” Clint asks me, so politely
“Why are you asking me? Ask Stephanie” I said accusingly
Britney interrupts “I can go to another group, I don’t have to come to this group, it looks like you have a few things to… settle out,” she walks away from us
“What’s wrong, Alice”
I actually don’t know what to say, but I know what I am going to do.
“What the… Alice, come back, where are you going?”
I’m running out of class over a boy. That’s where.
“Alice, wait, talk to me, what’s wrong, why have you been acting so strange these past days?” his sentence stops me, making me turn around.
Breathe Alice, just breathe…
“You ask me out! You act like I’m invisible! You come the next day to school gentle and mature, and NOTHING like the date. And then you ask me what’s wrong! I think I should be asking you that,” I’m in between screaming and crying.
The look on his face was priceless.
“What date? You mean yesterday? Wasn’t that supposed to be the time we work on our science task? I thought there was something wrong with you, that’s why I didn’t say much. I thought I would just let you think about…stuff,” he says
Now I am embarrassed. First I think it’s a date, and then I run out twice after shouting at him. You’ve really done it this time Alice.
“I am so, so sorry Clint, I thought that when you asked me if I wanted to come over to your place on Sunday, you meant like a date.”
“Look Alice, let’s just forget about yesterday, it doesn’t matter anyway, come back to science and don’t worry about the slap,” he chuckles, rubbing his cheek
We walk back into science. He leans over and whispers to me
“Alice, do you think there is any room for me?”
“Where?” I say puzzled
He pauses and looks at me smiling
“In your backyard?”