"I liked what you wrote, Josh. You have a nice way
with words. The image of a winter day, and the loneliness, and the
trees. It was awesome." She stared straight ahead, twisting a strand
of brown hair into a knot.
"Huh?" Jesus. Here was a girl talking to Josh
Allenson, saying something nice to him, and all he could say was,
`Huh.' What had Gus called it? Monosyllabic. Big word for being a jerk.
"No, really." She turned her head and looked into his
eyes. And then blushed and dropped her gaze. "What was that line?
`The snow turned the world into a white blankness.' That's the way I
feel when I look out the window at the snow. I like poetry." Now
she was squirming. Help her, Allenson. Help her. Help yourself !
"Uh, huh." Two syllables.
"Well. Gotta go. I'll see you in class tomorrow."
Josh stared after her, befuddled. Why hadn't he said
anything? What had she said? That she liked his poetry? The stuff
he had read in class? Those were just words. Just filling in the
lines. What did she want? What was her name? Why didn't he even
know her name?
"Hey!" She was gone. A couple of freshmen looked up
at him but he ignored them.
Girls. He had thought he wouldn't have to worry
about them. His life was complicated enough without them. Or with
his mom and great-gran. But Susan. . . . Sarah? Some S-word. She
had talked to him. She liked his poetry. She had told him that she
liked his poetry!
`Sarah stood silently, staring at Josh.' Sappy. He wasn't
a poetry guy, at least not love poems. Sally? Sheryl? Why couldn't
he remember her name?
Josh moved mechanically to his locker and slapped it
hard. It swung open but all Josh did was stare. What had he come
here for? What did he need to get? What was his next class? Where
was his homework? What in the world was that girl's name?
