• "Hi, Paul," she says with a small wave.

    "Hi, Rea, how have you been?" Paul looks up from his book, and motions her to sit next to him on the bench.

    She sits next to him, "I've been good, but I've missed you since graduation!"

    "I've missed you too. I can't believe it... I finally graduated! Salutatorian and everything!"

    "I know! It's awesome! But I still wish I could see you everyday like before... School just isn't the same without you."

    "Oh, don't get down! Just think- three more years and you'll be out in the world too. I bet you're counting down the days already!"

    "Yea, but I'm still going to miss all the good times we had. This school holds a lot of memories- for everybody." They both sigh in unison, and smile at each other.

    "Group sighs, huh?" Paul smirks.

    "Yea... I guess we'll always have those moments!" Rea giggles.

    "Rea, you know that I'll miss you, right? I'll miss everyone, but especially you?" Paul bursts out.

    "Um, of course Paul, I mean we've always been great friends and-"

    "Rea, I don't mean as friends... I really like you but-"

    "But what? We could go out sometime- nothing serious," Rea offers.

    "Rea, you're so much younger... I don't know. Wouldn't it be weird dating an oldie like me?" They laugh together again.

    "Paul, you're not old. I'd love to go out with you. Out in the real world, after I graduate, we would be a normal couple with a slight age difference," Rea says with uncertainty. "You know that, right?"

    "But it isn't then, now. That would be seven, possibly more years... I don't think it would work, but I wish it would!" He shouts in frustration and stands up. "Look, I've got to go, maybe I'll see you later?"

    "Yea, I guess," Rea mumbles. She slumps against the bench and day dreams for a bit and then starts to walk home. Rea becomes lost in her daydreams as she is walking, and bumps into a car. She looks in, and realizes there is someone watching her from inside.

    "Oh, jeez! I'm sorry, I was kind of just spacing off," she laughs but the man in the car does nothing but watches.

    "Well, I guess since no one got hurt, I'll be going!" Rea, speeds up her walk and then begins to daydream again.

    As she turns the corner a few blocks from her home she hears a car coming up behind her. Rea hops onto the curb and looks back. It's the same car she bumped into, and it isn't going too slow. She waves back and keeps walking, a bit faster now.

    The car goes closer to the side of the street, and slows to her speed. The window rolls down, and inside is another past senior from two years before- Lucas.

    "Hey, Rea," he chuckles at his rhyme, then continues, "how have you been? Haven't seen you much lately."

    "Hi, Lucas. I've been good. We get out in a couple days... How have you been?" Rea, says, thinking through what she says.

    "I've been great. I never have to go back to that stupid school again. I was wondering, after you guys get out, would you like to go out sometime?" He speaks quickly as he asks and then looks at Rea.

    "Erm, Lucas, aren't you a little old for me? I mean you are a good six years older than me..." Rea wasn't sure about going out with such a creep.

    "I'm just two years older than Paul, and everyone thought you two were going out."

    Rea is taken aback by this comment. Why would anyone think that, she wonders. "Well, we weren't- we aren't- we're just friends."

    "Oh. I see," he says with rejection. "I guess I'll see you around, Rea."

    "Yea... Later," she says quietly as he drives off.

    When Rea arrives back at home, she surfs the net for awhile, eats supper, reads, and pulls out her journal:

    Today was completely weird! I hung out with Paul after school and we talked and stuff. Afterwards I ran in to Lucas- what a freak! He asked me out and I didn't want to hurt his feelings so I kind of changed the subject a bit... For gosh sakes! He is six years older than me! No way will I date anyone that much older! I heard he drinks too! Ugh! I've got to go before I make myself sick!