Day 10: Write a scene — your MC in high school or college.
“Are you sure about this?” Rose asked. It was the fifth time she’d asked that same question since that morning. It was the second time since the double date had started.
“I’m sure,” Sadie answered in annoyance, though she really wasn’t sure. She hadn’t been sure about it at all, from the moment she’d agreed to the double date to that very moment.
They were in the bathroom of Pete’s Pizza, a current favorite of St. Augustine High’s senior class. Rose was freshening up her makeup, and Sadie had gone with her to avoid being left alone with Doug and Ethan.
The double date had been Rose’s idea. She’d started dating the moment they’d hit high school and had yet to take a break. It hadn’t been until senior year that she considered going steady with anyone. Doug had been the lucky pick, though Sadie couldn’t understand why. He was the most middle-of-the-road of any kid they knew: average grades, average popularity, average looks. Rose usually had higher standards.
“He looks like his face met a closed door,” Sadie had observed when she met him.
“So what?” Rose had retorted with a flip of her hair. “At least he doesn’t talk about sports and beer all the time. And he keeps his hands to himself. Look, it’s not like I’m going to marry the guy, right? I’d just like to have a boyfriend who isn’t going to get on my nerves after five minutes.”
That was fair, Sadie supposed. In the first three years of high school, she’d gone on exactly two dates, and both had been miserable failures. Although, Corey’s taco incident hadn’t been his fault. That was a terrible way for someone to discover they had an allergy to avocado. Still, she hadn’t wanted to go on any dates with him after that.
At least she could stand Ethan. He had an awkward face that wasn’t improved by braces and acne, but he wouldn’t be stuck with those for the rest of his life. She didn’t like the idea of kissing him, but to be honest, she didn’t have much interest in kissing anyone. Ever. The mere thought of it made her shudder, which she did as Rose put away her makeup bag. Sadie had already re-done hers; she was better about not touching her face than Rose was.
“Look,” said Rose as she shouldered her purse, “you can go home. Call Mom. I doubt Ethan would even mind.”
“And leave you and Doug to wander the beach alone? Yeah, right. Mom might not worry about that kind of thing, but Dad’ll blow a gasket.”
“I don’t need a chaperone, and Dad knows that.”
“Doug’s not what Dad would worry about. You know how he believes all those stupid rumors about muggers prowling the beach.”
“Pfft,” Rose said. She waved a hand, jangling all the various charm bracelets on her wrist. “I can take care of myself. And Doug too, for that matter.”
Sadie didn’t doubt it. While Sadie had been taking her first cooking lessons when they were five, Rose had asked for karate lessons instead. She now had a closet full of more trophies than she knew what to do with, along with a part-time job at the same dojo she’d studied at. Rose had broken up more fights at school than any adult ever had.
“I’m fine,” Sadie insisted. “I’ll stay.”
“Suit yourself. But we’re going to the beach. Doug has a new lens for the camera, and he wants to try to get some shots of the moon. It’s in perfect position tonight.”
*
They walked to the beach from Pete’s. Rose and Doug held hands and discussed a photoshoot that Doug wanted to do involving Rose dressed as some anime character. Rose had no interest in anime, but she did like dressing up, so she was enthusiastic about it.
Ethan and Sadie followed with their hands in their jacket pockets, a generous bubble of space between them. They chatted sedately about a paper that was due in their English class the next week.
It wasn’t the coolest night November could offer, but the wind on the beach enhanced the chill. Not many other people braved the cold. They saw a few other teenagers and some students from Flagler College. Other than that, the beach was deserted.
Doug searched for a good spot that didn’t have too much light and unpacked his photography stuff. Rose happily listened as he explained it, but Ethan stifled a yawn.
Hey,” he said, bumping Sadie’s arm. “You wanna just chill? I got a blanket in my backpack.”
“Sure,” Sadie said. She’d wondered why he’d lugged the backpack along with him, but having the blanket would be better than sitting directly on the damp sand.
Ethan spread the blanket out, and they sat on opposite corners of it so the wind wouldn’t blow it up into their faces. Doug had started taking pictures, and Rose exclaimed at how well he captured the moon with his new lens. Sadie plucked at lint on the blanket, reflecting that dating was severely over-rated.
“So,” Ethan said. He’d pulled his knees up to his chin and wrapped his arms around his legs. He was so skinny that he practically disappeared. It almost seemed like he was hiding from her. “You’re cool to hang out with, Sadie.”
“Really?” she replied, not believing a word of it.
“Yeah. You don’t talk too much.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Well, you’re the only girl I know who likes weird Ren Fest stuff.”
“Oh, that. Yeah, my dad likes that kind of thing. He likes to pretend he’s a Highlander when he’s really from the Lowlands.”
That went over Ethan’s head, but he tried to pretend like it hadn’t. “I just don’t want you to think I don’t like you.”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess I like you too.” She didn’t mind hanging out with him. It was just the dating thing that put her off.
“OK,” he said. “Cool. But, is it alright with you if we don’t ever kiss?”
Sadie stared at him. “What?”
He slid down further behind his knees. “I’m sorry. I promise it’s not personal. It’s not like you’re the only girl I don’t want to kiss.”
So many thoughts swirled through Sadie’s head that she didn’t know where to start. She sat there and stared at Ethan, making him squirm.
“I probably should’ve mentioned that before tonight,” he said. “But, like, how do you ever talk about stuff like this? I thought you should know.”
“I feel the same way!” Sadie blurted.
Now Ethan stared, peering over his knobby knees. “What?”
“I don’t want to kiss you either!” she cried happily. “Or hold hands! Or do any touching really.”
“And it’s not just me?”
“Yes! It’s everybody! Ethan, have you ever had a crush on someone? Like, you wanted to be their boyfriend and romantic stuff with them.”
“No! Oh, my God, you get it! You’re asexual too!”
The word hit Sadie like a slap — not a ‘make you hurt’ sort of slap but a ‘wake you up’ sort of slap. “Asexual?”
“Yeah! You’ve never heard of it?”
“Sure, in science class. Asexual reproduction.”
“Yeah, it’s not that. Like how there’s heterosexuality and homosexuality — there’s asexuality too.”
“Then what’s it mean?”
“It doesn’t mean just one thing. It’s a whole range of feelings and representations. You’ve really never heard of it before?”
Sadie shook her head. “I always just thought I was the weird kid who didn’t get romance and never liked the thought of touching anyone.”
Ethan sat up straighter. “Oh, wow, so you’re aromantic too? I didn’t realize there was anyone else like me at school.”
“How did you learn about all this?”
“I spend a lot of time online,” Ethan said with a shrug. “Reading, asking questions on forums. There are answers out there; you just have to know where to look. And remember not to trust everyone.”
“It’s not some made-up thing?”
“No, it’s a real thing! I have some links I can send you if you want to learn more. A forum you can trust.”
“Wow,” Sadie said, looking back at the ocean. Doug’s attention had turned from his camera and the moon to Rose, and the couple now stood at the edge of the water, holding hands as they kissed.
The rise of revulsion at the sight of such open affection didn’t startle her, nor did she feel the same shame that she usually did for feeling that way. For the first time since puberty, Sadie felt comfortable with her disinterest in the romantic connections between people. For so long, she’d wondered if something was wrong with her, and she’d felt guilty for not caring. If other people felt the same way, surely it wasn’t abnormal? It felt good to know that she wasn’t the only person who didn’t mind never being kissed or never wanting to sleep with someone or never falling in love.
That was OK. Sadie was OK.
Sadie turned back to Ethan and smiled at him. He smiled back. There was no pressure in that smile, no hint of expectation—just an extension of friendship with no strings attached.
“So,” Sadie said. “How cold do you think the water is?”