The Write Place

Under The Fruiting Tree: Chapter 28 – The Write Place
Under the Fruiting Tree: Novella Table of Contents – The Write Place

Birds sang to the world from their perches on the budding trees.  Spring had come, filling the valley with its sights and sounds.  The sun lit all things, hanging in the sky above the people walking on the earth below.  The park rested at the foot of the hill, filled with fields for various sports.  Parents began setting up in the bleachers or sitting upon the hill near the budding tree and the bench.  A brown-haired girl, in her later teen years by appearance, sat on the bench under the branches of the apple tree.  She sat alone at the moment, flanked by a pair of sweaters resting on the bench.  All around her, parents and their children were taking up positions to watch the baseball game that was yet to begin.
Her gaze rested upon the three baseball fields immediately at the bottom of the hill.  A resting boredom was upon her face.  She began picking at a tear in her faded jeans to pass the empty time.  As she tucked her hands in the sleeves of her sweater, a shadow fell upon her back.  Feeling the presence, she turned her head to meet the newcomer.

“Amanda right?” inquired a boy who appeared around her age and raised a gently pointing finger.  He stood for a short moment in his black shirted uniform, wearing a baseball glove on his free hand.  His relatively squared face was gently shaded, wearing a curious yet confident look.

“Oh, uh yeah.  Jason?” The girl replied, cocking her head with a thought of recognition.  The sun lit her soft features, exposing her brown eyes that were affixed on the young man before her.

“You’re in Mr.Carter’s math class with me, right?  First period?” Jason asked. Knowing the answer, he expected confirmation, but an in was an in. And he was going to take it.

“Yeah,” Amanda answered, feeling a bit flustered and knowing she looked it.  Her soft, slightly pointed feminine face was half shaded by the shadow of the budding tree.

“8:00, perfect time for abstract math with a man who can put you to sleep,” Jason said, with a delighted sarcasm in his voice.  Few things paired people like shared troubles.

“I think if he yelled fire his voice would still put people to sleep,” Amanda affirmed with a smirk appearing on her face.

“I’m willing to bet we would all die,” he said to laughter.

“I’m good at math but he’s so boring.  He can be so frustrating too.  He has a way of explaining things that makes sense then immediately no sense.”

“It definitely brings us all closer together.  Hardship has a way of doing that. Then there’s math with Mr. Carter,” Jason said with a laugh.  Amanda’s melodic laugh joined his own.  Apparently in his own way, Mr. Carter had brought people together.

“It’s like whoever wrote Ferris Buehler’s day off sat through Mr.Carter’s class,” Amanda added in a playful spirit feeling the energy of the excitement coursing through her.

“Ain’t that the truth.  They toned it down to be believable for the movie.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it were true; Mr. Carter has taught long enough.   And it’s felt even longer for everyone involved.” Jason added with a humorous sigh.  “Mrs. Evans class though.  She is funny in class. And intentionally. Sometimes.”

“Yeah! Remember. . .” began Amanda, “to never split your infinitives class!”  They said together with another laugh.

“It works though, doesn’t it?” Jason said, shaking his head in amusement. “I’ve never managed to forget that.”

“Sure, we are talking about it aren’t we?” Amanda agreed with delight. The excitement showed in her body and upon her face. She didn’t mind that it did.

 “You just moved here this quarter?” Jason asked, gently changing the subject.  He stood, resting his arms on his hips.  She had his full attention, and he had hers.

“Yeah, just this semester,” Amanda said, communicating more through her gentle nodding and the twinkle in her eye. “So my brother’s still on the other team,” Amanda said, reporting with a little nervousness in her voice.  “Third time this year we moved, too.  Parents are divorced.  Mom got married again, again,” Amanda said with an audible drop in her voice and upon her face.  She regretted blirting out what was uncomfortable knowledge, but it was what she knew. Resenting the awkwardness, she changed the subject to what interested her.  “Well.  Did you grow up here?” Amanda asked with a touch of urgency as her face reddened.  Jason was a bit more tense but not dissuaded.  He nodded his affirmation, willing to follow the trail of the conversation.

“Yeah, I’ve lived here my whole life, but not before that,” Jason said, smirking slightly.  “I live just up the hill,” Jason said, turning and motioning with his gloved hand. “Makes it great for just walking over whenever,” he concluded with a small shrug of his shoulders.
“I just live down the hill,” Amanda replied with a burst of energy in her voice.  Her excitement returned alongside her hope.

“So when you go back, everything’s downhill from here?” Jason said, receiving a laugh from the young woman in front of him.  

“Only in the most literal sense,” Amanda replied with a smile. “But technically, yes,” she added with a brush of her long silky hair.  “Things are also always looking up when I get here.”

“Hey Manning! Stop talking up the females!” yelled a middle-aged man with pepper brown haired standing at the bottom of the hill.  There stood the slightly portly man in a cap and sweater motioning to Jason to come take his place in the dugout.  More than a few onlookers had begun to sneak a glance at the amusing scene on the hill.

“Just the one coach,” retorted Jason with a touch of glee in his wit.

“Any of ’em,” the coach replied, motioning once more.  Jason removed his hat to brush back his parted almost black, dark brown hair.  Jason became visibly disappointed in the decision that had been made for him. Squinting an eye, he looked down at the field then back to Amanda.

“Well looks like I gotta get a move on. But, see you around Amanda.  If you ever want to study for Carter’s class, I can use all the help I can get,” Jason said with a chivalrous tip of his hat.

“I’d be happy to,” said Amanda. “Get ready to lose,” she said with another smile coming to her face. An amused Jason let out a deep laugh from his chest.

“Not today,” Jason said with a wave. “I’m never ready to lose. I feel like a winner.”

 The two parted ways, wearing carefully hidden smiles.  Amanda sat on the bench watching Jason take his place.  Over her head the branches of the apple tree gently waved.  The sun gently caressed its branches, shimmering off the young buds of the aged tree.