Here is Kuli Kohli’s response to the February Writing Task. It’s a story suitable for young people.
Leaving Something Behind
“What?” Rita said hardly believing what he had said. She stared into his dark eyes for some kind of look that would tell her he was kidding, but all she could see was his serious glare.
“You heard me, I’m getting out of here, I’m leaving, and I ain’t coming back. Okay.” That was all he said before he actually walked away.
Rita’s heart had almost shattered, “But Reggie, you can’t go now,” she told him.
“Why not, what’s stopping me?” he said continuing to walk.
Rita followed him. She really thought he cared. “Because...” She hesitated, she didn’t know whether to say it or not, then tried to pluck courage to speak out, what she had kept from him for so long, “Because... I love you.” She finally splurged out.
He immediately stopped and turned around and smiled. He didn’t look so flattered, and looked more as though he knew it, and seemed to be egotistical about it. He smiled, “Look, I like you, but I don’t love you. And believe me, I don’t want to hurt you, I just want you to know the truth.” He walked away for the second time and Rita knew that it would be the last time.
Her heart had shattered, and without realising, teardrops began to fall from her eyes. She didn’t want to cry, but just couldn’t control herself. Rita’s friends had been right, yet again. They had told her so many times that he was the wrong kind of guy for her. He was a good laugh, but that was all. He seemed to take everything like a comic story.
As she watched him walk away, she thought, ‘Why me?’ The way he walked seemed to indicate, that he couldn’t careless about what had just happened. He didn’t even turn back to look at her. Manju had been watching her through the window of the classroom.
“Another waist of time,” she sobbed, walking into the school building. It felt her world had fallen through and nothing on earth could make her smile again. All she could do was think about all the good time she had spent with Reggie, and connect them with what had just happened. It didn’t make any sense at all. She knew she would never see him again. Walking through the double doors, then through the abandoned corridor. Suddenly it felt as though she could not walk any more, she stopped and leaned against the wall sliding downwards until she was sitting down on the floor. Wiping her face on her sleeve every now and again trying to dry the tears which kept falling, streaming down her cheeks. Rita buried her head between her knees and sat and wept.
“Hey, Reet,” A gentle familiar voice said. Rita didn’t bother looking up because she knew it was Manju, “What’s the matter?” she asked stupidly.
“Go away,” she sobbed.
“Listen Reet, I saw what happened down there. I know he’s leaving but believe me it’s no big deal.”
Rita suddenly looked up and stared angrily at her, “You, you mean you knew about it!” she stood up, “No one told me anything!”
“Well we knew you’d get upset and we didn’t want to upset you.”
“Upset! Look at me now! Oh yeah I really look as though I have had the time of my life!” Rita paused to take a breath, “Well believe me mate I’ve just been told by the bastard just what he thinks of me. I feel like the biggest jerk ever. He hates me!”
“He doesn’t hate you,” she tried assuring her.
“Wanna bet, I just told him how much I loved him, and he couldn’t care less about it.” she said, “That’s just the story of my life…”
“Look, now you know how I feel about Josh.” Manju said.
“What’s Josh got to do with all this,” she asked confused. “He’s got nothing to do with it, and besides he likes you.” Rita told her best friend.
“Does not.”
“He does and you know it. But at least he’s got his way with me, he was right about Reggie.” She walked away and Manju followed behind.
“Josh’s an idiot anyway.”
“Yeah I know, but you can’t blame him for that can you?” Rita said walking on. Manju smiled. She didn’t feel like smiling at all. Manju was Rita’s best friend and she was always there for her when she felt down, and she usually made her smile and feel better, helping her to an enhanced recovery.
Manju walked with Rita up to the sixth form private study room, “You gonna be all right?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about it, I think I’ll survive until the bell goes.” she told her.
“I better go or the teacher might catch me, cos I told her I was going to the toilet.” She hurried away, leaving her in one of the private study rooms.
Rita put her head on the desk, and felt really stupid and foolish. She had an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hated that feeling, it just would not leave her alone.
A few minutes later the door flung open and immediately she looked up hoping it was Reggie. But it was the one and only Josh. ‘Oh no!’ Rita thought, putting her head back down.
Josh was kind of cute for his age, he had dark hair and dark eyes, which somehow reminded her of sweet teddy bears. So many girls thought he was gorgeous, including Manju. But ever since Rita had got to know him, she had always considered him as a younger brother, and a very immature and idiotic one too.
“What’s up with you?” Josh asked in his typical cheeky little voice.
Rita ignored him at first, but then when he kept hopping around her, she said, “Just leave me alone!”
“Why?” he asked.
“Don’t give me that, you know very well why,” she snapped.
He thought for a while, then suddenly spluttered, “Oh its Reggie ain’t it, I should’ve guessed.” Rita stared at him harshly. “Oh come on, you could not have liked him that much. I told you that you’d get hurt in the end, besides you can do much better than him, he was a creep, and you knew it right from the start. There are more guys around.” She didn’t want to hear this from him, not from anyone.
“Just shut up!” she cried. Her eyes began to fill up with tears once again. ‘Oh no,’ she thought, ‘here I go again.’ She didn’t want to cry, but it was difficult to control her emotions.
Josh looked at her but she put her head down to stop him from seeing her tears.
“Look I understand how you feel, but you gotta put it past you. He’s gone now and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can do much better than him; you should look around for someone like me: good looking, sexy, considerate, mature and sensible. Can’t you?” Rita could tell he was beginning to feel sorry for her.
“That’s what you wanted,” she sobbed looking up at him and he smiled one of his pathetically sweet smiles.
“I knew what he was like, that’s why,” he said. Rita rubbed her eyes and tried to smile. “Hey,” Josh whispered, “I didn’t know you cried purple tears.” At first she looked at him very confusingly and didn’t quite know what he was talking about, then she realised that she must have rubbed off the mascara from her eye lashes. Rita began to smile. She could not believe she was actually smiling again. The school alarm for home time rang as Manju walked in.
“You feeling alright....” her voice trailed off as soon as she realised Josh was with her.
Rita smiled, “Love is in the air again...”
“Shut up!” Manju squealed, her face suddenly turned a crimson.
“Gotta get going,” Josh said, “don’t get feeling down again, he was a bastard, just keep thinking that and you’ll soon get over him.” He closed the door behind him.
“Why the hell did you say that for!” Manju snapped.
“Say what?” Rita teased.
“You know very well what, and that was very embarrassing you know,” she hesitated for a while, “Did you see the way he ran out?”
“He did not run out because of you, dumbo,” she tried assuring her.
“He doesn’t like me at all!”
“Don’t be so stupid Manj, don’t be mad.” They walked out arguing and bumped into Jami and Chaz.
They asked Rita how she was handling Reggie leaving. “I’m trying to forget he ever existed,” she told them. It was easy saying it but the hard part was actually accepting it.
As soon as she got home, she ran up the stairs into her bedroom, and put the radio on. Staring out of the window she watched the school kids go by.
She remembered a time when she used to mess around with Reggie; she had pinned up a notice saying, “REGGIE LOVES BOYS! ANY OFFERS PLEASE GET IN TOUCH” He had been very embarrassed about it all, however, he had denied it. Rita had felt bad and guilty about it for a long time afterwards. Then she remembered chasing him that day and begging for his forgiveness. All he could come out with was, “Don’t worry about it, it was nothing.” As Rita drifted back into her bedroom, one of her favourite songs played on the radio. As she listened to the words, she felt her heart break in two again and broke out in tears. She could not control the way she felt once again. Rita cried and cried until she could cry no more. For the next few weeks she knew she would drive her family and friends crazy with all her misery and sorrow.
