Waiting For Change

There he sat. Waiting for something with that same thoughtful look in his green eyes. The wind howled, hiding the sun behind a blanket of clouds, casting dark shadows on the park. He still sat there regardless, off in his own little world.

I on the other hand, was crouched behind some bushes, waiting for my crush to walk by. I knew for a fact that he always walked by at exactly 1:30 everyday, even if it was storming or so hot it'd melt your skin off.

" My legs are cramping up," I groaned, shaking them with my hands.

My best friend Elise, gave me that "are you serious look" and rolled her eyes. " You're the one who got us into this mess," she pointed out.

" So?" I cried, " Best friends are supposed the be there for each other!"

Elise nudged me almost making me fall through our thin covering of branches. I yelped loud enough for everyone to hear, except there was no everyone, it was just us two and that weird boy who always sat on that stupid old park bench.

Elise put her finger to her lips and made a shushing noise. Now it was my turn to give her a face and roll my eyes.

" Why do you want to stay out here for a boy who doesn't even notice you?" Elise grumbled, pulling her sweatshirt tighter around herself. " If you ask me there's no point."

I flinched, my mouth gaping. " There is so a point," I protested weakly.

" Care to enlighten me?" asked Elise.

I sighed, flexing my legs and tucking my long hair behind my ears. " Well... for starters I get to see his handsome face?"

Elise gave me a probing look, her eyes boring into mine expectantly.

I shrugged, averting my eyes. " Thats all I guess," I whispered.

Elise raised her one eyebrow and gingerly got to her knees. She pushed aside some trailing branches of the bush we were hiding in and made as if to leave.

" Where are you going?" I hissed through gritted teeth, walking on my knees to see Elise exit our bush hide out. " Elise!"

Elise spun around angrily, her eyes blazing with cold fire. " Look here Eleanor, I came out here today because you said something was wrong, but there's nothing wrong what's so ever! In fact it seems like everything is right! We've been waiting for hours out her for this stupid boy who has no appreciation for you... and for what? Soaked shoes and damp clothing not to mention the chills?"

I looked away my cheeks flushing a rosy red. I felt so ashamed. I knew I shouldn't have done that, especially since Elise was dealing with her own stuff, but what came out of my mouth next was exactly the opposite of what I was thinking. " You never know how to have any fun! You're always doing the 'reasonable' thing or the 'most adult like' thing to do! Never just the fun thing!"

Me and Elise locked gazes, her's full of cold fury and mine full of regret. " When did you get so shallow?" she whispered, " If you want fun why don't you go and join that guy on the bench over there in his little dream world? Or better yet instead of cowering in a bush waiting for this guy you like to notice you, why don't you make him notice you? Be the change otherwise nothings going to happen except keep repeating old patterns!" With that last statement Elise walked away, her hair blowing in the howling gales of wind being thrown at her.

I was so shocked that after Elise had left I was still sitting there, in the mouth of the bush with my eyes focused on the spot where Elise had disappeared. We'd never fought over something so stupid! Again my cheeks flushed with heat. The stuff I'd said to her was stupid. Elise had to be responsible and smart, she was the eldest of six siblings, that she took care of on a regular basis.

I combed through what had happened in our fight, wincing at the parts where I"d said some really stupid things. I decided that going after Elise then and there might not be the best idea. Elise was one of those people who needed time and space to cool down.

Feeling lost and confused, I got out of the bush I'd been hiding in and reluctantly made my way down the gently sloping hill leading me to the park.

I dragged my eyes up off the dampened earth to see that the boy who had been sitting on the park bench earlier was still there. All thoughts of my crush and Elise vanished as I neared him, inching myself closer and closer to the bench. I looked at my watch. It stated that it was 2:30. I sighed, a slight smirk playing on my lips. A though flitted through my mind, what if Elise was right?

" Hello."

I jumped, gooseflesh breaking out all over my arms. " Hello," I called.

The boy on the bench in front of me turned around, his green eyes sparkled. " I've been wanting to ask for a while now, but what were you and that girl doing in that bush?"

I paled and my hands shook. My gaze darted from the boys to the ground and back. " W-we were j-just-"

" Hanging out," he interrupted inquiringly, " Catching some Z's?"

I kicked my foot at the ground and crossed my arms over my back. " Waiting," I said sheepishly.

A vacant look crossed over the boys face. " Me too," he whispered.

My head shot up. Something about the way he said it had spiked my interest. I slide over and sat down beside him on the bench. It was damp and made my pants wet but I figured my situation couldn't get much worse.

" Waiting for what?" I asked, my earlier nervousness gone.

" For change I guess," he murmured bitterly.

I crinkled my nose at him. My eyes must have betrayed my thoughts because the next minute he was staring back at me defensively.

" Is that why you sit here all the time?" I asked curiously.

The boy nodded once, his eyes fixed straight ahead. " I watch the world and wait for change," he said. " It may seem pathetic to you, but what else can I do?" He added with that same defensive air.

"Hm," I said, " You know there is another way to change the world." That caught his attention. " How?" he questioned, his eyes narrowed.

I shot him a grin. " Well a friend of mine told me, that there is no such thing as waiting when you," I said, poking him in the shoulder to emphasize my words, " Can change whatever you need to, yourself. Now unfortunately for me, I had to learn that the hard way." I rubbed the back of my neck as I added more seriously, " Point is, if you want something to change, no ones going to do it for you. You have to make that journey yourself."

The guy smiled. My heart fluttered, his smile was so genuine and sweet. " You know what," he said, still smiling.

"What?" I asked.

" It was worth the wait." He got up, and left me there watching the world on my own. I felt good because I had inspired change, so in a way even that wait in the bushes was worth it, because it all added up to this one moment.- The End