In the Garden CHAPTER ONE

Clarissa! The name itself melts the heart of any of her schoolmates. Boy schoolmates of course.

“Clarissa really matured this summer.” The boys said of her.

She knew she was beautiful and she flaunted her newfound beauty. She would wear form-fitting clothes to accentuate her figure. Any man, any natural man, couldn’t resist lusting for her.

George is not just any man though. On this first day of school of his sophomore year in high school we’ll find him involved in his latest book. Reading of course, in the hall.

The atmosphere is of nervous anticipation. George seems oblivious to the chaos surrounding him. His thoughts are in the realm of fantasy.

While the other boys watch Clarissa and her delicious hair flowing as she gracefully sways down the hallway, George’s attention is captivated by an evil wizard plotting his mentor’s death. Not an easy task for the mind reading wizards. But George already knows this and is actively caught up in a “brilliant” author’s imagination - to quote George.

George’s clothes hint at being a stoner or a marihuana user. This is how Clarissa perceives George. A misperception indeed for George has never even seen a marijuana flower or hemp flower. But his appearance matches that of a stoner.

He is a skinny 15 year old who favors a pair of cut-off cargo pants. They hang down to his mid-calves. If George made the school rules he would be without a shirt, but that’s not the case.

He wears a simple black T-shirt with the name of his favorite band across his chest. Quite a match for his green cargo shorts and his slip-on sandals.

Oh, George does get along with the stoners of the school but he has asked to not even be near marijuana. His best friend respects his decision, being a stoner, and when George and Levi skateboard, Levi leaves his drug of choice in his bedroom.

I guess I can see why Clarissa misperceives George. After all, his best friend is a known druggie. Perhaps George’s light of integrity shone on the first day of school and caught Clarissa’s gaze. Perhaps she liked his style of clothing or his laid back attitude on such a hectic day. Whatever she saw she knew she wanted to know this George, the one who had moved into town from one only 15 miles away that summer.

Clarissa deliberately walked George’s way so he could “bask in her radiant beauty.” George saw the beauty. But he saw something more. He saw something hidden behind her eyes. A secret that he believed was a vital part of Clarissa.

George is not ignorant in seeing into the depths of a person’s soul. He grew up in a God loving family. George strongly believed in eternal life and took for granted that others may not.

Of course all of this perception was in George’s peripheral vision. He had not yet given into his hormonal ways, nor would he ever. Not even 10 months later, the summer of his 16th year. The best summer of Clarissa’s life-in her words.

That summer she grew to respect George and learned of his God-focused mind.


******

The bell rings issuing in first period. George departs form Levi and files into his homeroom amongst some sweet smelling females. One in particular catches his eye. A curly blond wearing the latest trend in pants and a simple white T-shirt that shows her curves.

Clarissa is not ignorant of George’s sudden interest in Jen. In fact the affection in George’s eyes invoke feeling of not being good enough inside Clarissa.

Clarissa is baffled and vents her frustration by drawing. She is not known for her artistic talent though she should be. George really admires her artwork 10 months from this day. That summer revealed a very talented young woman who never utilized her skill with any drawing utensil.

She simply draws to express how she feels. Right now she feels a little competitive. So she draws herself crossing a finish line in first place. Her next drawing is of her holding a trophy resembling George.

She continues her eye on George as he sits three seats in front and to the left of her. The sun shines through the room as it would in heaven. George basks in the sun’s heavenly rays fully aware of his duty in this probationary earthly existence.

Clarissa senses peace emanating from her new found 'crush,’ but doesn’t partake of the feeling. She is actually very caught up in the society she lives in, one where appearance is everything. She doesn’t know that George’s is the hand she is blindly holding.