Dying Innocence

Autumn had come to the postdiluvian Des Moines Valley and I was a wee little freshman in high school who looked like Steve from American Dad with my nerdy appearance and the popularity of Troy Bolton from High School Musical. The Bleachers was filled with students getting ready for the homecoming Greek games and the showing of the 2008 senior homecoming court at Eddyville Blakesburg High School. I represented the freshman class at Eddyville in the Greek Games. I was making small talk with the seniors and one of them, a girl, her brother and I ran cross country together. Her Name was Mercedes Nichols. She was lanky, 64 inches tall, and 17 years young, she had the beauty of a goddess. Me and her started conversing and flirting and she got a photo with me. It said “Dillon & Mercedes, True Love!!! HAHAHA!!!” on social media. She and I talked as I rested one of the football pads because I had a migraine that felt like I had a hangover. I talked with and competed in the games with the freshmen. We were facing a rural school which was rumored to have a certain UFC champion's cousins as students about 60 miles downriver from us. I walked feeling accomplished and battered to cross country practice to begin my next adventure of the afternoon. As the weeks passed, Fall faded into Winter. The first snow came Thanksgiving weekend leaving the Hawkeye state as a frozen wasteland. I was on the Basketball team as a manager for the boys. I was the 2nd youngest manager on the team and only male manager and teacher’s pet for Coach Smith. The cafeteria was full of laughter and gossip. Me and Jackson Garrett were cracking jokes. It was a study hall at 2:15 P.M. on a Friday afternoon two weeks before christmas. My grandma’s third cousin Shelly, the grouchy school secretary said, “Boys' basketball, time to dismiss to Osceola now.”, o'er the intercom. I grabbed my book bag and phone then ran to the bus. I grabbed my seat by Smith and Sands. I put on my headphones and started jamming to Three Days Grace and My Chemical Romance as I looked at the late afternoon sun and smiled relaxed, and read all the way down US 34. The bus ride was almost two hours long. We got to Clarke Schools in Osceola near I-35 at 4:15 almost 15 minutes before sundown and the sunset on the snow glistened plains was breathtaking. I got in the school and started filling the canteens and Hailey, Shelby, Chrissy, Leia and Chloe got to the team booth for the away team with Sands, Smith, and Stout. I walked over to them and delivered the equipment to the boys. The 9th grade game at 6 pm for the boys and I walked up to the away team fans and started sitting with My friend Kyle’s family after the 9th grade boys game. I conversed with Mercedes And her parents. She was wearing a yellow and white striped hoodie with a yellow tank top underneath with blue jeans and boots. I was flirting with Mercedes And she flirted right back. I asked her for her cell number and she said, “Sure, and your cell phone number.” I gave her my cell number and parted ways for the weekend and watched the game with the away team from the booth. I thought to myself, “I finally got someone’s number.” The game was over and I helped load the equipment on the bus. We rode through the clear starry moonlit winter's night with the full moon lighting its reflection off the snow. It was as beautiful and peaceful as a certain painting from Vincent van Gogh. We got back to Eddyville about 11:30-midnight. I got to Blakesburg where I was staying with my mom for the month at half past midnight. I told Mom we won and retired to my post for the night. Thirty six hours later, I went walking around the town with a threatening dark blue norther approaching. I texted Mercedes As the temperature dropped 65 to 20 degrees fahrenheit during my walk which was an hour. I ran back as it started snowing. I told my mom "I'm fine."as I went to the living room and started watching tv. Me and Mercedes Text for the rest of the day occasionally. As the days went by I knew there was a connection between me and Mercedes. It was the last day of the semester. It was cold and miserable. The view out the window was like a cross between a Bob Ross painting and a Thomas Kincade painting with freshly fallen snow, a house, and happy little trees amongst the gray sky and the less than five year old freeway in the distance. The clock ticked in the northernmost classroom of the high school as me and my fellow classmates were taking semester finals in Mr. Thompson’s English 9 period 8 class. Me and 16 other freshmen expanded our craniums with knowledge from books, grammar, and vocabulary in the test. I turned in my test and started reading my book. The “C” lunch bell rang like a siren piercing the silence and Mr. T telling us, “Merry Christmas, Everyone, see you guys in 2009.”, as I ran to the lunchroom and started chowing down on bland food and sludge. My friends and I finished my meal and I ran like a rabbit to the gym to chill with the big boys and girls. Mercedes Asked me, “Ready for Christmas, Stardust ?” I said, “Hell yeah.” We gossiped and I found out she liked Three Days Grace, Linkin Park, Seether, Breaking Benjamin, and Nickelback, which is my taste in music. She came up beside me and kissed me on the cheek which I never had. The boys yelled, “Yeah, Dustin , atta boy!” I smiled at her and said, “Merry Christmas, Mercy” and She replied, "You too, Stardust ." as I walked Reverend Brandt's Bus home. I texted Mercedes While I was at my dad's in Oskaloosa over Christmas on and off. That Sunday night, I got back to Blakesburg to my mom's to finish the rest of the visitation for the month for mom. I was at the campout at the church when Mercedes Called me. We talked for 15-30 minutes before I retired to my pew for the night. Me and Mercedes Were more than friends. As the snow falls became less severe and the nights slightly shorter, the chemistry between me and Mercedes Was flickering on and off like a firefly. We started sitting at the same lunch table. Me and Mercedes's fighting sometimes was triggering my depression and turning me against the faculty whom I was accusing of being control freaks. It was the last day in February. It was a sunny and cold Saturday. I was getting my clothes for my first dance in high school. I got my clothes and showered. I ran to my mom's station wagon and rode up to the high school which was fifteen miles by road from Blakesburg to Eddyville. I was dressed like I was on a night on the town. I got up to the high school around 7:45 PM with the crescent moon setting and the stars shining bright as I walked into the school. Mercedes Was there with her brother. She was wearing a short blue dress, her brunette hair curled into cute Shirley Temple locks, and she was higher than a kite. She asked me, "Are you ready to have fun, Stardust ?" as she danced provocatively on me and grinded up and all over on me. It was a fun night. Reese and Uncle Vhon were there and I told Uncle Vhon, "Not a word. Keep it dark." He said, "Your secret is well kept.", as we headed out for the night to our home and to our snuggly beds.