50 Themes Challenge: The Merger of Moments

So I’m a romantic. Bite me.

“That’s what high school’s all about. Moments.”

--

1. Lost

She looks confused, he notes on the first day of school. Confused, but too...unafraid to be a freshman. She’s beautiful too, but that’s what he’s trying not to notice.

2. Falling

She is seconds away from a mortifying moment, but manages to snatch the milk carton from the air as it falls. From across the cafeteria, a mysteriously cute boy smiles.

3. French Fries

He goes up to ask for more ketchup. The new girl’s eating fries as well, and at second glance, dipping then in salt and pepper. He wrinkles his nose, swivels back to his table, and tries it.

4. Geometry

Names are put to faces when she says “Ally”, to which he replies “Scott”. Ally asks if he wants help resolving the triangle, and Scott, after a moment of who-am-I-kidding, accepts.

5. Post-its

Scott’s not a talker. He’s not that great at expressing himself either. So Ally’s never surprised to find bright green stickies everywhere she goes anymore.

6. Leaves

He’s a delinquent, Ally discovers after she finds Scott in the field, raking. But for some reason, she can’t bring herself to care.

7. Lead

It’s obvious she’s not the most popular kid in school. So when Ally’s lead snaps in half during class, she’s a little confused at the sight of Scott offering her a new one.

8. Arnold

He could swear Arnold liked her better than him. Every time they went for a walk in the park, the huge German shepherd barks at her, sitting under a tree, and wags his tail. But don’t dogs take after their masters?

9. Bookmark

Scott’s a terrible studier. It’s why he makes trouble, because it’s so much easier than reading a book. For him, anyway. Although, if someone were to look inside his chemistry book, they would see a little slip of paper with a phone number and three little words: Just in case.

10. Nightlight

It’s silly really, to be afraid of the dark at seventeen. Nobody notices when Ally flinches in front of the long tunnel, or even when Scott reaches out and brushes his fingers against hers, resting them there.

11. Telemarketer

He’s tempted to just hang up on the agonizing voice offering him a credit card. But just as he’s about to, a new, little voice that sounds suspiciously like Ally, advises him against it.

12. Sense

Their first kiss is quite accidental, a result of Ally’s inane klutziness and Scott’s insatiable urge to be good to her. All he can taste is the tang of spearmint, all she can feel is her lock pressing into her back and the tight grip around her waist.

13. Dangerous

Ally can’t even count the number of people who warn her about Scott, the way they bring up his name in hushed whispers, like it’s something to be punished for. Little does she know, he hears it too.

14. Easy-Bake

The little girl in her is amusing. But the only thing better than the little chocolate cake from that pink, plastic oven is the twinkling, childish delight that makes her eyes glow.

15. Safe

Okay, so maybe going into an old supply closet alone was a bad idea. When the light bulb goes out and the door clicks shut, it’s a frantic Scott who finds a terrified Ally, and doesn’t mention that the door was unlocked.

16. Blue

If you asked him, out of the entire rainbow, why it was his favourite, Scott wouldn’t be able to tell you. He has a favourite blue sweater that looks good on him, but he thinks it looks better on her.

17. Gummy Worms

Ally likes the flavours on half the gummies, and Scott the other half. Most would argue over the candy worms, but they end up splitting them in half anyway, so it all works out in the end.

18. Broken

She decided a long time ago where she was going to get married. Her grandfather’s old, run-down farmland is a place of great, bittersweet nostalgia, and the place where Scott sees her cry for the very first time.

19. Valentine

February fourteenth isn’t Scott’s day. In fact, the day for lovers isn’t really Ally’s best either. Nevertheless, she can’t help but appreciate the little sticky tack heart he presses into her hand.

20. Pretend

She sees a different side of him once, on the day Ally finally meets Scott’s weakness; Melody, his four year-old sister. They’re playing “The Paper Bag Princess”, and he’s the dragon.

21. Squeamish

The whole “scared of the dark” thing surprised him. But the frog dissecting discomfort does not. She’s an animal lover, after all. Scott chuckles as Ally turns into his chest and remains there, in the circle of his arms, while he operates.

22. Disney

It’s a right cliché, Ally and Scott. Throw in some song and dance, and you’ve got your very own High School Musical.

23. Shiver

She’s shaking, Scott realizes one chilly afternoon. He tightens his grip and asks Ally if she’s cold. She shifts closer, unable to tell him that it’s the electricity of his touch that’s making her tremble.

24. Nutty

Ally thinks he looks like a squirrel they saw in the park once. And as much as this is a blow to Scott’s manly pride, sometimes out of the blue, he sticks out his front teeth and puffs his cheeks, just to make her laugh.

25. Fairytale

It’s really easy to find Ally sitting in the park or field, engrossed in a story. Although, when Scott pulls the book from her hands and silences the protest with his lips, she decides that their story is so much better.

26. Red

The first time they exchanged “I love you” s, his voice was weak and rough, she was crying, and her hand hurt from hitting him as she watched the blood soak through his shirt and stain the grass. He always had to protect her.

27. Luck

There’s an enormous jar of pennies sitting on her shelf above her bed. “Lucky pennies,” Ally says. Scott laughs, but stops when she tells him that he’s luckier.

28. Talk

Ally’s mad at Scott. Actually, more like annoyed, but nevertheless, they’re not speaking. He doesn’t call her a lot, at least, in the evenings like normal boys would. But now her cell’s dead because he always likes to call when he’s right down the hall.

29. Caramel

Scott’s never cared too much for Werther’s Candies. Ally, on the other hand, loves them. However, when she smiles into his kiss, Scott doesn’t really mind the taste anymore.

30. Mask

Sometimes, Scott and Ally fight. They don’t fight a lot, nor too heatedly, which is good, all things considered. But in the few arguments, Scott’s eyes are dark, his face is shadowed, and Ally yearns to know what he’s thinking.

31. Consequences

Although she’s gotten over the fact that Scott likes to get into trouble, doesn’t mean Ally approves. A week’s worth of detention in metal-shop seems appropriate for her hands-on boyfriend, especially with the copper ring necklaces that are product in the end.

32. Television

Her taste in small-screen entertainment is eclectic, to say the least. Ally bites her nails visiting Tree Hill and the Upper East Side, scrunches her nose and bites her lip as a member of a diagnostic team, a CSI, or an FBI agent, grins goofily in Bikini Bottom. Scott’s just there to offer a hand hold and bear witness to it all.

33. Scale

When his girlfriend decides she wants to lose weight—quite a few pounds—it’s all Scott can do to steer her in front of her full-length mirror, point at the reflection staring back and say “That’s the girl I fell in love with. No more, no less.”

34. Winning

He lets her win, she’s sure of it. The only carnival activity Ally can’t do is the “throw the ball knock the bottles down” game. But not only does Scott refrain from gloating, he just hands the large, grinning purple frog over without a word.

35. Invisible

She’s a little more than surprised that he asked her to come. Ally stands silently in the cemetery, all but oblivious of the drizzling rain and dreary clouds above. Her eyes are trained on Scott, staring down at the gravestone of his mother, and the unseen emotion on his face.

36. Wonder

Ally amazes him. Scott can only smirk, whilst hide his proud smile, at her fearlessness. And then, when the melody flows and the lyrics swirl around the room, he is humbled. “I think I fell in love with the 8th World Wonder...”

37. Tutor

It doesn’t take long for the student population to realize that Scott and Ally are well, Scott-and-Ally. The faculty notices too, and just like that, she’s tutoring him. Great. Now he’ll never get anything done.

38. Music

It’s a reliable escape from the words, thoughts and feelings she can never ignore for very long. It’s an excuse to hurt, to hate, to feel, to scream and yell without saying a word. But as the tempo speeds, the crescendo soars, and the notes ring out, the weight of splashing tears fills the silence.

39. Wall

Usually it’s Ally who reaches out, slipping between Scott’s carefully guarded walls. Sometimes she imagines Robin Hood, pointing an arrow over stone. This time it’s different. This time Scott reaches out for her sleeve, a foot or two away, and pulls her to him. Ally settles into his shoulder, like it’s where she was supposed to be all along.

40. Crossroads

This is it. Ally stares down at the bright white envelope in her hands, the return address goading her. After this, a new path would fall at her feet, and her future would be just a bit clearer. Strange, that all she can see now is a pair of bright green eyes and a crooked smile...

41. Speechless

To cement just how bad he’s whipped, Scott stands in Ally’s living room, corsage in one hand, whilst trying not to tug at his collar with the other. At last, a pair of silver stilettos appears at the top of the stairs, and suddenly it’s all worth it.

42. Once

The one and only time they’d ever dangled over the edge of separation, Scott threw rocks and her window in drunken, apologetic despair. Ally doesn’t hesitate, just unlocks the spare room, because he’d been forgiven hours ago.

43. Frozen

If someone had told him two years ago he’d be standing here, asking this, asking his greatest opponent this, Scott would have cried laughing. But here he was, unable to feel his forefinger and thumb, thanks to the weight of the object in his trembling hand.

44. Dance

Cool rain soaks Ally to the core as she forgoes the school’s protection from the storm on an impulsive desire. Scott just follows, taking her in his arms and twirling her around to release that twinkling laughter. And then, to everyone’s—or no one’s—surprise, they begin to move, to music only they can hear.

45. Hope

He’d given up on any kind of future for himself a long time ago. And then she came along, this bright, steady point of light, guiding him. “I believe in you,” she says simply, and to the amazement of everyone they know, that’s enough.

46. Mold

Some might say Ally’s using Scott, using him to break out of the image that others see. Her rebellion. Maybe it’s true. But Scott doesn’t stifle her. Ally loves Scott because he lets her fly.

47. Dream

As much as she’s like to think that they could withstand anything, 50, 000 miles and four years is quite an obstacle. Still, Ally has to. She has to believe in him, in them. Ally wants to be a dreamer, because being a realist is way too hard.

48. Bittersweet

After all the time and effort it took to hate and avoid high school, Scott finds himself somewhat sorry to leave. Most are shocked he even made it all the way here. Nevertheless, when Scott takes off his tasselled cap and throws it high, amongst the cheering and crying, all he can feel is Ally’s pride, louder than all the rest.

49. Labels

When people look at Scott they see “The Delinquent”. When people look at Ally they see “The Good Girl.” When Ally looks at Scott, she sees the boy who gave her freedom. And when Scott looks at Ally, he sees the girl who saved him.

50. Promise

Golden candlelight brings out a honey-coloured glow in her eyes, and the clarity of her tears on the last night of summer. Forever awaits them, yet four years apart comes first. But forever is so much longer, and the ring on her finger makes sure of that.

--

Author’s Note: Finally. I love how this took me almost all summer to write. No, they didn’t get married; he gave her a promise ring. Much love and thanks to Joel, Seeds, Steph, Moselle, Katie, Shannah, Ashelyn, Rhé, Anna, and Zoe for all your wonderful inspiration. Hopefully you can find your themes.

I do not own The Easy-Bake Oven, High School Musical, One Tree Hill, GossipGirl, House, CSI, NUMB3RS, Spongebob Squarepants, or “8th World Wonder” by Kimberly Locke. Yeah.

And, in case anyone’s wondering, the “moments” line is from an episode of Naturally Sadie. Spoken by the bad guy, but a great line nonetheless. Oh, and I don’t own that either.

Reviews would make my summer.

Annie