The Pumpkin Patch

Chapter 1

There's a rumor that the Pumpkin Patch is the most romantic spot.

No, I'm serious. A pumpkin patch. Actually. THE Pumpkin Patch. Deep within the heart of Jacobson, Maine, The Pumpkin Patch has existed before even my grandparents were born. Supposedly, people got married in this patch, had their children there (doctors, nurses, the whole enchilada) and some were even lucky enough to find out the person they're with is their soul mate. The elderly of our small town even have the gall to say blessings were sprinkled on this pumpkin patch from God himself and it's the ultimate good luck charm

What. A load of bull.

"Yeah, you know, Eve, I just...I can't do this anymore." My boyfriend -or...my now ex-boyfriend- Randy said in a very "gee-I-just-don't-have-the-balls-to-say-what-I-should-say" tone as we stood where else? In the middle of the very ripe, very orange pumpkin patch on a cool fall evening. What a nice surprise after a picnic of all my favorites cooked by Randy himself- egg salad sandwiches, blueberry pie and non-alcoholic Welch's.

Yeah, nice surprise all right. Didn't take long for the reason he brought here to come spilling out like the breaking of a freaking dam. Nice way to end things, too: wine and dine the lady before telling her it's not working out and you're thinking about just moving on from this on-going relationship...

I'm going to punch him in the face.

"You know, we can hang and all, but...I just have a lot on my mind and...I...I need variety, you know?"

"No, Randy." I said in a cold tone. "I don't know. Why don't you inform me of this "variety" issue?"

"You're just so.....so....." Randy squirmed, searching anywhere besides me for the answer to what he was trying to say. "so...." he sighed. "Plain." I blinked. What the hell?

"Plain?" I repeated.

"You're not just Plain Jane." He stepped back of couple of steps. "You're so Plain 'it's-just-sad' Jane. I mean...you don't wear make-up, you don't at least try to make yourself look nice. We don't go out, and when we do, all you want to do is go to the library or some place with books and read fairy tales. You don't have any color in your life, all you were is drab. And...when we talk...I play tetris on my phone, pretending to text my dad." Well...

"And you're dumping me because I'm plain, I read and I can't have a decent conversation with you because all you want to talk about is sex and cars?" I asked, ignoring the fact that my anger was building up....but not as bad as my insecurity level...I never knew I was THAT bad...I thought I was pretty okay. I took quizzes online, for pete's sake! They told me I was a natural beauty, I didn't need make-up. Guys thought I was a great date, I was intellectually stimulating....

Randy sighed. "I need something better, Eve...I need to have a bit of fun. I like you, you're pretty all right for a friend, but as a girlfriend..." he sighed again. "You suck." NOW I was going to hit him. I told my wrist to move, but it didn't. Instead, my eyes began to tear up and tears slid down to the pumpkin patch earth beneath our feet. I think that has to be the most hurtful comment I have ever received...

"Look, that's that. You suck as a girlfriend. Maybe you'll find a guy that'll like you, maybe you won't. But. It ain't me. So." He held out his hand. "No hard feelings?" That hand, which I let hold mine countless nights over this past year, was now out to make amends for the unspeakable hurt caused by this boy. I couldn't do it. I broke down, sobbing, and ran the other direction, not even looking where I was going. I heard Randy shout something after me, but I couldn't tell what it was. All I could hear were the voices inside me, raging against me.

LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE! YOU'RE SO PATHETIC! YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, RUN FROM RANDY! HE DDESERVES BETTER THAN YOU!

Branches hit my face, scratching me lightly. Running though the trees, jumping over the rocks, I just had to get away.

I can't help the way I am...

I tripped and fell in a empty spot. Cold autumn earth met my back harshly and so did the clouds and the clear blue sky. The blur of tears and the sobbing of my own accord distracted me from the amusing shapes the cloud made to cheer me up.

I hate me...why can't I just be different....

Rage toward Randy overcame me so suddenly, I couldn't stop myself from seizing to it. I grabbed a pumpkin, ripping it from the vine which gave it life and threw it. Then another. And another. And another, until I was tired and collapsed on my knees and took a look at the damage I caused. So much sticky pumpkin inners lay around me, on my hands, on me...

"Young lady!" I turned to look to see an old man storming angrily from the old broken down house not even a mile away. An elderly woman watched anxiously from the doorway, wringing a dishrag. I swallowed whatever water I had left in my body.

"Yes, sir?" I croaked. My voice could barely be heard, even to my own ears.

"I watched you from yonder there destroy 16 of my pumpkins." 16? "Now, I don't know what happened to you to get that angry...or to gain that much strength...but you have ruined 16 perfectly good pumpkins. You're gonna have to pay for those." I swallowed again. The man spit to the right side of him and eyed me through one eye, his lips pursed. "WELL?!"

"I....how much money do I owe?" I asked. He eyed the damage around me.

"Each pumpkin is 20 dollars. Well, you happen to ruin the ones worth 30, they're my biggest. Do the math." 16 times 30... almost 500 dollars worth.

"I don't have that kind of money, sir..." I said, getting to my feet. "I'm only 17, I don't have a job."

"Don't have a job, eh?" The man spit again. "What's your name, girl?"

"Eve. Eve Springs." I replied, fixing my sweater with nervousness.

"Springs...your parents own that general store in town? Jay and Helen Springs?"

"That's them, sir." I confirmed.

"I'll be talking with them tomorrow about you. You're paying for those pumpkins somehow." I nodded dumbly. My parents were going to kill me....

"Okay, sir." I said, looking around me to try to find my way back to the road. There was nothing but pumpkins. No road...damn.

"If you need a ride home, I'll take you there." The old man said through the driest cough I have ever heard in person. "Come this way." We walked what seemed like forever through the pumpkins, occasionally stumbling over the vines before we got to an old Ford truck and off we went back to my house. The whole way back, through the red, brown and yellow trees of Maine autumn, my tears and the raging conflict my head and heart were having, I could only think one thought:

What could so blessed about a cursed pumpkin patch?

NOTE: SO. Whatcha think of the new idea? Leave me reviews, thanks!!!

BFQ