mayfly

May 2043 - Christopher and Margaret Long are 15, Jennifer Cox and Gabrielle Wheeler are 16, Jackson Cooper and Tom Smith are 14.

In a few months Christopher and Margaret will have their driver's licenses, but until then they're stuck at home most weekends. Their parents work a lot on the weekends, and Forest Hills is too far from Providence to walk.

So when Jackson calls and says he has a bunch of friends over, Margaret and Christopher are happy to join them. "Why don't we meet at the park?"

When they get there, it's obvious why Jackson called them even though they aren't good friends. Tom Smith is there, and he and Margaret have been dating for a while, although they both insist it's casual. There are also two girls from Bridgeport, Jackson's girlfriend Gabrielle Wheeler and her friend Jennifer Cox.

Christopher has known Jennifer through their parents for a while, and he thinks she's cute. But right away he really likes Gabrielle. She's so pretty, and they have so much to talk about.

Jackson winds up hanging out with his girlfriend's friend while Christopher is talking to Gabrielle.

Finally Jackson confronts them by the water fountain. "What's going on with you guys?"

"What are you talking about? We're just talking."

"I'm not your property, Jackson."

"You're my girlfriend," he says.

"Not anymore. I can't take the jealousy anymore. We're done."

After Jackson storms off, Christopher says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make problems for you."

"It's okay," she sighs. "It's not your fault. Jackson and I... it just wasn't working." She pauses and looks up at him through her thick eyelashes. "And he wasn't totally wrong."

"Wrong?"

"About you and me. About me liking you."

He pulls her close. "I like you too."

Maybe Christopher should be sorry that he broke them up, but he isn't. He's just happy to be close to Gabrielle.