Emma Madgic
Emma is a sophomore at Aragon High School. She has always loved to read, and started writing as a first grader, in a journal she received for her birthday. She now enjoys writing in all forms, but especially fictional prose. She strives to explore human limits, choices, and vulnerability in her writing. One (not so) quirky fact is that she loves waffles of all different kinds.
Love
Love is like cliff jumping
Exhilarating
Adrenaline-inducing
But finite
And risky
You’ll change
Everything
For the one you love
And maybe they’ll stay
But maybe they’ll leave
And you’ll be left
Slamming into the water
The pleasant tingling
Replaced with
A forceful slap.
Yet despite the
Inevitable fall
We wouldn’t think twice
About doing it
all
Again.
Choices
“Hey, Gale, can you grab my towel for me? I’m going to shower before work,” Haley called up the stairs as she pulled her sweaty hair into a ponytail. She slipped out of her Nikes and padded over to the kitchen. She pulled a glass out of the cabinet.
“Sure.” Gale sighed and headed upstairs. He had been waiting for Haley to come home for the past hour. She always stayed late at practice. He missed having her around more often. He retrieved the towel and handed it to Haley.
“Haley, can I ask you something?” Gale stood next to Haley by the refrigerator.
“Yeah, I have to be at work in a few minutes though.” Haley refilled her water glass and opened another cabinet.
“You’ve been really busy lately.”
“I know. It’s great, though.”
Gale shifted on his feet and swallowed before replying. “Haley, it seems like we never hang out anymore.”
“I’m working hard for my dreams, Gale. Don’t you want me to do that? I’m just preoccupied right now. It won’t be like this forever.”
Gale glanced at the fridge and noticed that all the pictures were of Haley and her track team. It never used to bother him, but suddenly he was irritated that he couldn’t find a picture of the two of them. He paused before responding.
“I know you’re working hard, and I admire you for that. But where do I fit in in that magnificent dream of yours? Am I just supposed to stand here while you spend all your time with the track team?”
“Gale, I love you. But you know track is my dream. It’s my dream to be on a professional team. Can’t you support me for that?”
“Of course. It’s just--I don’t know. I can’t just stand and watch you drift away from me. You are my dream; I just wish I could be yours,” Gale said, and looked at the ground, embarrassed that his eyes had begun to water.
Haley looked at Gale for a long time before responding. “Are you asking me to choose between the two things I love?”
“It’s just that I don’t want to always feel like your second choice.”
“Gale, I love you, but track is my dream.” Her voice broke. “I don’t know how to keep both without sacrificing something.”
“Why does that sacrifice always have to be me?”
“I’m sorry, Gale. Maybe this isn’t going to work out any more.” Haley looked up at Gale, her eyes revealing her pain. Gale forced himself to avert his eyes so he wouldn’t start crying. The silence that followed was deafening.
