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First written in workshop 8/12/18
Edited 20/4/20

Drawn to Dawn

Nick had first seen Dawn in the refectory at Kenworth College and had been instantly attracted to her. It wasn’t just her dark straight hair and flashing brown eyes, in fact it wasn’t that at all; Nick normally went for blonds. What attracted Nick to Dawn was her voice and vivacious behaviour. She had a laugh that lifted clouds and a personality that never bored. There was a brightness about her – that was how he described it. A brilliance that he couldn’t pin down. The sort of thing that catches the corner of your eye but when you look you can’t really see it plainly. It was like something speaking to his heart deep within. He knew all this even though he’d never actually spoken with her, not once. He remembered how he’d sat, transfixed, watching her in animated conversation with her friends – a group both male and female. They’d left and finally she was by herself; this was his opportunity to approach her. But then she got up to leave and Nick stopped dead as he saw something he’d never noticed before. She was uncoordinated and walked with a stick. What should have been a beautiful petite figure seemed marred by jerky movements. He felt so guilty and ashamed at his decision, but there was no way he was asking her out.

A week passed and here he was, sat in the same chair, waiting for her to return. Waiting to see if the heavens had pardoned his pettiness, and by some grace he might be given a second chance.

The place was practically empty, but she arrived with friends. Always surrounded by friends, how was he going to get to talk with her. But then, when her friends left, she came over to his table.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked, and the world sparkled.

Copyright © 2020 Michael Tetzlaff. All rights reserved.