Francis

Raphael

I wrote the following in my English mock exam, I've been waiting ever since ot get the exam back. Reckon it's one of my better thingies so I typed it up today.

Oh, and if anyone notices similarities between this and Free Enterprise: Well done.

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I’ve always been different. But then again, everyone is. It’s what makes us alike. But I’ve never fitted in. My whole life, I’ve felt as if life was a merry-go-round, but I’d missed the ride, and all I could do was just stand there, watching.
It started, I suppose, in primary school. Most of these stories do. I’d been raised on books, on a diet of imagination. But when I hit primary school, I was in an environment of TV shows and football. Neither of which I had much experience with, but both of which I had to start coming to terms with.

It was never easy though. I didn’t have the patience to start learning soccer, and the TV shows that everyone watched didn’t appeal to me. I spent primary school with my nose in a book, and when I eventually took it out, I’d hit secondary school. When I got to secondary, I hoped that things would change. They didn’t. The only difference was that the books I had my nose in started coming from the fantasy section. That became my world. I discovered Middle Earth, and I envied the people there. Sure, they were in constant threat, but they had lived! They had purpose! But above all… they had friends.

By the time I was sixteen, I’d as good as moved into the fantasy section of the local library. I used to go there after school, and stay until they closed. It didn’t bother me that I’d read every book there twice, I just went for the good ones to read them a third time. I got to know the librarians well, but they were never friends. I was too awkward to make friends. Well, that was what I thought.

It was April, I was in fifth year, and I was moving onto my fourth trip through the fantasy section. I came in after school and waved to Bernadette who was working that day. Then I entered the fantasy section and stopped. Someone was in my chair. And they were reading the exact book I had wanted to get. A braver man would have said something, but I was anything but brace. So I took another book, settled myself down in the corner and began reading.

“You like David Gemmell?” came a female voice. I looked up, and realised that it was the person in my chair. I shrugged, not trusting my vocal chords to do their job properly. The girl continued. “I like some of his stuff, but not Druss. Druss is too shallow.”

“What?” I managed to say, then followed up with, “Are you insane? Druss isn’t shallow; he’s just a moral person! He lives his life by a code, that doesn’t make him shallow!” I’m pretty sure that was the most I’d ever said to a girl.

She smiled. “I usually got a ‘sure’ or a ‘dunno’ to that. Most guys try to avoid disagreeing with a pretty girl.” She stuck out her hand. “My name’s Claire.” I shook her hand cautiously. “Nice to meet you,” I said. She looked at me, her head angled. “I was kind of expecting your name too…” “Oh. Sorry.” I replied, grinning sheepishly. “It’s Francis. I’m not very good at this…” She laughed. It reminded me of wind-chimes. Then she put down her book and picked up her bag.

“It was nice meeting you Francis, but I really have to go,” she said, turning to leave.
“Wait!” I shouted, forgetting for a moment that I was in a library.” “Are you, uh, gonna be here next week?”
“Francis, are you trying to ask me out?” she said, a bemused creeping onto her face.
“No! Well, yes… uh…maybe?”
She laughed. Wind-chimes again. “See you next week then.”

I had a friend. We met up every week at the library, and from there we used to go for coffee, or a movie, or just sit in the park and talk fantasy. As time moved on, so did our relationship. I can remember the point where we started being a couple as if it was yesterday.
We were sitting together in Return of the King. It was our fourth time seeing it, and we could almost recite the movie between us. When Sam rescued Frodo from the orc tower, I felt a weight on my arm, I looked over and Claire was curled up against me. I put my arm around her, and we had our first kiss as Aragorn accepted the crown of Gondor. And while I held her in my arms I felt, for the first time in my life, whole.

Summer came and went, and we were spending more and more time together. My parents were so pleased that I’d found someone, they didn’t care who she was. Her parents were just glad Claire was dating someone who didn’t collect hubcaps. It seemed that nothing could go wrong. So, of course, something did.
It was winter. We were both in sixth year and Claire’s parents were starting to push her for the Leaving Cert. I used to meet her after school and walk home with her, just so we could have some time together. It was one of those times she broke my heart.

“Francis, I… I think we need to spend some time apart.”
I looked at her as if she’d just sprouted wings, willing her to have been joking, but she continued
“I don’t think I have time for a relationship at the moment”
“But Claire…” I said, “I need you. I love you. I can’t be apart from you.”
“God, Francis, get a grip! You make Dardalion look independent.”
“Dardalion was independent! He led the Thirty! If it wasn’t for him then…”
“Damnit Francis, live in the real world. Just for five minutes.” And with that, she turned her back, and walked out of my life.

And that was the end of it. From there I walked through cold streets, the tears threatening to freeze on my cheeks. I got to the river, and I wrote what you’ve just been reading.
Goodbye Claire. Thank you for giving me half a happy year outside of a book. But I can’t live in the Real World. I won’t. I guess I’ll have to find somewhere else


I love you

lilmissprincess

Wow. Was the title given as "Francis" or did you change it afterwards?
Oh, it just hit me now. This story seems like it has the James Blunt song " Goodbye my lover" behind it, at least at the end.

Very interesting. Definately not your normal type of Protagonist. Good writing

shiv

I like it, it's moving.
Very heart-felt.
The whole fantasy tie-in makes it interesting too.