Jody Miller never was the popular kid, but that was fine with her. Every day at school she’d sit alone and read her book while eating her lunch. She never bothered anyone, so there wasn’t any real reason to bother her in return. She almost secluded herself from the rest of our class. She was very smart, making high honors all throughout her high school years. Finally senior year had arrived and everyone was out partying and having fun, but not Jody. She had never had a boyfriend, though it wasn’t because of how she looked or her personality. Jody was an attractive individual in many senses. She had dark brown hair, was very kind, caring, and humble.
When Jody went home at night she’d make it a priority to get all her homework done before she engaged in any leisure activities. Her mother and father would encourage her to try out for some of the sports teams at the high school; they were sure she’d make the team, but she refused. Instead she made a habit of taking a run every other day to keep in shape. Somedays during the week, she had work down at the local grocery store in town. She happily bagged groceries for hours on end. Her boss sometimes complained because he never even saw her begin her shift or leave after it was done. She’d just come during her scheduled hours and then leave when they were over.
She was virtually unnoticed by everyone. No one knew anything about her really, and the rumors that spread about her were usually false. How do I know so much about her? Well… I knew Jody and, there lies the problem.
I knew Jody Miller some time ago. Half way through senior year, I stomached the courage to approach Jody during lunch. I sat down at her lonely table and started a conversation with her. At first she was skeptical to talk to me, but eventually conversation began to flow more smoothly and we found quite a few things in common. Every time I would mention a similarity in our likenesses, her face would glow a light pink of content. She seemed nervous, but curious at the same time. Besides the school teachers, I was one of the first people to interact and have a true relationship with Jody Miller.
The uniqueness of Jody and I was that on first glance, we were polar opposites. I was a social guy. I played sports, I was in a band with some of my friends, I wasn’t too bright throughout high school struggling to stay on the Football team, and I didn’t like reading that much. I hung out with a lot of people, from all the different cliques in our school. I’m not trying to boast or anything, just showing you our differences. And yet through all of that, Jody and I still found companionship.
Jody and I hung out almost every day after that. There was some link between us that just ignited with passion. We were in love, true love, not just high school love. I’d had a few girlfriends in the past, but most of them were the same, only clinging on me for high school status, or for me to buy them this and that. Jody was different; she just wanted to be around me and talk to with me. That year on the Valentine’s day, I took her to a fancy restaurant, one that she had never been to before. I told her that she could have anything she wanted, no matter the price. Modestly, she had a salad. At the end of the night she gave me a kiss, a sincere kiss, thanking me for a wonderful evening. I was the luckiest man alive to have Jody; I’d do anything for her.
All both of us ever wanted to do was be together. And at a point, it became a problem Jody’s slipped out of high honors at the end of the third quarter I even watched as her grades began to drop below B’s. I talked to her about it, but she just told me that everything was fine. She just wanted to hang out with me. She even stopped reading as much as she used too and instead we’d go out and socialize with some friends. We’d go bowling sometimes, which she had taking a liking to. She was a fast learner and soon became pretty good too, bowling in the two hundreds a few times. When I was with Jody, life was good.
It was the night before prom. I was supposed to pick up Jody at her house at 7PM and we were going to meet everyone at the school before we piled onto the coach buses to take us to the cruise liner in New York. I got to her house and rang the doorbell. Her mother answered it and complimented me on how nice I looked. I thanked her and stepped inside. Jody came down the stairs in a white dress with her hair up neatly. She look beautiful. I was speechless; I didn’t know what to say for many moments. She just looked at me grinning and we casually made our way out the door, waving back at her parents. They stood in the front doorway watching as we pulled out of the driveway.
When we arrived at the school, we waited inside with the rest of our classmates in the cafeteria. Finally, one of the coach buses arrived, and the other one was said to be on its way. It was quite warm outside, but the wind was terribly strong, making it hard to even hear each other talk. I watched as the freshman basketball team just finished a game and were dispersing out of the building with their parents. One of my freshman friends was passing the ball back and forth with his friend. I saw as his friend accidently threw it over his head and so he turned to chase after it. He rushed over to get it before it got to the parking lot, but he didn’t realize that our second coach bus that was pulling up in front of the first bus.
I saw this and I knew what I had to do. At that point I stood there arguing with with my conscience. I knew what I had to do I was hesitant.
Quickly I ran over as fast as I could and shoved my friend out of the way of the coach bus. All I saw after that were bright lights, and then… thump! My arm had hit the edge of the bus, but I was not seriously injured from the impact… Wearily I got up to my feet and cleared my blurry vision. When I came to, my eyes witnesses the most horrible of scenes. Jody had followed me in efforts to save the young man. After I had saved the boy I was left directly in front of the bus’ path. Jody had pushed me out of the way at that very moment.
My Jody lay there lifeless on the concrete parking lot, with half her body still underneath the bus. Our classmates rushed over yelling and screaming in shock and confusion. I slowly bent down next to Jody. I knew she was dead. I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew it. My hands became soaked with her blood as I held her head in my lap. Her perfect white dress, stained by blood. Her perfect life, stained by me. It was my fault.
Her beautiful life in exchange for a guy like me. That’s not a fair trade; how could this happen? I sat there with Jody until emergency help arrived. At that very moment in time I wish I’d never had met her. I wish that I was still contemplated whether or not to go talk to her at that lunch table on that day. I just wish that she was alive, regardless of whether we were together or not. I wish she could go back before she we met, back when she was that conservative, quiet, and lonely person. At least she’d still be alive…