Sweet as Candy: A Novel in Verse

Wait

By the time Alex arrives for dinner

I’ve cut my phone off

In effort to curb Todd’s enthusiasm

As well as Izzy’s concerns.

I’m not quite sure I have to worry about the latter, though.

Once she opens the door for her beau

Her face is aglow.

She’s practically luminescent

As she turns around

Handing me a bouquet of neon dyed daisies.

“Can you go put these in some water, Candace?” she asks

Her smile practically splitting her face in two.

“Can you believe he still brings me flowers after all this time? That’s true love.”

I smile and nod in reply

Though I hardly believe the secret to true love

Is held within some supermarket botanicals.

As I fill a glass vase with water

Alex shuts the door behind him

Giving Izzy a quick peck on the cheek as he steps over the threshold.

“Dinner smells delicious, Iz.”

Izzy smiles.

“Hope it tastes just as good, because I made a ton.”

He chuckles

The sound a deep rumble.

Alex and Izzy balance each other out, looks-wise

Alex tall and broad-shouldered

Izzy tiny as can be.

Him, pale and blonde

Her, tan and mousy.

Their opposing qualities make for a perfect match in every sense of the word.

(Well, excluding the fact that they’re both football people

Who cheer for opposing teams.)

Once again, the world’s fairy tale matchmaker tries to show me the miraculous nature of love.

As always, I turn a blind eye

Filling the vase to the brim.

Alex takes a seat at the table.

“Hey, kiddo,” he says.

I grin at the nickname.

“Hi, Alex.”

I turn around

Place the pink and yellow flowers in the middle of the table.

“How’s work treating you?”

“Same as always,” he replies.

“How about school? Are final exams as nerve-wracking as I remember?”

I laugh.

“That depends. But as long as there wasn’t any physical torture involved, I’d say yes.”

I sigh, blowing a strand of loose hair out of my face.

“I’m ready for it to be over. It always seems that the last few weeks of school drag on longer than all the others.”

Alex offers me a sympathetic smile.

“Hang in there,” he says.

“You’ll get your freedom soon. Just wait.”