A Boy and A Blossom

A Boy and a Blossom

A Short story written by: Kristian Campbell

        In a small town in Ontario, Canada, a young boy was battling depression. Jake, 14 years old, lived in a place where technology was growing and the beauty of the Earth was fading; 1989. Jake didn't talk too much of anyone; not even his friends or his family. Truth be told, he didn't have any friends and he distanced himself from his parents. In his world, he was alone. It was the same old routine. He comes home from school. The first thing he always saw was his cherry blossom tree next to his house. His parents would then ask him how he was doing. He would just stare coldly at them and say the same thing: That his day was fine. He knew this was untrue. His brother Samuel, who was older than Jake by 9 years, would then proceed to tell his parents to leave him be, and that he was a brat that just didn't want anyone to love him. His father somewhat agreed with Samuel, but his mother disagreed entirely.

Once in his room, Jake looked at his pillow and then the mirror. He jumped on his bed and began to cry. Tears dropped from his eyes. Pain; that's what he was feeling. His mother over heard her son crying. She felt his pain and started to weep.

Let's go back to 1988. Jake, during this time, was a happy-go-lucky kid but he hid his pain behind a smile. He'd usually go to school and got beaten up by other kids. Jake was Japanese. Because of this the kids would test him by beating him until he ran away.

At lunch time Jake would sit under a tree, not too big and not too small. He'd sit there and eat his lunch alone. While eating his sandwich one day, a girl his age came up and asked if this spot was taken. Trying to be cool, he said it was but she sat anyway and asked him not to be cool since it didn't suit him. He said he was sorry in a depressed manner. The girl looked at him, wondering what was wrong with him. She then leaned over and gave Jake a kiss on his forehead. Jake blushed and asked why she did that. She then replied,

"My mom does that to me when I'm sad, so I hope that will make you smile for me."

Jake looked at her and smiles a little bit. She kept telling him to make his smile larger and larger. He does so and she began to laugh. After that she told Jake that he had a cute smile. Jake introduced himself shyly and asked for her name. She told Jake that her name was Sakura, like the tree.

Going back to 1989. Jake woke up the next morning in his regular mood: depressed. He ate his breakfast; ignoring his family's conversations. His mother told him that his brother was in charge when he comes home from school. Jake finishes his breakfast, says okay, and walks away from his table and into his room. The father tells his wife that he needs some emotional help but Samuel says to give it time and that he'll grow up.

Jake goes to his room and looks at the cherry blossom tree; its branches reach his window. He reaches out and grabs a single blossom off of it and looks at it with a glum face.

Going back to 1988, he had learned more and more about Sakura. She was half Japanese and half Indian. Her father was shot and killed a year after she was born, she was an only child and was alone most of the time since her mother worked all day. Sakura said that she had friends but she could never go over to their houses. Sakura started to tear. She was trying to be tough herself. She told Jake that she had something in her eye. Jake kissed Sakura on her forehead, saying that she shouldn't try to act tough as it didn't suit her. Sakura told him to shut up in a sarcastic tone. She then starts to laugh about it. Later on that day, he introduced her to his parents and his brother. However, like always, they embarrassed Jake. Sakura just smiled and ignored it.

Returning to 1989, Jake looked at the flower and said its name: Sakura. He then heads off to school with it, emotionless. He goes to school, eats lunch at school with and returns home with it. He never left that blossom behind. He looked at it before he went to sleep. One tear appeared from his eye and ran down his face. He then went to sleep.

Going back to April of 1989. It had been 11 months since Sakura and Jake knew each other. Sakura and Jake, even though they were only kids, were close. Sakura was an artist that loved to draw everything she saw. She hoped to illustrate a novel one day. As for Jake, he played soccer and took lessons in karate. He hoped to be a famous soccer player. The both of them talked about something new every day and their friendship grew.

One day, Sakura asked Jake if he loved her. Jake paused and thought for a while, blushing. He said he did. He wondered if she returned the feelings. He asked her and she answered yes. They sat in silence, both blushing till their faces turned red. Sakura asked Jake a special life-time promise. The promise was that he stays by her side forever. Jake responded with a kiss on cheek.

"I will protect you and be with you forever," he says. Sakura then hugged him and began to cry.

She said, "I love you." to him. Hake hugged back and said, "I love you too, Sakura."

Back to the present time of 1989. In June school had ended for Jake. He still held that blossom. It had been a week, maybe more, since he first picked that blossom. He came home from school and his mother asked him how he was and how his last day went. He said that it was the same old, same old. He used the same line again. His mother, worried, tried to hug him but Jake, angrily, told her to stop since he was holding Sakura. His mother looked at his hand, which was holding a blossom. She was shocked. She said she was sorry to Jake and to the blossom, and then went back to the kitchen with tears in her eyes. Jake then went to his room and began to cry. He asked his blossom what he should do.

Three days had passed since school had ended, and Jake stilled held onto his blossom. While out one day, bullies from the neighbourhood found him and started beating on him. They took the blossom from his hands and started to make mean comments about it. Jake was enraged and started to attack the bullies.

Back to April of 1989, Jake and Sakura were walking home from a movie they saw at the theatre. Out of nowhere a giant man in the shadows came towards them with a knife. He was thirsty for blood. Jake got in front of Sakura, because he knew that this man was dangerous. The man started to attack and Jake ran towards him and started beating on him. But it was useless since the man didn't feel a thing. The man pushed Jake out of the way and went after Sakura. Sakura tried to run away from the man while Jake gets up and charged him. Jake jumped on the man's back and pulled his hair. The man was in pain, but he grabbed the boy and he slammed him on the ground. Jake's vision was fading but the last thing he saw before he blacked out was blood. It seemed like an eternity but he woke up quickly because of his will. He saw nothing but the rain pouring down from the sky onto a body. Jake quickly got up and saw that the body belonged to Sakura. She had been stabbed in the heart. Jake, now in distress, begins to sob uncontrollably. Sakura then opens her eyes with the last of her strength and kisses Jake on the nose. Her dying words were, "I'm sorry."

Jake looked at her, his eyes reflecting his feelings of pain and agony. He then screamed out her name towards the skies.

It was a sad day for everyone; Sakura's mom, Jake's brother and parents, but especially for Jake.

Returning to June of 1989, Jake was finished with the fight. The sky was blue but in Jake's eyes, it was black. He won the fight, but his blossom was damaged; it only had one petal left. He then got up and realised what he had to do. Even though he was bleeding and limping, he began to walk to that special place. He arrived at the same tree where he met Sakura and where they both declared their love for each other. Jake looked around and found a hole in the tree and puts the blossom inside of it. He asks it some final questions.

"Will I ever see you again? Will I ever find all the answers to my problems? Will I find hope?"

Jake looked at it again and saw an image of Sakura. He then said to himself that he couldn't cry anymore since he was supposed to be tough. But the image kissed him on the forehead, saying not to try to act tough because it didn't suit him. She said to him, "You will find the answers Jake. I love you."

The image disappears, and Jake began to cry silently. He then picks up a rusty nail at the base of the tree and carves something onto it and finally leaves the area. He looks back and smiled at the tree, saying "I love you" to Sakura. He then returns home. What did it say on the tree? There was an image of a giant heart around the hole. Below the heart it said "J & S 4ever."


◊Written on May 21st, 2011 – May 23rd, 2011◊