The Innocence Game:Ch 03: The Result

Part Three of Three in The Innocence Game series. Please read Chapters One and Two if you haven't already done so, as they explain key events leading up to this point. And please enjoy!

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"How many more of these are there?" Emily asked

"Just this last one" Brent said "Good luck!"

Christi and Hailey wished her good luck as well as they escorted her out of the car. Then she looked up at the junior high. I had a feeling she was trying to guess which one of the memories from this place I was trying to re-enact. To her luck, she was soon to find out.

She opened the doors and entered the school, which was illuminated by battery powered candles traveling down the hallway. At this point I didn't have any video cameras, but I knew she was coming close to the next one, which was right where a gorgeous strapless white dress stood on a hangar with a note that said "I think you might like this. Sincerely Jason :)"

It took about five minutes but eventually the candles led her to the dress and when she looked at it, I swear, she started bawling. Then she took the dress, went to the bathroom which was unlocked and only a couple feet away, and when she walked out, she was in that legendary white dress. She walked down the halls until finally she reached the gym and opened the door. And that's when she saw it.

A modified version of the winter wonderland dance. There was real ice on the floor, more cardboard cutouts of snowflakes, and finally me, in a fancy tuxedo, alone in the center of the gym. I began to approach her, calmly and coolly, with a wide smile across my face.

"Well, I promised this wasn't anything you've done before. I wasn't too far off right?"

She smiled, about to cry again, and said "But why Jason? You called every one of our childhood friends who live all across the country and you rented out so many places. Why did you go to so much trouble to do this?"

"Isn't it obvious? You haven't been this happy in over a year. You've been my friend since we were five and you were always looking on the bright side of everything. And then when you, you went through that devastating incident, and you changed, I felt scarred. I felt like if someone as perfect as you could breakdown then this world was truly as bad as the media makes it sound. But it's not, I knew that deep in my heart, I could save you, and I could see the smile again, and you and I could be happy. And now you are. You never have to fear anything if you truly don't want to. You never have to turn down someone you care about because you're too scared to leave your own house. You never have to cry at night and wonder why the world is so awful. Not anymore. Because deep in your heart, and deep in my heart, and deep in Brent and Christi and Hailey and Jericho and everyone's hearts, we're still innocent. And we can find that innocence if we try hard enough."

That did it. She fell into my arms, hugging me tightly as though she may never let go, crying tears of joy, tears of mourning the years she spent in sorrow, and knowing that a new era was in the making. With Emily still holding on to me, I whispered "And now, I have one more trial, one more moment to recreate for my Innocence Game." Then I pulled a remote out of my pocket, and hit play. Bryan Adams "Heaven" started playing and we danced. It was similar to the first time but it was so much more different because it felt like everything in the universe was in balance and we were both alright. Suddenly I was beginning to be effected by my game as well, now seeing my own innocence in a new light. I closed my eyes and held Emily tight, as we rocked back and forth, two souls united once again, until the music ended.

Everyone I had asked to come stayed the weekend and we hung out at my house and ate and watched movies. Then the magnificent weekend I had created came to a close, but the afterglow remained. Emily began going out of the house more often, starting with getting a crumby job at a diner (which she enjoyed regardless) and then finally going off to college. I went back to school too and I spent my days living life to the fullest, even struggling to remember brushing my teeth in the morning. Because life is too precious and you just can't waste any of it.

Emily and I are still close friends. Just recently she got the confidence to start dating again and is seeing a seemingly kind and normal guy. I met him like once and we had a good conversation about the weather and academics and it made me happy that she had chosen a nice guy. I told him how I'm planning on minoring in teaching preschool and he got a kick out of that. When I teach preschool, I know I'll be really good at it, because not only am I good with children, but I can daydream about them growing up one day, and looking back to when Mr. Jason Miller was their preschool teacher, teaching them how to have fun, and maintain innocence.

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Thanks for reading my series! Have a great day!