James Eastsons was mad, but that view he could not lie was breathtaking. It was Saturday morning, and the eldest Eastsons boy was watching the sunrise. It was beautiful.
The young teen’s soft pink lips pulled up involuntarily into a smile. He had been mad since Monday when he learned of his parents’ change of plans for the weekend—plans that disrupted his own long-awaited trip to a concert he loved so dearly. He felt a mix of frustration and disappointment, knowing that as a Christian, he was not to go to bed mad, yet he couldn’t help but feel it deeply. He deserved better. He had earned that opportunity to go to that concert and enjoy it with his friends and older cousin. It was going to be a fun experience, a memory he had been looking forward to all summer.
James believed he deserved fun; he had worked hard for it. He didn’t get bad grades; in fact, he had been diligent in his studies. He completed his chores without complaint, and he even worked extra hours to afford his concert tickets. All of that commitment felt like it had gone down the drain when his parents announced their new weekend plans thanks to his little sister Hana’s birthday wish. Now he was missing out on something extraordinary. Life was not fair. At least Frank was going to enjoy the concert, as he was the one who ended up receiving the tickets. It was a cruel twist of fate that left James feeling he didn’t quite deserve this.
Just as he pondered this unfairness, the thought of Frank enjoying the concert turned his smile bittersweet. But that view was breathtaking, a vibrant tapestry of colors unfurling across the horizon. The sky was a mix of orange and red and blue, just so lovely that sunrise was. It felt like the universe was painting a picture just for him, yet the sorrow tugging at his heart made it hard to fully appreciate.
“It’s a nice view,” said the teenage girl who, as of 5:00 a.m. that morning, James had been crushing on. Anna Goodman was her name, a half-black, half-Asian girl with striking features. Her dad was South African American, and her mom was Chinese American, according to what she told him. She had apparently just moved to the area this year and was attending Summer Lane High School. She was his current crush of the weekend and maybe even the year.
“Yeah,” James replied, feeling a mix of bitterness and giddiness, a paradox of emotions that made his heart race. This was another reason he felt mad but couldn’t help smiling—besides the spectacular sunrise. It was because of her, Anna. Yes, he learned her name and held onto it like a treasure. “It is beautiful.”
It had been her idea to go sunrise gazing. Their paths had crossed at the local campsite store when James had stopped by to get a drink. He had been reaching for an Arizona tea, same as her, and that simple action had sparked a conversation that felt as natural as breathing. Maybe life wasn’t going to be so bad after all?
“Yeah,” Anna replied, her eyes sparkling in the rising sun. “My parents loved camping… It’s how they met.”
James felt like giggling. Really now? Just like him and her? It felt like a storyline plucked from a movie. Was this how he was going to meet his future wife? Just like the type of romance movies and TV shows his little sister Mary Ann loved to watch? The thought of that sent a tiny thrill through him, an excitement that blossomed in his chest. Was this how his life would turn out? Just like in the movies and TV shows?
“Because of that reason, I always loved to wake up early and watch the sunrise,” she continued, and to James’ surprise, she pulled out a digital camera from her cute pinkish-yellow purse. “I have a blogger account, and I like posting these moments on there.”
“I see,” he stated, captivated, as he watched her film the sunrise. The scene was picturesque, and so was she. He was beginning to rethink how badly his parents had ruined his weekend plans. Maybe life wanted him to meet her, and that was why this week had been so terrible? As the saying goes, life works in mysterious ways. “Can I have it?”
“Huh?”
“Your blog address,” he asked, feeling a tingle of excitement mixed with nervousness. Anna turned to him, ready to share the information, when suddenly her younger brother—a boy who looked just like her—came running toward them. He was shouting something urgently.
“It’s cousin Jake!” James could hear him clearly. “Come, Anna, he’s been shot! We are leaving!”
“What?!” James and Anna shouted together, a wave of confusion and panic washing over them.
“It’s on the news!” her brother exclaimed, urgency dripping from his words. “Come on!”
In an instant, the serene moment of sunrise gazing was overshadowed by a looming sense of anxiety. James felt his heart drop as he processed the urgency in the boy’s voice. What did this mean for Anna? What did this mean for their budding connection? The beautiful morning had taken a sharp turn towards chaos. As the sun continued to rise, casting its golden light over them, the brightness felt almost mocking against the dark turn their conversation had taken.
James’ mind raced with thoughts, images of violence flickering through his imagination. Who could have done such a thing? The camaraderie they’d shared a moment ago faded like the warmth of the sun, replaced by a chilling worry that wrapped around him like a heavy fog. He had been captivated by Anna, his heart lightened by her laughter and the beauty of the moment, but now a storm was brewing in his chest.
“Anna, wait!” he called out, taking a few quick steps forward as she began to follow her brother. The urgency in her movements was alarming, as though she were about to vanish into thin air, and he couldn’t let her go like that. “Can I have your cellphone number?”
“I— I don’t know,” Anna stammered, glancing back at him, her face a mixture of concern and fear. “Maybe later! I need to go. I can’t believe this is happening!”
James felt a surge of helplessness. The magical moment they had shared, the possibility of something blooming between them, all felt fragile now, like glass on the verge of shattering. He wanted to tell her that everything would be fine, that they would figure it out together, but all he could do was watch as she turned to leave, running beside her brother. Each step they took felt like a piece of his heart breaking, his thoughts a whirlpool of worry and confusion.
Just like that, the warm morning light turned cold, and the breathtaking view faded into a haunting memory, leaving James standing there, feeling utterly lost in the thickening shadows of the moring. The birds as always on such beautiful mornings began chirping.
Pecanpieandchocolatemilk 
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