The Perfect One
Yvette Kuo
Publishing Information
Written by Yvette Kuo XE4B Instructor: Mr. Kenneth M. Smith Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages Kaohsiung, Taiwan June 2013
About the Author My name is Yvette Kuo, who was born in Miaoli City, R.O.C., and is a fourth-year student in the junior college in Wenzao. In my free time, I like reading romantic, self-improvement and detective novels, and I also like photographing. Most of the pictures in this book are taken by myself. My favorite book is The Little Prince. This is my first time writing a novel, so I decide to choose The Little Prince as an important element in the story to make it more special. Hope you enjoy it.
Synopsis Everyone accepts the love they think they deserve, so does Bryce. Since he was six years old, he tries hard to forget the death of his mom and gets through his life with his father and the step-mother. Until he met Amber, the girl he loves so much, who reminds him both of the best and the worst memory in his past...
Contents ∞ Page
1. The Sea …………………. 1-3 2. Birthday ………………..4-7 3. B-612 ………………….. 8-11 4. Thorn …………………. 12-15 5. Surface ………………… 16-20 6. The Truth …………….. 21-26 7. The Perfect One ………...27-31 8. Resources ………………..32 9. Acknowledgement ……33
Words checked = [2246] Words in Oxford 3000 = [91%]
Chapter 1 The Sea “Bryce, why don’t I see Amber around recently?” “Amber and I broke up one month ago.” I say it as a serious announcement on the dinner table, though there are only two people here, my dad and I. My dad used to be a hilarious and cool father. People around him like neighbors and colleagues get along with him very well; however, he became sorrowful and ∽1∽
despondent after my mom’s death. That was my sixth Christmas Eve in Torrance, my little hometown in Los Angeles. I love those times I spent on the beach with her and dad during every summer vacation. I love the sea because of her, but I hate it for the same reason. The wild sea took her away from me, and I still don’t know why she would choose to go to the beach in such a freezing winter. But whatever things happened to her, she was the most beautiful and mysterious woman ∽2∽
in my life forever. “Why? Isn’t she a nice girl?” My dad asks me with no interest. He always does this. He never really cares about me, neither sincerely talks to me. He still thinks that it was me who made Catherine leave us. Catherine came two years later after mom died. I didn’t mean to be aggressive to her. Actually, I thought I was quite nice to her though she made me sick a little bit. But it is not a big deal. She left us after all. ∽3∽
Chapter 2 Birthday “Tomorrow we have to see your mom. It’s her birthday.” “But dad, tomorrow will be the last day of my summer vacation, and I’ve told my coach that I will go to the sparring training in the afternoon.” “What a silly football game and a silly football team. Go, Bryce. I won’t stop you anymore because I know you’ll never change. Just enjoy your honor of being the ∽4∽
captain.” I keep silent and finish my plate. I already knew that he would talk to me like that, and he has been doing it for over five years. But why do I feel sad and disappointed? After washing the plates, I stand up and go upstairs to my room. It is the one and only place where I can feel released and safe. “It’s an awful week.” I say to myself and open my favorite book, The Little Prince. I remember mom used to read it with a ∽5∽
soft voice before I went to bed. She was different from other adults because she understood what the little prince thought.
Mom used to read the little prince to me before I went to bed.
She loved his sheep in the box. She loved the asteroid B-612 where the little prince âˆ˝6âˆ˝
said he could see the sunset for forty four times every day. She loved the honest fox. She loved all the adventures the little prince had been through. She loved his lovely and proud rose. She loved his picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant which was considered to be a hat by other grown-ups. In fact, Catherine did read the story to me sometimes, but in a strange way which is totally different from my mom.
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Chapter 3 B-612 I met Amber in our high school’s Christmas party two years ago. I don’t really into those exaggerate Christmas activities because of my mom, but Danny, my best friend and also the player in my team, persuaded me with several excuses. Expectedly, this time he told me that it would be the most meaningful party since that we were going to be a freshman in the college. That night was as cold as the ∽8∽
night my mom disappeared, and I decided to drink coke and lean on the wall instead of dancing with any girl in the party because I couldn’t really cheer myself up to join them. “Listen up, everybody! Here comes the result of our party king and queen, Bryce Anderson and Jennifer Moore!” “Oh, damn. Why me again?” I whispered to myself and saw Jennifer walking on the stage with her heavy make-up happily. The only thing I could think of at that ∽9∽
moment was to leave the horrible and stressful place, so I went out to the football field and sat down at a bench. When I finally settled down and tried hard not to think of my mom because of the freezing wind, I saw there was a girl sitting in front of me about three or four benches away. “Hey.” I called her with a voice which I hardly could hear myself, either. She turned around and looked at me for a while, and I found out that she was Amber ∽10∽
who was in the same advanced reading class with me. “Hi! Look, I’m painting the asteroid B-612 of the little prince. How is it?” “Well, to me it’s like a wonderful paradise. I always want to go there.” “Me, too!” She run to me, screamed, jumped up and held my hand tightly like a child who just got a new pair of shoes. I guess it was the moment I fell in love. I like the way she laughs. And luckily, we went to the same college in Torrance. ∽11∽
Chapter 4 Thorn “Hey, dude, what’s up?” Danny walked towards me. “Not bad, though today’s my mom’s birthday, and dad’s angry with me that I’m not going to celebrate it with them.” “No worries, bro. You can celebrate it after this game, can’t you?” Danny doesn’t know about my mom’s death. To be honest, none of my friends know it. It’s a secret between my dad, Catherine and I. ∽12∽
Oh, Amber does know it, but not much. I seldom talk about it with others. “Yeah. You’re right.” “Anyway, Bryce, I have something to tell you. I asked Amber to be my girl last week, and she said yes!” “Amber?” “Yes. The girl in our advanced reading class. I know it’s kind of weird because you two just broke up, but seriously, I’ve had a crush on her since high school. No offense.” ∽13∽
“It’s fine, Danny. She can choose whoever she loves, and so can you.” Even though I pretend to be generous about the relationship with Amber, I can’t lie to myself that the thing does hurt my feeling. The reason Amber and I broke up is not because there’s no love between us. I love her.
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I still love her.
However, after several quarrels and the serious fight which happened one month ago, I think perhaps we’re not that perfect for each other. Honestly, I hate someone staying too close to me.
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Chapter 5 Surface Today is the first day of the college. I guess I do prepare very well to be an excellent and quite popular student just like before. I’ve been the captain of the football team for my high school for about four years, and I work hard on my study, too. I try to do this because I don’t want others to find out that I have a fragile family. It’s like a shame on me. “Morning, bro!” Danny says hi to me in ∽16∽
his usual way, but the only difference is that there is Amber standing next to him. I don’t feel like seeing this on the first school day. “Good morning, Danny and Amber. Here you are with your new girlfriend. You look like a happy singing bird right now.” “Yes, I do. She’s the angel who helps me find my voice.” “Hi, Bryce. We’re going to the reading class together. Join us?” “Thanks, but I’m dealing with my locker ∽17∽
now. It’s a mess after this summer vacation. I’ll go after you guys. See you.” I say goodbye in a rush way because I cannot really breathe while being with both of them. It’s an awkward situation. Amber makes me think of my mom. The way she laughs is so attractive that I can’t forget. Her soft voice is like mom’s the most, so I used to ask her to read the little prince to me. I feel safe and sweet while staying with her.
∽18∽
I feel safe when I am with Amber.
But every time, when she wanted to kiss me or touch me, I felt sick. Especially when she touched my neck, I would yell to her and be rude to her. I’m sorry to her, but it doesn’t work. I was still hurting her, and I couldn’t tell her why. I just couldn’t. I hate someone touching my neck. ∽19∽
Catherine did. She did in her strange way, but that does not matter. She left us after all.
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Chapter 6 The Truth It has been four months since school started, and winter comes. It means I have to face it again. Things happened like last year. Danny came to me, and I was persuaded. In the college party, there’s the only difference from the one in high school – I can drink beer instead of coke. But I decide to escape from there to my favorite football field right at the beginning of the party because I don’t ∽21∽
want to see Amber and Danny dancing. When I arrive at the benches, I find a familiar figure who is sitting on the bench where Amber used to sit. I walk closer to figure it out, and it is Amber. “Hey.” It looks as she has cried. “You should enjoy your beer in the party.” “Were you crying?” I feel guilty about her sadness. I know it is because of me. “Well, not a big deal. “ We both keep silent for a while. “Bryce, do you remember this is the place ∽22∽
where we talked to each other for the first time?” “Yes, I do. Indeed.” I sigh and feel like crying right now. “I miss you, Bryce.” Amber looks at me with her pure and beautiful eyes. I look back and put my hand on her face. “You have to tell her, Bryce.” I encourage myself. She put her hands around my neck, and I trembled. I’m controlling myself not to be out of my mind. It’s painful, and my neck ∽23∽
is burning like there is fire on it. But I have to tolerate because I love Amber. “Amber, there’s something you need to know about me and about my step-mother, Catherine.” She sits tight and listens carefully. “It was a wonderful Saturday night with millions of stars in the winter. I used to feel lonely because my mom wasn’t with me. Since Catherine came to our home, I was happier than before, but it all changed ∽24∽
at that beautiful night.” “My dad worked late on that day, so Catherine took care of me like usual. But things became strange while she was reading me the little prince. I still remember what she had said to me. She said, ‘Bryce, it’s the little secret only between you and me.’ And she started to touch me. She first touched my neck and then body and then…” I start to sob with all of my strength and cry out loud. I’m really scared. I’m scared ∽25∽
of Catherine, of being touched, of the way others look at me, of that Amber won’t love me anymore. Then, Amber hugs me with all of her strength, too. “I’m sorry, Bryce. I’m really sorry, and I love you.” Amber kisses me on my forehead like I am a little child. “Thank you, Amber. You mean a lot to me.” Then I collapse and don’t know what really happens the next.
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Chapter 7 The Perfect One I open my eyes, and the sunlight makes me blink a few times. I sniff the smell of medicinal liquid, so I am probably in the hospital. Amber is sitting right next to me. “Good morning, Amber.” “Good morning, Bryce.” She smiles at me and asks, “What do you think the asteroid B-612 is like?” I laugh for a second and say, “Well, to me ∽27∽
it’s like a wonderful paradise. I believe the little prince is the most happiness person in the universe, and so am I.” “Why?” I guess Amber didn’t expect me to answer like that. “Because he’s there with the rose, his favorite and adorable lover, and they can see sunset for forty four times everyday together. And now, I’m here with you.” Amber laughs in the way I like the most. She is as beautiful as mom. She is also the most beautiful woman in my life. ∽28∽
Afterwards, I stay in the hospital to cure my mental problems for one year, and I finally can face everyone in an honest way. I do not need to hide the real me. As for my father, he changes his attitude to me after he knew the thing about Catherine. He cares about me and talks to me often. I am really happy to be who I really am.
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I’d like to be who I really am.
Dear mom, you ever said you wanted me to be as happy as the little prince is one day, and I am right now. I realize that there are all kinds of love out there. This is my one and only life, and it is a great and terrible and short and endless thing, and none of us come out of it alive. No âˆ˝30âˆ˝
matter how tough I have to go through the pain Catherine gave me, I know I always have someone to support me. Maybe she is far from perfect, but so am I. Although neither of us is perfect, she is perfect for me. I love her as much as I love you, mom. Wish you a wonderful Christmas morning. Merry Christmas.
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Resources 1. Cover: poster of the movie 500 Days of Summer http://minimalmovieposters.tumblr.com/post/315 36833623/500-days-of-summer-by-karl-planes
2. Picture in P.7 : http://ankhvintage.blogspot.tw/2011/05/towel-3-li ttle-prince.html
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Acknowledgement I would like to thank to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of The Little Prince. Without him, there is no inspiring work like The Little Prince. When I was little, I cannot totally understand what it wants to tell me, but after a few years, I realize it not only is a children’s book but also contains great meanings of life in it. In addition, I would also like to thank to Crystal Tung, my classmate, for giving some useful ideals in my writing. ∽33∽