Student Writing

Jumana Alhaddad

Reading & Writing 4

April 10, 2015

Retell O. Henry's Story - The Magi

It was a beautiful spring day. Nolan was lying down on a hummock near his dorm, feeling the cool air touching his face. The breeze played with his hair, straight and golden like sunshine, which has just been cut to just brush the tops of his cheekbones.  Enjoying the sunshine’s heat, after a freezing winter, he began to relax and forget the world around him. Suddenly, he heard two people passing by him, talking about their day’s plan. Once he heard the date, he became shocked. “Oh my God, it’s already April 20th! How could I forget!,” Nolan said to himself before hopping up and hurrying to his room. He stood by his desk for a while thinking, “What should I bring her tomorrow?” He opened his top desk drawer, where he kept his saving money. After spending his money on a new PlayStation game last weekend, all Nolan had left was $150. “She would be very upset if I didn’t bring her anything for our first anniversary,” talking to himself loudly as if talking to another person. Maybe he could find a good solution.

As he was walking down stairs thinking about a suitable gift, one that would show his feelings for Stephanie, his adorable girlfriend, he remembered that she bought a small mixer to practice her hobby of disc jockeying, but could not afford headphones. He got on his new bike and went to the store where Stephanie bought her mixer. “These headphones cost two-hundred and ninety-nine dollars,” said the salesman. The moment he stepped out of the store, an idea hit him. With a victorious smile, he said to himself, “I can sell my bike and buy her the headphones she wants.” Nolan took his bike to a used bike shop, and sold it for two hundred dollars, then went back to the first store, and bought the headphones. He texted Stephanie, and told her to meet him in his room at 7:30 p.m. after she finished her class, and to bring her mixer with her, so he could surprise her with the headphones.

It was 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 and the sun started to disappear. Nolan sat down and waited for Stephanie after he cleaned and organized his room, making it look like a VIP room in a five-star hotel. After five minutes, he heard knocking on his door, and from its rhythmic beating, he knew it was Stephanie. As soon as she entered the room, he noticed that she did not bring her mixer. “Where is your mixer?” Nolan asked. “I could not bring it with me,” she answered, then directly asked him, “Where is your bike? I did not see it down stairs!” He said with a beautiful smile full of love, “I sold it, and bought you the headphones you wanted.” Stephanie did not say anything for a moment, and just stood staring. Nolan said, “You don’t like them? I thought these were the ones you wanted for your mixer!” Interrupting him, moving his hair to the side, Stephanie followed by saying, “Yes my love, it is what I want, but I don’t have the mixer anymore because I sold it to get you these bicycle night lights, so you would be safe when you ride back from work at night.” They looked at each other for a second, and laughed about the situation. With love filling their hearts, they sat down and continued their night together, happy and proud of the love they had.