I wrote a book when I was 18. It was inspired by a cigarette pack on a coffee table that I noticed at a house party.

My eyes were drawn to the Health Canada warning on the box of smokes.

I think the statistic about tobacco-related deaths was supposed to be the scary one. But, for some reason, I was more alarmed by the fact more people died by killing themselves than by getting into car accidents.

I never did anything with the book I wrote. Looking back, some of the amateurish writing makes me cringe. But, the concept of The Popular Depression is an important theme for us to think about.

If the Steemit community seems to like this content, I'll keep posting chapters. If not, I'll take the hint and keep this 54,000 word document filed on my computer, where it's been sitting for 10 years.

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Perfect.

The two syllable adjective is the only one suitable for describing the night. It is the only word that can describe Liberty Hollingsworth. The word is the only one suitable for describing Ethan Tate’s summer. It is all, perfect.

“I still think it’s going to suck,” Liberty scowls while clasping Ethan’s hand.

The two walk down a path in Henderson Park. The sun is in the midst of setting, a soft warm breeze blows on each of their faces.

“Well aren’t you just Ms. Optimistic tonight,” Ethan replies.

“Ethan, how can you seriously be looking forward to school after the summer we just had?”

Ethan stares at Liberty while she speaks. It is often that he catches himself doing this. He watches her soft lips extend as she smiles. He observes her shoulder-length blonde hair as it blows gently in the wind of the night. He wonders how he got such an amazing girl to like him. A girl so beautiful, so kind. A girl who actually feels the same way about him.

“Ethan?”

“What? Uh, yah.”

“This summer really meant a lot to me Ethan. I don’t want it to end,” Liberty says as she moves in and kisses Ethan tenderly on the cheek.

“Listen Lib, our senior year is going to be just as amazing as this summer was. We’re still going to see each other every day, even if we don’t have the same class schedule.”

The sun is no longer visible and the presence of darkness has overpowered any remaining light. The breeze slightly increases, but neither Ethan nor Liberty notice.

“And plus, we both knew that summer would eventually come to an end.”

Ethan looks out onto the lake in Henderson Park. It is calm, the surface is like glass.

“I guess you’re probably right,” Liberty concedes.

Ethan nods with confidence.

The two sit down on a bench near the water. Ethan puts his arm around Liberty and she leans in to him. The two sit in silence while they both meditate on the coming year of high school.

Liberty seems worried that this will be the first hindrance of their relationship. She is concerned that they may not end up in the same classes. With the hefty homework load that comes with senior territory, she fears that her time with Ethan may be limited. Even worse, basketball will be starting in November and Liberty knows that Ethan will have practices every day and games every weekend. She is scared that this time apart may come as a shock to them, and prove to be something that neither one is prepared for. But then she wonders if she’s over-reacting. Ethan seems so calm about the whole thing. Is he as determined to work through things as she is?

Liberty tilts her head and looks up at Ethan. Though it’s dark, she looks carefully and tries to read him. She tries to find an answer in his eyes.

Ethan stares out onto the water; his eyes slightly squinted, concentrated. The left end of his lips is raised, creating a half smile: the kind of smile that shows true emotion, the kind of smile that explains Ethan is perfectly content. The natural smile causes a small dimple on his left cheek to become visible. Ethan’s dark brown hair almost reaches his eyebrows as it moves subtly due to the delicate warm breeze. His ears listen intently to the water of Henderson Lake gently pressing up against rocks on the shore.

Unlike Liberty, Ethan is looking forward to the upcoming school year. Usually around this time of year he dreads all the gossip that surrounds various spheres of the high school realm, but this year he is optimistic that for some reason it will be different. This time around he has a great girlfriend, someone he could actually see himself spending the rest of his life with. He is looking forward to his third and final year of varsity basketball and the challenge of winning his third straight zone championship as a Catholic Central Cougar. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, Ethan is even looking forward to seeing some of his friends/acquaintances.

Others would say that Ethan has always been popular, by definition of the word. But Ethan himself has never been comfortable with the label. It’s not that he dislikes the fact that he has lots of friends and is admired by many, it’s just that he realizes that if he is labeled popular, there are others who are labeled un-popular and who will pay the ensuing price. Along with this, Ethan hates the assumptions that people make about him because he happens to belong to the in-crowd. Often times, he gets dirty looks from acne-faced nerds and science geeks just because they are convinced that he is like most the other popular kids who continue to mock the Clearasil-deprived behind their backs. Though Ethan is not perfect, and has played the bully role in certain instances in the past, it is not his intent to make other’s feel upset simply because of their physical appearance or disability. If it were up to Ethan, he would rather the whole labeling thing would disappear. But perhaps Ethan’s biggest problem is his ignorance towards an unwritten cycle that has staying power.

Ethan continues to stare at the water, but he is sidetracked when he feels Liberty’s eyes on him. Though he is not looking at her, Ethan senses that Liberty is concerned. By the way she’s not talking; by the way she grabs the hand of the arm that is around her, gripping it firmly; by the way her breathing pattern has become slightly audible with shorter spans between breaths.

It is at this point that Ethan is reminded of Liberty’s loving dedication. This girl who Ethan cares about so much, only has one worry in her mind on this August night. Her biggest concern is that the 12th grade may be a slight hindrance in her and Ethan’s relationship.

Without looking down, somehow, almost omnisciently, Ethan puts Liberty’s mind to ease by saying, “Don’t worry Lib, we’re going to be fine.”