James Ren: Short Story Proposal

Exposition: The story takes place in a small town (yet to be named) not unlike Albany. The town surrounds a small park, in the center of which grows a very old orange tree, essentially the center of the park. The main character (male, yet to be named) is walking through the park on a cold March day after having attended his mom's funeral. He sits down under the blooming orange tree and thinks pensively about his life. The main character's life is a mess. He's failing in school, doesn't have many friends, and lives with a emotionally unstable father.

Inciting Incident: As the boy is sitting under the tree pensively considering his life, a girl (to be named) approaches him. They talk for a while and he finds out that she has recently moved to the town (once again, yet to be named) and she too is very fond of the large orange blossom tree.

Rising Action: Essentially, the boy and girl become good friends and she helps him try to repair his life. As they go through the months together, they grow closer. She's lively and jubilant around people she's comfortable with, yet slightly shy around people she doesn't know and thus is hesitant to try to reach out to others; he's kind and trusting, yet his classmate's dislike of him for (a reason I'll try to think of later) causes him to be pensive and quiet around others. As her encouragement helps him improve in his troubled life and start to succeed, they form a close bond. They soon realize their feelings for each other.

Climax: Something (to be revealed in the story) happens and the boy finds out around August-ish that the girl is forced to move away in November. He struggles to deal with this realization.

Falling Action: The boy, shocked by the realization that these may be their last short months together, goes through a lot of grief as he tries to make their last months as memorable as possible.

Resolution: The girl gets on an airplane and leaves. The story ends with the boy walking through the park to sit under the orange tree, this time shedding its last leaves, once again. As the boy is sitting under the orange tree, a breeze from an airplane flying low overhead causes the last orange tree leaf to break free from the branches and land in front of him. He begins to cry.

Denounement: None.

Hm... I know it sounds cheesy, but it'll be better once I write it out.

Happy to take any story/name suggestions.