She, Her and I: Chapter 2

 Chapter 2:

4th Grade

Best friend in other classroom.  In class with the twin she hadn’t been with yet.  Most gifted students in this class, cluster grouping because they went to a different school for half a day once a week to be “served.”  Smiley, friendly teacher.  Seemed promising… 

Highlights of fourth grade include the formation of their cool club “The Screwballs” based loosely off her older sister’s club.  This worked well until her mom decided that it seemed like more of a clique and if they were a club they needed to “do” things and not just hang out.  Ehhh.  No, we just wanted to be a clique after all.  It was amusing to design a sweet logo for it though:  a pool ball (assigned with a number) with a screw through it, showing at the top and bottom of the pool ball.  Yeah. 

Then there was the boy.  There’s always that one boy who just makes school.  And yes, I was into the boy as early as fourth grade.  Truth be told, in first grade I had my first love note passed to me on a snowflake we were cutting in class (I was so embarrassed I ripped it into shreds).  Also in first grade, a different boy in my class brought me a bouquet of flowers on the last day.  Clearly, I wasn’t ready as I shoved them into my book bag and ran home, embarrassed again.  In third grade I declared my love to the first boy, the snowflake love note, but like an early booty call, we never went public.  Or private- we were third graders!  It was secret notes and quick glances, but never anything real.  I wasn’t ready until fourth grade.

The boy happened to be a hot commodity.  All her friends liked him too.  She was lucky enough to be in his class.  In January, they got placed at the same four-desk arrangement.  He was opposite her, but she never kicked Connor in the shins.  Occasionally, she would accidentally brush his foot.  Can you really get tingles from a boy as early as ten?  They, of course, started off teasing, making fun of each other, like ten year-olds! 

Things didn’t progress until February.  One of the other Screwball’s moms caught on to the whole “club” idea too and made us come over for a meeting.  I think we had to do a craft that day.  Anyway, walking over (which let me walk east from school, towards his house and not west where almost none of my friends lived) us Screwballs were walking right behind him.  We all met in a parking lot at the top of my friend’s street and talked for a few minutes.  This is where my first bout of jealousy reared its ugly head.  He had Jolly Ranchers.  A boy with candy!  Definitely a keeper.  He started teasing my best friend, ‘do you want one?  I have a grape one, do you want it?’ And of course she did, who doesn’t want a Jolly Rancher?  But all I saw was him flirting with her.  Why not me?  He went on to give me the Jolly rancher and not her, but I was still mad he didn’t tease me with it.  He very nicely asked me if I wanted it, gave it to me and probably stuck his tongue out at her.  This was the beginning of a love triangle we will get into later…

Within the next week, at recess (yes, February in Cleveland and we still went out to play every day!) the boy and one of his friends found me on the playground and separated me from the herd.  In true young love, I stood staring at the two of them while his friend asked me if I wanted to go out with Connor.  I said ‘yes’ and then we all walked away.  I officially had a boyfriend.

One of the Screwballs played on a recreation basketball team so they all went to watch.  And, oh wow!  Boys, outside of school!  Who knew they existed there too!  One group of girls flirting with the cool group of boys.  Again, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOYS.  Not only was she advanced in height, but in hormones!  Ha.  That day she received a small chocolate heart from Connor.  Very nice.   

The parents never seemed to catch on.  This was true love.  They talked on the phone, and sat by each other in their assigned seats.  What else could you ask for?  But the constant question was, “What do you mean you’re going out?  Where do you go?”  Where indeed, where would two ten-year-olds go?