SMARTS

Chapter Five

         Recess has always been my least favourite part of the day. Normal kids spend the first half of the day waiting for it, just so they can go out and socialize with their friends. Me? I never had anyone to socialize with so why bother? I’ve already befriended the librarian so she lets me hide in the library during recess. However, I can’t help but feel excited for recess today. If Jamie is willing to be seen in public with me, I’ll actually have someone to stay with throughout recess, preventing me from awkwardly standing alone.

            I feel my heart pounding as I open the doors outside to hear hundreds of kids screaming and laughing voices. I am not used to seeing the sky at this time in the day, so it takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the brightness of it all. I am forced to squint, as I look around myself, searching for Jamie. Did you expect her to just be standing here waiting for you? Truth be told, I kind of did. Well, I had hoped at least she had been waiting for me. What was I thinking, our first conversation took place not two hours ago, and already I had identified her as a friend. We hardly knew each other, and now I’ve probably scared her away.

            I wallow in sadness as I slowly  make my way back into the building. Before reaching the doors, I bump into a girl with long brown hair. “Sheldon?!” Just then I feel a rush of excitement. Jamie came through, she hadn’t actually ditched me. “I’ve been looking all over the school for you! I assumed you were in the library so I checked there but –” I interrupt her “I’m sorry, I thought you’d be coming outside so I waited here for you!” While she was talking, I couldn’t help feeling happy. Nobody – except maybe my mom – had ever cared this much about me, and I felt ... important for once.

         I smiled and led her towards the trees about ten feet away. We sat beneath one of the larger trees and started conversing about our normal recess habits.

“Well, I usually stay in the library, and since the librarian seems to be lonely, she never kicks me out" I say.

Jamie replies “I’m usually helping out the teachers with extra work. I dread the idea of going outside alone. I’m probably the only kid in this school who hates recess.” Her saying so makes me feel less different

“Trust me you’re not the only one.” She smiles at my response. I don’t understand why I had never tried to befriend her before, we’re so similar, yet if not for today, we may have gone through life without exchanging more than a few words. She slowly drops her smile “You know Sheldon, I’ve never been one to have many friends, or at least ones who stick with me. I’m really glad I found someone like you, you make me feel like.... less of an outcast.” I beam at this comment, I couldn’t have explained our friendship better myself.

            As we sit there, simply admiring each other’s presence, I notice her wearing a Star Wars IV t-shirt. She notices me acknowledging it and asks “Are you a Star Wars fan?” I reply with “Um, Star Wars fan, I am.”. Jamie laughs at my pathetic attempt to imitate Yoda’s voice. We continue a debate on which Star Wars film was best, and I realize I’ve never had so much fun debating in my life! I want to invite her over to show her my Star Wars collection, but I remember I don’t want to scare her away, so decide to keep that for another day.

            Once recess ends, we both walk back together into the school. This is the first time I have ever felt like I belong.