P. of V.

Love and Hate at Lunch

Maddie

I have my first real boyfriend. Look out Joe Jonas. My boyfriend is cute and hot, and he likes me right back.

Joe, I guess you'll just have to wait for me now. Sorry.

Josh

Maddie is the prettiest girl in the whole school, and she is nice. She might be the sweetest girl in the whole school too. Today, she is wearing a green dress that makes her eyes look even greener. I think she dressed up for me. I like it.

I tell her at the table that I am mesmerized by her beauty.

Maddie blushes. That's what I like about her. She is who she is, not some fake, pretend person.

And, best of all, she knew me when I was the stinky kid, and she don't care. She likes me for who I am too.

Brett

Amelia is quiet today. I don't think she has recovered from what we told her yesterday. I feel bad for her. I don't know why - she is the one who dumped me on a text. I should hate her, but I don't. My heart is all achy today. I feel like crap.

Carson sits down beside me and says, "Hey old friend."

I get up and move across the table. I am mean to Carson, and it makes me feel a little better.

Carson

Brett is his usual hateful, nasty self today. Why do I even care what he thinks? Nobody likes him, and if he keeps it up, I won't like him either. Sometimes, I think I try to hard. Maybe that is why people don't like me. Maybe, I am just too nice. Maybe, by being so nice and so eager to be peoples' friend, I am annoying. Someone has said that to me before. They said - Carson, you are quite annoying. I guess I am just 'ol annoying Carson. I feel like crap.

I tell Mia, "Your lunch is weird, just weird. And will you quit bringing those stinking eggs?"

Shoshone

Finally, someone besides me thinks the 'ol fart eggs need to go. Thank you Carson for speaking up. The truth hurts sometimes, but sometimes it just needs to be said.

I say, "Carson, you are right. Those eggs need to not come back, Mia. They smell like a dog fart."

Mia

You smell like a dog fart, I am thinking, but I don't say it. I don't have to because Timmy comes to my rescue.

Timmy says, "Shoshone, you are not polite today. I like the smell of your eggs, Mia. They smell yummy. I guess I like dog farts."

The whole table busts out laughing.

Timmy

My new friends are not showing their manners today. My best friend, Josh, is not sitting beside me today. He is sitting beside Maddie. He says she is his new girlfriend. He tells me that is what you do when you have a girlfriend. You want to be with her, and you want to sit beside her at lunch. I guess you want to stare at her too and breathe her breath too because Josh is sitting close to Maddie, and he is all leaned in to her too. He is way in her personal space. I hope her breath don't stink.

I guess since my best friend Josh has a girlfriend, I need to get one too. I look around the table. Shoshone? No, she is too loud. She makes my ears hurt. Maddie? No, she is Josh's girl. I don't want to steal her. Mia? She is nice and does magic with her pepper, but with her rituals and mine, together we would need another whole goal sheet. Amelia?

Nice. Check.

Pretty. Check.

Single. Check.

Amelia it is.

I know I must say something nice to her to get her to be my girlfriend so I say, "Amelia, you do not have a boyfriend, you are not loud, and you do not bring fart eggs to school."

"Thanks?" she says with a question mark at the end. I can work with her on that.

I guess it is settled. Amelia is my new girlfriend.

Amelia

Timmy is staring at me all funny and leaning into my space too much. I know he has social goals because he told me he does so I say, "Timmy you are in my personal space."

He backs up a little and says, "I am so sorry Amelia Hudson. Thank you for making me aware. I will stay in my space. I think we will make a good match because you are polite, and I need manners. And, I can help you with the question marks at the end of a sentence."

What is Timmy talking about? Maybe he is trying to make a new friend since his best friend Josh seems to have a new girlfriend. Josh is all in Maddie's personal space too. Oh well, I don't have any real friends now, and at least Timmy is not breathing on my food anymore. I say, "You are welcome, Timmy. I think we make a good match too."

Juanito

Love is in the air. I must get a girlfriend too before they are all gone. I turn to Mia and smile my most enchanting smile. I say, "I like the smell of your stinky eggs. I guess I am like Timmy. I like dog farts too."

The whole table laughs again, even my Mia.

It is possible to love to eat a boiled egg and hate the smell. As the saying goes - there is a thin line between love and hate. Can you think of other things that people both love and hate?