Crushing On You

Arc 1: When We Were Younger

Everybody likes somebody.

Outside the window was a changing picture. There were houses lined across the street zooming quickly to show several different ones and a few little trees here and there. A few people rode on bicycles while many drove in cars passing by.

It's sort of a rule that's developed as we've all gotten older.

The girl had her arms resting at the window, looking out with a smile. She blew some breath onto the glass and then began to draw a butterfly onto the fog with one small finger.

Margret likes Ethan, Candice likes Joey, Ed likes Lucy and Stacy likes Joshua.

She breathed onto the glass again and this time kissed it to see the mark that her lips would leave. What she saw made her giggle.

They call it year five culture but I say that it started from since year three. I've never actually stated that out loud though.

Now she was trying to see if she could see her reflection. She got a small glimpse and fixed her hair a little so that it could look more decent. It never looks decent. That was at least to her. Her mother told her that her afro was cute and that she should be proud of her curls but she did not feel that way at all. Maybe it was because it made her different. Or maybe it was because she had been picked on about it before.

She sighed and shook her head, hoping that it would not affect her chances. Yes. Everyone likes someone and that includes me. She smiled a little as she thought of her crush. But the fact that I like someone who's actually . . . just like me makes me strange.

The car parked in the parking lot now and it was time to get out.

"Come on Lee-Lee. Let's head in." Her mother smiled at her from the front seat and began to unbuckle her seat belt.

Leigh-Anne nodded and unbuckled also. She then opened her door and met her mom at the back of the car.

Her mother stretched out a hand for her to hold.

Leigh looked up at her.

"What?" Her mother asked her with her hand still outstretched.

Leigh-Anne shook her head.

The lady tilted her head at her after putting her hand down. She then smiled. "What? Are you too old to hold my hand now?"

Leigh-Anne looked away for a moment before she nodded.

Her mother seemed to find that funny. "Alright. I respect that." She patted her daughter on the back and pointed towards the school for her to lead the way.

Leigh turned around and walked ahead, holding her bag straps. It's probably confusing for you to understand what I mean when I say that my crush is just like me. I don't mean that they're exactly like me but like . . . She scratched at the fabric of her bag. Fine. I like a . . . girl!

She and her mum entered the school at the same time but had to part ways soon. Her mother worked as a History teacher and a homeroom teacher of one of the year sixes.

Leigh stopped to look up at her and felt her mother rest both her hands on her shoulders.

"Okay so now it's time to go our separate ways as we do every day."

Leigh-Anne nodded.

"I suppose I'll see you at second period?" The mother said as if it were a question.

Leigh was looking around the hall to see if anyone was staring. A few kids kept glancing and she immediately felt self-conscious. "Yes. That's when I have History."