It was the beginning of my 6Th grade year. As I roamed the halls of my new school, I was greeted by new faces and some familiar ones as well, but the only faces I cared to see were nowhere to be found.
Bo, Jameson and Riley Jo were not in any of my classes, in any of the halls in between or even in the same school. Somehow over the summer, alot had changed. My three best friends all went to another school in another county, and I was alone, in a new building, new town, with all these new people.
Naturally I was forced to make new friends, and move on with my life. I would get a few phone calls from Riley Jo every few months, but even they grew further apart, until they no longer existed. It wouldn't be until my 9Th grade year would I see any of them again. They swooped into my life all at once just as quickly as they all had left that summer before 6Th grade.
In my small town we only have one grocery store, and in this grocery store is where Riley Jo found place of employment. I began going in and seeing her more and more, and we became closer than we ever had been, but this time we were older, things had changed. We both were boy crazy, rebellious, wanna be independent teenagers, yet we still meshed perfectly together and were inseparable.
Although she attended a private school, and I attended a high school in another town, we would spend every night and weekend together staying up late at night talking about boys mostly. Riley Jo had a brother who was only a few years younger than us, Nova, who would join us in conversation and late nights.
Riley Jo and Nova quickly became my best friends in the entire world.If I wasn't with Riley Jo, you could count on me getting into trouble somewhere with Nova. I always thought of Nova as my brother and Riley Jo my sister. It could easily be said that there was a romance between Nova and I, but we knew better.The speculations and rumors didn't stop us from spending all our time together and having the best time.
We all three grew so protective over each other, nothing was gonna come between us, not again, not this time.
What could arguably be the best or worst part of living in a small town, is the fact that most everyone is related in some shape or form. Riley Jo and Nova happened to be cousins with Jameson, so I often got to see Jameson. Out riding his bike, or walking around the small town, I would always stop and speak to him. Though we weren't close like we had been in elementary school, we were still friends. If Jameson needed anything, I was there for him. I still seen him as the skinny, goofy kid I knew back in elementary school, but he had changed. He was still skinny and goofy, but he was a young man.
Jameson no longer had interest in chasing me around the playground and pushing me down. He had grown up, his thought process was different, and he viewed me in a new way. Many times I had to turn Jameson down, when he would ask me out on a date, because I just couldn't get over viewing him as that kid back in 4Th grade. My rejection didn't come between our friendship however, instead it brought us closer, unknowingly in return lead me right back to Bo.
Apparently, through out the years, the only people who hadn't lost contact were Bo and Jameson. They had actually become even closer, and like Riley Jo and myself, were inseparable.
However, despite all of our connections to each other, Bo and myself had yet to cross paths. I still to this day, have yet to figure out why, in such a small town we hadn't seen each other.
It was September 11, 2002 and our community was throwing an annual celebration at our local park. Part of the celebration involved a local church softball tournament, in which I took part. It was hot, the sun was in my eyes, and it was my turn to bat, as I approached the home plate, I heard Jameson, Riley Jo and a strangers voice cheering me on. I turned to find Bo, standing in the crowd beside my friends. The strangers voice cheering me on, was his. He was tall, muscular, had a farmers tan, wore blue jeans and a cut off sleeveless t-shirt. The sun glistened off his jet black hair, and his brown eyes were lit up with a huge smile on his face.
Regardless of my nerves from the shock of seeing him, I continued on with the game.
My team finished and we won the tournament. I ran over to my friends with excitement. In any other instance I would have leaped into either Jameson's or Riley Jo's arms in excitement, but this time, without thinking, I leaped into Bo's. He wrapped his muscular arms around me and gave me a huge bear hug. We all sat and caught up for a while, enjoying the rest of the festivities. Towards the end of the night, Bo walked me to my car and asked me to go out with him the following Friday, on a date. I was unsure at first, as I fought those 5Th grade feelings of that shy little girl who thought boys had cooties. Yet, standing in front of me was not the same little cootie filled boy I had once known.
Bo was a handsome young man, and I, well I was still a chubby overweight girl. My hair was still jet black, I was still tan and sweaty and dirty from playing in the softball tournament. Regardless of the sweat and dirt, I had this amazingly handsome guy, asking me on a date, how could I have passed that up? I didn't and though I didn't know it then, I would be thanking God everyday for saying yes this time.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
That boy has cooties, but he sure is a cutie!
Within the next year, I had made lots of new friends, mostly girls, because at this age I was still convinced boys had cooties.
Bo and Jameson were my only guy friends, our relationship consisted of them playing tag with me outside at recess. The end of 5Th grade rolled around and I had just turned 11. I'll never forget that spring day and the big news Bo had to tell me.
While waiting for the bus out in the hall, Bo pulled me to the side and asked me to meet him by the oak tree in front of the school before I got on my bus. The bell rang and kids rushed the hall excited to go home for the weekend, but my excitement was for something else, I was concentrated on what Bo had to tell me. I approached the big oak tree nervously. Bo was standing there in front of the tree like he said he would be, wearing that same half grin and cheeks still blushed. He grabbed my hand and proceeded to tell me the words I will never forget "Bella, you are the prettiest girl I've ever seen, I'm gonna marry you someday, but right now I just need you to be my girlfriend." Shocked and speechless all I could do was nod my head yes. There you had it, Bo was my boyfriend, my first boyfriend I've ever had. I couldn't help but wonder what my girlfriends were gonna think, I just remember thinking "maybe boy cooties aren't so bad."
That following Monday, when I arrived to school, I broke the news to my best friend Riley Jo, who of course laughed and teased me for having a boyfriend. Scared and confused, at lunch I refused to sit by Bo, I wouldn't talk to him in between classes even though he would wait for me. I was ashamed that my friends were giving me such a hard time, I decided the next day I was going to break up with Bo. When I told him the news, the half grin he always wore disappeared and he told me "I'm not giving up on you, Ill never give up on you." With those words spoken we went on our way, my first boyfriend lasted for a whole two days, but for some reason, I had a feeling this wasn't the end. I was too young for a boyfriend, it was puppy love, and my maturity level was not a place to be in an actual relationship, however it was fun pretending for a few days, after all he was the cutest boy I had ever seen. So why all of a sudden did my mindset go from "boys have cooties", to "man that boy is a cutie"? Why did Bo tell me he wasn't going to give up on me, why was I so special?Throughout the rest of the year, Bo and I remained friends. There wasn't a day where you would catch me without Bo by my side, and without Jameson by Bo's side. We were inseparable, the best of friends.
The last day of 5Th grade was filled with excitement, because everyone knew from now on we would be riding the bus to the next town over to go to school. Our small town only had an elementary school, but our county seat was a town with the population of 33,000. That meant we would be going to a new school, with new people and new teachers. Students were exchanging numbers, signing yearbooks as if we were never going to see each other again, but not me! I knew that I would always have Riley, Bo and Jameson, it was just a summer, how much could change in a summer right? I thought the worst that could happen is having a different class than them, if only it were that simple. Turns out, alot of things can change in a summers length of time.
Bo and Jameson were my only guy friends, our relationship consisted of them playing tag with me outside at recess. The end of 5Th grade rolled around and I had just turned 11. I'll never forget that spring day and the big news Bo had to tell me.
While waiting for the bus out in the hall, Bo pulled me to the side and asked me to meet him by the oak tree in front of the school before I got on my bus. The bell rang and kids rushed the hall excited to go home for the weekend, but my excitement was for something else, I was concentrated on what Bo had to tell me. I approached the big oak tree nervously. Bo was standing there in front of the tree like he said he would be, wearing that same half grin and cheeks still blushed. He grabbed my hand and proceeded to tell me the words I will never forget "Bella, you are the prettiest girl I've ever seen, I'm gonna marry you someday, but right now I just need you to be my girlfriend." Shocked and speechless all I could do was nod my head yes. There you had it, Bo was my boyfriend, my first boyfriend I've ever had. I couldn't help but wonder what my girlfriends were gonna think, I just remember thinking "maybe boy cooties aren't so bad."
That following Monday, when I arrived to school, I broke the news to my best friend Riley Jo, who of course laughed and teased me for having a boyfriend. Scared and confused, at lunch I refused to sit by Bo, I wouldn't talk to him in between classes even though he would wait for me. I was ashamed that my friends were giving me such a hard time, I decided the next day I was going to break up with Bo. When I told him the news, the half grin he always wore disappeared and he told me "I'm not giving up on you, Ill never give up on you." With those words spoken we went on our way, my first boyfriend lasted for a whole two days, but for some reason, I had a feeling this wasn't the end. I was too young for a boyfriend, it was puppy love, and my maturity level was not a place to be in an actual relationship, however it was fun pretending for a few days, after all he was the cutest boy I had ever seen. So why all of a sudden did my mindset go from "boys have cooties", to "man that boy is a cutie"? Why did Bo tell me he wasn't going to give up on me, why was I so special?Throughout the rest of the year, Bo and I remained friends. There wasn't a day where you would catch me without Bo by my side, and without Jameson by Bo's side. We were inseparable, the best of friends.
The last day of 5Th grade was filled with excitement, because everyone knew from now on we would be riding the bus to the next town over to go to school. Our small town only had an elementary school, but our county seat was a town with the population of 33,000. That meant we would be going to a new school, with new people and new teachers. Students were exchanging numbers, signing yearbooks as if we were never going to see each other again, but not me! I knew that I would always have Riley, Bo and Jameson, it was just a summer, how much could change in a summer right? I thought the worst that could happen is having a different class than them, if only it were that simple. Turns out, alot of things can change in a summers length of time.
Welcome to Small Town, USA
Population 900. In the past 10 years there has been an increase in population by 100. That's right, we average 10 people every year, and when someone moves into town, everyone knows. This is where everyone knows you and you know everyone. Word gets around like the speed of light. Most of the community is related in some shape or form. It could be anything from someone being your aunt, to someone being your ex husbands sisters daughters father. Things can get complicated real easy when trying to find that special someone, that is, until someone new moves into town.
I was in 4th grade, a bright eyed 9 year old, when I moved here to live with my grandparents after my parents nasty divorce. I had jet black hair, chubby, and tan from head to toe.I had moved all over this side of the state, for most of my life, but this town is where my family was originally from. I remember it was a cold December day, when my grandmother took me into my new school. I wasn't nervous because I was used to moving and making new friends, so when I walked into my classroom I remember finding the nearest desk open. If only I had known that this is where my journey would begin.
The room is filled with whispers and giggles, which I was used to, but as I glance around the room I can't help but notice the one person not whispering or talking, instead they were in the seat next to mine, just staring at me. His name was Barlow "BO" Dayton, tall, lanky, bright brown eyes, dark brown hair and a scar above his right eye. His cheeks were blushed from being caught staring, and he wore a half grin on his face. Sitting on the other side of Bo was his best friend Jameson McGee. Jameson was also tall, lanky, but had curly blond hair and hazel green eyes. He had a goofy laugh, and also wore a half grin on his face.
So why, of all the people in the room, did they catch my attention, but more importantly why were they not laughing or whispering like our peers? Little did I know, I would soon find the answers to those questions and so much more.
I was in 4th grade, a bright eyed 9 year old, when I moved here to live with my grandparents after my parents nasty divorce. I had jet black hair, chubby, and tan from head to toe.I had moved all over this side of the state, for most of my life, but this town is where my family was originally from. I remember it was a cold December day, when my grandmother took me into my new school. I wasn't nervous because I was used to moving and making new friends, so when I walked into my classroom I remember finding the nearest desk open. If only I had known that this is where my journey would begin.
The room is filled with whispers and giggles, which I was used to, but as I glance around the room I can't help but notice the one person not whispering or talking, instead they were in the seat next to mine, just staring at me. His name was Barlow "BO" Dayton, tall, lanky, bright brown eyes, dark brown hair and a scar above his right eye. His cheeks were blushed from being caught staring, and he wore a half grin on his face. Sitting on the other side of Bo was his best friend Jameson McGee. Jameson was also tall, lanky, but had curly blond hair and hazel green eyes. He had a goofy laugh, and also wore a half grin on his face.
So why, of all the people in the room, did they catch my attention, but more importantly why were they not laughing or whispering like our peers? Little did I know, I would soon find the answers to those questions and so much more.
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