Green Behind the Ears

Walking to eat her lunch, Tanya saw Armand, the new kid, sitting under the tree.

Her tree.

‘Why is he there? That’s my place. Just what I need….’

Next to the schoolyard fence, the spot let her imagine freedom from her ‘middle school incarceration.’ She fantasized about scaling the fence and escaping before the guards could stop her.

‘But escape to where?’ She never knew the answer to that.

Tanya wasn’t in the mood for company. Her friends annoyed her. And the boy who always flirted with her was distracted by some other girl.

‘Gretchen… what a name.’

But hating being left out, Tanya couldn’t not connect when seeing someone by themselves. Even if they were in her spot. Walking over, she sat facing Armand and set up a picnic space for herself. After unwrapping her sandwich, she sipped her drink.

He looked at her.

She said, “Hi. I’m Tanya. You new here?”

“Yeah. We moved right before school started. I’m Armand.”

She nodded. “Where you from?”

“Wilmar.”

“Never heard of it. You miss it?”

“I guess. A little farm town. Didn’t really know anyone there.”

“How come?”

“Not sure. Guess everyone already had friends.”

Tanya said, “There’s always room for a friend.”

Armand looked at his sandwich. He pulled a slice of pickle out and tossed it onto the grass. A squirrel ran to examine it.

He said, “There’s a lake there. I’d watch the tadpoles swim. Older kids did stuff to the frogs.”

“We have a stream. You see it yet?”

“No. Where is it?”

“About a mile south. Like cattails?”

“Yeah.”

“The Redwing Blackbirds perch on them and sing.”

Armand held his look at her. “I love you.”

Tanya suppressed a laugh. “No, you don’t.”

“How do you know?”

Hearing a crow, she looked into the tree. “How do you not love me? Let me count the ways…”

“What are you saying?”

“You don’t know me.”

“But…”

“You might want to love me. But we’ve barely met.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Give me twenty-seven dollars.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Exactly.”

“You’re weird.”

“And yet you say you love me.”

“Where I used to live, the kids said I was weird.”

“They sound weird.”

“Is everyone weird?”

“The challenge is to find someone whose weird matches your own.”

“Tanya, how can I prove that I love you?”

“It doesn’t work that way, Armand.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I’m not a paint by numbers kit… Get to know me.”

Some girls called to Tanya and waved. They whispered to each other and ran off laughing.

Armand watched them but didn’t react. “What do you do for fun?”

She said, “I read. I draw. Write poetry. Go for walks. Talk to friends…”

“You have a lot of friends?”

“A few…”

“Can I be your friend?”

“I guess…”

“Okay... You like movies?”

“Sometimes.”

“Like what?”

“Ones without car chases and explosions.”

“Oh…” He looked into the distance.

Tanya said, “You like sports?”

“Yeah! Do you?”

“No.”

“Oh… Uhm… Baseball’s cool…” He downed his drink. “What’s your favorite class?”

Tanya rubbed her chin as if it were a tough question. “I guess if I had to choose… lunchtime.”

He laughed. “That’s not a class…”

“But it’s my favorite. If I have to be here, it’s the most fun. What’s yours?”

“Math. But I suck at it.”

“Me too. Why’s it your favorite?”

“The challenge. Like solving a puzzle… And I suck at it less than the other classes.”

“You like puzzles?”

“Of course. Don’t you?”

“Depends. You mean like Rubix cubes?”

“I’m good at those.”

“I’m not.”

“I could teach you.”

“I doubt it.”

“No. Really. They’re easy.”

“But that would mean I cared about learning it.”

“Oh…”

A gust took Tanya’s sandwich wrapper. Armand snatched it out of the air as it sailed by. He crumpled it up and tucked it into his lunch box.

Tanya said, “Wow! Like magic. You’re fast.”

“You’re pretty.”

She looked askance at him. “I am? You mean that?”

He nodded.

Tanya asked, “Why? What makes you say that?”

“Well, you’re smart. And I like the way you walk… Your energy. You see things others miss.”

Tanya took a bite of her sandwich and looked at the grass while she chewed.

Armand continued. “I like how you sing to yourself.”

“I don’t.”

“Uh huh… I heard you in class while we were working.”

“No one ever told me that.”

“Yeah. Everyone heard it. It’s cute.”

Tanya tried to make sense of what Armand said. She looked doubtful.

“And you say that makes me pretty?”

“You have nice hair. You dress nice. I bet you smell good… Can I kiss you now?”

She’d collected her lunch things and stood. “I have to go.”

“Wait…”

She stopped. “What?”

Armand stood caught up with her. “Can’t we be friends?”

“D’you kiss friends?”

“No.”

“So, what’s a friendship to you?”

Armand tried keeping her engaged. “Uhm… Do homework together. Hang out. Go to movies… Talk about stuff.”

“Maybe. We’ll see.”

“Okay. Bye.”

Tanya said, “You’re leaving?”

The bell rang and kids moved toward the school building.

Armand said, “I thought you were. Lunch is over.”

“What’s your next class?”

“English.”

“Mine too. We can walk together.” She began to walk.

Armand caught up. “Sure. Want to hold hands?”

“Friends don’t hold hands.”

“Oh, right. What’s your dad do?”

“He has a store downtown.”

“Cool…” Armand thought for a moment. “So, since we’re friends now, can I tell people you’re my girlfriend?”

“What’s your problem, Armand? You know we’re not like that…”

“But you said…”

“People think ‘girlfriend’ means more than friends. Something we’re not.”

“Right. I get it. Just checking.”

They walked in silence.

Armand said, “Tanya… Do me a favor?”

“What?”

“Let me know if that changes. Okay?”

“You’ll be the first to know.”

They entered the school. Armand held the door for her.

“Thanks…”

They came to Tanya’s locker.

Gretchen stood by, looking very amused. “Hi, Tanya… Introduce me to your new boyfriend?”

Tanya sighed. She glanced at Armand who couldn’t contain his amusement. They cracked up laughing.

Gretchen felt left out and they weren’t inclined to include her.

She said, “Guess not…” She turned and walked away.

That made them laugh even harder.