Crayons

There she sat.  In a fourth grade, Catholic classroom on a bright and sunny Spring day in 1984.  In a desk with a very stiff uniform on. The windows were open and you could smell the nice weather through the breeze in the air.  She was trying to complete a coloring project that her very young and out of college teacher bestowed upon the class.  As she was concentrating on not going over the lines, an announcement blurted out from the teacher to all, “Class the sixth grade children will be coming in to help us complete our projects for the Spring Festival flyers.  Please make room and share your supplies.”  In come the thumps of the foot steps. Scattering, maneuvering through the room looking for seats.  Her head was down trying to finish her project and be rid of this assignment already. She had no interest in who was coming in.  A voice is spoken to her in the deepest but smoothest boy's voice you could ever hear, “Excuse me could I borrow your crayons Darling?”.  She looks up and sees the bluest of eyes, rosiest of cheeks and plumpest of lips she ever saw in her life. His hair was brown and wavy.  He wasn’t thin, but he wasn’t fat.  His smile was stunning with teeth ever so straight and white. He was perfect.  She froze.  She couldn’t speak or breathe.  He reached over with a smile and grabbed a few of her crayons while staring into her eyes with a smile that could melt lava. Their eyes locked. He purposely grazed her arm ever so gently while grabbing the crayons.  Goosebumps covered her body.  She immediately retreated to coloring with her head back down.  Fifteen minutes pass by and it seems as if only ten seconds took place.  She snuck what seemed like a hundred looks at him in awe of his perfection.  

The teacher announced, “Ok kids, everyone back to their classroom.  Thank you for helping out!”   She felt a pit in her stomach.  This moment in her life would be over.  He turned to her again, gently placing the crayons back on her desk, looked her in the eyes with the same mesmerizing smile he threw at her before, “Thank you Darling.”   She could feel the heat in her face and the freeze in her position.  She watches him walk out and knew at that moment she would never be the same.  He turns to throw her one last smile.  She felt it and he felt it.  It was as if they knew each other since birth.  The connection was solid.  

Schoolyard recess turned into a time of laughter for them.  Lunch breaks were spent together playing cards and laughing.  When others wanted to join in, they would play a hand or two with them but then go off on their own.  Their faces would sometimes hurt from all of the laughter they shared.  Walking to and from school was something to look forward to as he would be waiting to walk with her.  He went out of his way to meet her as they didn’t live close to each other.  It was a sacrifice he was happy to make.  She would run to him and they would always hug before they set off for their walk.  The smell of each other drove the other crazy.  She would take in a deep breath of his cologne with each hug. He would always touch her arms as he loved the feel of her soft skin. School dances were considered dates.  They were always hand in hand, smiling and laughing, finishing each other’s sentences.  

As the years passed on, their love grew stronger.  They were the school couple. Their friends accepted them as a couple as that is how they only knew them from at such a young age. When there was one, the other was not far behind.  They had a cosmic connection.  They knew they were meant for each other, their love was ageless.  High school came.  He entered first.  His curiosity and friends killed them slowly.  He wanted his freedom and she wanted her partner back.  She had no choice but to let go and let him be free. She couldn’t imagine life without him but she knew if she didn’t give him slack he might run and never turn back to her. She couldn’t be without him for long and he couldn’t be without her.  Each separation brought hurt and tears. Back and forth they went for years.  Until she had enough of the hurt.  

He threw her to the side for the last time.  She cried her last cry and found someone who put her first.  She found a boy who filled the void and gave her the love and attention she was lacking.  He helped her heal.  She had someone to color with her again. It wasn’t the same, but she was coloring.  She was happy.  He helped her put her past aside.  Although she never forgot, the distraction masqueraded the memories.

She had almost fully let go of her past until it became her present again.  A phone call to say hello, turned into a quick talk in the car.  A quick talk in the car turned into dinner.  A dinner turned into passion and that passion led to her breakup with the boy who once filled her void and helped her heal.  She couldn’t help herself and he couldn’t bear to see her with someone else.  They never truly let go of each other.  Everyday during their separate ways, no matter what they said or did, they each thought of the other and longed to hear the other’s voice or feel their touch.   They compared each person they found with each other.  No one ever compared.  The thought of never seeing the other was heartbreaking and too much for them to bear.  Was it a perfect relationship? No, but it was theirs and that’s all they knew and all they wanted or needed.  

High school turned into college and after college a proposal was made.  It wasn’t a traditional proposal in a restaurant or in front of family.  No, you see that girl became a grade school teacher in the Catholic school she and he once attended.  And one day, in the Spring while the air was filled with the smell of nice weather, and the windows were open in her class, and the children were coloring a visitor knocked on her classroom door. She answered.  He was on one knee, with a ring in one hand and a box of crayons in another,  and asked, “Could I have you for a lifetime Darling?”  She collapsed in tears of pure happiness and they embraced.  The same teacher who once headed her class when they met was there to congratulate them.  Destiny won and two souls who acted as one would be together for eternity.  She would be forever happy.