Sidewalk chalk

She liked school only for one reason: school was where she saw Jacob, her best friend but also secretly her crush. The day she had started liking Jacob was on the fifth of June she remembered it vividly. She was outside trying to draw with chalk but nothing looked good. The sidewalk was littered with drawings discarded. She couldn’t make the right drawing. She started to run out of space and started to draw on top of other drawings. Soon there was nowhere on the sidewalk not covered with chalk. It was as if a disease had come and left no part of the sidewalk visible. She threw her chalk on the ground, shattering it in two. Just as she was about to leave Jacob came up to her and complimented her drawings even though there were no distinctive figures but he had made her so happy. It was then that she became friends with him. She found he was very nice. She stepped off the bus because some impatient student behind her pushed her off the step she stumbled and almost fell over. Jacob never took the bus he always biked or walked; he said the bus was too smelly and noisy and he wasn’t wrong. She often found herself trying to think but the harder she tried it seemed the louder the kids got. She only took the bus because she didn’t have a bike and her house was the farthest away from school. She stepped off to the side and waited for Jacob. She tried to convince herself it wasn’t weird, friends wait for each other all the time. Right? Her thoughts ended when she saw him walk up. Her heart fluttered and she couldn’t think about anything but him. His hair was cropped short and was a dark brown. His clothes weren't anything special he wore a t-shirt and jeans but he somehow made them seem like the coolest thing to be wearing. She looked down at her short dress and leggings; they didn’t seem to look as good as she originally thought, even though she woke up early just so she could spend time worrying about her outfit. Her mind was pulled back to the present when he started talking.

“Hey May, how are you?” he asked, his voice quivered a little, but she didn’t notice she was too caught up in her own anxiety.

“Good, how are you?” she responded, her body shook, betraying her nerves. She hoped he didn’t notice though she wasn’t sure how he couldn't. She was shaking as if she had been left outside in the snow for hours. She grabbed his hand and together they walked into school, then realized that she was holding his hand. Her breath quickened, were her hands gross? She washed them before she got on the bus but the bus was so dirty. She started to send herself spiraling but then she reminded herself this was completely normal for friends but she didn’t want to be just friends. She could feel her palms sweating and she hoped that he wasn’t paying as much attention to the connection of their hands as she was. They reached the classroom and she let go of his hand and wiped her palms on her dress grateful for the lack of contact between them. Jacob opened the door and walked to his seat. She was in the middle of the group and he was at the front so she could focus on her class without getting distracted. Time seemed to slow and she was starting to think that the clock was broken in all the classes but eventually the bell sounded that it was time for lunch. She chose a seat next to Jacob and ate the prepared food from the cafeteria. She glanced over at Jacob who seemed to be enjoying his food. She couldn’t tell what it was though. She took a deep breath and decided that she should tell him about her crush. “I…” she stopped. What was she thinking? She couldn’t tell him. Luckily he didn’t seem to hear her. Both of her friends Olivia and Riley plopped down beside them. As she was stabbing the mushy peas with a fork she accidently hit Jacob with her elbow. “I am so sorry,” She immediately cried. Olivia and Riley exchange bored glances as she padded Jacob over to make sure he wasn’t hurt. To distract herself she asked a question “What have you guys been doing recently”

“Nothing!” Olivia shouted “I am so bored” She complained.

“Same here,” Riley agreed.

“Why don’t you guys go outside and hang out with us,” he motioned towards himself and May. 

May’s heart went crazy “did he just plan a date with me?” She started to get excited but then realized he was her friend. Friends plan to hang out all the time. The bell sounded to announce the end of lunch. After school had ended she stopped Olivia in the hallway. Ignoring her confused grunts, May pulled her into a different unoccupied hall. “I need to talk to you,”

“About what,” Olivia responded.

“Well,” she took a deep breath “I like Jacob” she paused to let that settle in.

“Okay so?” Olivia asked

“Does he know?” She asked. Her heart raced. “What if he did know?”

“Calm down,” Olivia ordered. “ I don’t think he knows. Is that all you wanted to ask me?” 

Her breathing slowed “No, I need to know what to do,” 

“Tell him,” Olivia simply said.

“Tell him, are you serious? I can't do that,” She replied.

“Well then I can’t help you because that is all you need to do,” Olivia said as she left. She stood there for a little.

“Should I tell him?” She wondered but then quickly dismissed the thought. She was about to leave the school when around one of the corners she saw Jacob and Olivia. She decided to listen in.

“You just have to tell her,” Olivia said. 

“ I can’t tell someone I like them,” Jacob gasped.

“Fine then,” Olivia said as she stood up and started to walk towards May. May dashed out of the school and got on the bus just in time.

“How could Olivia have done this? She knew she liked Jacob and she gave him advice on how to talk to his crush. At least now she knew Jacob didn’t like her. She didn’t have to embarrass herself trying to tell him that she liked him. She was fuming when she got home and she angrily ate food and stomped upstairs in spite of believing he didn’t like her May found herself thinking about him. He was fifteen a whole year older than her. She knew they were young but that didn’t stop her from wanting him to be hers. As her anger towards Olivia slowly faded away she found herself crying. She remembered how much fun she had with him and how her mind had always thought that maybe he could love her. Her hopes now crushed, she wiped away tears. At least she could still be his friend. Maybe she could make him like her. Before she knew it she was drifting off to sleep. When she woke up she started to panic. It was nine thirty she missed the bus she quickly changed into her clothes and then stopped. She flopped down on her bed. She had forgotten it was a Saturday. She stood back up now that she was energized she supposed she should get ready for the day. When she finished eating she headed outside and was surprised to see Jacob there. 

“Hello,” he said.

“Oh uh, hi,” She responded. Then she chastised herself for being so nervous he doesn’t even like you she reminded herself. She stared into his sky blue eyes then looked away.

“Uh could you come with me,” he led her to the top of a hill overlooking flower trees.

“What is it?” she asked. 

Jacob drew in a deep breath, “I like you,” he glanced over at her to see her reaction. Millions of emotions swirled through her mind. “I’m sorry I’ll leave,” he said after glancing at her.

“NO!” she shouted, “I like you too, it's just…” It's just it didn't make sense after all didn’t he like someone else but now that she thought of it he never said who he liked. She had blamed Olivia for nothing.

“It’s just what?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she replied and she felt a spark of hope grow in her chest. Maybe she had a chance.