Chiles's Notebook: One Shot series

First Grade

Chapa and Miles meeting at the age of 6 years old on the first day of first grade

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6-year-old Chapa sat on the rug during lunchtime and looked at her baloney sandwich in disgust. She hated baloney, she was more of a turkey type of girl. She looked around and the teacher was busying trying to get something on the board while other kids chatted amongst themselves. She tried to isolate herself, not because she was shy but because she didn't want to talk to people. Chapa had a temper from a very young age and it seemed like whenever her peers said anything silly or asked a question that had an obvious reason she would have to resist the urge to roll her eyes or bite them. It was a habit her parents were working on fixing.

Chapa noticed that another boy was sitting on the rug but on the opposite side. He also looked into his lunchbox and took a sandwich out. Chapa wondered if it was turkey. Only one way to find out. She closed her own lunchbox,  placed it on the floor next to her, getting up to dust off her grey jeans and fixing up her furry brown sweater.  She walked over to the boy just as he was about to take his first bite. 

The boy stopped when suddenly a figure came over him and he looked up to see who it was. It was a girl.

"What kind of sandwich is that?" She asked. He looked down at his sandwich then back up at her, 

"Um, turkey," he answered. 

He looked around to see if his twin sister was around, maybe she'd know why this strange girl had asked about his sandwich. She knew everything, even how to tie her shoes!

 "I want it," the girl simply said. 

She grabbed the sandwich, pushed him from his sitting position, took his place, and sat criss-cross applause taking a bit from the sandwich as if it was hers. The boy was offended. What meanie just comes up to someone and steals their lunch? Lucky for him, he knew how to defend himself. He got up from off the floor, yanked his sandwich out of her hands, pushed her away just like she had done, and went into the same position she had been in, claiming his spot back.

Chapa didn't know how to react. No one had ever stood up to her before, the other kids usually ran away from her because they were intimated. She couldn't help it, that's just how she was. She never had a friend, she always thought she was better off on her own anyways but it did get lonely on the playground sometimes. 

She walked over to the boy and sat next to him instead, watching him take a bit from the other side of where she had eaten.  She huffed, rested her elbows on her legs, and held her cheeks up with both hands.

The boy looked back over at the girl and tilted his head. "You could have just asked for some," He let her know. Her big brown sad eyes peered into his. He split his sandwich in half and offered it to her. The girl looked at the sandwich and hesitantly took it from the boy that was now grinning up at her. 

"My name is Miles," He introduced.

"I'm Chapa," Chapa greeted back. 

"Nice to meet you," Miles giggled, he thought that she had the coolest name ever. 

Chapa couldn't help but let out a chuckle herself, his laughter was contagious. For the first time ever, she was happy to be at school. Miles was alright. Was it possible that she just made her first friend? and maybe, just maybe, the playground wouldn't be so lonely anymore.