Never Lose Its Shine

Part 2- Grow

                Grow

                                                Sixth grade had started. Through all the fighting for grades and friends come and gone, it was in my last year of elementary school. Heather was beginning the Fifth grade. It had seemed that we had picked up right where we left off. Nothing between us had changed at all, being the same children we once were, but with new ideas and a better knowledge of each other. Everything was as usual.

                                                She managed to attend one of my many band concerts before the year ended, supporting me with my newly found talent. Music. An orange soaked evening on the field where my co-trumpet player was missing was where this took place. I was indeed very nervous for this performance. Dressed in my blue pants and blue button up shirt, I was ready for the challenge. Every so often I would look over to Heather for confidence and inspiration. Looking at her with her usual smile would give me the sensation of confidence and belief that I could get through the concert in one piece. I did manage to survive the first solo trumpet performance of my life with her at my side.

                                                That evening acted as a turning point for us. For anyone, seeing the person that cares for you by your side in your most fragile moments will further grow the seed that was planted. I began calling her every single night. We would talk for hours at a time, about random childish subjects that are typical in small conversation between two kids. The hour long conversations would soon be limited to only fifteen minutes because of her father. Hearing him from the background, I heard him say “only fifteen minutes and he can't call past nine". I accepted these rules, although I did not fully agree with them. The conversations became fuller of content, not just the silence coming from both ends that would stretch to as long as five minutes at a time. We would talk about how our days went, funny situations our friends got us into during recess, and whether or not "Hell" was a bad word. She would even take the liberty of showing me her interest in Kids Bop music by playing me select tracks over the phone. It was not the best taste in music, but I too had a phase of listening to rather embarrassing music myself.

                                                Valentine’s Day in 2006 had been just around the corner. My grandmother had been in town for a few days and I was looking for Heathers present at the Tyler Mall. We walked into The Alley almost immediately upon our arrival. In there were countless vases and expensive possessions mixed in with small toys and electronics for easier purchase. I walked through the entire store searching for Heathers valentines present. A container filled with glass roses caught my eye. I ruffled through the roses looking for one that had no chip in the pedals, but all were damaged. I kept my eye on the only clear one that was on the entire container, for all the others were colored and very distasteful. I eagerly took the clear rose, knowing very well that she would love it. After further shopping, my father bought me the rose. The lady behind the cash register taunted me for my purchase. "Aren't you a little young to be having a girlfriend?" she asked mockingly. I responded with a confused grin, not knowing what to say. The very next day I had planned the layout of my backpack accordingly to fit the rose inside without damaging it any further. The entire school day was spent carefully carrying my backpack as if it were a pressure sensitive bomb waiting for the slightest of nudges. I had protected it with my entire life for that day, afraid to even open my bag in fear that someone would break or steal it.

                                                The time had come. The final school bell rang and I ran out of class as fast as I could, hoping to catch Heather before she walked out the front gate to be picked up. I saw her through the rather small crowd of friends and pulled her aside. I pulled out the glass rose covered in a reinforced layer of paper towels and such. She smiled and was full of excitement when she saw that I had actually gotten her a gift. She too pulled out a gift for me. A Valentine’s Day card with a dog on the front. Once she took the glass rose, I told her not to open it until she got home. As I walked out of the schoolyard to make my way back home, I could not keep myself under enough control to not open the card. The dog on the front opened its arms wider and wider. It seemed that this card would keep opening forever until its hands were finally stretched out enough. Cluttered with hearts and various X's and O’S was a small message to me, the usual Valentine’s Day card. I cherished that card for as long as I kept it in my possession.

                                                As usual, things were growing and escalating in the coming weeks. Phone calls before nine o clock and torturing friends during recess, the bond seemed inseparable. She had invited me to join her on her way to Castle Park on a Saturday. When she asked, I shuttered with a sudden rush of nervous sensations, but managed to accept. The night before, I called her to make sure everything was set for our festivities the next day. Her brother answered the phone at about ten o'clock. He gave her the phone so she could clear any questions I had, but once she started talking it was short lived. Her speech turned into a low mumble. I felt confused because I found that she was asleep. The next day I was dropped off at her house with my brother (forced to join us). Her house was one I felt was most distinct among the other houses because of the small picket fence in front, the well groomed flowers ever so carefully aided by her mother. After greeting her at the front door, I proceeded inside where her sister was fast asleep on the couch. Her father was the designated driver for the day. He gathered his keys and sunglasses and headed out the door with Heather and me, along with her youngest sister Laura and my brother. The car ride was full of rather bad pop music playing from the radio, but at the time it did not faze me in the least. Scrambling out of the white truck, we danced about the rocks layer precisely in organized rows along the curb. Stepping on them in the summer heat seems as if you stepped on a molten hand sticking out of hell. The day was full of laughter and non-stop giggles from the two of us.

                                                It turned into a day I would never forget. We had somehow gotten onto into the same seat of the large octopus ride. The two of us...seated side by side for the first time. I felt nervous of being so close. That feeling soon faded with the rustle and bustle of the twisting ride. The ride only lasted a short time, maybe because of the lack of passengers. There were only about five carts filled with people. One of them was occupied entire by my brother. The ride was stopped for longer than it lasted in order to get all of these passengers safely back to the ground. Heather and I waited patiently as the ride inched slowly for each person. The wait was longer than expected, and as any normal person would do, we began to grow bored of waiting. My right hand was laying limp upon my leg when I felt her hand slip into it. Her movement somewhat caught me off guard, although I really did not seem to mind. I looked into her eyes. How deeply that glowing blue eyed stare of hers reached into my heart. That look was one that is unforgettable. It almost reaches into your soul, melting it with her alluring gaze. I will never forget the sensation it gave me to look into such beautiful eyes. The trance was broken by her resting her head upon my shoulder. We both sat without saying a word. The only thing either of us looked at was our hands bound together as the ride stopped. It was time to return to reality.

                                                After such a memorable day, one does not let go of it easily. Upon returning home (after seeing Anthony the Magic and winning a jackpot on an arcade game) I reflected on the day. I pieced together every moment as if I were to stow it forever into my memory. It was difficult to think of anything but her for the rest of the weekend. I did not fight the urge to think of anything else.