My Girl

Vada and Thomas J. Proposal

On a beautiful summer day in August 1972, a little girl runs away from her house. This little girl is named Vada Sultenfuss. She's the 11 year old daughter of Harry Sultenfuss. She just ran away because her father scolded her. He scolded her for letting her grandma interrupt a funeral(her father's a funeral director). She runs to over to the Sennett house where her bestfriend lives.

"Can Thomas J. come out?" Vada asks. 

"Sure. Thomas J., Vada is here!" Mrs. Sennet calls out. Thomas J. appears from upstairs. He's the 11 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Sennett. He wears glasses and is allergic to everything.

"Hey, Vada." Thomas J. says.

"Hey Thomas J. wanna hang out by the willow tree?" Vada ask.

"Sure" Thomas J. grabs his bike and he and Vada head to the willow tree. 

"Why do you think people want to get married?" Vada asks as they sit under the shade of the willow tree. The willow tree is located by a beautiful lake. Vada and Thomas J. keep revisiting the willow tree because Thomas J. loves to climb trees. 

"When you get older you just have to." Thomas J. answers as he picks the grass. 

"I want to marry Mr. Bixler when I'm older," Vada says.

"You can't do that. It's against the law to marry a teacher." Thomas J. states.

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is. He'll give you all A's then it won't be fair."

"Not true." Vada crosses her arms "Have you ever kissed someone?" Vada asks remembering the time she caught her father and Shelly making out. Shelly is her father's work partner and fiancé.

"Like they do on tv? No." Thomas J. answers 

"Maybe we should. To see what's the big deal." 

"But I don't know how." 

"Just practice on your arm like this." Vada starts kissing her arm and Thomas J. does the same. "Okay enough practice." They both stop kissing their arm. "Okay on the count of three. One, two, two and a half, three." They give each other a little peck on the lips. An awkward silence follows after. "Say something it's too quiet," Vada says. Thomas J. hesitates. "Just hurry." Vada says. 

"I pledge allegiance to the flag..." Thomas J. gets up and does the pledge of allegiance like he does in school. Vada follows him. More awkward silence after the pledge. 

"Wanna head home?" Vada ask. 

"Yeah let's head home." Thomas J. replies. He and Vada grab their bikes and head home. "You better not tell anyone." Vada says when they get to their street. 

"I won't" Thomas J. promises. 

"Let's spit on it." Both Vada and Thomas J. spit into their hands and give each other a handshake. They both say their goodbyes as Vada walks to her house.

"Vada, will you think of me?" Thomas J. asks. 

"For what?" Vada replies.

"What if you can't marry Mr. Bixler." 

"Then I will." Vada hops onto her bike and rides home. Thomas J. smiles as he watches her leave. After that Thomas J. biked to the woods where Vada lost her mood ring. Thomas J. searched through the leaves and bushes and eventually finds the mood ring hiding underneath the leaves by the bee's nest. The last time he was there with Vada they both knocked over a bee's nest but weren't foolish enough to stick around and get stung. He then kicks the nest on his way out and the bees swarm out. He hears an angry buzzing from the bees as they swarm out after him. He turns around and runs as fast as he can away from the bee's nest. He makes it to his bike in time and rides home. On his way home he stops by Vada's house. He knocks on the door and Vada appears. 

"Hey Thomas J. what are you doing here?" Vada ask. She spots the mood ring in his hand.

"Vada, will you marry me?" He gets down on one knee and holds up the mood ring

"Where did you learn to do that?" Vada ask.

"I saw people do it on tv. Thought I'd try it on you." Thomas gets up and hands Vada the ring. "So are you gonna say yes or what?" 

"I already told you I will marry you if I can't marry Mr. Bixler." Vada puts the ring on her finger. 

"Does that make us engaged now?" Thomas J. asks.

"What do you mean?"

"I proposed, you took the ring, you didn't say no. So that makes us engaged." 

"Okay I guess that makes us engaged but we have to like each other like my dad likes Shelly." Vada points out.

"I do like you like your dad likes Shelly." Thomas J. admits. 

"Really? Well I guess I like you too but I don't know if it's in the same way my dad likes Shelly." Vada admires her ring. 

"Then that makes us engaged." 

"I guess so."

"Vada, come here I need your help!" Vada turns around after hearing her dad's voice. "Coming Dad! I got to go Thomas J. Also thanks for finding my ring" Vada closes the door leaving Thomas J. on the porch smiling.