The Story Of Us

Chapter 3

The Story Of Us
Chapter 3
Emily's POV

Date story took place: 11/13/06
Age: 8

Ever since Halloween, I couldn't keep my mind off Caleb and the little peck he gave me on the cheek. It was probably just some stupid thing all boys do at some point when they're little then totally forget about doing, but I felt like this was different. Now here I am sounding like a teenager who knows everything about crushes.

Well, I don't but then I do.

I don't know how crushes work when you hit the teenager stage, but I do know how crushes work when you are an eight year old kid.

So, I had a huge eight year old crush on Caleb, but I never told him. I thought if I did then maybe he wouldn't like me back or maybe even become distant with me. That was my worse fear. Losing Caleb.

Honestly, if I ever lost Caleb my world would end. Not just because I like him, but because he's my best friend. We've been friends since we were running around in diapers. To be honest, I've never had a friend that was a girl. I've never really experienced a huge slumber party with nail painting, sharing secrets, playing with Barbies and all that jazz. I've only hung out with Caleb, and honestly, I think boys are a lot more fun to be around. In second grade, girls are tattletails, liars and snotty brats. Boys are so laid back and cool about things that they wouldn't budge if there was a war going on right in front of them.

So here I am at my eighth birthday party, listening to all these random girls, a few boys and Caleb singing Happy Birthday to me. I don't hang out with any of them besides Caleb. I just needed people to come to my party.

I look up from the bright pink cake and the glowing candles to see Caleb's smile shown towards me. I grin back and he holds up a thumbs up with one hand and a thumbs down with the other. Ever since Kindergarten, that has been Caleb and I's symbol of friendship. I'm not sure why, but it just is.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Caleb came running up to me during playtime. I turned towards him, wondering what new thing he learned this time.

He holds up a thumbs up with one hand and a thumbs down with the other. The fingers in the middle are touching together so both hands touch.

I shrugged my shoulders. "What is it?"

"It's our best friend sign," he replied. "We will go through some good times," he wiggled his thumbs up hand, "and we'll go through some bad times, but no matter what, we will always stick together!" He said referring to his hand touching the other.

From then on that's always been our little symbol. No one knows what it means, besides us.

When the singing stops that's the cue for me to make a wish. I close my eyes tight and think for a moment about how I want to word this.

"I wish that Caleb and I will stay best friends forever and that he will never leave my side. I also have a teeny tiny wish that maybe he will realize I like him and that he'll like me back, but the first wish is more important." I say to myself.

I unclench my eyes and blow out all eight candles at the same time. Everyone cheers while I stand there, satisfied with the wish I just made.

I didn't realize then that nine years later my wish would just completely shatter.