Noelle
Being in fifth grade was like being the king of the jungle. It was like being at the top of the food chain. Everyone was younger than you...except the teachers, of course.
Ashley pranced over to the blue plastic cafeteria table that I had been eating a sandwich at all alone, like an utter loser.
"You'll NEVER believe what just happened, babe." The way she said 'babe' was so uncool that it was cool.
"What?"
"Noah asked me out! EEK! Can you believe?"
"..."
"Ohmigawd! I'm sooo sorry! I forgot about your current pathetic boyfriendless status....sorry for rubbin' it in!"
But it wasn't just that. It was the fact that Noah, the guy I've liked for a solid year, wanted to date her and not me. I tried to not get too worked up about it, though.
"Nah. Its fine. We're only in the fifth grade, there is plenty of time to get a boyfriend."
"...K. I know just what to do to cheer you up. Tonight, you'll come to my house and we'll eat a bunch of junk food and watch all the chick flix on Netflix. Ha, that rhymed."
"Ha, yeah, it did," I reached over and gave her a hug, "You're the best, Ash."
"I know."
+++
The next week, during recess, Noah walked right up to me and tapped my shoulder, "Noelle."
"What?" I glared at him to show my annoyance.
"I...I feel like, um, like you've been...avoiding me? And I wanted to know...why?" He squinted due to the sun shining in his eyes.
"I'm not avoiding you," I lie, "But I really...sort of, have to go to the, um, the bathroom. Bye." I push past him .
"Noelle! Wait!" He shouts after me, but I don't stop or turn around because I wasn't lying about having to go to the bathroom.
