Ethan's POV
November 17, 2005
Our teacher was having a little game with a prize to whoever won. It was a surprise so we were all really excited, except for Grayson, a kid in my class. Grayson doesn't talk to anyone and is always alone. I always want to go up and talk to him but always get to nervous and back out right before.
We were doing math problems, everyone at the group of tables stood up, Grayson sat by himself. The teacher called each student one by one giving us a math problem to solve, whoever didn't want to participate would just keep seated at their seats. Grayson was the only one that stayed in their seat.
The teacher started calling each student with different addition and subtraction problems, everyone was getting the first couple of ones right. As time went on the problems got more advanced and with that the students standing slowly diminished down to two people, this girl named Maria and me.
We were only given ten seconds to answer the questions so I was pretty nervous. I was known as the smartest person in class but sometimes Maria got the upper hand on me and would do better. Plus I'm not very good at competitions so I usually do bad.
"Maria, what's 59+64," the teacher asked.
As time ticked down, the teachers fingers counting down the seconds until it was my turn, she stuttered trying to get her answer in time, fumbling with her fingers, murmuring to herself, the teacher called out time and with that she turned to me.
"Ethan, what's 74+57,"
As she started her timer with her fingers I was thinking first adding 70 and 50 together which is 120 and then adding 7 and 4 which equals 11. 120+10 is 130, plus one and that's 131. As I solved the problem in my head, "Two!" The teacher called out
"131!" I yelled out
"Correct, congratulations Ethan you won!" She announced as the whole class cheered and clapped for me, looking over at Grayson I see him playing with his fingers looking down with a blank face.
"So, Ethan since you won you get the prize, and the prize is... you get to choose one person to have extra recess time with you!"
Everyone "ohhd" and raised their hands begging me to pick them to hang out at for extra time at recess, I was friends with everyone so I could really pick anybody. I looked at Grayson to see him staring down at his notebook drawing circles with his finger on the cover.
I thought about who to choose, chewing my lip as I stared around the room contemplating who to choose.
"Well, who do you want to choose?"
"Um...uh...Gr-Grayson, I choose Grayson" I mumbled softly to the teacher standing next to me.
"Grayson" the teacher called out
Grayson looked up with wide-innocent eyes
"Ethan picked you as his partner to go out for extra recess" she said as a small smile adorned her face
Grayson nervously looked down playing with his fingers as he chewed on his bottom lip, his little chest pumping up and down.
~•~
"Alright since lunch is in seven minutes can everyone line up by the door and we'll just go early" she called out as everyone got up, some going to their assigned cubbies and getting their lunch boxes lining behind the door, Grayson at the back of the line as usual.
We walked the halls to the lunch room entering through the doors all lining up to go through the lunch line waiting for the lunch ladies to come to serve the food. Some people going to their seats as they had brought a lunch from home.
