Box of Memories

Chapter Three

A large book lies on the side. I pick it up and glance at the cover. The yearbook from eighth grade. I flip through the pages. Freinds, enemies, and others flood through my head with each turn of the page. I come to our homeroom. There's Jerome, Mitch, me, and... Ah yes. Ron Turner. His face is covered in black marker. Don't blame him.

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I slammed my locker shut. Jerome was waiting for me so we could go to class.

"Not him again." Jerome muttered. Ron went up to Mitch and stars picking on him.

"Hey stupid! Why you still wearing a pink bracelet?" Mitch backed away and started walking toward us. I gasped when he was pushed against lockers.

"I asked you a question!" He yelled. Jerome clenched his fists. I grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't Jerome. It'll only make it worse." He looked at me with a worried look.

"He's gonna hurt him!" I looked back at Mitch, who was staring back at us. His eyes were screaming HELP. I bit my lip. What do we do?

"Hey pretty boy! You gonna answer me or not?!" He raised his fist close to his face. Mitch kept his mouth shut. Jerome took a step closer.

"OK! You asked for it!" He punched him only once before Jerome tackled him. Everyone in the hall stopped and watched Jerome and Ron fighting on the ground.

"Enough!" The principal went between them and pulled them away. Ron had a bloody nose. Jerome was facing the other way, but I could tell he wasn't good either.

"Down to my office! Right now!" The two of them walked down to the office. Jerome looked at Mitch one more time before turning the corner. Mitch ran over to me.

"Did he just-"

"Yep."

"And he-"

"Sure did."

Mitch just had a look on his face that you can't describe. I gave him a pat on the back and walked to class.

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"That was worth a week of detention." Jerome said. Then he laughed. "Do you know how long I've been waiting to do that?" Mitch held the door for me and we left the school. 

"He better not pick on you again. He'll get a piece of me." I told them. They tried to hide their smiles. I couldn't beat up a stuffed animal, let alone an older boy. 

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Ron was such a jerk. I bet he still is. I continue to cringe at the memory as I flip through the rest of the book. I start to close it when I realize what page this is. Our first prom. 

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"Boo." I said while climbing over the fence. The old gate doesn't work anyway. Mitch was sitting on the edge of the porch, reading a comic book.

"Hey." He replied. He threw the comic on a chair  and motioned for me to sit next to him. 

"So... prom is this Saturday." He said with a smile.

"Yup." I stared at my feet. 

"Do you have a date?" He asked. I shook my head. I doubt anyone likes me. 

"Well I don't either...." Mitch was acting really nervous. He has never done this around me. Was he trying to ask me to the dance?

"Do you want to go together?" I replied. He blushed. I hope I didn't do something stupid. "As freinds?" I took his hand. His freindship bracelet hit mine. "As freinds." 

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"You look beautiful." Mitch said. We stood outside the gym. I had a church dress that I hadn't worn before.  "You look pretty handsome yourself." I replied. 

"Did Jerome go with anyone?" He asked. "I think her name was Lousie or something like that." He nodded. I extended my hand out.  He smiled and took ahold of it. We opened the door and went in.

"Want to dance my lady?" Mitch said with a smirk. I grinned back. "Sure." That was the night I fell for him. 

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A single tear rolls down my face. I wipe it away and put the book next to the other things. I don't remember putting this much stuff in here. The box isn't that big, yet it holds so many treasures.  I take a deep breathe and think. When I'm ready, I pull out the nex thing hiding uner the cardboard flaps.