The Story Of Us

o n e

I was 4 years old when we met. I remember that day clearly.

You moved in next door and you were sitting outside with your mom, while your dad was at the store.

My mum made me come over to greet you guys with her, interrupting my playing with my trucks and tanks, she heard we were the same age and was hoping we could become friends.

So she held my hand and led me to your backyard, me dragging my tank along behind me.

"Hi! My name is Anne Marie! Welcome to the neighborhood!" My mum greeted cheerfully once we reached your back porch, "and this is my son, Ashton."

"Nice to meet you," your mum said with a warm smile, "I'm Natalie, and this is Addison," She gestured towards you.

They continued to talk as you and I just looked at each other.

We studied each other for a few moments. I noticed you had brown hair that just reached to your shoulders, and bright brown eyes.

We stood there, blinking at each other. I didn't know what to say, so I just held out my toy tank, holding it by the part that shot things.

You shrugged and smiled. Maybe you decided I was cool, at least cool enough to hang out with.

You grabbed a Barbie doll from the table and set it on top of my tank, and we rolled it around your yard, pretending the Barbie was in a war and shooting all the bad guys around.

We talked and played for awhile, before my mum told me it was time to go home. We learned mostly everything about each other.

You told me that you liked to dance, your favorite color was blue (which I liked because I thought only boys liked blue), that your favorite animal was a turtle, your birthday was August 5th, and you were from America.

I told you I liked to bang on things and make noise and play with my tank, my favorite color was red, my favorite animal was a turtle too, my birthday was July 7th, and I was from Australia.

We also decided to be best friends, and I thought you were a princess. You told me you were, and I could be your prince.

When preschool started up, I would hold the door to the classroom for you every morning, and at the end of the day if my mum came to pick me up before yours, I would tell her we couldn't leave until the princess left. We were inseparable.