Love & Payne

The First Sighting

Freshman Year

Red.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of this color? Roses maybe? or a heart?

The color red has many meanings, and is related to many terms such as passion, lust, and of course love. But those aren't the things I think of when I see the color red. Red brings back so many wanted and unwanted memories of some of the best and worst days of my life.

It was red. That color had me hooked from the very first sighting.

When I caught a glimpse of the boy I would be unbelievably and unequivocally in love with, he was wearing red, a red jersey that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

                                    *******

I seen him when he was walking through the hall of our high school. He was walking with such confidence it could've easily made anyone in the vicinity raging with jealously. He had a smile that lit up his entire face, and it made you wanna smile just by looking at him. You'd never be able to tell that this boy with the confidence of a superstar, would be a freshman but he is. I think that's what attracted me to him the most, the way he held himself in front of others, never caring what others would think of this freshman being so happy on the first day of "hell". That the boy riding the bench for this years' football season could have been this proud to be apart of the team. But he is, you can tell by the pride he showed while wearing his jersey.

As I stared at this mystery boy longer, I wondered if he was new. I must of seen him before now if we had attended grade school together, but I couldn't put a name to the face.

The longer I looked the more I learned and soon enough I realize he couldn't have been new with the way he laughing among his friends, and how he could start a conversation with them effortlessly. He wasn't uncomfortable around them which meant he must have known them for quite some time. Soon enough, Izzy Vincent wrapped her hand around the mystery boy's arm, I then turned my gaze away from them, suddenly feeling guilty for staring so long.

Izzy Vincent is what you would call the "queen bee",  she was nice enough but could turn any friendly smile into one of pure cruelty in a matter of seconds if you even thought of crossing her. She was of course the head cheerleader, but also made straight A's in all of her classes. She even planned on applying to both Yale and Harvard in our senior year, or so I had heard.

Izzy was never cruel towards me but also never nice. I don't think she ever really made much of an effort to notice me, or I simply wasn't someone important enough for her to remember. That's okay though, that's how I liked it.

I'm a wallflower among all the others, quietly observing from a distance.  You learn a lot more about people this way, because they think you aren't going to hear them and will say anything and everything around you. Though, I don't like the thought of spreading gossip, so what I heard I kept to myself.

I wonder if mystery boy has heard the tons of rumors of Izzy that are circulating around the halls and classrooms? I wonder how the boy  with the raging confidence and kind smile  could be friends with someone who has the power to make others feel afraid of her?

Why can't I shake this boy out of my head?

No matter what I tried; my mind kept running back to the confident boy in the red jersey.

Maybe Izzy and mystery boy were dating? Although; I'd never known Izzy to be one for boyfriends, due to always saying grades are more important than boys. She could have changed her tune when we got to high school though, seeing as how we are now around the students in the grades above us.

The two dating makes more sense to me than my friendship theory.

I've heard the comments the male students make about her and what they would do with her, if they were given the chance. Their comments are extremely inappropriate, but maybe mystery boy has the same thoughts?

I suddenly jump and accidentally slammed my locker door shut from the scare of the warning bell ringing above my head.

Great, the bell just had to be above my locker. I knew I'd jump every time it went off because of how much I daze off into my thoughts. 

The five minute chaos between classes were now starting as students started jogging to make it to their classes on time for the first day, probably never going to make the same attempt again in the following weeks of classes.

For me it's a really frustrating five minutes due to not being able to push my way through the sea of students. Therefore; I would wait by my locker until the hallways cleared up a bit, though this would inevitably make me late for my first class.

This is where being a wallflower is in my favor, no one would care if I showed up late, or not at all. I knew for sure my fellow students and teachers wouldn't spare a second glance at me entering late because they most likely wouldn't notice me. But if they did it, it would be a short glance in my direction before quickly dismissing me again.