I met Rick in the sixth grade. Halfway through the year, we were told (our class I mean) that he was moving here from Battle Creek and he might be unhappy, so make him feel welcome. I met him the next day. I had expected a blonde with dullish blue eyes, straight teeth, skinny as a rail, short, and kind of a punk. Nevertheless, he’d be nice.

Rick had brown hair; clear and bright blue eyes, rather crooked teeth, a little chunky, tall and kind of a geek. He was snide, and rather rude, especially to my first boyfriend and I. He'd get busted for talking back to the teachers and reading his books in class.

He came two months later and they seemed to get along wonderfully. I have a scrapbook with pictures of people in the 6th grade. There were about 5 pictures that weren't with both of them together. I began to take an interest in him and started trying everything to hang out with them both. This destroyed the little relationship I had with Rick. In the 7th grade I didn’t see him, and I was pretty happy.

I started going out with him in January of my 7th grade year, and Rick came to East (my school) in late February. I remember walking into the main office, seeing him standing in his infamous red coat and his backpack. He had also acquired braces. We must have stared at each other for a good 2 minutes.

“Welcome to East Junior High, Ricky.” I say and run back to my science class.

Over the summer, he trimmed down and was no longer nearly as big as he had been. He must have grown about two inches as well. His braces were finally doing the trick too. He was becoming…well…almost attractive.

We were in each other’s band class for the first half of the year. We talked and could finally have a conversation without it ending it scowls or screams. More often than not, we would actually laugh together. I started feeling…something.

At farewell, he approached me with a red rose and said it was for me. He was smiling shyly. I was shocked. I still have it. I decided to dry it. It’s hanging upside-down in my room, laced with ribbons and the other two roses I had received. I felt crush-like feelings.

I went to the high school today to listen to the band. All ninth graders in band went, so naturally, Rick would be there. I sat next to Kyle and saw Rick sitting on top of the back seat. “Ah! Kyle let me out!” I said excitedly. “I’m gonna sit by Rick.”

Kyle let me out and I sat by Rick. He’s interested in joining the Navy, and today he had a list of handy sayings in French and Portuguese for those in the Navy. I looked at them. I found them extremely interesting.

We went to listen to the high school band. We never separated. We spent the whole time together. We laughed at everything we said to each other and watched in amazement as his friend Ryan shoveling down 13 hotdogs in a row (NO LIE! This was a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!). Way more twinges of affection.

We got back on the bus an hour and a half later. He began looking at the list again.

“Vous sortirez avec moi?” He asked me.

“Huh?” I asked. “Oh, I take Spanish.”

“N-nevermind.” he said.

I took the list curiously, thinking that he looked at it to get what he had said. I read it, looking for a French sentence that started with a ‘v’. I found one. It translated to ‘will you go out with me?’.

“Rick?” I asked him. “Did you just…?” I trailed off and pointed to the sentence on the paper.

“Yeah.”

I was shocked, but extremely happy. This makes the fourth confession this week.

“Okay.” I said.

I have a boyfriend. My first in a year. If he found out, I swear he’d have a fucking cow. Is there any real way to break it to him easily? I’m expecting the same kind of reaction from him when I told Rick that that I was going out with him. Nasty little surprise that was. He seemed really pissed.

Yeah Zavy, it seems spur of the moment. There weren’t any ‘warning signs’. Don’t lecture me okay? I’m happy for god sake! Isn’t that what you wanted?! You have Caitlin, and I don't want to wait for you.