by Neva Teal
*
When something seems too good to be true it usually is.
I thought the angel left however there he was, waiting for me in my class.
Angel Cole spent all day bothering me at school, insisting that I’d declare my “undoing and eternal love” to Chuck.
No one else saw him and every time I told him something, the other kids thought I was going mental.
- Stop. Pestering. Me! - I muttered, enraged, under my breath, when we left for lunch.
- Not until you Tell Him. Tell Him!
Two whole days I did my best to ignore this infuriating winged creature but he simply wouldn’t leave.
So I gave in.
- Fine! I’ll do it! I’ll Do It! My life will end, every kid will laugh at me until the end of time, but I’ll do it!
After a silence, Angel Cole replied:
- How dramatic. Good. Tomorrow you’ll have a big day. Go to sleep.
The very next day, at the cafeteria, in our lunch break, I slowly approached Chuck as if I was walking the plank. Suddenly, in a flash, I understood: the angel seemed more like a pirate to me.
- Ch-Chuck.
- Hi Bonny. Wanna trade?
- Wa-what?
- My sandwich for yours. Mom’s making experiments again. Today it’s soy with... some green goo...
His faced twitched and again I witnessed how adorable he was. I did... like Chuck quite a bit. But... love? Love is for grownups. And love doesn’t last. It didn’t between mom and dad. They stayed together for five months after I was born and then he left. And mom was alone with me.
Angel Cole pulled my hair.
- Ouch!
- Bonny?
- Oh, it’s... ouch, a cramp...!
- Have you got your skateboard yet?
- No, not yet... but I will! I don’t know when but I will. Soon. Actually, Chuck, I want to tell you something.
- You want to borrow mine again. You can’t ‘cause today...
- No, it’s not that. I, I...
- Yeah?
I was nervous and looking down. My face was warm and my hands shaking. A strange tremor was quivering my stomach. Suddenly Angel Cole nudged me. “All right!” I murmured and saw the kids’ faces. “She’s talking to herself again,” I heard.
Fabulous. After this I will be the Weird Kid. Forever.
- Chuck, I like you. I like you a lot. I like you since ever. Since we made mud cake together. And you ate all the cake. I love you because... I don’t know. Oh God, I said the word love. I, I... I guess I do love you. I don’t know why. Wait, I’ve already said that, right? This is confusing.
All the time my eyes were on the floor and I noticed this spooky silence around me. I lifted my face and saw him, redder than me, his eyes wide-open, more embarrassed than anyone else in the room. For a moment it was all I saw, and then I quickly slanted my eyes across the cafeteria. Kids had their mouths open, their food half eaten, some were holding sandwiches midair. Slowly Chuck got up and left without saying a word. The silence ended and there was no laughing, nothing. Everyone just decided to ignore me and pretend I wasn’t even there.
- Well done, Bonny! - cheered Angel Cole, giving me a solid tap on my back.
- Bonny...?
I turned around, sluggishly, gasping for air. My life ended there and then, I knew it.
- Bonny, are you alright?
Sam was a good friend. Her name was Samantha but everybody called her Sam.
- Fi-fine. Juuuuust... fine - I said as I sat, trying hard to calm down and breathe properly.
- What the... heck was that? Why, why? I mean. What was that?
- You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
- Is that, is that... a way to get a skate for free?
- What?
- I mean, it’s the only thing that makes sense. I know you told me your mom can’t afford it so... you’re hoping Chuck will give you his?
- No, no, Sam, nothing like that.
I wasn’t even mad for her thinking such a thing. I could see the confused look in her face.
- I truly do like him, since I was four. And now, now... I’ve decided to tell him.
- In front of... everyone?!
- Yes. Yes.
She was at loss for words. Then the bell rang. And slowly she took me to class. Everyone was looking at me with something that later Angel Cole said was “awe”.
Whatever that is.
