Willow:

I was a six-year-old girl. I was innocent as ever and expected only good things. Today was my first day of first grade. I previously experienced Kindergarten. My momma had promised me it would not be the same as Kindergarten here, and that I would actually learn some new things.

"It's elementary school, Willow," she told me, her smile bright as always. "Your goal remains the same; stand out, and don't copy what the other kids do. Always listen closely. There will not be naps after lunchtime anymore. You won't be drawing as many pictures, either."

She was wrong about the drawings. We had been drawing since class started, and we were about halfway done with class. They were different, but they were still pictures. They were still easy to do. They were like puzzles, but instead of piecing a picture together or coloring one in, we were numbering them first to last. My teacher, Ms. Rose, called them Mind Game worksheets.

My momma had taught me how to count on my fingers when I was nearly three years old. She taught me the alphabet shortly after. She taught me how to write numbers 0-100, and letters A-Z shortly before I started Kindergarten. I was ahead of everyone around me, so I was often bored with lessons. I was already familiar with most lessons in class. My momma had always been my favorite teacher.

"Alright, class. Before we go to lunch, I need everyone to pick a partner for our next lesson," Ms. Rose announced. I thought this would possibly be a fun activity. Maybe I would actually learn something new, I thought.

I was in the second row in front, and so I looked behind me in search for a classmate to sit with, and call my partner.

There was a boy. He was quiet and alone, but there was this smile on his face that I could not look away from. He was sitting directly behind me.

"Hey, what's your name?" I asked him curiously. A smile claimed the corner of my mouth, uncontrolled.

"Kennedy," he answered. His smile remained. His eyes were big and blue. His eyes distracted me. They weren't distracting in a bad way, though. It was almost as if they were speaking to me, begging me to introduce myself. So, I told him my name.

"I'm Willow," I said, and then I asked, "Do you want to be my partner?"

He nodded his head vigorously, and we both laughed.

"Yeah," he said excitedly.

I had taken the seat next to him before Ms. Rose told us all to line up, so she could escort us to the cafeteria. While in line, we often peeked at each other, just so we could see the other's smile.

I sat next to him at lunch, and though the rest of our classmates surrounded us, we hadn't seemed to be interested in anyone or anything but each other. Kennedy and I were inseparable.

I had learned so much about him in one day. Him as my partner in class, I noticed that he liked sharing his ideas, but he had never pushed them on me. He cared about what I thought of his ideas, and he cared about my own ideas. I hadn't had many ideas, but he was always happy to just listen. We intrigued each other.

When class ended, the teacher began announcing bus numbers, to make sure all of the kids remembered theirs. My house had been walking distance, and so I waited for her to announce walkers and car riders.

When she did, Kennedy and I stood up at the same time.

I grinned, "Are you walking home, too?"

"Yeah, my house is just down the road, past the woods," he answered as we walked.

I sighed in awe. "Really? My house is just down the road, too. But before the woods," I told him.

"Do you want to walk with me?" he offered.

Absently, I grabbed his hand and held it as we walked through the last hall, then out the door. "I couldn't have it any other way," I replied, turning my head briefly, so he could see my smile.

"Then let's go home," he exhaled. I had felt him squeeze my hand, and I thought it was the best, most comforting feeling I had ever felt. I had considered him my best friend already, and it was nice having him here with me. I knew it would always be nice, having him close. Even then, we had known we would be partners forever.

I wanted Kennedy's attention more than anything, especially when I was a six-year-old girl. He fascinated me. Before Kennedy, I wondered if boys actually had cooties. Before Kennedy, boys intimidated me. I once tried befriending girls, but I never really liked being around other girls. Before Kennedy, I hadn't had any friends besides my mom and dad. Kennedy had always been my best friend, my only friend. I had never once wanted Kennedy to go away. I wanted him to stay. I always wanted him to stay. Though we said Hello for the last time on August 16th, exactly twelve years after the day we first met, I still hoped he'd be with me somehow. I hoped every day, ever since.

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