The bumble bees that year were rather large. They would busily hum their wings to the drum that beat within my soul. Always sticking their heads in flowers, always feasting on the Roses of Sharon like a vampire to an unfortunate woman, the bumble bees would eat. The bees would also help the pollination effort come so much more quickly. Like a philosopher ponders the secrets of life, I sat on the steps where the Roses of Sharon thrived, and I’d think of all those things that would make me happy at such a desolate time. But nevertheless, I’d look into the beautiful purple and pink roses for some sort of comfort, comfort that could have saved the lives of millions upon millions. Still, I’d wonder about all of those things that didn’t come naturally: the women, the sports, the looks that could make any normal person become a millionaire. It was then, and only then, when I told myself that I no longer needed such earthbound wants that I found real love and compassion for another. Her name, was Cherri Lon Bonatette. She had just come from France as an exchange student. She had a 5.3 grade point average, which wasn’t even comprehendible to me. I had always been an A student, but she, was a masterpiece beyond all recognition. She was staying with Miss Grudounne, the local charity event coordinator and the French teacher at my High School. When the principal announced that a foreign exchange student was arriving to the school system, Mrs. Grudounne jumped at the chance to keep the girl at her house so that she may both teach her English and learn more about France’s well-being since she had left it so many years before.

            The day had finally come when the girl had arrived to the school. Miss Grudounne took her through each class room and taught her how to say hello and taught each class how to say hello in French. When they had gotten to my room, I had been drawing a Rose of Sharon. Both of them entered the room as our teacher was handing out homework. I didn’t bother looking up at anything in school because the teachers always repeated what they wrote on the board out loud multiple times. Miss Grudonne came in and announced their arrival. “Hello Mrs. Ramone’s 11th grade math class. I would like you all to welcome our newest student that has traveled all the way from France to be with us. Her name is Cherri Lon Bonatette. Say hello Cherri.”

            I could hear all of the students talking amongst themselves, probably judging her and placing her into a stereotype. I didn’t like to judge people at all. But, then again, I didn’t like too many people, so I rarely spoke or told anyone my thoughts about them.

            Cherri walked up to the front of the room and with an unsure sound said “Hello everyone” loud enough so that everyone could hear her nervousness. I still didn’t want to bother looking up at her because I knew whoever it was wasn’t going to like me.

            Then, Miss Grudounne said, “Now class, I would like all of you to repeat after me. Ehem. ‘Bonjour Miss Cherri’.” The class lazily repeated the welcome like a robot at NASA. I didn’t say anything because I already knew how to say hello in French. But then, the wildest thing happened. I could hear foot steps coming down an aisle. Then I realized they were coming down my aisle of desks! They came closer and closer to me yet I continued to look down and kept working on my drawing. Then, the footsteps got softer and slower as they came closer to me. I decided that would be a good enough time to look up since whoever it was had intended to come to me. I turned my head up with a cocked brow as if saying, “Huh?” Then, my heart stopped. Everything became as slow as a Buick going down the highway. Miss Cherri Lon Bonatette was standing right in front of me! She was by far the most gorgeous girl I had ever seen in my entire existence! She was wearing little black shoes that had a big silver buckle on the top of each. She was also wearing a plaid skirt that went down to her beautiful knees and a white ruffled shirt that enhanced her beauty two fold. Her dark brown hair waved down to her belly button. She looked at me with amazing emerald eyes that seemed to stare not only at me but into me as well. She had her hands behind her back as she began to smile and turn red. I froze and turned the same shade of red as her plaid skirt. Everyone was staring, especially the perverted boys that only saw her as a girl that they might score one day. She leaned toward me a little and said, “Hello everyone,” in a voice that could have rivaled birds singing. She had also said it only to me, because she was staring directly into my eyes as she said it, and she kept them there.

            I didn’t have a clue as to what I should do now. Luckily, something in my brain snapped on and I said, “Bo-Bo-Bonjour Miss Cherri.” She giggled a little at my slight stutter. Now was the time that I knew I would have to do something else. I started looking around me without moving my head an inch. I didn’t know what to do! These kinds of things just don’t happen to guys like me. But then, I looked down at my desk, and saw the answer. I put my hand back on my drawing which was mostly done anyway, and I lifted it up to her. Her eyes stared at the picture in aw. She moved her hand to take it but, then she did something so foreign to me, I thought I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. She held onto the paper alright. She held onto it along with my hand!

            That was the point where I stopped breathing and my heart started beating extraordinarily fast. We both turned a scarlet red that neither of us would ever forget for the rest of our lives. I was getting light headed when the bell rang and everyone but Cherri and I jumped up, grabbed their text books, and took off like lightning to their next classes. I stood up and as I did, Cherri said, “What is your name?” I continued to look for where my breath had gone.

            “D-David,” I said, mumbling and stuttering again.

            “Mmmmm, Day-vid. You-are-very-nice Day-vid.” Cherri replied in a slow manner. She then smiled at me one last time and walked over to Miss Grudounne who was standing impatiently and puzzled at the doorway. As they were leaving the room, Cherri looked back in at me. She said, “Good-bye, Day-vid,” with a smile on her face. All I could do was fall back into my seat and look up at Mrs. Ramone who was now standing next to me tapping her shoe.

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