Innocent Childhood

Everything has a beginning. Lola’s first meeting with Rael is hard to express in words, but in the slightest way, it can be narrated as the following.

How i first met Rael was rather magical. It was Sunday of the second week of September. I went to class and saw a few of my friends playing with the chalkboard eraser. The sun was shining through the narrow windows of the old classroom. Aside from the kids’ loud voices and screams, sound of laughter could be heard all over the place. The first thing that caught my eyes when I looked around the classroom was an innocent looking kid. He had the greatest posture, a clean bowl cut haircut that was trendy at the time, two brightest hazel eyes, and an addictive sweet smile. It felt like I was in a movie, everything was playing in slow motion. The light that was shining on him from the sun looked like a ray from heaven, full of chalk dust that looked like silver glitter. I was dumbstruck for a moment. I wondered if it was possible for a human being and not an angel to look so perfect. It wasn’t love from the first sight because I didn’t know all that much about love and affection. To make everything more unbelievable for my naive self, he had the brightest personality as well. He was so friendly that within two days he got close to most of the students in the class. He was smart and also good at sports.
I was an exemplary student, I had no experience in any other field except studying. Me being attracted to Rael throughout the school year was a whole new world. I never knew my heart could flutter, I never knew I would stumble upon my own words when i talked to him, i never knew i would meet a person so beautiful that would make me look forward to waking up in the morning. I also never knew a boy could be so destructive that would later ruin and yet sweet-ify my life as I grew up.
That year passed and the only conversations between me and Rael were about class subjects. We never got to become close. During the summer, I still had the memories of the moments that i shared with Rael, but I didn’t think of him as much and I didn’t think i would see him again. During that summer, Rael was just another passerby in my life.
Through some ways and unintentionally, I found out where he lived, just a few blocks away from my house and close to my elementary school as well as the high school that I attended from 7th grade to 12th grade.
The following academic year was my 7th year at school. I was accepted into an exemplary school close to our house. The day of the orientation, I woke up extra early because i was so nervous. Now that I look back, i used to be so innocent and carefree because that morning I couldn’t go back to sleep so to kill time i watched a new episode of Mickey Mouse Club House. Thankfully, time passed and i got to school. I expected it to be crowded and i also expected myself to feel strange, but when i got there, the situation was beyond my expectations. I was so scared alone until I found some of my friends from the older school. We were then called to a huge “meeting hall” where the school principal, vice principal, and 4 teachers were standing on stage to welcome us and call each individual’s name.
“Melanie Wilson”
“Ella Brahim”
“Chloe Smith”
I recognized some of the names as the teacher was calling them out. They were from my previous school. The name that I heard next was the one that I expected the least. It was also the one that created a strange feeling inside of me. A feeling of discomfort and uneasiness. But I have to admit, deep down, my innocent heart was excited about the fact that I was going to hear this name for at least 3 more years.
“Rael Miller” yes, indeed it was no other than my beautiful crush.
I looked around, but there was no sight of him. That day I couldn’t see Rael. The next I got to school while rehearsing the perfect performance that I was going to put on when i would see him. After all, we were friends in the slightest meaning of that word. Should I be sarcastic? No, I will just be casual. Casual and sweet. Why would I be sweet tho? I was in such a big dilemma. I wanted to make an impression so bad, but i also didn’t want to look like I was waiting to meet him. I was imagining all these amazing scenarios of us successfully greeting each other.
“Hey Lola. Come over here” Kimberly’s smile at that early morning made my smile as well. Kimberly Johanson was my bestie from kindergarten. She had no idea about my feelings for Rael. We talked for fifteen minutes until the bell rang and school officially started. As always, class time was so fascinating for me. I would always feel lucky to be sitting in a classroom learning all these information that people had spent decades discovering.
“Let’s go get lunch. Hunger always gets the worst out of me and you know that.” Kimberly was a food lover. She was always the first one to get to school cafeteria.
We got there and suddenly i felt uncomfortable since I was new to the school and I was also socially awkward and shy. Until my eyes met Rael’s and at that moment, I forgot about everything. I cracked a sheepish smile out of embarrassment though I hadn’t done anything embarrassing.
Instead of the perfect scenarios that I had imagined to take place, I witnessed a cinematic fault. Rael didn’t smile back nor he expressed any kind of feeling. He just turned around and didn’t even wave to me.
I just brushed the awkward meeting off and continued what i was doing. I thought that perhaps he was going to greet me later. But that didn’t happen.
The school year started and my classes were hard to manage so I was busy with my studies that I wasn’t thinking of Rael in any way.
One day during the second to last week of the academic year, Sarah Bell approached me. Sarah was the complete opposite of me. She had a girly and cute appearance, she was lovable and charming. She was so sassy and knew exactly how to act in front of people. Every guy who was a 7th grader knew Sarah. While I was, I wouldn’t say ugly because I wasn’t ugly, an average girl with rather unique and sharp facial features. I didn’t know how to be cute, and always, though cheerful, had a expressionless face. Students perceived me as an intimidating and grumpy person, which wasn’t so pleasant to hear as I was still a child. My comments sounded sarcastic and cold to people in comparison to how they thought of Sarah’s each and every word, sweet and positive.
That day Sarah asked me about Rael, claiming that other students had told her that I was childhood friends with Rael. When i asked why she was asking about him, she simply said “he asked me out and I want to know what kind of guy he is.”

Author's Note

I kept losing inspiration and concentration while writing this chapter, there were a lot of feelings to express yet very limited words and ways to do so. I hope you enjoy reading the begging of an upcoming disaster. As always, feel free to comment and express your opinion.

Reviews

[HadesRising]

Wow the 2nd chapter was also really good.

[thalia]

I'm glad you're enjoying it

[A.Tarek]

i read it without thinking. i forgot your way in writing.. that slow intriguing uprising in your chapters & the tangling of the characters..
Ah, girl. Now I'm hooked
great chapter

[thalia]

Thank you so much for your kind words and for reading. I hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters as well.

[NotUsinganymore]

Very nice chapter. I wish I was able to attend school growing up.

[thalia]

Well, school can be pretty fun, but it can also be a total disaster. I'm still a student and I can't wait to graduate tbh. and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[wordman]

well you expressed them well and found your inspiration

[thalia]

Thank you. I tried my best :)

[wordman]

you`re welcome