Nadine POV
Here I am in Hillwood Park catching butterflies and watching fire ants crawl their way into my jar one by one. Collecting bugs and other wild life creatures was my specialty. There are cases where every time I bring my collection to school my friend Rhonda would tell me to put them away or throw them out a window or something. At times I take her attitude towards them with stride but there are times where I tell her stop acting like she never seen a tarantula before. I could teasingly set it on her shoulder when she's not looking but she's my friend. And watching her screaming in the top of her lungs while she tries to jump out the window is not the sight I want to see. I collect the ants and butterflies in my jars and grabbing my butterfly net, walk to the sidewalk for a nice walk back home. Today was a good day. I have a collection of pretty cool fire ants and monarch butterflies. Once I was a few inches away from my house I caught a sight of someone familiar from across the street. It was Park leaning his head towards a window of a black Mercedes. He seems to be talking to the driver. Who in the world is the driver? To be honest, the car is pretty nice. I see Park going towards the passenger side and going inside after spotting me from across the street. Did I scare him? Well anyways, I guess I'm going back inside my house so I can look over my newest collections. Strange. Park would usually wave at me and then go on to his own business. It's been awhile since I've seen him or Peapod for that matter. What's his real name again? Kevin? Johnny?... Pearce? Oh well.
Peapod POV
I was going on with my daily routine. Waking up from bed, take a shower… I was kind of late for school so I find myself brushing my teeth in the showers. I never had the pleasure in doing this at all. But what my good friend Park would always say: "Don't let a constant routine keep you from where you need to go". Very true my friend. Very true. Stumbling out of the showers, I check myself in the mirror… Agh! I'm doing it again! I quickly put on my clothes which contain a red button down dress shirt, black slacks and a pair of brown loafers. I always look my best when I'm going outside. Even if it's not all that important at the least. My mother stopped me as I run for the door with my algebra book in my left hand.
"Pearce Smith! Come sit down at the dinner table. Your breakfast is getting cold"
"But mother, I'm terribly late. And if I go to school late I'll get detention" I tried to reason with her but she's demanding. Whatever she says goes. No exceptions. She gives that look. You know the look that says "it's now or never". I sighed then grab the toast from the table putting it in my mouth like an idiot. Being late is not my forte. But I recall being late for my pre-algebra exam when I was in the 4th grade. Now I'm taking an advance algebra class in high school. This is something I can definitely ace. Well enough of that, I grab my keys and head for my black Mercedes parked outside while finishing my toast. It's like I'm running a marathon driving a good above 50 miles per hour. I was hoping I don't get a speeding ticket by any chance. All of sudden I hear a familiar voice calling out for me to stop. Damn. I hope that's not the cops since I hear sirens coming in closer on me. I abruptly stop near a sidewalk and my heart started racing. Please God from above don't make it the police force after me. I wait in anticipation for a cop to come over to my window and start going through unwanted procedures with me. A shadow cast over me and I slowly look at the intruder sticking their head into my window that's been already rolled down. How rude. I find the person definitely familiar.
"Park?"
"Hey Pearce, I kind'a need a ride to—"
"School? That's great Park, hop in"
"School?" he raise an eyebrow "its Sunday man"
Sunday?! Lord all mighty, what was I drinking? Why my mother didn't tell me so?! Well she did look like she was holding in a laugh.
"Sunday? I thought it was Monday already. Thanks for reminding me"
"Yeah, can I have a ride to my house?"
"Sure thing"
As Park makes his way to the passenger side I caught a sight of a familiar young lady with what seems to be jars of bugs and a butterfly net in her hands. She was looking at us. Those curious enticing brown eyes and looking the most prettiest I have ever seen. I turn to Park who was half way into the car.
"It's Nadine" I said trying to keep my cool and not sound goofy.
"It sure is" he closes the passenger door as he got in. I always had a soft spot for her. She's everything I wanted and also someone I wanted to share my life with. I can imagine it now. We getting married, settling in a nice modern home, having biracial children running all over the place. I'm guessing they'll inherit more of my race than hers. Welsh, the mighty race with a mix of African and some other Caucasian race I don't know about. Starting the car again, I drove off to my destination.
Nadine POV
It was the next day and I can't wait to show my friends in school my new collections. Rhonda is a little off when it comes to bugs but I'm used to it. Sheena would gladly look at them while Phoebe find them intriguing. It's sad to know that Phoebe, Rhonda and Sheena found significant others while I'm here forever catching insects. I mean I'm proud of them but I wish I could sit with them and talk about what my boyfriend did and tell them my secrets I have with him. So here I am trudging down the hall holding a jar of my butterfly collection. I didn't realize that I was watching the floor and then bumping into someone that's in a hurry. I fell to the ground on my butt as my jar rolled away from me. Who in the right mind run through the hall? A hand reaches out for me. I look up and notice those familiar glasses upon the guys face and flip back brown hair. I take it and then with a swift lift I realize how light I was. Readjusting my composure, I look up at him with my upcoming curiosity. He then walks up to my jar on the ground then hands it to me.
"I'm terribly, terribly sorry Nadine"
Ah that deep voice he had ever since he cracked it in the 9th grade. He went through puberty faster than Park did. This always surprises me. He looked quite attractive for a 16 year old. He was wearing a grey dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black slacks and a pair of dark grey loafers. Not his usual wear but close enough.
"It's fine Peapod"
He laughed a little while stroking his fingers through his hair.
"What's so funny?"
"You don't have to call me Peapod, please call me Pearce" that stern face again after he composed himself. He looks at his watch and then told me he has to go take his advance algebra exam. I watch him go running down the hall bumping only once to a nearby student again. I thought he had more class than that. But hey, nobody's perfect. I walk the opposite direction to the cafeteria thinking about what it'll be like if we did had a future matrimony together. Oh great, after 6 years of not seeing him properly everyday I'm already having these feelings. You know these feelings you get when you 'like-like someone'. You just never know. We could one day be called the next 'Golden couple' in school next to Arnold and Helga or Curly and Rhonda. To Rhonda it won't be any surprise but the others would definitely be damned. I can imagine all the things I would say to my friends about what me and Peapod… I mean Pearce, have done together. I look back again and found him looking back at me then jolted off again. So he's been looking at me this whole time? I knew he had feelings for me but I just never responded to that. I was neutral about it. We areall growing up so why not find our significant others.
I know one thing, only time can tell.
~Fin~