../(.")\ (".)

_./*\._./*\._

._| |_ ._| |_.

7 l Maybe so

Henry wasn't stupid. Well, he wasn't anymore at least. He was proud that every few months his report card would have a few 'A' marks printed neatly on lines beside classes like algebra and English. He could still beat most of the boys in his class in checkers and he knew how to lie his way out of a tardy entry into homeroom.

He was not stupid, he repeated silently to himself, watching her dash into the office supply room, hair swishing around her ears and bangs falling over her wide eyes. He cleared his throat and glanced over nervously at the secretary busy nodding her head as she mumbled over the phone. There was the distant sound of boxes being rummaged through in the next room and he stuffed his hands into his pockets, staring down at his shoes. What would he say to her, if he managed to say anything at all?

He was not afraid either. He had managed to make his way out of a fight his second year of high school and stood up to the geometry teacher substitute who shrieked at him in the middle of a test, unfairly accusing him of cheating. Fear was something he did not and never would have.

Her mary-janes shuffled out and then stopped right in front of him. He looked up and her eyes, already so big and bright, blinked and then she grinned.

"Hey Henry!"

He felt his face grow hot but she was already trotting out into the hallway, her ponytail wagging goodbye. Why was she always at ease around him?

"Yes Mr. Huggins, what was it that you needed?" The secretary sighed.

"A kick to the head," he muttered absentmindedly to himself, staring at Beezus' retreating figure out of the corner of his eye.

Author's Note l I absolutely loved Beverly Cleary's stories when I was little and I readily shipped Beezus and Henry from the beginning. Nayuki-Bunny and I felt it was only fair to contribute to this series' archive and so I hope if you like this set of drabbles you'll check out her collection "Snapshots of ME&YOU!"

I'll go much more in-depth on how these two grow up and stay in touch; I'll be sticking to book canon except when these two grow up and then I'll follow the thread I've set up in shots about these two as kids. Please review if you enjoyed!