Shrimp. That's what they call me at school. That and Tuba. Great nicknames, huh?

I still remember the first day of school, my freshman year. 

"What are you doing here little guy? Shouldn't you be in kindy-garten?" A senior. Looming over me, itching for a fight, his first day back, no less.

"I go here cro-magnon man." I said crassly. 

I remember sighing as his great neanderthal-like brow ridge furrowed in anger, knowing what was coming next. "You're gonna get it shrimp."

A circle soon formed, full of chanting kids.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

It was kind of sad, really.  I threw a few punches.  They barely seemed to touch him.  He punched me once, the wind knocked out of me. Again, stars before my eyes.  I barreled into him, he just pushed me backward onto the ground.  I felt my elbow shudder underneath me, before collapsing.  I lifted myself up, swaying slightly.  The next blow sent blood trickling from above my brow and the last from my split lip.  I lay there, still as I could.  Maybe.  Maybe if I was still enough, I'd just disappear.  Blend in with the grayish tile floor.  Melt. 

Then I saw her.  Sherin.  My world.  That was the day we met.  She was on the "Green Team" a team of nurses and doctors in-training.  They'd go around the school to messes like me, and clean us up, transport us to the clinic. That sort of thing.  I remember seeing her face for an instant before she was shining a flashlight in my eyes to check for concussion and then asking me what day it was. 

I remember mumbling "It's my joyous first day of high school." My lips swollen and my mouth thick with blood. 

I was fully conscious. Fully conscious of the pain I was in as well.

"Shrimp" that was my nickname for the rest of the year. 

"There goes that kid that Kevin beat up, first day."

"Kevin got suspended for a two weeks…Missed the first football game."

"I heard that kid got brain damage or something"

"I hear he broke his arm."

Fracture. It was a fracture.  My elbow.  Just a hairpin break, but good enough for one of those official looking blue hospital slings.  Then the black eye and the swollen lip didn't add to my look.

Sherin though. She was in my third class of the day. She smiled at me.  I smiled back as best I could through that fat lip.

Smiles turned to quiet conversations, and conversations to deeper heart-to-hearts.  Then one day she was kissing me.  I still remember it. 

My lip was still tender, the split had just finished fully healing.  It was the most intense moment I can remember to this date.

She had come to my house, as my friend.  We were watching a movie, during a thunderstorm.  She was scared, and she took my hand.  I remember it was like an electric bolt of lighting from outside had run through me.  Then the power went out.  And she sort of let out this little frightened noise, and I remember her hand holding mine so tight. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light I remember seeing her face, so close.  And then I closed my eyes, welcoming the dark, and her lips and mine met.