(Lower East Side Elementary School: 3:00 PM)

The children had crowded the hallway and the entrance when they were leaving their classrooms. Steve and Bucky kept chattering around and exiting the school campus. Just then, a dark haired spectacled girl wearing a pink cardigan with a white blouse underneath and a red skirt was talking to a group of female friends.

Seeing her, Steve Rogers jawdropped and blushed. Her simple beauty and grace adored him. He was about to approach her, but he was extremely shy to confront her. Bucky noticed his friend's long silence as the crippled blonde one kept staring at her. He knocked Steve's elbows and chuckled.

" Hey, what's that for?! " the blonde boy exclaimed and got annoyed.

" You're staring at the girl from the other class, " his brunette boy replied and grinned.

" She's just cute. That's all, " Steve lowly muttered.

" Don't tell me, you like her. "

Steve widened his eyes in shock as his best friend noticed his staring at the pigtailed girl. It has been days that Steve kept eyeing on her. Every time they could go to the cafeteria and the hallway, he couldn't get enough adoring her. Looking at his friend, he wanted to keep it as a secret.

" Bucky, no! " he denied. " You gotta be kidding! How could I get a crush on a girl, if I'm crippled! That's too impossible. "

" Oh, come on. Stop tattletaling, Punk! I knew you kept looking at her, " Bucky grinned and whispered. " Besides, I have some sources to help you being friends with her. "

" Bucky…."

" I'm just helping you out, Steve! " his brunette boy gently patted on his friend's back. " Look, don't be shy! Just go with her. "

" I'm not so sure. I will feel awkward about this. "

" Okay, I will give you more time to think about it. If you need my help, just ask me."

" Right, " Steve wryly smiled and nodded.

(Later that night)

Steve had just finished dinner and entered his room after helping his mother washing the dishes in the kitchen. He had set himself to work on his assignments and study the following subjects at school. He got a Math book, began reading it, and wrote the answers in each problem he would think of.

He was almost there to finish a problem solving item in percentage when suddenly his thoughts diverted to the pigtailed girl in school. Steve wanted to meet and talk to her, but he was too shy. Unconsciously, he started drawing the girl's face from his memory on a piece of a solving scratch paper. It took time for him in finishing doodling the girl's face. Suddenly, his awareness returned when his mother's voice called out.

" Steve! Go to sleep, you got school in the morning! " Mrs. Rogers echoed. " It's already 10 in the evening! "

Steve widened his eyes in surprise and heard his mother. He look at his time piece as it was ten minutes before 10:00 PM. The boy looked at his remaining math problem which he was supposed to finish it.

" Mom, I'm still finishing my homework! " he responded. " Just only ten minutes before ten! "

" Do it and go to sleep at 10 sharp. On the dot. "

" I will! "

Steve continued answering the last item of his homework and ended it as he instantly closed his book. He quickly got to bed, tucked himself on his blanket, and turned off the lights. The blonde boy met his slumber as he yawned and shut his eyes.

(The Next Day)

" So, you just drew that girl's face while doing your homework? Was that right? " Bucky grinned and took his sandwich while Steve was eating beside him at the cafeteria.

" Yeah, glad I got a high score in my percentage homework, but I felt sidetracked while doing it last night, " he said.

" What do you mean being sidetracked? "

" Some sort of a daydream, " he answered. " Every time, I finish something, I tend to think and imagine which I started doodling. "

" I see, " Bucky nodded and looked at him intently. " That means something. "

" What?! "

" You liked her! " he happily beamed. " You really, really, really like her! "

Steve nervously gulped and raced his heartbeat when he saw the pigtailed girl. Ignoring Bucky's words, her sapphire blue eyes shone to her spectacles. Her smile had attracted the crippled boy. Again, she was talking to her friends while taking their seats. Bucky noticed the girl and snapped his fingers in front of his face.

" Earth to Steven Grant Rogers! This is James Buchanan Barnes. Can you pay attention?! " the brunette boy joked.

" W-What?! What?! "

" Again, you're looking at her! "

" Bucky….I…."

" Admit it, you like her or not? "

Steve became more anxious than ever when he heard his best friend's question. He felt like a criminal being interrogated by a policeman and wanted to keep his feelings for the girl as a secret. Bucky waited for his answer, finished biting his sandwich, and drank his glass of lemonade. Steve was about to thinking of his response, but he had no choice to admit his admiration to the girl.

" Y-yeah… I like her a lot, Bucky…." he broke his silence. " I do…"

" See?! I knew it! " Bucky widened his smile.

" Promise me, this is between us, okay?! "

" Sure, sure. "

" But I don't know how to start…"

" Hmmm, I could help you later on, but we have a class after lunch, " Bucky answered.

" How are you even sure if this is gonna work? "

" Relax, Steve. I'm used to do this one since I was in fifth grade. I tend to talk with girls before as friends. You know what I mean? "

" Right, " he nodded. " Did you have a crush in your other school before? "

" Yeah, but she was my best friend, " the brunette boy answered. " I just treated her like you, but I admitted my feelings on her. "

" Then, she liked you, too? "

" Well, yeah, " Bucky nodded. " But she moved away from New Jersey to Canada. They decided to live there. "

" I'm sorry about that Buck. "

" At least, I got over with it. Now, I just want you to deal with it. "

" What do you mean? "

" Well, it would be a wrong timing for you to get near her, " Bucky looked at the girl's eating and talking. " It would be better if you do this after class. "

" How? "

" Well, you have to introduce yourself. Okay, but without any of her friends coming to her. "

" Right, right…" Steve nodded. " Would it work? "

" Yeah. Now, make it as a habit. "

" What if her friends find me? "

" Just leave and say 'bye'. "

Steve was unsure for his friend's advice. Bucky was smiling at him and gently poked at his elbow. The blonde boy was becoming more nervous than ever.

" Honestly, I don't like the sound of this, but I'll try…"

" Good! Now, do it! Make the right timing to deal with her. I'm watching you…"

" Bucky! "

" Kidding! "

(Later that day)

Steve left the classroom when Bucky was helping him carrying his belongings. Suddenly, they saw the pigtailed girl walking alone the corridor. She was rushing towards the music class and holding some piano pieces. She was late at her after school piano lessons. Finally, Steve found a right timing to meet her. The girl was running and accidentally slipping on the wet floor. The two boys noticed her as Bucky tapped his friend to help her. Steve nodded and immediately came to her. He picked up the music pieces and helped her to stand up.

" Thanks…I'm so sorry… I just…" she said and sadly sighed.

" It's okay, you should be better next time, " Steve smiled and blushed in seeing her.

" Yeah, right, " the girl nodded and also blushed in looking at the crippled boy. " May I know your name? "

" Steve...Steve Rogers…"

" Hi, I'm Nancy Johnson, " the girl replied.

" Mind if we could have a chat in getting to know each other? "

" Look, I do love to, but I have an important piano lesson to do. Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Steve. "

" Likewise, I hope we have more time. "

" Maybe, I'll see you when I meet you. "

" Yeah, yeah...sure. "

" Bye! "

Steve waived back at Nancy as she entered to the music room. He smiled even more as he had a chance encounter to meet her. He returned to his friend when Bucky waited for him.

" How was it? " he asked.

" It was good, but she has a piano lesson to attend to, " Steve sighed. " It was some quick minutes to talk to her. "

" I'm sure there will be a next time to deal with her. "

" I know. "