(Few Days Later: Lower East Side Elementary School: 3:00 PM)

" So, are you going to meet her again? " Bucky asked while looking at Steve finishing his sketch of Nancy on the paper. It revealed to be a dark haired girl with pigtails.

" Yep, I'm going to give it to her right now! " Steve smiled as his brunette friend assisted him to stand-up from his seat. " Thanks, Dork…"

" Anytime, Punk. Come on, we have to go to the music room! "

" Sure, sure. Got it! "

The two friends had left the classroom along with the other children. They were looking for Nancy and her friends had gone. Steve was sure she had headed to the music room. They walked to the hallway when they heard the loud piano music from a distance. Steve peeked from the doorway which he saw the girl touching and holding the keys. He was amazed by the music she has been playing. Bucky softly chuckled and noticed his friend went blushing and remained catatonic.

" Hey! " the crippled blonde boy raised his voice.

" Seriously, you're just staring at her again! " Bucky grinned.

" Fine! It's just that…"

" Never heard her playing music before? "

Steve wryly smiled and felt sweating when he got struck at the question, although he and Nancy began talking about each other few days during breaks. Bucky intently smiled and put his right hand on his friend's shoulder.

" You know, you should be brave enough to compliment her, " the brunette boy replied.

" Yeah... but…."

" What? "

" I don't want to disturb her at the moment, Buck. She's playing the piano, right now. "

Steve kept looking at her from the doorway as the lady piano teacher kept telling her to play slowly and softly. It seemed Nancy tried to keep up, but she had difficulties in adjusting the speed and tempo of the music.

" Yeah, I think she's getting bothered or something, " Bucky said. " I think we should wait for her to finish. "

" Right, " he nodded.

The two had waited for their female friend to finish an hour session. Finally, the piano teacher just talked to Nancy and reminded her to practice further. Looking at them, it was the right timing for Steve to talk to her.

She waived goodbye at her teacher and walked away.

" I'll leave you guys, okay? " Bucky said and gently punched his friend's elbow. " See ya, punk! "

" Anytime, Dork! "

The brunette boy smiled and waved back as Steve responded and watched him leaving the school campus. Then, he turned to Nancy.

" Hi, Nancy! " the crippled blonde boy greeted and asked. " How was it? "

" Well, so-so…" she answered with a hint of loneliness on her face.

" So-so? What do you mean by that? "

" Well, good and bad…" Nancy sighed.

" Hey, you're almost close to perfect. Why is it sounding bad? "

Nancy blushed and heard her male friend's praises. She felt embarrassed when she pressed the wrong key and went out of metronome. Also, Steve noticed earlier that her piano teacher was too strict to help and guide her to do it right.

" Hey, you know what you may sound awful to her, but to me you're doing great, " he sincerely smiled.

" Really? " she raised her voice in doubt..

" Yeah, I know you can do it. Trust me! You have to trust yourself in getting better. Just keep on practicing! "

Nancy blushed harder and heard an encouragement from her friend. She felt embarrassed and sighed. Steve gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder and looked at her. The dark-haired spectacled girl remained speechless and deeply thought of the words she would say. It took a long time for her to respond.

" Nancy? "

" Thanks…" she smiled. " I really wanted to be a classical pianist when I get older. "

" Fulfill that dream of being one! Don't give up on it! "

" Sure! I will! "

" Is it okay to walk you home? "

" That will be perfect, thank you! "

" Sure, you're welcome. "

Steve and Nancy left the school and headed to the streets of Brooklyn. It was almost sundown while they were walking and talking. Steve learned a lot from her. Nancy's family was used to be one of the richest people in New York City. Her father was a businessman and her mother was a violinist from Vienna, Austria. She mentioned that her family used to go anywhere else, however the Great Depression had affected the family business. Nancy's father had committed suicide afterwards, while her mother had suffered from a mental illness. Steve felt sorry for her when she heard of her story. This time, she lived at her uncle and aunt's house in Brooklyn.

" I'm sorry for what happened, " the crippled boy replied. " I didn't know…"

" It's okay, " she answered. " I'm glad I found a home from them. "

" Yeah, it's good to hear that, " he nodded and took out something from his book.

Nancy curiously looked at him when her male friend gave her a self-portrait drawing. She got surprised to see herself scribbled on the paper. Steve felt pleased when she appreciated his art.

" Is that me? "

" Yeah, I hope you like it! "

" Thank you! You're such a talented one, Steve! " she instantly hugged him as the crippled blonde boy went blushing and hugging her back. " You're a great artist! "

" Sure, you're welcome…It takes time to practice a skill! "

" I'm going to keep it! Thank you! "

" Anytime! "

Nancy looked at her house and pointed at the apartment on the other side of the street, " Thanks, Steve for taking me home. Bye! "

" Sure! " he smiled and waved his left hand at her. Nancy greeted her back when he watched her going home. Finally, Steve had to walk home on his own. Smiling at the sky, it was his first time to be appreciated by a girl.

(THE NEXT DAY)

While the teacher was discussing about the history of the American Civil War and writing the events on the board. Steve's mind was slowly drifting since yesterday about giving that sketch to Nancy. It was his fresh from his memory as he was still looking at the window, noticing the orange leaf of Autumn. Not paying attention, he never realized his teacher was snapping his fingers in front of the blonde boy's eyes.

" Steven! Please read page 50 on the book! Steven!! "

" Oh, sorry, Miss Anderson! " he raised his voice.

" Have you been daydreaming again, Steven? " the female teacher crossed her arms and intently looked at her.

" No...no… I was listening! "

" If you're listening, you should read or else I will ask you some questions later. "

His classmates laughed at him when Bucky sighed and facepalmed. Steve became more embarrassed than ever and flipped the page which his teacher was asking to do.

The war effectively ended on April 9, 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the Battle of Appomattox Court House. Confederate generals throughout the Southern states followed suit, the last surrender on land occurring June 23. Much of the South's infrastructure was destroyed, especially its railroads. The Confederacy collapsed, slavery was abolished, and four million enslaved black people were freed. The war-torn nation then entered the Reconstruction era in a partially successful attempt to rebuild the country and grant civil rights to freed slaves.

" Thank you, Steven, " Ms. Anderson smiled and asked. " Now, what do you think about the end of the Civil War? "

" Well…." Steve nervously gulped and paused. " The war is a bit messy… "

" Why did you say that? "

" Like how come the Northerners made a great fight against the people from the South? This was not the right thing to do…"

" You are listening then, " the teacher sternly replied. " But did you understand all what I have taught, today? "

" No…"

" Take your seat, Steven…"

Steve got more embarrassed as his classmates' laughter was heard throughout the classroom. Bucky gently tapped his friend's shoulders and whispered.

" Hey, it's okay, " he whispered. " At least you tried. "

" Yeah, but I ended up as a laughing stock here…"

" Better talk about that later at lunch. Still thinking about Nancy? "

" Yeah, I guess we'll talk about it later. "

" Sure. "