Turn Right

Ten Years Earlier

I woke up, ready for school. I’m ten and the new school year just started so I’m in fifth grade. I walked downstairs and jumped into my chair at the dining room table and mom set a bowl of cereal down in front of me. My brothers were already eating and they’re bus was coming soon so they both ran out, ruffling my hair on the way. Usually mom home schooled all of us but we decided we wanted a year or two of a real school experience. I listened to mom hum as she got a bottle ready for Frankie.

“Nicholas there’s a new family moving in next door today and I think there’s a little girl your age, she might be in school today so please try to make her feel welcome,” mom said.

“Sure mom,” I said as I stood up, handing her the bowl. She kissed my cheek and I ran out of the house with my book bag.

I looked to the side of my house and saw a moving truck in the driveway. My eyes were glued to the truck and the house, hoping to find some kind of sign to tell me who the new people were. Then I saw her. She stood there, looking up at a tall woman, smiling. Her light brown hair swayed a little in the breeze and her blue eyes were so bright, they were hard to miss. It’s been raining the past couple days and then all of a sudden this girl comes along and it’s so sunny out. I have to admit…my eyes were pretty much glued on her. She nodded once at the woman and then gave her a hug and then she looked over at me. All she did was smile toward me but I quickly looked away, wanting my bus to come faster now. I took the risk and looked at her again and I saw a hint of disappointment and sadness in her eyes…now I felt bad. I shouldn’t have looked away so quickly but I didn’t want her to think I was weird for starring.

She started walking toward me with her head lowered. She came over to where I was standing and stood about four feet away. I looked at her quickly but then turned away. She was even prettier up close. I started to open my mouth to talk but then the bus came so I shut it as the door open. I stepped forward but then to the side.

“Ladies first,” I said, as I gestured with my hands toward the door. She looked shocked as she starred at me with her blue eyes.

“Thank you,” she said and smiled lightly.

I stood there, stunned by the way her voice sounded in my ears. She walked quickly onto the bus as I followed slowly. I saw her go in the middle and sat in an empty two-seater. I went to the back and sat with some of my friends. They continued to talk and I would acknowledge them if they spoke to me but my gaze never left her. She was sitting there, reading a book…and a pretty big book at that.

“Nick!" a voice yelled, interrupting my thoughts. I look to my left and see my friend John sitting there. “You okay dude?" he asked.

“Umm yea, I’m fine, just excited for first day of school I guess,” I replied and I was glad he took that answer.

I was about to get up and go sit next to her but then the bus stopped and I realized we were already at school. We all stood up and she was a few people in front of me so I couldn’t get to her. When I got off the bus, I couldn’t find her in the crowd of kids so I just kept going forward. I went to my classroom and went to my seat that had my name tag on it. Once I did, I looked up and saw her walk in. She looked up and smiled lightly at me and started walking toward me.

“Hi,” she said but it was barely even a whisper.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Are you okay? You look a little sick”

“Oh umm I’m fine…” I said and she sat down in the seat next to me and I looked at the name tag on her desk. Rachael Lewis.

“Your name’s…Rachael”? I choked out, trying to start conversation.

“Yea it is” she giggled and smiled at me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to introduce myself before…I’m Nick…Nick Jonas”

“It’s nice to meet you Nick Jonas,” she said and tilted her head to the left as she looked at me and I just stared in awe at her.

“So…” I cleared my throat. “You’re new here right?" I asked and then suddenly felt stupid.

Of course she’s new, I just saw her outside with a moving truck this morning. I expected her to just laugh at me and shrug me off but she didn’t…she tilted her head to the side againwhich became my favorite thing to watch her do, and she smiled at me.

“Yes I am…aren’t you my neighbor?" she questioned and I was a little less tense.

“Yea I am,” I replied slowly.

“Cool,” was all she said and she put her head back down and I saw her book opened up under the desk and she was reading it.

“What are you reading?"

“The Alchemist,” she answered and smiled at me again and I looked into her eyes.

It was a pretty big book and you wouldn’t have seen any other girl in this class reading that book. I took a quick glance around and pretty much all the girls were talking amongst each other and doing their make up. They’re in fifth grade! How much makeup could they need?

“Where did you move from?" I pushed. I wanted to keep talking to her…I don’t know why but it was like I couldn’t stop starring at her. So if I’m going to stare, I’m going to make conversation.

“I moved back from New York,” she answered and I saw she shut her book as she kept her fingers in her spot so she wouldn’t lose her page.

“Back?"

“Yea, I used to live here but I moved when I was seven...moved around a little more...and now I’m back,” she explained. “Have you lived her your whole life?" she asked and it caught me off guard.

“Oh umm well I was born in Texas but I’ve lived in Jersey most of my life,” I said.

“Well I wish we met when we were younger, maybe then this would be less awkward,” she said, avoiding my gaze and it kind of hurt to hear her sound so upset.

“Well you never know, maybe we were best friends when we were younger, but we cant remember because of our age,” I assured her quickly but then she laughed and I felt stupid. What was that? Why would I say that?

“You have quite some imagination Nick Jonas,” she commented. Great, make me feel worse while you’re at it.

I guess she noticed my face expression because then the look on her face turned to slight panic “Oh no, no I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, I’m actually really glad you have such an imagination…it can come in handy,” she said. That made me smile.

“How so?" I challenged.

“Well…if you have such an amazing imagination, that means you can pretty much cheer up anyone who feels down…I think that’s an amazing quality to have…and besides even if we were friends when we were little, don’t you think it would still be just a little bit awkward?"

“It’s not that awkward right now…we’re having a simple conversation aren’t we? Getting to know each other”

“I guess so,” she said slowly and just stared at me.

“Something wrong?" I questioned.

“No it’s just…no never mind”

“No, come on tell me,” I pushed as I leaned toward her slightly but she just smiled shy fully.

“Nope” was all she said.

I was about to keep pushing her to tell me but then the teacher, Mrs. Collins, stood in the front of the room and began talking. I tried to pay attention but I was so distracted by Rachael. I don’t know what it was but I just loved the connection I felt with her. We just met and I felt like I’ve known her my whole life. Maybe it was meant for us to meet. Maybe God wanted us to meet. Throughout the time Mrs. Collins was talking, I starred at Rachael most of the time and if she noticed, she would turn to me and smile and then look back at Mrs. Collins. After she was done talking, she handed out a spelling worksheet along with a math worksheet to keep us busy. After a few minutes, I finished the spelling worksheet and I look over at Rachael and I see she’s back to reading and then I notice her work is already done.

“You’re done?" I whispered in shock.

“Yea…I’m kind of smarter than I look,” she whispered with a laugh.

“No it’s not that, it’s…okay yea it is that,” I admitted and she laughed.

School continued and Rachael and I got along so well. We kept talking when we could, we were even talking when we shouldn’t have been but I just couldn’t stop. We talked and we laughed and cracked jokes. We talked about her life in New York, Washington, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas...and whole lot of other places...and we talked about about my life...right here. I learned so much about her, she was so different from other girls here. She was really interested in what I had to say and in my Broadway life. Usually girls just made fun of me because I was in Broadway or they liked me because of it and thought I had some cool hook-ups…but honestly, I’m just your average guy, getting through life…and she understood that. I really liked her.

Lunch came around and we walked to the cafeteria together, and I saw my seat waiting for me at the table with my friends. I was friends with everyone but my really close friends were at the table and i contemplated for a moment. I didn’t want to leave Rachael all alone.

“It’s okay you can go sit with your friends, I have to catch up on some reading anyway,” she said.

“No it’s okay, they can last a day without me there,” I said and followed her to an empty table.

“You really don’t have to,” she said.

“Trying to get rid of me?" I questioned and she turned a light shade of pink as she smiled lightly and looked down.

“No,” she whispered and we both sat down. “Umm I think your friends are staring at us,” she whispered and I turned to see, the guys staring at her and the girls were looking down in jealousy.

“Umm no they’re looking at you,” I said.

“Please make them stop,” she said, looking down at her food.

“Usually a girl would love getting attention from guys, why don’t you?"

“I don’t like the attention they’re giving me, it’s a little weird, having them watch me like that,” she said and I nodded and looked at all of them.

I waved them off to make them stop and they did. “Thank you,” she whispered and I smiled at her.