Right From the Start

I remember the day I met him. I remember it perfectly well. It’s quite surprising though that I do. I mean, most people don’t really know how they met their childhood friends, they just know the fact that they’ve known them for as long as they can recall. I guess I wasn’t one of those “most people”. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. Or maybe it had to something to do with him.

July 6, 1992. We were five, turning six years old at a dinner party his family was hosting. My parents were best friends of his parents back at high school. I was a shy girl, while he was the typical, eager little boy. My little hand held on to my mom’s as she was talking to other people in the party and the other was gripping onto the pink, floral dress that I was wearing.

“Lucy!” someone called from behind. My mom and I turned around at the call of her name. Mom was face-to-face when another woman, while I was face-to-face to a boy about my age. He was dressed in formal attire. He was holding his mom’s hand as well and he was smiling at me. Being the timid child I was, I hid behind my mom, now gripping onto her dress.

“Jenny!” My mom exclaimed. She hugged the woman who she called Jenny.

“How are you?”

“I’m doing fine! Oh my, is that John? He’s grown so much since I last saw him!” She then bent down a bit and the boy politely kissed my mom on the cheek.

Jenny then saw me behind my mom. “And this is Isa? She grew so much as well!” My mom then stood and got a hold of my hand. She was able to gesture me to go in front of her so that Jenny could get a better view of me.

“How adorable she is!”

“She’s feeling shy though,” my mom laughed. “Isa, this is John, go say hi,” she told me.

I waved my hand at him and he said hello with a grin.

“Come on, we’ll have dinner soon,” Jenny said to my mom.

Moments later, I found myself seated across John. And moments later, our parents told us to go to the living room so that we can go play together.

John and I got out of our seats and I followed him to the living room. We then hopped on the couch. I sat on the very edge, away from him, swinging my legs back and forth since they couldn’t reach the floor.

“So, what do you want to do?” He asked after we were quiet for some time. I just shrugged.

“Wanna play a game?” I just shrugged again.

“Wanna watch tv?” Again, I shrugged.

“You’re quiet.” I was about to shrug that time but he suddenly held my hand and led me away from the living room. I had no other choice but to follow him and try to avoid the obstacles standing in our way. Soon, we reached the back of the house with a huge back door. It was huge then; now it looks perfectly normal to me.

He pushed the door open with his tiny hands and I was amazed to see the night sky shining so bright. As a kid, I was very happy when he showed me this. I instantly ran outside and stood there staring at the different stars. A big smile was on my face as I traced the stars with my little hand. John came by next to me and we both gazed at them together.

We lied down after some time and just watched the night sky together. I was quiet while he just kept talking about the stars…and about himself.

“Your name’s Isabelle, right?” I nodded. I was fine with him calling me Isabelle.

“You know, when I grow up, I want to be a musician!” I giggled at his remark and nodded some more. He turned to look at me and frowned. “Why don’t you talk?”

I was too shy to even respond. I tried opening my mouth but no words came out. I tired again and this time I succeeded but looking back, those words were kind of embarrassing.

“I like you.” He laughed at me since we both knew that we’re too young for love and that shit.

“I like you too.” There was something cheesy about this though. The first few words that I said to my best friend were exactly how I felt years later. It’s sad though because this time, he didn’t say ‘I like you’ back.