Grace age 12
Noah age 13
I flirt with Grace every second we’re together, she’s so used to the things I say to her, I don’t ever think I’ll break through and let her see me as more than a friend. She says I’m different than other boys but I think she knows better.
I’m the boy that thinks of her most. I’m the boy that’s waiting to be a man, but the growth in my body only makes me hope that she sees it too. That I’m no longer a kid, I’m a teen, and all my thoughts are forever filled with her.
N.P.
I awoke to womanhood. When I yelled at Mom that morning, she came upstairs and I told her that I had started my period. She covered her mouth and started crying, saying something about her baby growing up. What was even more embarrassing, she told Dad as he was eating his breakfast. He stood up and hugged me then stepped out of the room where I was sure he went to cry in private.
I was the offspring of overly sensitive, gooey, lovey-dovey people.
It was embarrassing but I was lucky to have parents like them.
_____
I hated when I started my period. This was my third month since I started, and I did nothing but worry that I would bleed through my pants at school to the point that it was all I thought about every time I stood up from my chair after each class. I’d wait to leave class most of the time, except today of all days, I didn’t. Sara was rushing me and Tiffany since it was lunchtime.
Only when I stood up, Tiffany gasped. Immediately, I covered my butt with my hands thinking that was what it had to be. Everyone was staring as they walked out the door, and I was afraid Tiffany was going to say it aloud. I looked down at my seat and thankfully there was no blood.
“What’s with you guys?” Mark stopped at the door. Dustin was next to him, straining his evil eyes extra hard to find a weakness. Dustin was a jerk, but with hair and eyes as dark as his, he kind of started to pull me in over the years. The boys were starting to look different now, including Noah.
Tiffany scooted closer to my backside so that no one could see the blood stains. I felt somewhat relieved but wished the boys would hurry up and leave the room. “You coming?” Mark called to Noah who was still idly sitting in his chair not really doing anything.
“Yes, go on ahead, I’m coming,” was his reply. Mark shrugged his shoulders and left with Dustin. Noah stood up when they did and he took me by surprise when he took off his hoodie. There wasn’t even a need for a hoodie right now but he always seemed to be wearing them lately. He walked over until he stood in front of me.
“What?” I mumbled, keeping my hands over my butt.
“Move your hands,” he told me right before placing his arms at my sides and wrapping his hoodie around my waist. Once it was tied in the front, he turned and walked away. “Go to your mom’s class and get her to run home and get you a different pair of pants if you don’t want to keep wearing the hoodie like that all day.” He left the room.
My face was burning. I never told him I started my period. That was too mortifying. How did he even know?
Sara and Tiffany squealed the moment he left. I was sure he probably still heard them though. “O-M-GEE, does he always treat you like that when you guys are together?”
“No wonder you don’t want us to ever spend the night,” Sara nudged Tiffany’s shoulder and said.
“You’re so lucky,” Tiffany sighed. “With the way he acts with the rest of the boys, I would have never expected him to have that side to him.”
“Is he really always like that?” Sara asked this time.
He loved to tease me, but I did the same to him. Only this time, he didn’t. I thought of how he carried me on his back more than once when I had twisted my ankle or the way he took the blame when I had let Bruce loose by mistake, or the way he always treated my parents with respect, and all the other little things he did for me on a daily basis in between our teasing and time together. Noah was different than anybody else.
“Let’s go,” I told them, ignoring their question.
And it was the reason why I never wanted to share him with any other girl.
Mom went home and brought me another pair of jeans to wear that day but I didn’t give Noah back his hoodie. That night, I checked it for blood but there was none. When I slipped the hoodie on and stood in front of the mirror in my room, I didn’t know what came over me. He was bigger than me already. How much more would he continue to grow? I brought the hoodie up to my nose and breathed in. It smelled like him too. He didn’t stink like he used to, he showered more and he wore some sort of cologne now.
My stomach felt a little weird and tingly. I grabbed my flat stomach before quickly tearing out of the hoodie. I dropped down on the bed and cradled my head in my hands.
I felt a little sick, maybe. I didn’t know.
I washed his hoodie that night and the next day after school, I handed it to him.
I whispered, “Thanks.”
He smiled. “I borrowed a new book from the library today, wanna go in the treehouse and read?” he asked, something that was always normal.
I grabbed my stomach, that feeling was there, along with the unease of my nerves.
“I think I want to play a game of HORSE, do you want to?” I was afraid to be alone with him.
“Yeah, I can read tonight. Do you know where we last put the ball?” he asked, and I felt relieved.
“I think it’s next to the ball goal.”
“You didn’t have cheer today?”
I shook my head. “No practice for you either?”
“Nope,” he answered. “We got a game this Friday though.”
I laughed. “I know, I’ll be cheering at it, remember?”
“I know,” he groaned. “Grace?” I looked over at him as we walked around the house. “Your uniform looks good on you this year.”
I blushed. “Noah,” I groaned. “That’s a little embarrassing.” He laughed. “You look the best on the field, too. Even I can’t help but think you’re cool.”
He covered his smile with the back of his hand. “I’ll win for us this weekend, just watch,” he said with a wink.
I felt myself blushing again.
I was starting to realize Noah was not the one that’s changed.
It was me.
That Friday, Noah scored the winning touchdown.