The following week was even worse. Three times Angel Cole made me profess my “undying, eternal love and affection and admiration” for Cole.
And so I did.
Monday I got up in the classroom, stood up in the table, taking advantage of a moment when Miss Witherspoon had to leave, and faced Chuck to tell him:
- Chuck, I like you so much. I like you when you walk even though you have a funny way of walking. I like your dark curly hair and your gray eyes. I really, really love the way you skate. I wish I could skate as well as you do! I’m so happy you’re my friend. I wish you’d love me too but I don’t know if you do and I never did asked. And...
- Do you, Chuck? Do you Looooove Bonny? - the class clown asked him point blank. Every kid turned to face him. He was so red and hid his face in his arms.
- What’s going on here? Young lady sat down this instant!
Miss Witherspoon had returned and everyone just laughed and laughed.
- Settle down, settle down. Turn to page 14.
On recess people pointed at me and giggled. What hurt me terribly was that they were laughing at Chuck too. I tried to talk to him in private but he avoided me like the plague.
Actually I was the plague. You don’t want other kids to notice you like that, in a bad way. Sam was the only one who still sat near me and talked to me. I was grateful for that. I wouldn’t hold it against her if she stopped talking to me for the next few months. Or years. And I told her so.
- Silly Bonny - she said. - You’re my friend. My now crazy friend, but still my friend. And... as a friend... could you just stop doing whatever is you’re doing? Please? For your sake.
I couldn’t reply. At the other side of the cafeteria I saw Angel Cole, smiling at me. His hand gestures were pretty self-explanatory. He was glad and proud. I just hid my head inside my crossed arms.
- Bonny? What’s wrong?
- Nothing. Nothing.
Wednesday Angel Cole would not shut up.
- Tell him again, tell him.
- Why?! Why?! I’ve told him twice already! Twice! Now he won’t talk to me and everyone thinks I’m insane and points and laughs at me!
- Trust me - he said. - You have to tell him again. Otherwise I won’t stop pestering you.
- You’re not an angel. It’s impossible.
- Yes I am, Bonny Bee. Want to see my Angel School Certificate? - he was grinning. I left the girls bathroom and went to gym class. Today was soccer day.
And yes, I did it again.
I was the goalie.
Chuck was on the other team. As he approached and hit the ball, I defended. Coach whistled and said:
- Right, time to switch. Bonny, give the ball to Chuck.
He was paralyzed. Every kid was staring.
- Go on now, we don’t have all day! - the coach shouted.
Chuck walked slowly towards me, his face and neck as red as a tomato. When he put his hands on the ball I wouldn’t let go. Angel Cole was near, egging me on “Say it again. You must”.
- I do love you Chuck, a lot - I whispered. His eyes were lowered. He couldn’t face me. - For five years now. I’m sorry I’m embarrassing you but I have to tell you this and I can’t explain why. Chuck, Chuck? Do you, do you like me too?
He looked at me, his face was angry. He threw the ball down and whispered: “Freak!” and left running.
- Chuck, Chuck! Where the devil is that kid going? Oh, never mind. Class dismissed.
My legs were trembling but I wouldn’t see him again until next Friday.
My heart, when I saw him with his friends, during recess, was racing, pumping away. He hated me. So bad. He hated me so much. I swallowed my tears and walked towards him. Angel Cole was flying over, happy, doing loops and shouting “Weeeee!”. I was the only one able to see and hear him.
Chuck only noticed me when I was standing right next to him.
- Chuck.
- NOOOO! - he yelled. - Get away from me! - he started running. I ran after him.
- Don’t run away! Please, wait! I have to tell you! Chuck!
- Shut UP!
- But I Love You! I do! Chuck, please, stop running!
- Get away from me, you freak!
He sprinted and I ran after him. Meanwhile, Angel Cole was flying above us, screaming with joyful glee words that could only be listen by me:
- Good girl, Bonny! Tell him again! Again! Once more!
- I love you, Chuck. And I always will! Can you hear me?
- Shut Up. SHUT UP.
The kids saw us zigzagging across the field and laughed so hard. Suddenly they started chanting:
- «Chuck and Bonny Bee/ Sitting on a tree/ K I S S I N G! Chuck and Bonny Bee/ Sitting on a tree/ K I S S I N G!»
And, abruptly, he stopped to face me.
- You’re a freak. I hate you! Don’t talk to me ever again!
- I, I’m... sorry - I mumbled, tears pouring down my eyes. - I’m... so sorry - but he had already left, mad, and never heard what I said.
Life after that was fun (not) at school. Kids gave me stink eye and called me “weirdo”, “freakazoid”, “idiot” - all sort of fun names. Sam was my only friend who never left my side, mostly out of pity.
- I had a cousin like you - she told me once. - Now he’s institutionalized.
Oh God. Could I be sent to the loony house? I hoped not.
One good thing did happen. I stopped seeing Angel Cole altogether. I suppose his work there (wrecking my life) was complete.
And then one day a curious thing happened.
A kid left me a note. It said: “Meet me behind the gym at noon.”
- Don’t go - Sam said but my intuition told me I should. So I went and Sam accompanied me.
- Someone has to protect you.
Tom was already waiting. He was an older boy - eleven.
- What you did was impressive - he said.
- What I did? - I was confused.
- You know... with Chuck.
- Ah.
Sam pulled my arm and warned, softly: “We should go.” I said: “No.”
- Can you do it again? - his face was flushed and Tom seemed nervous.
- What, what do you mean?
- For me? Can you? I’ll pay.
Sam and I looked at each other. None of us was following. Suddenly Sam’s eyes widened. She instantly understood everything.
- I think I get it. You like Carly, right?
Tom lowered his eyes and shook his head in a yes.
- How much do you have? - Sam asked. She was taking over.
- This, this much - he said showing a fist full of cash. I gasped and looked, amazed, at Sam. She told me, in a subtle gesture, to stay quiet. She’d handle it.
- My great-grandfather had a speakeasy. I’m good at business. It’s in my genes - she told me all the time.
- Ok. It goes like this: Bonny will tell Carly. Once. That’s it.
- Here, tell her this.
- What‘s that? - I asked as Tom handed me a small piece of paper.
- A, a, a... poem.
- Oh.
We both read it. It wasn’t bad.
- In the cafeteria. In front of everyone - Tom insisted. My head was flushed. I pulled Sam away.
- I cannot handle this again! I can’t. I won’t do it.
- Bonny, do you want that skate? Do you?
- Yeah...
- Look, just look - and she showed me the money. - Plus, you are already the weird kid. Trust me, that reputation is already established Big Time. There’s No living it down. Ever. Might as well capitalize on it.
- Are you, are you serious?!
- Of course I am. Trust me. I’m gonna get you more clients. You’ll be rich! Minus ten percent for me, of course.
I was. Flabbergasted.
Stunned.
- Sam, Sam...!
- We have a deal - she said, shaking Tom’s hand.
- One more thing - he added. - It needs to be today. Actually, it needs to be now. Fred is g
oing to ask her to the dance today. I have to move fast.
- Done - said Sam while my eyes enlarged with fear.
- No - I said as we walked towards the cafeteria.
- I have full confidence in you, Bonny! Now, go!
And she pushed me inside while shouting:
- Excuse, excuse me! Bonny Bee as something to say!
And immediately every head turned to Chuck.
- To Carly - she said and sat down.
And there I was, alone, in the middle of the cafeteria. Oh. Dear. Lord.
- Me?
I turned. Carly was in front of me with a puzzled look.
- I thought you liked Chuck.
- It’s... not from me.
After an awful silence I finally met her eyes and read Tom’s poem.
«Carly, your eyes are blue
As the sky
I cannot tell a lie
More than the world
I love you»
She stood there, quiet. I leaned over and told her where she could meet the boy who had written that. Carly then sat, calmly, with her classmates and told none of them what I had whispered.
Everyone was staring at me, not knowing what to think. Sam cheered me on:
- You were great!
Next day we saw Tom and Carly - holding hands.
From then on Sam was my agent and had her hands filled. Altogether we did fifteen, eh, “jobs”.
- Gigs. Gig is a better word. And they are ending. This is the very last one. Paul over there charges less. I don’t like Paul.
It was true.
- Well, it was good while it lasted! - Sam never holds a grudge. - So, do you have enough money for a skate?
- Yes! Finally! I do. And you, what are you doing with your share?
- Saving it for my first Business Venture. Or College. Whatever comes first. Dad insisted.
Another good thing was that kids no longer thought of me as “strange”. Miraculously, that reputation vanished and I went back to being an ordinary kid.
Except... Chuck kept not speaking to me. And that hurt.
- Don’t worry about him. He’s dumb.
- Oh, I don’t care.
Only I did. A little.
After I delivered my last love message, from Serena to Lucas, my work as a cupid was done! I felt free.
The following day, a Saturday, mom came with me to buy a skateboard. When I first told how I got the money she laughed and found it hilarious.
- Who knows? - she said. - You might even grow up to do this for a living.
- God, mom, no! I hope not! Oh, look, this one!
- The pink and red one? Good choice.
I handed over the money. Mom said I looked proud when I did it.
That very day I went to the park for a “test drive”.
I loved it.
I loved it so much.
It was the best skate Ever!
*