An Odd Feeling At First Sight

        It was a Thursday morning.  The skies were overcast and the weather was cool which was to be expected given the light showers that were forecast for that afternoon.  Little Debbie could see the sky as she sat in her little chair at her little desk while the other children played before class.  What Little Debbie didn’t notice initially was the extra chair sitting next to her.  The school bell had already rung but, as was the custom, most of the children in the class didn’t settle down until their teacher, Miss Shelton, entered the room.

        From the far corner of the classroom, because that’s where the door was, Miss Shelton called out to her students.  “Okay, kids, take your seats.  We’re about to start class.”

        The children started taking their seats, some more diligently than others, and soon all the desks were filled.  Miss Shelton stood tall and true in front of her class of sixth graders and began her normal start of the day ritual.

        “How is everyone doing today?”

        In unison the children chirped back, “Great, Miss Shelton.”

        In her usual beaming tone Miss Shelton replied, “That’s great.  Now kids, before we start we have two students who are joining our class today.  Join me in welcoming to our class Chris and Hailey Norris.”

        From the far corner of the class in walked two young children, the young children that Miss Shelton has just introduced.  In the way that they had been trained by Miss Shelton to do the class, in unison, said, “Welcome Chris and Hailey.”

        From the corner Chris looked over the entire class in shock unable to make sense of an entire class full of children welcoming him as they had just done.  Hailey was equally baffled and could only muster a weak wave and an equally weak, “Hi.”

        Miss Shelton continued in her tall and true fashion.  “Welcome Chris and Hailey to our class.  Now, unfortunately I don’t have any open desks for you, so today you’ll have to share.  Chris, why don’t you take a seat next to Lawrence here?  Hailey, why don’t you take a seat next to Little Debbie up here?”

        Little Debbie watched as the two Norris siblings made their way from the corner of the classroom to their temporarily assigned seats.  As they made their way to their seats Little Debbie could not take her eyes off one of the siblings.  It was odd and something Debbie wouldn’t understand for years but every facet of this person transfixed her.  From the style of the hair, to the backpack that was worn, to the little green bows on Hailey’s shoes.

        Once Hailey took her temporary seat she introduced herself to the person she’d be sitting next to that day.  “Hi.  My name’s Hailey.  What’s yours?”

        Little Debbie was suddenly overcome with something she had never experienced before.  Her mind was blank, her throat was parched, and she could feel little beads of sweat forming on her brow.  Little Debbie knew she had to say something but was lost as to what to say.  All Little Debbie could muster was, “Um, hi.”

        The rest of the day was like that.  Miss Shelton’s class went on as it normally did but Little Debbie didn’t really participate in it.  For the entire day Little Debbie was dealing with thoughts and emotions that she had never had before.  For the entire day Little Debbie was dealing with her first crush.