#28

I smile. I flash my teeth. I tilt my head up. Then I’m told to stop.

“Hey kid, you’re good looking and all. But you’ve got to stop fidgeting.” With his giant, masculine hands he grips my head like a melon and adjusts it for the camera. “Okay, don’t move. 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!”

You know how the Germans say the fastest thing is a thought. It’s not true. I thought to myself Boom! Flash! Kapow! But the before I could finish my list of onomatopoeias I heard from the photographer that I was done; they shooed me off my stool and I followed the trail that they left for me to follow. I tugged at my colored shirt so I could breath better. I turned around and saw Gerald make his peculiar, closed-mouth smile that looked more like he was constipated.

“Smile . . . I said smile. . . Show some teeth, kid . . . You’re not making this any easier for yourself. Okay, 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!”

Then flash.

Today was a rather uneventful day. We didn’t plan a game. We were too preoccupied with yearbook photos. We all dressed our best – bow ties, flared shoulder pads, head bands, earrings, etc. Though, some people didn’t take it as seriously.

Carl was up next and he had a fake black eye, and he wore the same raggedy shirt that he wore last year. I escaped the scene before the photographer could vent his impatience with us elementary kids.

Anna was already at the playground. She sat on a bench and looked consumed by a book.

Everyone else was still messing with their attire and appearance, so I decided to approach Anna. “What book are you read?” I asked innocently.

“Twilight,” she said, looking up from her book.

“What is it about?

“Vampires! Edward is such a heart throb.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. “Uh . . . I’ve seen Interview With a Vampire. It was about vampires. It was pretty good.”

“But that doesn’t have a real love story in it! This one is so romantic!”

“Whatever.”

I ran away. I forget that I was in elementary school, though. Because after that incident, everyone started teasing me by saying I liked Anna.

Dude, just cause I talk to a girl doesn't mean I like her.