“Hey Monique, do you want to be partners for the assignment when we go to the library?

“Yeah definitely!”

“Alright cool!”
Mr. Dano’s 4th grade class leaves his classroom Monique and John side by side; Monique’s friends trailing closely behind.

“Hey what are we supposed to do again? I wasn’t really paying attention.”

“Well were supposed to…actually I’m not sure either!”
The two share a quick laugh on their way to the computer lab. Monique turns to her friends.

“Hey do you guys know what we are supposed to do? Haha both me and John don’t know.”
All the girls hesitate to answer but one speaks up. She doesn’t seem to be joking and is somewhat bitter.

“Maybe if you two weren’t so in love you guys would have known what was going on.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, all you guys do is talk and hang out during recess.”

“Yeah I know isn’t he great? We just run around playing tag on the woodchips but he’s always too fast for me. And sometimes he wants to play football so I just watch him play and he’s sooooo good.”
Stephanie, Monique’s best friend, mumbles to herself then talks clearly to Monique.

“Yeah, whatever. Anyway, we are supposed to research about the animals we were assigned, do you even remember what you were supposed to research?”

“Yes! Penguins! John got the same animal that’s why were partners.”

“Our whole table got assigned penguins…”
John walks up to the group of girls.

“Hey Monique, do you want to get started?”

“Okay I’ll be over in a second.”
Monique leans into the group of girls.

“Isn’t he cute?”
John and Monique travel around the library in search of books about penguins. In the process John stops Monique in one of the aisles.

“Hey Monique. I like you a lot.”

“Really? Why do you like me?”

“Well because you’re funny and nice and pretty and everything else good. Do you like me?”

“Yes I do!”

“So do you want to be my girlfriend?”

“Yes!!!!”
They stand there awkwardly for a second not knowing what to do. John is the first one to speak.

“So what do we do now?”

“I don’t know, hold hands? That’s what my older sister does with her boyfriend.”

“Okay.”
The two proceed to hold hands and find penguin books. They sit down at the table next to Monique’s friends, all the while still holding hands.