His name was Michael and he was the cutest black boy I'd ever seen. It didn't matter that he lived in a small house or that he shared that cramped space with two brothers and three sisters plus his parents. He had dimples and whenever he smiled, he made me smile as well. Unfortunately, I was four years younger that Mike and he never gave me a second look, much less a first. He always treated me as the outspoken little sister and I gratefully accepted his attention, though it wasn't exactly what I wanted.
He graduated from high school and left my life, heading off to college to conquer a new education as well as the ladies that would be available on campus. I spent the next three years slogging through my freshman, sophomore and junior years without much contact with Mike. I saw him on the occasional holiday, usually at church but we were not as close as we used to be and I didn't want to show him my disappointment. I hung out and continued my life.
January during senior year marked my eighteenth birthday and I was surprised to be asked to the spring prom, that was to be held a few months later. I bought the obligatory gown and Jerrod and I attended the grand affair after having dinner and joining our friends. We were having such a good time when his ex-girlfriend, Lynn, asked him to dance and I told him to go because we both knew that we were just pals. When I felt the hand on my shoulder, I was surprised to look up and see Michael.
"Hey!" I jumped up and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you." He held up a folded square of notebook paper and I recognized it immediately.
"Where did you get that?"
"Does it matter?" He tucked it back into the lapel of his jacket and took my hand. "Come on. Let's dance."
I numbly stumbled out onto the dance floor with him, my mind buzzing with what was happening. I know it was a slow song but I can't tell you the name of it because I was in Michael's arms and his hard body was pressed up against mine. The paper that I'd recognized was a note that I'd written to myself five years ago, detailing my feelings for Michael and my hope that one day, he'd see me as something other than a 'little sister'. I'd locked that letter up in my wooden vanity box almost two years ago. So how did he get it?
He pulled back and gave me one of his heartwarming smiles. "Do I make you nervous?"
"You know you do." I tried to laugh but the warmth in his eyes stilled my laughter. He leaned forward and kissed me and my heart stopped. What I'd wanted for so long was happening and I could barely contain my excitement.
