First Day In Paradise

I have gone to heaven without having to die. RS Central High School is paradise, on every hall around each corner in the Main Building at the Cafeteria walking the yard, i.e. campus, there are Angels everywhere. Some of the most beautiful Coeds in the Tri-state area call Small Town Friendly their home in general and RS Central High School in particular. I believe it has something to do with our ideal location. We live in the Isothermal belt, which allows for consistent weather patterns. The Blue Ridge Mountains protect us from extreme weather we are in the Foothills. We are strategically positioned in that we were an hour’s drive from 3 Major metropolitan areas: Charlotte to the east, Asheville to the west and Greenville/Spartanburg to the south. The different shapes, sizes, colors of the Hilltopper Honey’s make my head spin. 

Although I’m a freshman, all the beautiful black upperclassmen coeds seem to know me. The families of these beauties with names like: Logan, Miller, Duffy, Woods, Hamilton and Smiths. The two things synonymous with RS Central: Basketball and Babes. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you some of the most beautiful black or white girls I’d ever seen attended RS Central. 

Our coach, Stacy Lail, leads the basketball team. He is a former hilltopper and graduate of App State. His teams have dominated the always tough Southwestern Conference, which comprises teams from the larger Cleveland and Gaston Counties. He already owns a 3A State Title and many Conference Championships. Most of Small Town Friendly has anointed my Ledbetter homies and I as the next best chance to bring home the elusive Championship. Until then, I’m a frosty freshman trying to figure out how in the world am I going to get to 6 different classrooms each day. 

They assembled us freshmen in the auditorium. There is only one freshmen coed I’m anxiously waiting to see. I’ve missed her. My education on women over the summer from the 20-year-old Cougar has me appreciating everything that is woman. 

I’m standing in the aisle with my two homies, Reg and Bleed looking at all the talent. She walks into the auditorium looking lost. I immediately break away from my mates. She has gotten more gorge than I remember. Bree glistens as if she is under a spotlight. My secret love looks every bit the Myrtle Beach Babe. Her golden locks and bronze skin separate her from all the other beauties assembled. She is a vision of loveliness in a sleeveless baby blue silk blouse that match her eyes along with matching shorts.

I wave to her and Bree offers a smile that makes my heart skip a beat. I want to walk to her personal space, place some of her hair behind her ear. Softly caress the nape. Whisper, I missed you, gently pressing my lips against hers, waiting for her tongue and savoring every bit of her saliva. Show her everything I learned over the summer. But not just yet first I’ve got to figure out how to tell her she’s the one. 

Hey there, pretty girl. I say. Hey there, beautiful boy. She replies. I’ve matured so I don’t take the bait about the beautiful thing. I reach for her hand to shake. Give me a hug. She says. Bree smells so good. I release from her hug. Wow, you smell delicious, you’re making me hungry. I say. It’s called Passion. I hid it from my sister before she went off to Carolina. She replies.

So now you really are the baby of the house with your sissy gone. I reply. Ha Ha Timmy, well maybe now you can come visit when my parents go to Lake Lure for the weekend. She says. I will be happy to make sure no one breaks into your house and tries to hurt you. So you’re going to be my protector. Of course Bree. I’ve always been around to protect you. Remember Curtis at Spindale Elementary. I say. Aww, you held my hand. She replies. 

Bree I… I think... I think. Children take your seats. You think what, Kincaid? I think we need to find our seats. We will talk later. We will talk now, mister. She takes my hand; I look at my homies and shrug my shoulders. We take our seats Bree is still holding my hand. Mr Porter, the school principal, begins his speech. Normally, I would have already broken away from her hand lock, but I didn’t want her to let go. I never wanted her to let go. She let go and got out her notebook to take notes. Usually I would have done the same, but I stare at her profile. 

I notice the freckles on her nose display themselves more prominent when she gets too much sun. Her thin lips match her skin as she places some of her long locks behind her ear, listening intently to what the principal is saying. All I hear is Charlie Brown’s teacher. The only note I’m taking is how absolutely stunning my best friend, who’s a girl, appears. Then, just as I’m about to admire her most redeeming feature, I’m overcome with dread. 

She’s a white girl. Everyone tells me to stay away from them. They are nothing but trouble. But my heart doesn’t see color, it’s color blind. I have a realization that I’ve loved her since 1st grade, which is most of my life. Our last names always have us sitting close J for James K for Kincaid at every assembly of students. She isn’t a color; she is my Bree. Then I feel a quick sharp pain in my chest it’s Brees elbow. Pay attention. Why are you not taking notes? She whispers. What are you looking at? Bree looks to her right and just so happens a cute little New Hope honey is looking our way. Bree assumes I’m looking at her. You 're such a guy. She says. You are the prettiest girl in the whole auditorium. I whisper.

I take her notebook and pencil turn to a blank page, I draw a heart the size of the entire page and write Tim Loves Bree 4 Ever inside the heart and place the notebook and pencil opened to the page on her lap. My heart is beating a thousand beats per second. She doesn’t respond. Her head is bent over the notebook. Her locks cover her face. She slowly brings her head up and places her hair behind her ears. The page has stains smearing my artwork. She looks over at me with misty eyes. Bree doesn’t speak. She opens the inside cover of her notebook and it has several hearts with Bree loves Tim inside each. She then opens the inside back cover. It displays a large heart with Bree loves Tim 4 Ever. 

My friend places her notebook and pencil inside her book bag, takes my hand with both of hers and softly places them in her lap. We both look straight ahead, quietly listening to who will be our homeroom teacher. Finally, I maneuver our hands to a familiar position. Thumb wrestle ya. Best 2 out of 3. I say. She sniffs, wipes away a tear, flashes that 1000 watt smile. Make it best of 7. My first day in Paradise, I took a chance and opened my heart. My reward God gave me an Angel. My best friend that’s a girl became my girlfriend.