I waited for her during gym class underneath the elm tree in the courtyard. It was easy to blankly read Wuthering Heights while I watched Bella through her classmates’ eyes. I flitted from girl to girl, whoever was playing against Bella in badminton at the time. 

            Got to get started on that term paper… a lunge sent her leaping to the left for the birdy, and she suddenly became distracted by her legs. God, do these shorts make me look fat?! Look at that bulge—oh my god, I am SO not eating lunch today…

            I left this girl, Britany, and hoped instead her partner might be more interested in the match (and therefore Bella) than she was. Her name was Bonnie, one of the only real old-fashioned names in the school besides mine.

            …wow, she’s really letting Mike take on the whole workload here. Well, what if I aim straight for her? Haha.   Bonnie took aim and shot the birdy directly at Bella’s face. I flinched automatically, my hand shooting out to grab the invisible bird, even as I watched Mike dive for the save. Bella looked completely out of it, only realizing something had happened when she saw Mike on the gym floor afterward. Huh. Guess she really doesn’t know what she’s doing. Ah, well. Then let’s give Mike a run for his money. The girl began to play again in earnest, strategizing against Mike, and while I enjoyed that bit, I tuned her out. 

            When the class went into the locker rooms to change, I walked back to the entrance of the gym to wait for her to come out. Finally she pushed through the double doors, a huge smile forming on her face as we locked eyes. What I wouldn’t give to see the thoughts behind her smiles. 

            I gave her as long as it took her to reach me before launching into my endless list of questions. I could tell she was incredulous that I could be so greedy to know the details of her life, which were so inane to her but precious to me. 

            We went back to Charlie’s house and sat for hours, as the rain began streaming down and I peppered Bella with more questions. She described her bedroom at home, was mercifully exact in her descriptions of why she enjoyed the plants, the landscape, the beauty of her life there. When she finished telling me all about her cluttered room, Charlie’s voice filtered in amongst the housewives and school children on the surrounding streets.