First Love

Rose walked into the classroom. I said hello…but he simply gazed. And gazed. And gazed. And then a smile broke. You could tell. It was written all over his face. For weeks he had been hugging Sally, holding her hand, and sharing his colored pencils with her. But that all came to an end. Rose, the new student, had arrived.

Louis smiled and waved and continued to say “Hello Rose!” And when she finally responded with a smile and giggle, he was beside himself. I’ve seen crushes take place in the classroom this year, but this was like a soap opera in the making.

As class began, Louis became a VERY active participant in class. He wanted to be first. He wanted to win. But most of all, he wanted Rose to notice. Louis is usually last to raise his hand, first to get out of his seat when not necessary, and always doing cute things that should make you mad but just make you laugh instead. Like today for example, when he ran around the room with the toy trident Edison had brought to school for Halloween (and forgot to take home) pretending to slash everyone and making sounds with the manliest voice he could muster. But on the day Rose arrived, not only did he keep up his comedy act, he also tried to be a model student.

Of course Rose was overwhelmed by Orange Class’ outstanding kindness to her that day. I was so proud as they all helped her to change her shoes, find her locker, and help her with the classroom songs and command rhymes that we do each day. I hardly had to help her with anything. But this angered Louis. Rose was paying attention to all of the other students. He wanted the attention from Rose.

As she became adjusted to the classroom, her little voice would comment or answer a question here and there. Louis continued to rest his chin in his hands with a big grin on his face staring only in her direction.

When it came time to complete workbook pages, his usual desire to sit there and stare into space turned into a desire to do a good job and finish his work. Rose needed a little bit of assistance to finish her pages. Upon seeing this, Louis yelled from across the room, “You can do it Rose!”

But then storybook time came. And all hell broke loose! The students who are sitting the best are welcomed first to the reading mat. Since it was Rose’s first day, she was one of the first students to come to the mat. Of course, everyone wanted to sit by her. Louis began to panic. You could tell what was going on inside his brain…Oh no! Oh no! Everybody wants to sit by her! Teacher, call on me! Call on me!!!!! But it was too late. May and Sally had already seized the day by telling Rose they wanted to sit by her. The damage was done.

As Louis came to the mat, he asked May to move over. Then Sally. He turned and looked at me like a crazed student who had just lost his cheat sheet for the calculus exam. And then…the tears came. I tried to help. I did the best I could as a teacher. “May or Sally, would you mind moving over just a bit? Louis really wants to sit by Rose today.” And then, “Louis you can sit next to her tomorrow. Could you sit here today?” The tears kept flowing. Manners Teacher was in the room. She picked up Louis and carried him out of the classroom. There was no way to get him to move. He wouldn't sit anywhere else. As he was whisked away outside the classroom to have a chat with Manners Teacher, he looked back to see his true love, for that day, smiling and giggling with the girls.

A few minutes later Louis came back to the room. Eyes dry and a small smile peeking through what he tried to make a frown. He took a sad seat on the mat, away from Rose, and listened to the end of the story.

I don’t know what happened after that. It was my turn to leave for the day.
Days later, Louis has returned his focus to Sally. But I will never forget the day he first saw Rose. It kind of makes me wonder how I felt and what I did when I saw my first crush…