I had a fine weekend; it was a three day weekend too. We got this Friday off as they were having teacher conferences, or faculty stuff to do. They do that sometimes; its like a snow day for other schools where they get snow, only we didn’t burn up any days so they used it for teacher’s meetings or something.

Jewel and I both got permission to hang out at the local park in town. I rode there on my bike, and Jewel had her mother drive her there for a few hours. There are several burger joints in and around there, and when we finished hanging out in the park, we went to one of them.

We were sitting in the Big C, sharing a cold drink and eating our burgers, when I got to thinking about everything that has happened good for me in the last few months. Jewel stopped a fight between Mullard and me, AND she started being my girlfriend on the same day. Then she stopped another fight, and kissed me right on the cheek too! Then she kissed me again, a real kiss that time.

I got more popular overnight at school because of her, and my friends got new friends too because of her. They ain’t got the same popular kid hassles that I do, but all my best friends are happy, and its all because of her, and our relationship. I was feeling pretty happy, just sitting there with Jewel eating hamburgers, when my mind started aggravating me again. It wanted to know just why Jewel picked me, and not some other good looking boy with more money. I decided to ask her.

“Hey Jewel, I got a question and you can be straight shooting with me. Why did you pick me? I asked her, cautiously. “Oh Peter, what do you mean, why did I pick you? As in “Why are you eating with me today, or why did I pick you to be my sweetest, most happy boy ever? Or maybe why I don’t care for Mullard Muldoon over you? That would be easy; he acts like a thug and you don’t. But I will bet he is just unhappy about something, and that type of thing just carries over into all of his relationships with everyone.”

She was teasing me just a little, so I got to the point, “You could have any boy you want. You are the smartest girl in our school, and you are beautiful to boot.” Jewel blushed a tiny bit, and smiled. “Go on Peter, and thank you for talking so so sweet to me.”

I continued, “I know I told you its hard for me to be happy, and we just junior high kids, but I am happier than a possum eating saw briers, because I get to spend a lot of time with you. But I just wanted to know exactly why? Why now? Why did you step in with Mullard that day, then suddenly we are a thing?”

Jewel laughed, “Oh Sweetie Petie, that is so so easy! Why I have liked you, I mean really liked you forever. Ever since the first day I saw you at our school, I think I just loved you right then. But you were always hanging out with your best friends, and you didn’t even know I existed. I tried everything to get you to look my way, but you were shy and always seemed to be whisked away, just when I wanted to talk to you.”

Now my mouth must have been open, because Jewel really started laughing, little musical sweet laughs that make my heart flutter. “Peter Hegelund, you should really chew with your mouth closed. No one wants to see inside your mouth when we are seated in the diner here. Are you surprised that I liked you first? I kind of suspected you might like me, and all my girlfriends would tell me you stared at me all the time. Then you would look away when I would try to come talk to you. You did not even acknowledge my existence.”

She continued, “I knew sooner or later you and Mullard would have a run-in, because he comes over to our house all the time, and because of his being friends with my brother Robert. He gave my brother Robert the nickname Rebel; neither one of them are too smart, unfortunately or Robert would see that Mullard only comes over, just because he can get Robert to be his yes-man. Mullard sucks up to Mother and Daddy, but I think they are on to him. They tolerate Mullard I guess, because they are just glad Robert gets to have a friend, despite my protests of what a jerk he is.”

Jewel went on explaining, “You may have noticed neither of those two even have other friends. And the stuff they say about everybody at our house, while they think no one is listening is atrocious. But I listen. And I heard that he was planning to waylay you in the hall the first time. So I decided I would just bring my girls, and make my move. And the second time I stopped him, that time when I kissed you, and made you turn red in front of Mullard? I heard them planning that one too; they think I am stupid, and they just keep giving me the keys to the kingdom.”

I was speechless! Here I was thinking this gorgeous girl of mine never knew I was alive, yet she had planned the whole entire thing! And she did it twice! Oh man, the stuff I don’t know, but I know it now and that makes this whole thing even better! I must have been giving off happy vibes, because Jewel reached over and touched my hand, from across the table. “I have loved you from afar for a long time Peter; you are a good person, and I just do. So that’s why.”

Now ain’t that something!