Robby watched as the clouds outside began to slowly shift and change into different figures and suddenly he was brought back to a long lost memory of him and his father laying outside on the ground, the freshly cut grass tickling his ears and the sound of chirping from numerous animals filling the silence.
   "What do you see?" Carl, Robby's father, said with a tinge of amusement mixed with amazement in his voice.
   "Clouds," seven year old Robby said plainly as he picked at the grass beneath his fingers.
   Carl gave out a little chuckle and said, "Yes, but if you look close enough you can see shapes that can predict your future!"
   Robby sat up on his elbows and looked at his father incredulously. "My future?" Robby asked, his voice soaked with curiosity.
   "Yeah, look! It's a horse!" Carl said pointing up at the clouds. Robby looked in the direction of his father's finger but saw only white clouds that resembled ice cream swirls. "You have to use your imagination," Carl said at Robby's blank expression. Robby opened his mouth to reply but his mother had just called them in for supper. As Robby stood to go inside he caught a glimpse of a figure in the sky that much resembled an apple and smiled to himself feeling slightly proud.
   The loud screech of the school systems bell brought Robby back to focus. He averted his eyes from the window and looked up to the front of the classroom where his slightly obese teacher Mr. Burns was frantically flipping through an ugly green binder. Robby watched Mr. Burns as he grew more agitated while looking through the binder, obviously not finding what he was looking for. Mr. Burns was a small man in height with a bulky stature and receding hairline. Even though it was only first period Robby noted that Mr. Burns had sweat stains and a very exhausted expression.
   "Settle down everyone!" Mr. Burns hollered, instantly silencing the few students who were talking among themselves. Robby shifted awkwardly in his seat in the back of the room wishing he had someone to talk to but immediately dismissing it as a stupid thought. "Alright, class. I want you to open your books to page 53 and read through to 76."
   Robby reluctantly grabbed his book and opened to the page and began to read hoping not to get distracted today while reading. He read silently and got all the way to page 73 when Mr. Burns spoke again.
   "Close your books." Mr. Burns said simply. He grabbed a paper from his desk, most likely the one he had been searching for in his binder, and put on his glasses. "You have an assignment-" he began but was cut off by the sound of obnoxious students in the back of the room moaning and booing. Mr. Burns ignored them and continued, "It will be due in exactly a week from today. You will get one partner but that partner will be assigned to you by me." Everyone in the class slumped back in their seats and exchanged looks with their closest friends giving a silent nod indicating "I hope I get put with you". Robby zoned out while he rattled out names, matching mostly boys with boys and girls with girls, most likely to diffuse any awkwardness. Then, Mr. Burns came to the last few names on the list, "Megan and Betty, Jenny and Diane, Danielle and Robby, and Tim and Jeff." Robby raised his eyebrows in shock. He didn't know many people in his grade but was fairly certain there were no boys by the name of Danielle in this school. He sat up straight and looked around the room, hoping to see someone looking his way or possibly wearing a shirt that says "Hi, I'm Danielle" but nothing. He eased back in his seat with a defeated expression. Mr. Burns passed out papers explaining what the project was about but Robby couldn't get his mind off of who this Danielle character might be. Mr. Burns noticed his confusion and gave a little nod in the direction of the other side of the classroom where the preppy kids were. A girl slightly shorter than Robby with long legs and beautiful short dark hair sat silently while she ate her apple. She seemed extremely unconcerned with the chatter going on among her peers as she delicately chewed on her apple. Danielle? Robby thought to himself. His thoughts were once again interrupted by the school bells indicating this class period was over. Robby watched as the mystery girl collected her things and tossed her apple core in the trash. Everything from the way she looked to the way she walked radiated a beauty and elegance that left Robby speechless.



   Danielle bit down on her lower lip as she hurried to make it into the next class, her white shoes scuffing against the school's gray tile. Danielle flung herself into Mrs. Rode's classroom and sat in her regular blue seat that was in between her two closest friends Maria and Brooke. The name Robby was rattling back and forth in her mind. She bit down harder on her lower lip as she thought that it had to be a coincidence that her partner was the boy she's had a crush on since second grade when he gave her his extra lollipop after she fell on the playground.
   "Boo!" Maria screamed in Danielle's ear as she shook her shoulders from behind. Danielle felt her heart beat hard in her chest as she struggled to catch her breath.
   Reluctantly she smiled at Maria and said, "Do that again and I'll pee my pants."
   Maria gave a look of fake shock and her voice dripped sarcasm when she said, "Oh, no! I'd hate for the queen herself to ruin her pants." Together the girls giggled as Brooke came in and sat down silently. Subconsciously, Danielle removed an apple from her backpack and began to munch on it as Maria looked at her friend amused because of the habit. Danielle tried to focus on Mrs. Rodes's lecture but couldn't get her mind off of Robby. Should she talk to him? Should she wait for him to talk to her? Did he even know who she was? All these questions and more rattled through her mind as she struggled to figure out what exactly she should do. Class seemed to end within a few minutes when it had really been an hour. The sound of the bell startling Danielle, she jumped a little. "Cool it, jumpy," Maria said with a smile. Before Danielle could respond her backpack fell open and all her papers fell out.  Maria giggled but quickly helped aid her friend after calling her clumsy.



   Robby collected his pages of notes and carefully shoved them into his backpack.
   "Hey, Robby!" Keith hollered from across the room. A lazy smirk was on his face and a gleam of sarcasm and excitement in his eyes. "Come on, man!" He said and waved his arm in motion for Robby to hurry up. Robby mumbled under his breath and collected his bag and walked over to Keith.
   "Ever heard of patience?" Robby asked with a smile.
   "Ever heard of hurry up because I'm hungry?" Keith replied with a fake seriousness in his tone. Robby just smiled and shook his head while he watched his feet as he walked.
   "Hey, uh, have you ever heard of a girl named Danielle?" Robby asked nervously.
   "Um, yeah, I think. A class A preppy kid. Probably just like the rest, snobby and arrogant." Keith replied sullenly. Robby physically felt his hope diminish. They walked the rest of the way to the lunchroom in silence. They walked through the double doors that lead to the cafeteria in a comfortable silence. Keith made his way over to their regular table where Johnny was already sitting as he fumbled with the buttons his jean jacket. Robby made his way to the lunch line and a thin girl with dark hair who munching on an apple caught his attention. She gave a slight giggle to whatever her friend had said and her smile had truly gotten to Robby in a way nothing else has and he felt himself staring but could not help himself. She was just so beautiful. Her beauty was a drug and his eyes were addicted but it seemed they had overdosed when her eyes met his. He felt his heart flutter like a butterfly as he stood still in shock as she made her way over to him.
   "Hi," she said in a shy tone. Her voice was so weak but the power it held over Robby was stronger than anything he'd experienced before. For about forty seconds Robby stood there just taking her in before he realized it was his turn for communication.
   "H-Hello...," Robby said unsure of himself.
   "I'm Danielle, your lab partner."
   Robby gave a nervous laugh which turned into a nervous which turned into and awkward mumble that was his apology. She gave an amused smile and said, "D-Do you want to hang out after school? To do the project."
   Robby felt his face flush and a big stupid grin formed on his face. He couldn't form the words to speak so he just nodded his head, maybe a little to eagerly.
   Danielle gave him a genuine smile and nodded as she turned away and walked back to her friends.
   Robby let out a sigh of relief and whispered, "Dang." He was so embarrassed at how he had acted and he wasn't sure he would be ready to be alone with her and form sentences but he was surely excited.


   Danielle breathed heavily out her mouth and adjusted her skirt. She bit down on her lower lip out of nervous habit and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds a bulky man in a skin tight black shirt opened the door. His hair was heavily infused with grease and his expression showed he was tired but had a  determined attitude. Danielle stood there taking him in for a second before she found her voice. "I'm Robby's lab partner?" She said and she sounded very unsure of herself and she watched as the mans expression changed from confused to a sudden recognition.
   He extended his right hand, which Danielle shook, and said , "I'm Darry, Robby's older brother."
   Danielle gave him a breezy smile and said her name plainly. Then he ushered her inside and directed her to a room down a small hallway. "First door on the left." He said in a matter of fact manner. She nodded and felt her hands slightly shake with excitement as she made her way to the door.
   She carefully gave a light knock and heard a muffled response of, "Come in."
   She pushed the door open and took in her surroundings. There was a small desk next to small window in the corner of the room where a light green colored light was placed and random pages sat messily on the desk. The room was quite small leaving little space for things. The only sign of life in the room Danielle saw was a wooden bookcase on the right stacked with wonderful novels, all of which Danielle has read, and a queen sized bed to the left corner. On the bed sat a very clean and shy Robby. Danielle felt a slow smile creep on her face as she looked at him. He was wearing a plain green shirt and jeans that were folded up at the ends. His socks were solid white and only dirty on the bottoms where he had been walking. He gave a nervous smile and mumbled a hello.
   "So, um, let's just... start?" Danielle said quietly.
   Robby looked confused for a second but then he remembered her purpose in coming was for the project, not for him. He felt a sour disappointment spread through his veins but simply nodded and grabbed his backpack. "Or we could just go see a movie?" Danielle said shyly, suddenly very interested in her solid white shoes. She traced over the edges of her shoe in her head while she awaited a response. After a few quiet seconds she took it as a stab of rejection and felt her heart tremble.
   Robby sat still for a few seconds in pure shock. His mind was screaming say yes! but he didn't want to sound too eager. "Yeah, that would be fun." He said with a slight shake in his voice and silently cursed himself for it. A smile came to her face that made Robby's insides melt and he couldn't help but smile too. "Let me just tell Darry and get some money from him and-," Robby began.
   "I can pay!" Danielle said abruptly cutting him off.
   Robby felt his insides harden. "I don't need your pity," he said with spite.
   Danielle instantly turned red and looked down at her shoes. "I mean, its no big deal, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to say anything by it."
   Robby immediately felt guilty for what he said and swallowed his words. "I-I'm really sorry, Danielle."
   She simply shook her head in response, afraid to show the effect of simply saying her name had on her. Robby left the room with a guilty demeanor. Danielle breathed out her mouth and had just realized her fists were tightly clenched at her sides. She stood still trying to regain her composure and telling herself it would be alright while she heard the distant sounds of Robby talking to Darry. Danielle squeezed her eyes shut and thought, I'm such an idiot.



   Robby walked back into the room holding thirty dollars given to him by Darry and felt tension string through his body. Danielle was standing in the middle of the room with her hands held together and a serious expression. Robby slowly rapped a knock on his own door, bringing Danielle back from her daze. She smiled at him and walked over to stand right in front of him. "You ready?" She asked trying to mask her nervous pulse.
   He smiled back and said, "Boy, am I ever."
   Robby led the way out the door and the short walk to the theater was filled with mindless chatter and silly jokes that made Danielle laugh so hard her stomach hurt. They found they had more in common than they both expected. They came to the big double doors that led to the local movies called "The Clap". "What movie?" Robby asked as he took the money from his back pocket. Danielle shrugged in response seeing nothing particularly appealing. Robby smiled mischievously and took Danielle's hand and led her to the counter. His warm hand on hers sent a rush of butterflies through her body but in an odd way it was comforting too. Robby leaned his weight on his elbow that was rested on the counter and asked the lady behind the window, "What was the movie the customers before us asked to see?"
   The girl had her dark brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and tan skin and she had an expression that was annoyingly welcoming. She looked down at the computer in front of her and then said, "Um.. Love Wing." Robby blushed because this was a movie about two teenagers who fall in love and marry underneath a big, beautiful apple tree that he had seen in commercials.
   "Two tickets for that at the next showing." Robby said shyly.
   "Okay. Next showing is in three minutes. Enjoy." She said as she exchanged movie tickets for Robby's money and then gave him his change.
   Robby turned around and handed Danielle her movie ticket, their hands lingering to a point where it was obvious they wanted to hold hands but both were too nervous to make the first move. They walked awkwardly side by side until right before they went into the theater Robby grabbed her hand with the only ounce of courage he had left and she squeezed back sending a rush of relief through Robby. The rest of the night was spent with giggling, hand holding, and at the end of the night a goodnight kiss...