Usually Munch’s mouth went a mile a minute when he was near anyone who had ears. Not now. His mouth was so dry he couldn’t even manage a whisper. Silently, he and Thahn Ha put together the work sheet packets. She too was very quiet. From time to time she gave him a shy smile and he felt like he was melting.

The first bell sounded. They both stood. Mademoiselle Petite came to their table. “Thank you both.” She looked at Munch and said, “Could you show Thahn Ha to her first class?”

The sound, “Uh,” came out of his dried out mouth and then the word, “Sure.”

“What a gentleman you are.” Mademoiselle Petite turned and asked, “Thahn Ho, what is your first class?”

Shyly, Thahn Ho showed her, her schedule. Mademoiselle Petite looked at it and said, “Oh, you have Mrs. Beasley for Lit Class.” She turned to Munch, “Michael isn’t your friend Lolly in that class?”

All he could manage was a nod.

“Introduce them. I bet they have several of the same classes.”

Again, Munch nodded. Great, that meant the new girl was in advanced classes and the only class he might have her in was art or maybe lunch.

“Y’all better get along.” Mademoiselle Petite motioned for the door.

Slowly, silently they both walked to the door and entered into the stream of bodies headed for their first class. Munch managed to say, “It’s this way.” He pointed down the Literature hall.

She nodded.

No words passed between them as they walked. Munch had never been this silent for this long in school ever. He had conduct reports to prove it. When they reached Mrs. Beasleys’ room she was standing at the door. She said, “Oh, you must be Thahn Ho, I am Mrs. Beasley. Let me show you your seat.”

No! Munch was supposed to introduce her to Lolly. He cleared his throat to speak, but the hesitation cost him. Mrs. Beasley whisked Thahn Ho over to the desk right beside Lolly’s. He watched Lolly turn as Mrs. Beasley introduced her to Thahn Ho.

The second bell rang. He was going to be late for class. With difficulty he turned and headed down the hall.

*

The lunch bell rang. Desperately Munch prayed, “Please let her have the same lunch as me. Please!” He had been right. So far, Thahn Ho had not been in a single class he had. He’d seen her at a distance several times, but a mystifying shyness had over come him every time he saw her. If only she had the same lunch he was DETERMINED he would talk to her. As fast as he could go without running, Munch zoomed to the cafeteria.

The smell of fried fish hit him in the nostrils. It was Friday and fish was the order of the day every Friday. He was glad he had grilled Tofu. When he reached the cafeteria his eyes scanned the entire room and every table. He saw Lolly, but no Thahn Ho. No Thahn Ho anywhere. Miserable, he headed for the table where Lolly and their friend Lisa was sitting. Lisa was all decked out in a pink wool suit. This girl had some wicked style. Both girls smiled at him as he approached. He did his best to muster a smile, but truth was, what he felt always showed up on him. He slid into the seat beside Lolly. She looked at him, but didn’t ask any questions. He knew she probably thought he was looking the way he was looking because...OH MY GOD! He hadn’t thought about his mom or THAT MAN all morning. Not once. Wow.

Lisa asked Lolly, “Do you have classes with the new girl?”

“Uh, yeah, so far Lit Class and PE.”

Munch got very still and just listened.

Lisa said, “I saw Jake in the hall. He told me all the guys are talking about her. She’s not in any of my classes. All advanced, I guess.”

“Yeah, I think so.”

The words all the guys are talking about her, echoed in Munch’s brain. Some pretty boy or jock would get to her before he ever worked up the courage to even speak. He pulled out the plastic container of grilled tofu and the plastic fork Grandma Toady had sent with it. In silence he ate. He tasted nothing. There was so much spinning around in his head. What the hell was wrong with him? How could he fall so hard for a girl he just met and hadn’t said more than ten words to? A girl he had no chance with at all. No one in the school ever forgot what color he was and neither did he. Life sucked so hard.

After lunch, Munch fell into a mood as dark as his outfit. He headed into his painting class and was surprised to find that Thahn Ho was in the room at his table. All darkness dissipated. He took his seat. Once again she gave him that sweet shy smile of hers. He felt himself grin back with a big old stupid grin, but he didn’t care. He was in the same room with her at the same table. He offered up a prayer of thanks.

All during class not a single word passed between them, but Munch felt happier than he had felt in ages. From time to time he would glance at her painting of the still life they were working on. She was way behind every one else in the class but what she had put down so far was stunning.A little bit of jealousy swirled inside of Munch’s artistic heart. She was really good at mixing colors. He had some competition and that was not a bad thing.

Too soon, Mademoiselle Petite told them, “Put up your supplies, wash out your brushes and don’t drip water all over the floor.”

Thahn Ho looked at Munch and asked, “Can I see?”

He pushed his canvas closer to her. She smiled at him and said, “Very nice. You are good at proportions.”

He was and he knew it. “Thanks. You’re really good at color.”

She turned a little pink and said, “Thank you.”

They went to the sink to wash out their brushes and containers. He asked, “What class do you have next?”

“French.”

“You will have Mademoiselle again.”

“Yes. She said I could walk with her to the French room.”

Inside Munch said, DAMN! He was hoping to walk her to class. Oh well, even though it felt like it was a long way away, Monday afternoon would come around and he would be at their table with her. It was something.

Later, on the bus ride home, Munch didn’t see the cows or the fields or the farms. He was floating. When the bus stopped at their stop, he and Lolly got out. The bus pulled away. He looked down the drive. There was his house. His mom was inside the house with THAT MAN and he almost didn’t care. He almost didn’t care until his mom and THAT MAN stepped onto the porch. Lolly saw them and took off running. Munch maintained a slow but steady pace. All thoughts of Thahn Ho evaporated. He watched Lolly jump into her father’s arms as he swung her around. His mom was laughing. They were all so HAPPY. Well, he wasn’t happy, he wasn’t happy at all.

His mom came down the steps and walked toward him. She looked a bit nervous and she should be nervous. The space between them closed, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. He hugged her back just a little. Deep down he was glad she was home. She pulled away from him and said, “I missed you Sweetie.”

Begrudgingly, Munch mumbled, “I missed you too.”

The next thing she said, sent Munch spinning. “Grandma Toady talked to me and I said no. She has enough to deal with, she doesn’t need another kid to look after when I’m right here.”

Angrily Munch moved away from his mother. “Are you right here? Are you? I just need time, Mama, some time to adjust. It doesn’t have to be permanent,” though he wanted it permanent. “I just want to stay with Grandma Toady until he leaves on Monday. Is that too much to ask?”

To Munch’s surprise, THAT MAN said, “Mama don’t mind. Let him stay with her. We will start fresh next time I’m in town.”

His mother’s eyes swung wildly toward THAT MAN. Munch knew her well enough to know she was choking something back and he could guess what it was. His Mama did NOT approve of the way Jessie and Mr. Trace Phelps dumped their kids on Grandma Toady, but he bet she wouldn’t say that. And she didn’t.

She swung her gaze back to Munch. “You and I are going to have a serious talk Monday night young man.”

“Okay.”

He walked passed his mother and headed for Grandma Toady’s trailer.