Aaron grew up in the Southern Regions of the United States where his family lived and they wasn't rich, wasn't poor just right there in the middle.
He grew in a neighborhood big enough to have a three elementary school, junior high, and high school, with all being a five block radius from each other.
In a neighborhood that big they had some rough spots for sure. Nothing Aaron couldn't handle.
He had seen enough growing up to know how to move through it without getting caught up in it.
It wasn't until eleventh grade that he started noticing something seemed different certain people looking at him a certain way.
Not the bad kind of attention. The good kind. He couldn't quite explain it, just knew something had shifted.
Summer came and went like summers do. Nothing major. Just the usual cookouts, hanging out late with his boys, sleeping in past noon.
Nothing that told him his senior year was about to change everything.
Twelfth grade. One month until graduation.
Senior testing week. Thursday morning, fourth hour, social studies.
Aaron sitting in his seat minding his business, half-listening, half-thinking about what he was doing after school.
Then something in his head told him: “Turn around.”
He didn't think twice about it. He turned around, and there she was. A slightly bright light with a smile.
Aaron quickly turned back around.
“Damn she been behind me all school year and never once noticed. He thought to himself.
Shantell. That was her name.
Aaron turned back around and once again noticed that smile man, yeah that smile.
Their eyes met. She gave him a look, the kind that said “boy, what are you looking at” and then would smile right after, like she couldn't help it.
"What's up, Shantell? Can I get your number?" Aaron asked.
Why you want my number? Shantell responded.
“To talk to you so everybody don’t be in our business.” He replied.
She didn't say a word. Just wrote it down and passed it to him with that same smile still on her face.
That evening, around 6:30, Aaron called. They ended up talking for hours.
To be continued...