The Harmonica

I was maybe 5 to 7. My Parents rarely brought their friends over, and this was a rare exception. It was my Dad's old friend from college. He had brought his daughter, one year older than I. She was the first girl I ever liked (as a friend). We tagged along with our parents. After shopping, we went out for dinner. She and I had our own little table. On the way back in the car, she fell asleep on my shoulder. I heard my mom jokingly proposing an arranged marriage (I'm Asian).

I remember of course I didn't like girls then, but she was a good friend and more than tolerable. Her family slept over at our guest room that day, and I remember waiting outside the door waiting for her to wake up and come outside... Before she left, she played her Harmonica. I was entranced and she knew. She left the harmonica in my hands as a parting gift.

10+ years later and several moves later. A girl appears in my class. I'm now a sophomore in High School, and in one of my classes, there sits a girl looking quite familiar. I asked about her name. It matched the girl in from years ago. The whole day I stared at her. She stared back. I made idle conversation with her. Nothing serious

I remember from back when I was a child this girl wore a pigtail wig. I observed her hair yet found no wig. I inquired about it, and she said she never wore any wig. However, I was more than certain. She has not changed a bit.

The next day I scrutinized my every drawer. Having moved several times, I searched all the attic boxes. I found the harmonica. The next day in class, I showed it to her. Her eyes lit up and she gave me a big hug. She told me that even she had forgotten about the wig. Ever since then, the connection was indescribable. Neither of us had childhood friends and we reminisced on our past and the stories never seemed to end.

Some months later, I had not made any move. I was slightly intimidated at her slight peculiarity, and her stunning physique.

While discussing summer plans, I mentioned I was going to Arizona alone for an internship. She then quickly mentioned that she wanted to join. We slightly discussed specifics: 4 months in a hot place, unfamiliar to us both, living in one hotel room (the number of beds were trivial, as neither she nor I had high paying jobs).

Though we were quite fond of each other, I was sure it had not progressed to the point where we were dating. Her proposal seemed ... pressuring? spontaneous? too fast?

As the date for the trip neared, I had to chicken out. I told her my grandparents were struggling to grasp onto life and I had to visit them. I had called the whole trip off. It broke my heart to do it. I really did want to go out with her. But I did not want to ruin everything.

Instead, I stayed at home, avoiding her and her friends as much as possible, as to make it look as if I had really gone to my grandparents. I figured once I "came back" I would be able to formally ask her out on a date, knowing now that she was very interested, much like I.

However, I made one grave mistake. Over the summer, I had went on a cruise, and experienced a gambling experience often unparalleled by even the most elite of gamblers. I decided to write on it for an English paper.

It was so good, that I had sold it to a publishing company (since I did not have time to publish a whole book as the procedure is dreadfully long). My paper was circulated throughout school.

As the paper inevitably fell upon her desk, she read it and saw through my guise. I had lied to her. She did not reply any of my calls since and the conversation at school lagged.

Its not that I did not like her. Its just it was too much and too fast. She still has the same class as I. Everyday in class I think of her and what could have been.