Nathan's POV
The first day of sixth grade felt like one of those days when you just want to hide under your desk and pretend school doesn't exist. That was me—Nathan. Just an average kid with braces, a little awkward, a little nerdy, and not really wanting to be noticed by anyone. I had new shoes that squeaked too much and a backpack that was too big for my back.
I had a plan: get through the whole year without much trouble. No friends, no enemies, no drama. Just survive.
I thought I could do it—just sit at the back, do my homework, eat my lunch alone, and not talk too much. I didn't need anyone to notice me. I didn't want to stand out. I didn't want to raise my hand unless I really had to.
But then she walked into the classroom.
And everything changed.
The door opened, and in walked a girl with long, shiny hair and a smile so bright it felt like someone turned on the sun inside the room. She looked around with curious eyes, not shy at all. She didn't look scared, even though it was her first day. She looked like she was already part of the school, like she belonged.
Her name was Amethyst.
I didn't know how I noticed her in the middle of all the noise. Kids were laughing, talking, shouting. The teacher was writing on the board. My seatmate Aaron was chewing gum too loud. But when Amethyst walked in, everything around me got quiet. Not really, but it *felt* quiet. Like everything had slowed down. Like the world had turned the volume down just for me to see her better.
I didn't even know I was smiling until Aaron nudged me with his elbow.
"Hey, Nathan, that's the new girl. Amethyst," he said.
"Yeah," I replied, trying to act cool but failing completely. I was still staring.
She took a seat two rows in front of me. I spent most of that morning looking at the back of her head and not paying attention to math at all.
---
During recess, I went to my usual quiet place under a big tree at the back of the school. Not many kids came here. That's why I liked it. I took out my plastic container with leftover adobo and rice. My mom made it the night before. Her cooking was always the best.
I opened it, the smell made my mouth water. I was just about to take a bite when I heard someone yelling.
"Hey! Did you take my lunch?" a girl shouted nearby.
I peeked through the branches and saw Amethyst standing near one of the benches, looking angry. Her lunchbox was open, but it was empty. Someone must have stolen her food. That happened sometimes in our school. Some kids thought it was funny.
She wasn't crying. She just looked upset and strong, like she was going to punch whoever did it. I liked that about her. She didn't look weak at all.
Before I could stop myself, I stood up. My heart was pounding like I had just run a race.
"Amethyst, do you want some of my lunch?" I asked, holding out my container.
She turned to look at me. Her eyes were wide. "Huh? Why?"
"Because… you look hungry. I'm still full anyway," I said. That was a lie. My stomach was actually growling. I had been thinking about that *adobo* all morning.
She stared at me for a second, then smiled. That same sunshine smile from earlier.
"Thanks. You're so kind. I thought you liked my best friend," she said.
That hit me like a falling brick.
"What? No! No, that's not true!" I said quickly, my face turning red.
She laughed. "Just kidding! But thanks for sharing. I thought all boys here were bullies."
"Not all of us," I said, feeling both embarrassed and proud.
She sat next to me under the tree and took a spoonful of rice. "By the way, what's your name?"
"Nathan."
"Nice to meet you, Nathan. You just won the Best Adobo Sharing Award!"
I laughed, probably too loud. I felt warm and happy inside. That moment felt like a dream I didn't want to wake up from.
---
After that day, I couldn't stop thinking about Amethyst. Every time she passed me in the hallway, my heart skipped a beat. Every time she smiled or laughed at something silly, I felt like I was floating.
But there was a problem. She still thought I liked Erika, her best friend.
One day, while we were wiping the blackboard and sweeping the floor after class, she suddenly said, "Nathan, I think you like Erika."
I almost dropped the broom. "Why do you think that?" I asked, pretending to be calm.
She smiled. "Because you always hang around her, especially when she's telling her crazy stories."
I wanted to say, "No! I hang around because you're always next to her!" But I didn't. I just gave an awkward laugh and kept sweeping. I didn't want to make things weird. I didn't want to ruin what we had, even if it wasn't much yet.
---
A few weeks later, something special happened.
We were practicing for the school recital. Everyone had left, but I stayed behind to pack the chairs. Amethyst was still there, too, fixing some papers. Then suddenly, it started raining really hard. The kind of rain that makes everything go dark and quiet. Then—*poof!*—the power went out.
We were stuck in the classroom.
I felt nervous, not because of the dark, but because it was just the two of us.
"Are you scared of the dark?" she asked.
"Not really," I said. "But it feels weird when everything's quiet. Even the thoughts in your head get louder."
She giggled. "That's so true."
I looked at her. The light from outside the window made her eyes shine a little. It felt like the perfect moment to say something I had been holding in for a long time.
"Amethyst… I have to tell you something."
She turned to me. "Hmm?"
"I don't like Erika," I said. My voice was quiet, but I meant every word.
She didn't say anything at first. My heart was beating like a drum. I thought maybe I had made a mistake.
But then she smiled gently. "I already knew."
My eyes widened. "What? How?"
"Because the way you look at me is different from how you look at her."
I felt like the world had stopped spinning for a second. I didn't know what to say. I just smiled.
She looked down at her hands. "Thanks for sharing your lunch with me that day. That was really nice."
---
After that, things changed in a good way. We became closer. We talked more, walked to class together sometimes, and even shared snacks during break. I gave her one of my erasers once, and she gave me a sticker with a tiny cat on it.
We weren't a couple or anything like that. But every time she called me "Tan-tan" (a silly nickname she made up), my heart did this little happy dance. I didn't even care when Aaron teased me in front of everyone.
"Hey, Nathan, you have a crush on Amethyst, don't you?" he'd say with a big grin.
I'd just smile and say, "Maybe."
Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't.
But I knew one thing for sure: The first time I saw Amethyst, something inside me changed. And the first time I shared my lunch with her, I wasn't just giving away food. I was sharing a part of me.
That moment under the tree, her laughing in the dark, her calling me Tan-tan, and that one time she gave me a folded paper star—all those little things made sixth grade feel less scary.
And that first smile she gave me?
I will never forget it.