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(September 17, 2011) Update September 18,2013
He touched me… Not in any way lascivious. Just a simple soft brush across and down my shoulder in acknowledgement that he had seen me. No words were spoken. Just the touch. I loved him for that. I always had…
I remember the first time I lay eyes on him. Third grade. It’s funny when you grow up in a small town that you end up knowing certain people your whole life. Can’t say I really knew him, but I knew of him. I fell into him on the playground and that was all it took. Didn’t know then what that feeling was or meant, but I knew on sight that there was something special about him. My innocent admiration of him was immediate. I suppose he didn’t know what that feeling was at the time either, but he saw me, too. He simply smiled. Years later that moment would come back to haunt me. Back then, I didn’t know that I had just stumbled into my very first crush. Silly me. If my eyes were truly the windows to my soul, I should have had the sense to temper the blinds.
By sixth grade a lot had changed. Especially within me. But I wasn’t the only one. Raging hormones between all the sexes were forcing its way to the surface way beyond leaps and bounds. By then we all knew what that look meant and it was hardly fully innocent. I had blossomed out before my own eyes, and when I saw him, well, that thing from the past was like a burning flame racing throughout my entire being. Call it heat, or passion, or just aching preteen desire to be close to someone who had stolen my childhood heart. It had nothing to do with sex, not really, but something more unnamable. Three years later and just looking at him pulled me back through time. I longed for him. Maybe somewhat physically, but mostly, I just wanted to be near him. Still, he never said a word. But he did smile at me sometimes. Just a friendly gesture really. He always did that in the passing years. With everything else going on in our young lives, I felt that was more than enough to hold on to. The fact that we had never held a conversation was a minor missing end to the overall means.
And then there was high school. Just the mention of that place can be summed up as pure hell. The world of love, sex, lies, and heartbreak had at one point or another affected nearly all. To me, in this final introduction to adulthood, it hardly made sense to chance your deepest emotions to anyone. But that is exactly what I did. I loved and lost as anyone else. Almost too much it seemed. I suffered my despair in the shadows. He was so popular I figured he didn’t have time to notice. The kindness in him was a gift to everyone and he was genuinely liked by everyone who knew him. I simply adored him. Just before we took our final walk into freedom, I heard in a whispered conversation that he said he knew me. Not that we were ever what you would actually call friends. I was just that kid from third grade who fell on top of him on the playground and never said a word to him. It was embarrassing to know that he remembered that too. I didn’t know he even remembered my name.
Class Reunion – twenty years later. Standing in a crowded room with a bunch of people and faces I could barely recognize. But still, old emotions came rushing back upon me as if my past was flashing before my eyes. And then, across the room, I saw him. Time had been very good to him. When he smiled, I saw that he noticed me too, so I turned and headed in the opposite way. I was cornered by another childhood friend when he moved to touch me. Just a simple soft brush across and down my shoulder in acknowledgement that he had seen me. No words were spoken. Just the touch. I loved him for that. I always had. I guess I always will…
* * *
Note: In May 2013, “The Crush,” was selected to be featured on the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tracy-james-jones/ and in June 2013 it was requested by the International Baccalaureate Organization (http://www.ibo.org/) to use in their worldwide middle-years education program for language and literature teacher support material.
greatmindsthinkaloudbookclub said:
Beautiful Tracy! Just absolutely beautiful!
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you so much! I had to tweek it a little bit, but I love it! :o)
Austin Briggs (@TheAustinBriggs) said:
Great stuff loved it! The first paragraph is very, very strong.
Congrats, you sure can write 🙂
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you, Austin. I appreciate your response! :o)
Jamie West said:
OMG!! It makes me remember my first crush!! The first rush of my heart and the butterflies!! Love it!! 🙂
Tracy James Jones said:
Thanks, Jamie. I see this story brings up old memories for everyone who reads it! That is super cool! :o)
Tracy James Jones said:
My name is Morrigan Michele, author of the Blood and Magick Series. I have recently had the pleasure of reading The Crush by Tracy James Jones.
Tracy did a fantastic job of writing a story that we all can relate with. The Crush is very well written, so much so that the reader feels as though he/she is there watching it all take place.
This story left me wanting more, much more. I look forward to reading more stories from Tracy James Jones.
—
Morrigan Michele – Author
http://www.bloodandmagickseries.com
http://www.facebook.com/bloodandmagick
http://www.facebook.com/morriganmichele
Wendy Hunyor
that was very very good. You should so have a contract!!
Lady N said:
Very soft and beautiful, just like your first crush. And its true its not about sex but the special magentism that draws you to another person that sometimes cannot be explained or comprehended. It just is!!! I absolutely loved it Tracy. Great Work!!!!
Nita
Tracy James Jones said:
Thanks, Nita! I had no idea what the story was going to turn out to be, but once I started it, everything just came out on it’s own. I loved the idea of it the minute the direction it was going came into to focus. :o) Thank you for the review. I know that so many can relate to what it feels like to remember your first crush. Kudos to all who can still recall. :o)
Tracy James Jones said:
Just want to say “Thank You” to everyone who has taken the time to read my little short story. In less than a month it has been viewed nearly 400 times. Amazing! I just wish everyone had left a comment. Certainly wouldn’t mind the feedback. But please, keep reading it and passing it along! Hope you all love reading it as much as i did writing it! :0)
Kevin Carey-Infante said:
Wow…I loved it! What a beautiful little story!
Thank you, Tracy…Kevin
Tracy James Jones said:
Thanks, Kevin. In regards to our previous conversation, as you can see, things did get better. I grew into a more understanding and compassionate person. The true passion of being me is often reflected in my writing. Thanks so much for the review! Please feel free to pass it along. I’m loving all the responses. :o)
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tristan said:
To many wordss but it wa a good storie
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you.
Vashti Quiroz-Vega said:
Lovely story Tracy. Dulcet and touching.
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you. 😀 I wrote it from my heart.
Kev said:
I love the opening paragraph. Well done! Sounds like a true experience.
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you. 😀
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marcela santini (@marcela80348599) said:
Hello Tracy! Me and my classmates read your story which was translated into Spanish and we absolutely loved it! It is filled with emotion and everything is described so well that I almost feel like I am watching a movie of this story. The story is also so catching and you just never get bored reading it even though it is short. You are a very good writer and it was great reading your piece of work. Greetings from Spain 🇪🇸!
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you, Marcela! Big hugs to you and your class. What grade is this class, if you don’t mind sharing.
Ada said:
Hi, Tracy I loved this story, I have felt identified with some parts of your story.
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you so much. 😊
Africa Guardi Cordero said:
Hello!! I really liked your story, congratulations!
Pol said:
Hi tracy,the love story is very beautiful
Tracy James Jones said:
Thank you so much. 😊
Africa Guardi Cordero said:
Hello, I really liked your story, congratulations!