Did you catch Monday's blog feature of Mrsgnomie's flash fiction, Puzzle Pieces? Check out this excerpt and go read it if you haven't already!

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He nodded and followed me to the toy aisle. His eyes were wide with wonder. We laid on our bellies on the lower shelf and played with a puzzle. We weren’t good at it; we didn’t know what to do.

It was the best day of my four-year-old-life.

Adam got called over the loudspeaker.

Hone was happy. I was happy.

Our moms bonded over their mutual panic. Which is how Hone and I went from aisle seven playdate to best friends.

Hone’s mom should’ve hated me, but I was outgoing and pushed Hone out of his shell.

“Please, please, pleeeeeeease?” I begged every time I wanted to drag him somewhere. Football, baseball, summer camps, bike-rides. Whatever it was, I didn’t want to go alone.

At thirteen, I had other reasons to play sports. Like Aaron Kirk. He played baseball.

I liked him.

My mom was always open about that kind of thing. She never asked if I had a girlfriend. She asked if I was interested in someone. She left it open. I didn’t know it was intentional. I just knew she wouldn’t care.

I knew I couldn’t tell other people, though. It’s not that I heard mean things. But I didn’t hear nice things, either. I definitely didn’t hear boys talk about other boys the way I thought about boys.

Sometimes, when Hone and I puzzled, he would open up. He’d talk. He’d ask questions. “Who do you like more?” he asked. “Jessica or Molly?”

Hone liked Holly McGuire. She was cute, for a girl.

I didn’t tell Hone I liked Aaron.

 

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