I GOT TROUBLED THOUGHTS (AND THE SELF-ESTEEM TO MATCH)

Dear Diary,

         Today my biology class went on a field trip to the big downtown botanical garden. We were to observe plant characteristics and jot them down in our notebooks. We went to the garden because there’s such a huge variety of plants there. I made sure to plan an attractive but functional outfit - black jeans, combat boots, denim button-up, and FOB necklace. I put my hair in a braid, because who wants long hair flopping around when you’re doing a lab? Then I packed up my stuff and headed to school.

         I had geometry, then when it was time for biology I went outside to the east parking lot. There were two buses waiting to take us to the botanical garden. I hopped on bus 1 and found a seat comfortably in the middle - not so far back that you get suffocated by the horrible smells coming from the bathroom, but not so far forward that the teachers and bus driver can track your every move. I was just situating my backpack between my legs when GUESS WHO WALKED BY.

         CHRISTOPHER.

         CHRISTOPHER WALKED BY.

         MY CRUSH WALKED BY.

         He was with one of his friends, and they were looking around for a place to sit. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed to any Powers that Be that he sit in front of me, or behind me, or across the aisle from me, or something near. After a bit of debate, he and his friend (I think I caught the name Mark?) settled on the seats right behind me.

         SQUEEEEEEAL.

         Now, to any casual passer-by it would have appeared that I was curled up in my seat listening to music. But the fact was, even though I had YouTube pulled up and my earbuds in, no music was actually playing. I was actually listening to Christopher and Mark bicker playfully about who got to use Mark’s iPad and then struggle adorably with geometry homework. At one point I was about to turn around to help them, but the girl who sat behind them got there first.

         Pooh.

         When we arrived at the botanical garden, I hopped off the bus, grabbed my notebook, and quickly came to a very bad conclusion once I stepped into the indoor garden.

         Jeans and a long-sleeve shirt hadn’t been the best idea.

         It was horribly hot, steamy, and humid, because inside is where they keep all the tropical plants. I felt faint and terribly overheated within thirty seconds, and I don’t know how I managed to stagger through the rest of it. However, I managed to get down some observations on some pretty cool plants, like these colorful flowers and short palm trees. 

         We brought lunch and ate it there. I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Doritos, carrot sticks, and a brownie. While I was eating, Mark and Christopher wandered near me in another attempt to find a place to sit. I prayed they would choose by me, but then Mark saw some of his friends on the way other side of the room and they went over there.

         Pooh again.

         Soon it was time to go. Everyone sat in the same bus places on the way back, simply because social protocol, and there was this one moment where I was leaned back and Christopher leaned forward and I was within a few inches of him (he didn’t notice, however) and I saw the most beautiful auburn highlights in his hair where the sun struck it. 

         We got back to school with only a little bit of final period left, so I just worked a little on a French worksheet that had been handed out while I was gone. We’re learning how to tell time.

Love, 

Waverly