but you know my heart

I’ve noticed
the air feels warmer
when you’re near—

like now
as I stare sideways across the desk
at your right hand

that touched me
last Tuesday
when I offered you
a whole Twinkie (not a half)

you held it
like a delicate bakery fruit

until it crumbled into creamy bits
you licked them
off your fingers, one by one…

Wednesday we were
close enough
for me to knock over your books,
again

and I picked them up without thinking—
the guys hollered at me—
YOU never did that for a GIRL before—

or shared my lunch--
by now, you know
my heart…

today Greg threw Angela’s pencil case
across the room—
I leaped to catch it—you were watching—
I made a dash sideways, dodging her braids
as we ran screaming between the chairs

into a tug-of-war-
breathing hard—head to head—

I glanced back to
your laughing face

you were gone