AllFreeNovel
Share Us
OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE
BRANT, AGE 24
People make such a big deal about firsts.
First steps, first words, first kiss, first love. They’re often celebrated and recognized. Revered. There’s applause, fireworks, toasts, and smiles.
But here’s the thing about firsts—
There’s always a last.
Nobody likes to think about that. There’s no joy in taking your last breath, saying your last goodbye, or whispering your last words.
And when I met Theodore Bailey for the first time in my driveway while my father arranged stones around our mailbox, I sure as hell wasn’t thinking about the last time I’d ever hear his voice.
“Hey.”
I glanced up from my chalk design on the driveway. I was trying to draw an elephant, just like Bubbles, but it looked more like the weird mole on my dad’s leg. “Hey.”
“I’m Theo.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“How do you know? I just moved here last week.”
My tongue poked out as I tried to make the elephant’s nose longer, but now it was too long. I’d ruined it. I sighed as I fell back on my heels. “Your mom is my mom’s new best friend. They were drinking lemonade together and talking about stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Mom stuff. You know…like, recipes and the weather and cute babies.”
Theo scratched at his mop of light-brown hair. The color reminded me of the shoreline at the beach when the sand got wet. “Want to be friends?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to be best friends like our moms?”
“Definitely.”
We smiled at each other as Theo sat beside me on the driveway, looking down at my drawing.
But when I went to stretch my legs out, he stopped me.
“Hey, wait!”
Leaning across my legs, Theo tipped his finger to a crack in the driveway with a wondrous, crooked grin lighting up his face.
“What? What is it?” I asked.
Then I saw it.
A squiggly caterpillar crawled onto the tip of Theo’s finger, causing him to giggle. “He tickles.”
Awestruck, I stared at the strange creature as it wiggled and wormed its way up his hand and onto his knuckles.
“You almost squished him,” Theo said, glancing up at me. His smile brightened as he returned his attention to the caterpillar. He grazed a finger along its fuzzy body and whispered, “Don’t worry, little guy…I saved you.”
No, I wasn’t thinking about our lasts.
