3 never
paid much attention
to 5 when
they were together
hanging out
with friends or in class.
To him, she
was quiet and tough and
never let
you look at her for
long before
she’d glare back at you.
He thought she
liked to be alone,
away from
other numbers like
0 was.
Except 5 wasn’t
cold – more like
intimidating.
The first time
3 really noticed
5 was one lunch they
ate outside.
after the others left,
she stayed there
to feed a pair of
squirrels when
she thought no one was
there to see.
The next class they had
with each other,
he looked at her in
a new light,
and of course she just
glared at
him like she always
did, but this
time he smiled back.
Erika Rowlee 