Thursday, September 3rd, 1987 Stephanie’s arrival at Assumption hadn’t been marked by fanfare or a grand entrance. Instead, she had quietly slipped into seventh grade at the start of the school year. Blending into the scenery and finding where lines were drawn and where they blurred. But unlike most new kids, Stephanie wasn’t looking to fit in, she was looking for friction. The first person she befriended was a fellow seventh grader named Andrea. Andrea was as simple as she was wild. Copper hair. Loud laugh. A body ahead of its time and a face that could shame a horse. She crossed lines without noticing and flirted with trouble like it was a cute boy. Stephanie recognized in Andrea the same feral energy that fueled her own untamed heart and the two bonded instantly. Andrea told Stephanie she thought I was hot and it was that casual comment that had allowed Stephanie to step into my life. At first, she played matchmaker. Got my number. Called after school. Asked if I liked Andrea...
I thought coming of age meant growing up. On Monroe Street, it meant giving something away before I knew it was mine.