Of Course, Everyone Remembered It Perfectly

“I dont remember because it never happened!” said Redford, looking at her with his earnest, grandfatherly eyes. The conversation died abruptly, and everyone went their separate ways.

*Why did he lie?* thought Grace. *It was obvious from his eyes!*

“Want me to be your Kai?” asked eleven-year-old Timmy Redford to his classmate, Grace Sparrow, the girl he fancied.

“What Kai?” Grace frowned.

“You know, from the fairy tale! The Snow Queen enchanted him, and Gerda saved him!”

“Gerda saved him, not Grace!” Sparrow scoffed. “Honestly, have you even read Andersen?”

“Whats the difference? Grace, Gerda?” Redford waved it off, never one to fuss over details. “Im askingdo you want me to be your Kai?”

Grace didnt. Timmy was scrawny, buck-toothed, and noticeably shorter than her. Though, admittedly, that would make rescuing him easier.

She was sturdy, half a head tallerhow would they walk side by side after the rescue? Embarrassing!

No, thank you. Besides, her heart was already takenby Mickey Pound, the class dunce.

Speaking of, he stood nearby, listening with amusement.

Grace adjusted her hair ribbon and saidloud enough for Mickey to hear”Kai? Youre not even fit to be the reindeer! So, Kai, run along and dont trip!”

Mickey burst out laughing. Timmy shot him a frightened look and bolted. The next day, in front of everyone, he called Sparrow “Grace the Disgrace”*Ill have my revenge, and itll be terrible!*

Well, what did you expect, Sparrow? Not every man takes rejection lightly.

Scrawny Timmy had brains, which more than made up for his lack of muscle. But yesterday, stung by his crushs sudden slap, he frozeanyone wouldve.

Soon, not just Mickey but the whole class was laughingthe nickname stuck! It was *hilarious* (though the word hadnt been in fashion yet).

Naturally, when Grace complained at home, her parents comforted her.

But one evening, her father helped with algebraGrace just wouldnt grasp the basics! Losing patience, he snapped:

“You know, that Timmy was rightyour heads a right mess!”

Then added:

“Send him my regards!”

Timmy got the blame for that, tooher dad had never said anything like it before.

By graduation, the drama fadedchildhood grudges, crushes, and slights were long forgotten. They even danced together once or twice. Timmy, now taller and lean from the gym, had outgrown Grace.

Mickey got booted to trade school after Year 8back then, they didnt tolerate slackers. Long-distance love fizzled too. Sorry, Mickey.

After school, their paths diverged: Grace went into teaching, Timmybright as he wasto university.

Occasionally, they chatted when visiting their parents, who still lived nearby.

Then life scattered them furthermarriages, moves. Their rare meetups happened only during class reunions, which they soon stopped attending. Why upset themselves?

The boys had become balding, beer-bellied blokes; the girls, plump matrons with delusions. Grace was no exception.

Never slim, shed grown *monumental*like a farmers wife from some old painting.

Timmy was the exceptionstill trim as ever.

By forty-five, Grace had climbed to deputy headmistress. Timmy worked as an engineera standard life, until the turbulent ’90s hit.

Graces daughter, Zoe, brought home a jobless fiancé*Were having a baby!*

The factory where hed welded (decent pay, state perks) got converted into a self-help seminar hall. Turns out, people couldnt grow without guidance.

Outside the factory, there was nothing to weld. The profession had *vanished* overnight.

Sooff to flog jeans at the market!

Yuri refused*Im a welder, not a salesman!*

Pregnant Zoe stayed home. Now they were jobless *together*.

Grace and her engineer husband scrambledshe smuggled leather jackets from Turkey (*Goodbye, teaching!*), he delivered parcels (*So much for respect*).

Capitalism. *Bloody hell*.

By the decades end, things steadiedthen the crash came.

Savvy Grace had tucked away dollars. That August, they woke up richenough for a two-bed flat!

From paupers to homeowners overnight.

Zoes family moved in. Yuri scraped odd jobswelders were still obsolete.

Grace returned to schoolhard-nosed types were always needed. They even demoted the soft-hearted deputy to make room.

Timmy? Rarely seen.

At sixty, Graces husband left. Said shed crushed him.

*Thanks, self-help gurus.*

The new century declared sixty-five the *new prime*.

Worse, he left for *nowhere*a mates spare room in a shared flat.

Zoe had her own life. Grace was alone.

Work didnt fill the voidcolleagues werent friends.

Her granddaughter visitedheadphones in, phone out. No real talk.

At seventy, retirement came. She didnt fight itcouldnt handle the kids anymore.

Her world shrank to her flat.

Sometimes, she bumped into Timmyboth back in their parents old homes.

He was widowed, happy to chat.

Today, they met outside the shop.

The talk swung like a pendulumsweet, simple childhood memories. Back when everything was bright.

“Remember when you wanted to be my Kai?” Grace asked suddenly.

Theyd never spoken of it.

“When did *I* want that?” Timmy frowned.

“Year Five, I think.”

“Me? *Your* Kai?” He laughed. “Youve gone barmy, Sparrow! Never happened. Look at these earsdo I look like Kai?”

“And you were no Gerdacouldnt even climb a rope! More like a bandits sidekick!”

“So you remember the rope but not Kai?” Grace arched a brow. “Selective memory, eh? Thats a *fail*.”

“It never happened!” Timmy held her gaze, stubborn.

Maybe his mind had scrubbed the sting of rejection.

The chat fizzled. They parted ways.

*Why lie?* Grace wondered. *His eyes gave him away.*

Timmy remembered *perfectly*.

After all, shed been his first *no*and that sticks.

*Serves you right, Grace the Disgrace.*

**Lifes lesson?**
*Time softens grudges, but first lovesand first rejectionslinger, reshaped by memorys gentle lies.*