Everyone in this world has a person. That person usually starts out as a parent and then once you start school and your parents aren't cool enough anymore it turns into a friend. For some people they meet someone in Kindergarten and that person is their person for the rest of their life. Other times your person changes when you have a falling out or life just gets in the way, and a new person steps up. Some people are best friends, and some even fall in love.

Everyone has a person.

***

Present

"Mom, Mrs. Ortiz said we're getting pen pal letters today in class. I told her I don't want one because I think pen pals are stupid."

I looked down at my 10 year old rolling her eyes waiting for me to put her peanut butter and jelly sandwich in her Selena Gomez lunch box so that she could get to the bus stop on time. "You know I had a pen pal when I was your age, they're actually kind of cool. And just think, you get to take an hour out of doing school work to write back."

"Why would I write to someone I don't even know in a whole other state? What can we even talk about?"

"Maybe your pen pal will love Selena Gomez, you can talk about that. And I bet you are going to be learning about the same things in school..."

"Booooooooring," she replied with a huff. "I don't want a pen pal."

"Trust me they're cool. I bet Dad would say they're cool too."

"Which Dad?" she asked getting more annoyed as the seconds passed and I didn't agree with her.

"The one you live with," I handed her the lunch box and kissed her on the head expecting our conversation to be over.

"So not the one that created me?"

"The one that raised you Lily. Now go get your brother you're going to miss the bus."

"The one-"

"LILY!" I cut her off not wanting to do this whole back and forth which dad, when, where and how thing she does sometimes.

"I was just going to say the-"

"Get your brother right now if you want to not be locked in your room all afternoon." I jumped to the high heavens and screamed when someone poked my sides and screamed Boo behind me. After landing back on Earth I felt arms go around my waist and a kiss on my temple.

"I was just going to say the one that's about to scare you, but you wouldn't listen to me," Lily said suppressing a laugh.

"Grounded when you come home," I said pointing at her.

"WHAT DID I DO?"

"You didn't warn me that's what you did."

"But you wouldn't let me-"

"Your not grounded Lily," my husband said behind me.

"Dad says I'm not grounded," she mocked before calling for her brother.

"Well I created you and I say you are so there..."

"WELL HE RAISED ME!"

"Okay enough!" the voice of reason behind me spoke again, "You're not grounded now hurry up and get to the bus before you miss it," he bent down to kiss her before high fiving the five year old that appeared next to her a minute ago.

"Good luck with your pen pal," I shouted as they were walking out the door.

"Whoa! You're getting pen pals today? I had a pen pal when I was your age...I had one for a couple of years before your age actually. Pen pals are so exciting! Aren't you so excited?"

I watched her put her hand on her hip and sigh in annoyance. "Do you want me to stay here and chit chat about stupid pen pals, or do you want me to get on the bus?"

"Okay see, that right there," he said making a circle in the air around her body, "Now you're grounded."

Her jaw hit the ground, "But...MOM!"

"Don't but Mom munchkin, she grounded you 5 minutes ago. I was the only one you had on your side. Have a good day at school! I'll make sure I disconnect the cable in your room before you get home!"

"UGH! You guys are so unfair!" she stormed off to the bus. Just a typical Tuesday morning.

***

I remember the day I got my first pen pal letter like it was yesterday. We were in Mrs. Green's third grade class and I was sitting next to Lauren who was not only my best friend, but also my neighbor, reading circle partner, and most importantly my person. The year was 1989 and if my memory serves me correctly I definitely had neon green scrunch socks on and my hair was in a ponytail on the top of my head reminiscent of my idol...Debbie Gibson.

1989

Lauren got her letter first. Her pen pal Jenny lived in Los Angeles and went to school right in the heart of Hollywood. In the letter she told stories about going to the premiere of the latest animated flick, and about how the gate that led up to her sprawling mansion broke last week...oh the horror.

Mrs. Green was reading off everyone's names, who their pen pal was and where they were from out loud to the class. I sat on the edge of my seat waiting to hear my name called out and see where this girl was from. I had so much to say, so much to tell her, so many songs to discuss. For a second I think the teacher forgot I even existed because everyone had his or her letter except me. I raised my hand to inform her of this when she clearly realized it on her own. "Oh Sophie I almost forgot about you! Here's your letter sweetheart. Your pen pal is from Tennessee, his name is Justin!"

She put the letter on my desk and I stared at it. First of all, Tennessee? Everyone else had someone from LA, New York, Boston and big cities like that, and I got someone from Tennessee? And second of all, the last time I checked Justin was a boy's name, and I clearly did not have a penis. Not to mention, boys had cooties.

"Excuse me Mrs. Green I think you gave me the wrong letter," I said raising my hand. "This is from a boy."

"I know Sophie, but we had one extra girl and they sent an extra boy letter. I know that you are mature enough to handle being pen pals with a boy. Plus...you love sports!"

"Eww..." Lauren leaned over to whisper in my ear, "I bet he has so many cooties."

"I don't even want to read this," I replied pushing the letter to the top of my desk, "This is so unfair."

"Just read it, maybe Justin is short for something like...Justine!"

I pulled the letter back in front of me opening the envelope with my pointer finger, and the minute I unfolded the pieces of lined yellow paper I knew Lauren was wrong. Only a boy can write this messy. Looking around I saw all of my classmates already hard at work on a reply, so I gave in with a sigh and decided to try to decipher my letter. He talked about his best friend Trace, and how they go to the lake together. Then he said something about loving to sing. It took me about 10 minutes to actually make the sentence about his grandmother's peach cobbler make sense, and he spoke a lot about his "Mama." And when I say a lot...I mean too much.

"Great...he's gay," I whispered to Lauren, "He loves music, likes to spend time with his Granny and talks way too much about his mother. Didn't say one thing about sports...why me?"

"I don't even know what gay means," I watched her pencil going a mile a minute writing back to her pen pal. I have to teach this girl everything.

"It means he likes boys Lauren! And it means he doesn't like sports, and he likes to wear dresses!" was my uneducated and ignorant eight year old response.

"You like to wear dresses...Why don't you tell him about the new one you bought over the weekend."

I rolled my eyes at her while pulling out a piece of paper from my desk. I was not about to tell this boy who was crawling in cooties about my dress, or about anything for that matter. This would be a quick, easy and final letter to write.

Dear Pen Pal,

My name is Sophia, but people call me Sophie. I'm from Las Vegas and I think that you have cooties, and I also think that you are gay. It's okay to be gay but I'd like a pen pal that doesn't have cooties. Can you please have one of your girlfriends write me back?

Thanks,

Sophie

I folded the piece of paper in threes and placed it in the blank envelope Mrs. Green put on my desk. I walked up to her desk and handed her the letter after writing the address down. "All set Sophie?"

"Yep."

"See...I knew you could be pen pals with a boy."

I didn't say anything. I just nodded and walked back to my seat. Pen pals with a boy...HA. Thank goodness I knew how to take matters into my own hands.