Butterfly Tale

Ah the butterfly. So beautiful and delicate, just like the amazing and perfect Penny Chindelin from Royal Oak middle school. That’s the first thing I thought about at the beginning of school last year. Now, before you call me strange for comparing a 12 year old girl to an insect that eats pollen all day, (wait, do butterflies even eat pollen?) please hear me out. Penny, or “pen pal” as I used to call her, (yes I know it’s a lame pun) is a girl I have a bit of a crush on, and definitely had a huge one on her at the time this story takes place

The reason I compared such a magnificent person as herself to a butterfly, is really because she loves butterflies for some reason. I mean, I guess it makes sense, especially considering the comparisons I made earlier, but the way she attracts butterflies and studies them is... definitely peculiar. She’s constantly around them, either at lunchtime or after school, or heck, even in the bathroom on some occasions! (That last one was a lie if you couldn’t already tell. Also, don’t question how I would know such information in the first place.) It’s always been like that for some reason, even since first grade. I’ve always wondered why that was.

“Maybe she’s like a butterfly queen” Mark told me after I mentioned it to him. “I’ve always kinda been thinking about it for a while too.” Granted, this was on the first day of school last year, on the same day I fantasized about Penny with butterflies, (I hope I didn’t put across the wrong idea with that statement-) so Mark was a bit more... sardonic, than he is right now, so he could’ve meant that partly in jest.

“Well, whatever she is, she’s really amazing if it’s even possible for her to be something like that.” I said as I put my hands behind my head.

“I dunno about that one chief.” Mark said. “And didn’t she reject you back in third grade?” He had a point. I almost forgot about that, probably because I tried to forget such a tragic event occurred. “Whatever. That was forever ago, how do you still even remember that?” I questioned as I glared at him. “How could I forget?” He said, smiling mischievously. “You told me to watch you ask her out after you said you wouldn’t punk out.” Now, obviously I didn’t tell him to watch me ask her with him standing right beside us, (I’m not that dense, even in the third grade I knew better) but he instead was hiding behind a corner, watching us.

“But hey, look on the bright side. At least you proved to me that you have the balls to tell a girl you like how you feel.” He stated razzingly.

“Tsk, shut up. At least I’ve liked a girl before.” I scoffed. “Hey, what are you implying?!” “All I’m sayin is, you do kinda come off as a little bit sweet.” Let me explain. He’s not actually gay or anything, but Mark has been exposed for engaging in some (as I like to call it) “sweet activities”. I’ll explain it later to provide you with a more engaging narrative in context of the “sweet situation”

“D-Don’t bring that up! You know how much I love magical gir-“ Mark quickly covered his mouth. Welp, screw the whole “context” thing, since Mark so rude fully interrupted my semi cognitively brilliant chronicle. So what he was going to say was “Magical Girl anime”, such as Madoka Magica for example (that being his favorite). Though I never got into it personally, the anime community seems to think very highly of it, after stating that it gets good after episode 2. So since I’ve heard that, I’ve kinda been planning on watching it, but I can’t let him know that! I’d lose my leverage!

I chuckled a bit. “I’m sorry, what was that?” I teased. “I couldn’t quite hear you.”

 “S-Shutup already!” Mark exclaimed with great embarrassment. Man was it hilarious, I usually don’t get to see him so flustered. This was most definitely a treat (and an extreme rarity to clarify).

 “Back on a serious topic though, I’m seriously hoping Pun Pun doesn’t have a boyfriend.”

 “You mean Pen Pen?” 

“Right, slip of the tongue.” 

I said as I seamlessly inserted a couple of references (Pen Pen is another lame nickname I gave to Penny if it wasn’t already obvious)

“But yeah, it would really suck if she was just all hugged up on some dude I didn’t even know existed.”

 “I understand where you’re coming from, but you should realize that Penny’s allowed to have her own life without you overseeing it.”

I smiled a bit at that line. “Oh Mark, you already know that using logic against me when it comes to Penny is pointless.” 

Because you’re a white knight?” 

“Because she’s like my daemon.”

 “Is that any better?”

 “Well-“ I paused. “Actually, you have a point.” 

“Exactly”

 “But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t put her on a pedestal!” 

“Yes, it does. You know that.”

“Of course it doesn’t! You know she’s far and above the rest!”

Mark started bursting with laughter. “Bro, you really think that? She’s not even all that entertaining, pretty banal actually.”

 “BANAL?! My Qu-“

 “Stop” Mark stated critically. “I won’t have my best friend saying such an idiotic thing.”

 I sighed. “You’re right, even for me that was going a bit too far. My point is though, she’s a really kind, beautiful, and voluptuous girl.”

 “PFFFT, voluptuous?! Now I know you’re lying. That girl has no tits.”

 “I meant in personality stupid!” I said passionately as I punched him in the arm. “Obviously not in that category. I will admit that she’s as flat as a board.”

“Well, it’s good that you at least admit that. But I still don’t understand how she’s even remotely charismatic in the slightest!” Mark said. “She’s extremely boring! Sure, she presents herself in an elegant enough way I guess, but her personality is so baseline to the point of being vapid. She’s basically just the embodiment of fitting into the crowd, but also having zero charisma backing her, only status and presentation.”

“Well I guess I see the point you’re trying to make, but I disagree, because the fact that she does present herself that way is intriguing within itself.” I stated. Mark tilted his head back contemplatively, crossing his arms together.

 “Hmm. Kinda like a butterfly right? Sure it looks pretty, but on the flip side, it’s overall role in the world is pretty boring once you look at it closely.”

I didn’t really say anything after that, because I didn’t have anything to say. I knew he was right though, and it could actually be the reason as to why she connected to butterflies so well. At least, that’s what I remember thinking, never actually considering the idea of my finding out the true reason from her herself.

An ironically unironic revelation, through a profoundly unprofound situation. Pennys butterfly tale begins, and ends, in only two weeks