Singing love is forever and ever (well I guess that was true)
1997
Monty Green and Harper McIntyre meet on the first day of preschool. It’s the first time Monty had done something without his best friend, Jasper, but he’s gone to a different school. He’s scared to go into the classroom alone and he is clinging to his mum’s leg, when a little blonde girl, with pigtails and a blue dress approaches him.
“You can come in with me,” she tells him, offering her hand. She’s holding her dad’s hand in the other and has a huge, excited smile on her face. It’s what gives Monty the courage to walk into the class, hand in hand with the little girl he’s never met.
Their parents leave shortly after and Monty barely notices, too distracted by the girl who is teaching him how to build the tallest block towers that don’t fall over. He learns her name is Harper. And she quickly becomes his first school friend.
Their teacher, Mrs Kane, let’s them sit next to each other on the mat and then at lunch time, Harper shares her sandwich and he gives her some of his fruit. She doesn’t like cheese, so she doesn’t have half of his. Monty vows never to bring cheese on his sandwiches again, so they can always share, even though they’re his favourite. He’ll just have them when he gets home.
After a few months, their parents organise their first play date. Monty has never been to anyone’s house for a play date except Jasper’s and he’s excited to find that Harper lives really close. He could ride his bike there when he gets old enough.
His mum reminds him that she might want to play with dolls and he shrugs when she tells him to be nice. He’d be happy to play whatever she wanted because he knows that after that, they’d play what he wants. And anyway, he likes playing house. It’s fun.
Harper wants to go exploring though, so her mum says they can play in the woods behind the house, as long as they stay where they can see the back fence. They scamper outside excitedly, finding big sticks to use as trekking poles and bringing out paper and crayons to draw a map.
Of course, it only takes five minutes for them to find a trail. Harper promises her mum won’t come outside and they won’t get caught, so she manages to convince Monty they should follow it. It’s not very long, but they draw it onto their map as they walk, adding the tree that looks like it has arms.
At the end of the path, they find an abandoned car. It doesn’t have any wheels or license plates and Harper immediately declares it magic, running forward to open the door. Monty is a little apprehensive but Harper is never scared of anything, so he follows her forward. It’s fairly clean inside, compared to what it looks like on the outside and that makes Monty feel better. They draw the car onto the map in bright red crayon and add an X underneath.
“This is our secret spot,” Harper whispers, even though there is no one around. “In this magic car.”
