If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
this is a story of a boy and a girl, who were different, but the same. Brooklyn Native Jeremiah was a smart black male who got into a prep school in Manhattan. Ellie was an intelligent, rich, young Manhattan girl who was attending the same prep school.
Ellie was an intelligent young girl who had a father that worked too much, and a mom whom she addressed by her first name. Jeremiah's parents were divorced from each other, and lived across the street from one another. His mom was a big time book writer, and his dad was a hot shot director who's new lady was cute, but Miah just pretty much lived his life ignoring her.
Ellie and Jeremiah met at school and immediately fell in love. They made each other experience every aspect of innocent love there could possibly be. It seemed a bit odd to people of that time, because Ellie was Jewish and Jeremiah was black, but they didn't care. They loved each other unconditionally. It was really a love so beautiful and innocent that it brought joy to the hearts of even the bitterest folk.
One day, as Ellie walked Jeremiah to the train from her Manhattan home, a snow storm began so strong that she could not make it all the way there. He kissed her goodbye and they exchanged "I love yous" before departing. Jeremiah took a short cut through Central Park, beaming with happiness. He knew he was in love. Practicing his basketball moves, his dread locks catching snowflakes as they fell, he heard sirens and policemen yelling. He disregarded them at first, but after hearing the word "stop" multiple times, he was compelled to turn around. White officers made a terrible assumption about a young black male who "fit the description" whatever that may have been. In that moment with three loud bangs, Jeremiah was gone, planted on the cold, hard ground, snowflakes still falling around him.
