False Love

Three months. Three months of bliss. Three months of undying affection. In all my life, I never thought that any boy could be attracted to me, until he came along. I'll never forget the night we met, but I wish I could.

New Year's Eve, Senior Year. A friend from high school invited me to go roller skating at the local skating rink in the next town over. After buying our tickets and getting our skates, I sat down, and he was there. I was 18, he was 16. Before I realized what happened, we were skating hand-in-hand, laughing, having a good time. My friend didn't mind. She was happy for me.

We kissed not long after we met. That was my first kiss ever. My first kiss, stolen from the boy who stole my heart.

Not long after, we met again. Communication was hard, due to phone issues, but we managed. I was elated to see him again, and all I could think about was him. How he made me feel, how he showed me affection I've never felt before. For the first time in my life, I felt truly special. Soon, we became a couple, texting each other every day that we could. We would have seen each other more often, had we not lived in different towns and owned our own vehicles.

Every time we met, I was on Cloud 9. We'd kiss and hold hands, afraid that we'd slip away from each other if we let go. He made drawings for me and gave me small trinkets that he made himself. He even gave me a piano book for me to play out of during my lessons. We'd talk, laugh, and share our hearts with one another. It was a dream come true, but it wasn't long before it turned into a nightmare.

During a ride to visit my older sister, he and I shared a private conversation via text, even though he was sitting at my side. He told me that he had a rare genetic disorder, and that he had no idea how long he had left to live. I had a feeling something about it wasn't right, but I pushed it off to the side. I didn't want to lose what I had with him. My little sister found out from her boyfriend, who became friends with my boyfriend. Soon, my father found out, and he believed that my boyfriend was lying. I wasn't sure who to believe on the matter.

My boyfriend would find a way to come to my house, saying he would even walk if he had to. Somehow, we made it work. Every time we were alone, though, all we would do is make out almost non-stop. He did things that made my body sing; making me feel sensations that I never knew existed, being as innocent as I was. But we never went further than I was comfortable with. It turned out that I made the right choice, but at a cost.

Senior Prom was coming up, and I invited him. He paid the $70 entry fee, since he was from another school. I had never been more excited in my entire life. However, that excitement soon turned to dread.

My father, two sisters, and I acquired tickets to watch a NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway. I had a wonderful time with my family and enjoyed the race. We even got to go and see the pit crews. When it was over, though, and we piled into the car, they broke the news to me.

My boyfriend was going to dump me. Over text message.

Apparently, during the race, he told my little sister's boyfriend, who warned her about it. When she found out, she left the room crying because she felt bad for me, and she told my father and older sister, who had gone to check on her.

At first, I said nothing, and then I began blubbering like a baby, feeling my heart tearing in half. I thought he loved me. I thought he cared about me and my feelings. Turned out he just wanted me for sex; to steal my virginity the way he stole my heart and my first kiss.

I should have listened to my sisters and parents when they told me they had a bad feeling about him. I was blinded by the love and affection that he showered me with, and when that dream was crushed, I wanted nothing more than to hide away from the world.

The next few days, I missed school. I can't count how many times I cried per day. My parents tried to make me feel better, but I felt nothing would fill the hole in my heart that was created by his own selfish needs. Eventually, I called and broke up with him for having lied to me the entire time. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, but I did it.

Five years have passed since he and I were together, and I've never felt better. I graduated high school, went to college, and got my Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. True, I still long for someone to love, but only if they truly love me for who I am. I'll never make the same mistakes that I did when I was with him. I've learned from my past, and now I look to the future, hoping to never fall into the trap of false love ever again.