My High School Sweetheart

The only reason I knew about him was through my friend, who was crushing hard on him. She had it really bad for some reason, but I didn't really pay much attention, since that was typical for her. It followed through high school, when the two were on and off again. She talked about him, complaining to me when I when to visit, and I ended ripping his baby picture! That was a little insane, but I thought he was probably a jerk, since I only cared about hearing her side of the story.

Then at some point, they broke up again, shocker I know. One day, however, I randomly got the politest message that could be construed by a 14-year-old. Guess who it was? My friend's ex! I didn't know whether to laugh or be touched, but still, I replied.

That's where it all started.

Months went by and we pretty much talked every single day after 3:00 PM when he got back from school, since his phone wasn't in service. I thought I finally had found someone who really understood me, someone who I could share everything with. Then, of course, we go together right before winter break. Not the brightest decision, since it basically meant we didn't get the chance to see each other for a whole month.

We shared our first kiss in the morning of the day we went back to school, as the bell rang. I remember feeling so flustered, and my cheeks feeling warm. I practically ran away to my English class. It hadn't been my first kiss, but it had been the first kiss to make my heart flutter like that.

After three months of dating, while we were in his house, he said I love you. Guess what? So did I. After a year of dating, we were still so in love, practically doing everything together. Half a year later, he broke up with me, and we got back together a few days after. We broke up a few more times during high school, but we always seemed to get back together. He was the only I ever really wanted to have by my side.

Of course, there were bad times and stupid choices taken during our relationship, which sometimes made it seem like I was not being appreciated. I felt like I did that to him too, he wasn't the only one with faults. However, the love I felt for him slowly became more of a habit. It's difficult to explain, but I was so used to loving him and being by his side, that I just did it diligently.

I wonder if that was the case for him too, but I might not ever know. The last break up was in the summer after we had graduated high school. He was going off to UC school far away, and I was staying back to go to the local community college. The break up was mutual to an extent, since neither of us wanted to try the long distance, knowing full well that it would never work. At least, not anymore, we weren't as in love as we had been when we first said it out loud years back.

We stopped talking to each other completely a few short months after. I did try at first to fix it, but then I realized something. He's not obligated to remain in my life, and I'm not obligated to make him stay. He was my high school sweetheart, the first person that I felt true love towards to. But it was never meant to last forever.