The kind of ache that lasts two years

"If I wasn't okay with it, I wouldn't be here." turned into "Leave me alone." turned into "Can I run by?" turned into "I'll see you soon." turned into "Thank you for coming." turned into "I'll see you in a few."

He started in kindergarten. With his precious comb-over and mine to match.
To fourth grade, the falling began. I've been tender hearted since birth. He admired my freshly pierced ears and we colored our days away together.
To fifth grade, where crushes were obvious and weren't cool.
To sixth grade, other girls started to realize what a prize he was. I was jealous and he was clueless.
Junior high, we drifted.
Sophomore year, the girlfriend. The older girlfriend that steals your little comb-over innocence.
The summer before Junior year. The stars aligned.
Starting the summer off having a crush on another boy in "the cul-de-sac", we ended up sitting next to each other at the movies. Transformers. We annoyed everyone around by talking through the entire movie. He was it and I knew. Fourth grade me knew and I knew now.
His angel of a mother. Being best friends with a 37 year old at 16 is an oddity but a comfortable one. We talked of boys, our boys, her boy. She approved and we giggled.
The summer was spent trying to win him over. Held hands, the glimpses of love and always ending up underneath the stars, where our hearts could breathe. Plane stories with his snark and my flying dreams. "Poor Rosa."
Fall time when I was ready for what came next. Long weekends, tired bodies and one very grumpy boy.
The first months were great. It was "Go to bed." and talking to Mom for a few more hours. It was sneaking out to eat muffins and "Would you rather?"s. It was falling in love with his dedication.
Fall turned into winter where we froze over.
"Just tell me." "Leave me alone." Emotions on high turned to mistakes that I was too afraid to admit.

Her. The girlfriend. The year and a half girlfriend.

His gentle strength and the power behind his heartbeat. He can move mountains. And he will.
The hugs that mean more than words and hours of nonsense talking and "I don't know why I told you that." "Because you can."