Ashten always had a crush on Alyssa ever since the fourth grade. He had other crushes to but nothing like Alyssa. Anytime she came near him or talked to him he was always so afraid he would mess something up or say something stupid. Since he always got nervous around her he never worked up the nerve to tell her how he felt until …

Ashten was walking home from school one day. As usual he saw Alyssa walking home but on the opposite side of the street. He looked over and was shocked to see her upset and basically crying. He got this empty feeling inside of him, he felt empty because he saw her upset. She was always smiling and happy but today was obviously different. With all of the courage he had he crossed the street and walked about one hundred yards behind Alyssa. Before confronting her he gather his thoughts and walked up to her. Ashten nervously said hello, introduced himself, and asked what was wrong. Alyssa said back to him that she had recognized him from school and told him that her boyfriend had just broken up with her. Feeling very jealous Ashten tried to comfort her as best as he could without making it weird. They walked down the street until they got to Alyssa house. Ashten feeling sad that there walk had come to an end said to Alyssa to feel better and that they should do it again sometime. Alyssa smiling weakly said she would like that very much closed the door and left Ashten standing outside.

That night Ashten was laying in bed unable to sleep replaying their walk they had early today. Feeling content Ashten finally drifted off. The next morning Ashten was especially careful on what he picked out to wear, a pair of blue jeans and a black hoodie. Heading to school he felt super nervous. Seeing Alyssa everyday was always a blessing to Ashten but today seemed even more special. He was very self conscious about himself in general but around Alyssa it was really bad.

Seeing her for the first time that morning made his day. Even though she didn’t see him or notice him, he just loved looking at her. Sadly he didn’t have any classes with her considering she took all AP classes. Ashten being okay at school didn’t feel the need to make his life any harder took regular classes. During the day he hung out with his football buddies and the athletic kids. Alyssa being a shy quiet girl never hung out with any of them. She hung out with all the nerdy smart kids. Ashten won’t mind hanging out with the nerdy kids if it made Alyssa happy. He would do anything to make her happy.

After school he saw Alyssa and nonchalantly walked over to her. He then nervously asked if she would like to walk home with him. Alyssa accepted excitedly and they started walking home. Conversation lulled at first because neither of them had much in common. Ashten was trying his hardest not to make a fool out of himself. As their walk came to an end Ashten grew sad and thought that he would have to wait a whole twenty-four hours to talk to her again. He dropped her off at her house and walked home smiling the whole way. These walks happened everyday after school for a couple months. Everyday Ashten grew more and more confident and comfortable around Alyssa.

One day about three months after they started walking home together Ashten got a burst of confidence and reached out and took Alyssa’s hand. Noticing that she didn’t let go or move away he felt a boost in his confidence level. Holding her hand was the best, it was so very soft and smooth. Her hands were so small, both of her hands could fit in just one of his. They walked home as usual both playing it cool. When he walked her up to her door he told her that he had liked holding her hand, and he would like to do it more often if she wanted that. Alyssa of course surprised said she would absolutely like that.

Ashten practically skipping home had the best day ever. All he could ever think about was Alyssa. She was always on his mind, day and night. He could never get enough of her no matter how much time they spent together. He felt the time they had was precious and he cherished it because he had this feeling that something bad might happen very soon.

About another month went by of them walking home together. Holding hands everyday Ashten’s confidence level was very high. He had attempted to tell Alyssa how he felt about her multiple times, but always chickening out at the end. Today was different, it was a cool autumn day, October 31st to be exact. He walked to school nervous but knew what he had to accomplish today. This had to be the day otherwise he’ll never tell her Ashten thought to himself. That day after school came around, he picked Alyssa up and they started walking home. Ashten just couldn’t do it, he didn’t know to get the words out. They got to her house and he never told her so Ashten went home very disappointed in himself.

As the night grew on he realized he might see her at the Halloween trick or treat festival that night. He knew this had to be the time to tell her, it was now or never. Getting ready for the Halloween festival was very stressful because he wanted to dress up but not to much. Ashten decided on a simple Harry Potter look considering he looked just like him but without the glasses. As he was heading to the festival he got even more nervous but excited at the same time to see Alyssa.

He got to the festival and started looking around for Alyssa. Ashten spotted her in about five minutes. She was wearing overalls and a long sleeve plaid shirt, a farmer. She had her hair in two messy braids and was wearing her traditional Converse. So shocked by her beauty he basically died right there. He slowly and nervously made his way over to her. He was about twenty feet from her, then he saw all the girls around her. Ashten turned back around not wanting to intrude on their privacy. Sadly he made his way back to his family and trick or treated with them. At the end of the festival he couldn’t find Alyssa and he panicked because he knew he had to tell her. Ashten looked around and spotted Anisa, who was Alyssa’s friend. He confronted her and she told him that she had just left because she wasn’t feeling well. Disappointed and sad he asked for Alyssa’s number and walked back to his car.

At home he changed, took a shower, and sat down. He nervous pulled out his phone and typed in Alyssa’s number. He cautiously typed a few sentences explaining how he felt about her. Ashten was so nervous, probably the most nervous he has ever been. With shaking fingers he pressed the send button. Immediately regretting it he felt his stomach turn into a puddle of slush. He waited a couple of minutes and decided to head to bed and find out how she felt in the morning. It wasn't necessarily easy going to bed. He lay awake for hours but restraining from checking his phone.

Barely getting any sleep that night Ashten woke up the next morning. Immediately he felt his stomach drop remembering he had just confessed his feelings for Alyssa just last night. Shaking he picked up his phone, he turned it on, and opened it. There was in fact a single text from Alyssa. It was rather long and seemed hopeful. He quickly opened the text and began to read. His immediately was crushed. It said something along the lines of, “I'm so very sorry that it has to come to this. I like you so much but just in a friendly way. I’m very sorry so can we still be friends”. He was crushed and hurt but thankful she still wanted to be friends.

Slowly he got ready for school not even paying any attention to what he was doing and to what he put on. Everything was moving in slow motion, the walk to school, classes, lunch. Finally after what seemed like years school was over. Ashten shaking with nervousness walked over to were Alyssa and himself normally met up to walk home. Alyssa wasn't there yet so Ashten sat there shaking waiting for her. Five minutes passed, ten, twenty, she never showed. Ashten slowly made his way home thinking how could his life get any worse. When he got home, he checked his phone to find a text from Alyssa saying how she went home with Anisa. Right then he knew he had ruined it.

Days passed, weeks, he didn't walk Alyssa home. No texts came at all. Overtime Ashten became quite depressed and angry at himself. Days passed slowly but quickly at the same time. Alyssa never made any attempt to text him or walk home with him until… he got a text from her in late november apologizing about how things had ended and that she wanted to be around him again. Ashten not really believing she had sent that, immediately texted back saying that he would love to walk her home again and that he wouldn't push their relationship anymore than friends.

They soon began rebuilding their friendship, slowly and shyly at first. They walked home everyday growing closer and closer as the days passed. In early January Ashten felt hopeful again that their friendship would last. His feelings for her continued to grow stronger but he didn't want to push it. On January twenty-fourth he received a text from Alyssa that seemed fairly long considering all they texted about was school nothing more. He excitingly opened it and read… his heart stopped. It was a text from Alyssa expressing her feelings for him! She liked him! He texted back and asked if it was a prank. She said it wasn't.

It was the best day of his life ever. He was so excited to see her that day. He practically ran to school he was so excited. Ashten tried to contain his excitement but he couldn't hold it in, he was smiling at everything. The first time he laid eyes on her that morning he practically died because of how beautiful she is. With her short brownish gold hair and her hedgehog hoodie she was so beautiful. He nearly ran to her side. He came up behind her and hugged her from behind at the waist. She turned around smiling so bright, he just wanted to kiss her so bad but restrained himself. They spent the morning talking and cuddling on a bench outside the school. When the bell rang Ashten walked Alyssa to class while holding hands.

The school day took, all Ashten could think about was Alyssa, but what was new. Finally school ended and he was so excited to see Alyssa. They met at the fountain where they normally met. This time Alyssa surprised him with a kiss on the cheek as she came walking over to him. They started walking home, holding hands of course. As they neared Alyssa house she told him to call her that night. She gave him a quick kiss goodbye, her lips felt so soft pressed against his and he wanted more but he would have to wait till tomorrow.

They were the cutest couple in school, everyone would talk about them. Everyone was so jealous and they wanted to be them. Ashten and Alyssa would often hang out after school at each others houses. They would watch movies, study together, and even just cuddle and play with each others hair. Months past Ashten was the happiest boy alive he couldn’t be more happy in this relationship.

It was sometime in April that Alyssa told him that she was moving away to Texas in July. That was the day he realized he loved her. His life was over, Ashten had no idea what he was going to do without her. They just held each other not wanting to say anything. Days were passing quickly, Ashten was running out of time. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, he wanted to grow older, and be her husband, and raise a family with Alyssa. He couldn’t see that in their future anymore.

Late May Alyssa took Ashten with her to a festival with her family. They hung out and seemed to enjoy Ashten’s company. Over the next two months all Ashten did was spend the last remaining days he had with her. They went on walks, talked, held hands, kissed, cuddled the list was endless. Though it won’t last forever they had to face reality, Alyssa was moving away. When the days dwindle down so Ashten could count them on his fingers, he was getting desperate.

The day before she was going to leave her plane was delayed another day. It was a miracle he felt so blessed to have just one more day to see his little baby girl. The last day they spent together was the best out of all of them, they spent the day kissing and cuddling. He would run his fingers through her soft silky hair and kiss her cheeks. He rubbed her back and played with her tiny little fingers. That night they spent watching X-Men Apocalypse, but they never finished it because Alyssa had to leave. They sat on Ashten’s bed and both cried and held each other so close. Leaving was the hardest part, Ashten never wanted to let go of her ever. She had to leave anyways. He told her that he loved her so much and that he would never leave her.

The first few days were the worst, they passed slowly. He was just longing to hold her tight in his arms so very bad. Kiss her soft lips and rub her legs and back. He just wanted Alyssa so bad. But he had to face life it was only a year he thought because soon he would be moving to Missouri in August and they would only be 7 hours apart.

Going into his freshman year nothing he wanted more was to see Alyssa. Months passed slowly but quickly too. Most days he was okay but others it hit him hard that he couldn't see her. Well he could but over facetime calls only. Nothing eventful ever happened. Homecoming was out of the question because his first homecoming was going to be with his baby girl. He was dying to see her again.

Months passed slowly. Everything reminded him of Alyssa. The fountain they used to meet by. The walk on the way back home. The nerdy lunch table. Sometimes even the air he breathed, as if she was there right next to him. His room were they had hung out and watched movies. The bench where they first kissed. Her old house which he tried to stay away from. Everything reminded Ashten of her.

Nothing eventful happened but months seemed to pass a little faster. It was already May of his freshmen year. About a month before school was out and a little over two months before he could see his baby again. Ashten was already starting to pack up his room in a hurry to leave this place, He was so ready to see her. He was going to cuddle her and kiss her. Take her on walks and run with her.

The best news of all was when he found out a couple days later that he was moving in July instead of August. Ashten basically had all his room packed in early June and was counting down the days. Some days he couldn’t even sleep because of how excited he was. 

Days passed it was nearing the end of June. His parents had the house packed up and they had the movers take all their stuff and they moved into temporary housing. Ashten couldn't believe it his was going to get on an airplane in less than 48 hours and he would see his girl in a little over a week.

The plane ride to the U.S. was the longest flight ever and was scary considering he had never been on a plane before. His first thought of America is that it wasn’t even that nice. Everyone in Italy said it was the best place you will ever go but he hated it. At least Alyssa was here she made everything an infinite amount of times better.

At last he got to Missouri. He would be driving to see Alyssa in less than 24 hours. Early the next morning he got up, brushed his teeth, put on his favorite hoodie, and got in the car. He was going to get there a little after 10 in the morning. He knew that was early but he knew Alyssa was already up and waiting for him. The drive to Texas seems like forever but it was worth it in the end.

He opened the car door and got out. Ashtem looked up at her house and his stomach dropped. There she was, the girl of his dreams. She wasn't on a phone in a facetime call. She was a real person. They both stood there staring at each other for what seemed like the longest time. After what seemed like forever they ran to each other. They collided and fell to the ground, but Ashten didn't care. He hugged her and never wanted to let go of her again. All Ashten’s worries were gone. They kissed hungrily and hugged again for what seemed like forever, and Ashten would be fine with that.

Alyssa looked up at Ashten and whispered to him softly, “I missed you”.