Bittersweet

First Love

There are so many unanswered questions about a first love. A first love is always memorable in one way or another. It holds a personal space in your heart which is unforgettable even when you age, suffer loss or find another love.

First love actually means when your heart finds meaning in someone, when your heart connects to the beat of someone else's and it cannot be replaced by any other person. A first love can be magical yet devastating, all at the same time, which makes it even more exceptional. This story is about a girl named Amy. The name Amy means 'beloved' but it was far from what she was feeling.

***

"Amy, come here," A woman with graying hair called. Her mouth was set in a firm line and her face held deep wrinkles.

"Coming, mother," Amy replied and rushed down the stairs, two at a time. Amy knew that if she didn't act fast, her mother would punish her again.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to let the cat outside!" Her mother frowned at her.

"Sorry," Amy mumbled, her eyes downcast. She knew that if she back-answered, her chances of going to school would be few, today. She couldn't afford to miss any more classes since she was already lagging behind in some of them.

"At least, you're sorry about it," Her mother snapped, sarcastically and pointed towards the broom. Amy knew what she had to do. She took the broom in her pale hands and swept the mud to one side. Suddenly, she felt a sharp tingling on her cheek as her head snapped to one side due to the force of her mother's hand.

"Do it properly, Amy!" Her mother snarled and walked out of the room. Amy held back her tears as she, gingerly lifted a shaking hand towards her cheek. She hoped that her mother's nails hadn't scratched her face but shook her head when she felt a drop of blood on her hand.

That day, Amy wasn't allowed to go to school. To vent out her resentment towards her mother, she punched a pillow lying on her bed with all her force. Tears trickled down her cheeks when she thought about the boy she couldn't see. Calix.

She smiled as the unusual name rolled off her tongue. She loved the way it sounded and her heart fluttered in delight when she thought about Calix, bringing a serene sense of tranquility. His black, windswept hair looked so soft when he ran a hand through them, making Amy drool at times. He was a senior at her school but Amy knew that he wouldn't notice her, a junior.

His beautiful, emerald eyes were striking against his tan skin whereas Amy's brown eyes looked dull against her pale, freckled skin. The only thing Amy liked about herself was her hair; an attractive shade of auburn. Though her mother despised her hair because that it reminded her of her husband, who walked out on them, Amy loved her hair. She brushed it every morning and night, never allowing her mother to cut it.

The last time she had allowed her mother to touch her hair was when she was in Middle School. Her mother had cut her hair into a bob that had instigated the bullying since it looked horrendous on her. Your ears are too big, you have so many freckles Amy and a lot more insults followed her through Middle School. But in High School, when her hair grew out till her waist, the slander against her stopped.

The next day, Amy was pleased to find her mother sleeping when she woke up at the break off dawn. She snuck her way out of the house and ran all the way to school. Even though she was two hours early, Amy was glad to finally be free from her mother. Sometimes, all she wished was to run away from home, but she knew she couldn't do that. After all, her mother was her family.

Rushing through the doors of the school, she ran towards her locker, clutching her bag against her chest. Thud! She had banged against someone! Her head spun as she was pulled off the floor and looked up to find a pair of breathtaking, emerald eyes staring at her in concern and amusement. Her mouth hung open as she stared at the god-like person who had taken her hand and was checking her for injuries.

"Are you okay, Amy?" An anxious voice asked her.

"Y-yes, I-I think so," She mumbled and was rubbed her head when she realized her other hand was in Calix's hand. She blushed and hid behind her hair. A hand came up and tucked her hair behind her ear, brushing a thumb against the scratch on her cheek.

Calix scowled as he noticed the scrape on Amy's cheek, "What happened?"

"Oh, t-that's nothing, Calix." Amy pulled her hand away from his grasp and stepped away from him. She needed a moment to catch her breath. It wasn't every day that she got to talk to Calix. Once again, she felt butterflies in her stomach when she said out his name.

Calix said nothing at the distance that Amy had created between them; instead, he just nodded and walked away. He had to get to morning coaching soon; otherwise, coach would literally slaughter him for being late again. Amy watched him walk away, a slight disappointment tugged at her heart with every step that he took.

*-*-*-*-*

Six months had gone by since she had last spoken to Calix. She sought for a single word from him but she grew more and more despondent when she realized that Calix barely acknowledged her at school. Nowadays, she didn't feel like going to school at all. It was like; her love story ended before it even began!

Soon, Calix would graduate and she would have no reason to go to school. This fact dimmed the light in her eyes as she settled on her bed, feeling distraught. Sleep seemed far away so, she took out her diary and wrote a small note. She loved the darkness; it made her feel at home. On the other hand, he was as bright as the sun and hated the cold. But as they say, opposites attract, one in a million they met their match.

She closed the book as sleep overtook her senses. Writing in her diary always made her feel languid. That night, she drifted away in a dream so unimaginable: where she and Calix were side by side, holding hands as they kissed under the moonlight.

*-*-*-*-*

Soon, it was the graduating day of the seniors and Amy felt dread climb its way through her stomach. She didn't want to shed any tears, but did so when Calix smiled and gave the valedictorian speech at the center of the stage. Soon, he would be gone and so would she.

She was moving away in a few more days to another town called Philadelphia, where her aunt lived. Her mother had passed away last month due to a heart attack when she was at school. She blamed herself for sneaking away to school and not staying at home, when her mother needed her the most. For the first time, melancholy was the only word left to describe her feelings.

Even though her mother didn't love her as much as she loved her mother, she still couldn't get over the fact that her mother was dead. As the speech grew to an end, Amy walked out of the school doors, towards her new life.

Today was her fifteenth day at Philadelphia and her aunt had sent her to welcome the new neighbors. Life here was hectic, but she enjoyed it anyway, especially with her loving aunt. Amy was beyond delighted and was slowly forgiving herself for her mother's death.

A tall person opened the door as Amy smiled up to welcome her new neighbor. Her breath constricted in her throat as her eyes widened to see Calix standing there, shock visible in his green eyes. Then, Calix did the unthinkable by smiling down at her as he whispered the words, "I'm glad that I chose University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia."

Calix knew that this was a new beginning for him as the girl he had loved for his entire life, stood in front of him with warm chocolate-chip cookies in her hand. His hands moved on their accord and lightly brushed against her pale, yet enticing skin.

A new beginning was in store for both, Calix and Amy as they smiled at each other. This was the moment they knew they were in love. This moment held a lot of importance to them because in the distant future, both of them would be holding each other's hands in the moonlight, gazing lovingly towards the horizon. After all, fate had a way of twisting things to make two halves meet each other again.