In an Instant (Lauren/You)

Chapter I

I believe that we, as human beings, were created to love. So when people say they are incapable of love I truly don't understand how that is even possible.

Here's my theory.. Throughout life we experience many different kinds of love. There's the love we have for our family and friends, there's the love we have for our interests and passions, and then there's perhaps the deepest love that we are able to experience, and that's the love we have for our soulmate.

Without love there would be no point to it all, we would just idle through life never really living. Love gives us a reason to wake up in the morning, love motivates us to fight each day, love pushes us to our limits, love gives life meaning. All of us, every single one of us, has the ability to love and be loved.

15 years ago...

It was a cool spring afternoon in California and I was probably the world's most energetic four year-old, bouncing up and down filled with excitement, awaiting her very first soccer practice.

I was wired from the moment I woke up that morning. Just the day before my parents had taken me to the soccer store to pick out my very own pair of cleats, shingaurds, socks, and ball. I picked out blue cleats and a matching blue ball, because of course my favorite color was blue.

Finally, it was Tuesday, and it was the day of my first practice. I was so excited because I loved soccer.

Even though I had never actually played on a team before. I remember always watching my older brother play soccer with his teammates and I just couldn't wait to play on my own team.

My older brother, Jesse, is eight years older than me. You're probably thinking eight years is a big age difference, and you would be right, I was one of those "oopsie" babies.

Anyways, Jesse would always take me out to the front yard and play with me, and being the amazing big brother he is, he always let me "win".

Jesse had just gotten home from school and we were playing around in the front yard, when my mom yelled at me and told me it was time for practice. I screamed in excitement while running around in circles. Jesse came and picked me up while kissing my forehead as he took me over to mom's car.

Mom was strapping me into my car seat and when we pulled out of the driveway I heard Jesse yell "Good luck" to me, I shot him a huge smile and waved excitedly.

When we finally got to the field I set my stuff down and grabbed my ball. My mom walked me over to my coach and introduced us.

"Hey Bryan, this is my daughter Y/N!" My coach crouched down to my level and gave me a genuine smile, "Hello ladies! Y/N, it's great to finally meet you, I'm coach Bryan. Are you ready for practice Y/N?!" he asked with so much enthusiasm. I nodded my head vigorously and shouted "YEAH!" He chuckled, "well if you're anything like you're brother I'm sure you'll do great! Why don't you grab your ball and head over to the field with the others." At that I took off like my life depended on it, but little did I know that when I stepped on that field, this day would change my life forever.

To say I was outgoing would be a bit of an understatement. I was the kid who wanted to meet everybody all at once and know every single little thing about them. It wasn't until I met her that I finally settled down.

I was the only four year old on the team everyone else was five. The only reason I got to play on the team was because Jesse used to play for the coach.

Like I said it was our very first soccer practice, so you can probably imagine the chaos at hand. In the midst of all of the commotion I saw her get pushed down by one of the boys on our team. I quickly ran over to her and shoved the boy to the ground.

I looked down at her and she looked back up at me with her beautiful, but now glossy green eyes. I offered my hand to her so I could help her up, she hesitantly reached for my hand and I slowly pulled her to her feet.

"Hi, I'm Y/N!" I said to her. She shyly pulled her hand away from mine and let her gaze fall to the ground.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, but to my disappointment she stayed silent. I looked at her more closely and noticed a tear fell from her cheek.

Like any other normal four year old I didn't think before I acted, and my hand shot up to her face in order to wipe away her tear.

After a couple minutes our gazes finally met and she whispered, "My name's Chloe." "Hi, Chloe. Why are you crying?" I asked her. "I-It's just-t... Nobody has ever done anything th-that nice for me before." She said softly. "Well he deserved it, cause boys aren't supposed to be mean to girls." I told her quite matter-o-factly. All she did was giggle. "Hey, I know we just met, but can we be best friends?" I asked her with nervousness laced throughout my voice as I played with my fingers. She just smiled at me widely and nodded yes. I squealed and quickly tackled her with a hug.

On this particular spring afternoon I experienced two kinds of love, the love for my newfound passion, soccer, and my new best friend, Chloe.

Back then I never thought that day would mean so much to me, but now, I would do anything just to go back to that day and live it all over again...