A Life of Love

College & Adulthood

After the events of graduation, the boy and girl busied themselves with preparing for college to distract them from the pain and sorrow. The boy drove off to UCLA to study chemistry while the girl embarked on a long journey to Princeton where she hoped to further her studies in psychology. Both soon forgot about each other and moved onto other partners, however, none of them stayed for very long. As they longed for stable connections, their scores began to fall as well. In high school, both students were projected to have an A in whatever courses they took in whatever college they went to. By the time their freshman years were over, the girl had dropped to a B while the boy plummeted down to a C. Though they still managed to pass through college, life without the other was difficult and it certainly showed within their academics.

After college, the man became a chemical engineer and buried himself in his work. He seldom left his office and rarely had to time to relax. Wake up, eat, go to work, sleep became his primary schedule, and his interactions with other people slowly dropped. Becoming awkward and often irritable, he struggled to maintain conversations, much less a relationship with another woman. Had it not been for the return of a figure from his past, he would have surely went down a darker road.

Meanwhile, the woman chose to return to California after finishing her studies at Princeton. She became a teacher at the very same high school she had went to and enjoyed teaching AP Psychology to the various students who came and went through her class. Though she developed a relationship with one of the other educators in her department, she could not help but feel as if something were missing from her life. Often times, she spent her free time wandering around the city, hoping she would find the missing piece of her soul.

One day, the man had had enough of researching acids and chose to stretch his legs around town for a bit. He went down to the local coffee shop and ordered his usual cappuccino. As he sat, staring out of the shop's window, he noticed a figure across the street. She walked with a certain pride and enjoyment, a walking style that he had only seen once before... Who was she? She seemed so familiar, yet so distant. He stood up from his table, and walked out the door. He hurried after her, hoping that he had not mistaken her for someone else. As he caught up to her, out of breath due to his lack of exercise, he noticed they were standing outside of the stadium where he had graduated. The stadium where he had also broken up with the first and only love of his life... Then, he looked at the woman who now began to turn slowly around to face him...

...It was her. The girl who he had broken up with. The girl who he had vowed to face life's challenges with. The crying girl whom he had returned a broken doll to so many years ago. Clearly, the woman was just as dumbfounded as he was, as she stood with a gaping mouth, her eyes wide with surprise. Soon, they recovered over their shock, and began a small conversation while they walked. It started with recapping their missing years, but it later transitioned into reminiscing about the past. They talked and talked and talked, and soon, as if by some force of destiny, they ended up at the park. The very park where they had first met. As they settled down in the grass, the pair looked up to the now darkening sky for some sign or signal. They sat for what seemed like hours until, finally, the man placed his hand on the woman's hand. And this time, her hand did not withdraw from his touch. They looked into each other's eyes and, for the first time in many years, saw the old embers of love. Their faces moved closer and closer, with their lips finally meeting at the stroke of midnight. With that, an old fire was rekindled and a shooting star streaked overhead...