My Soldier, My Hero

Chapter 1

Shawn and Savannah met freshman year of high school.

He was smitten at first glance, didn't know they made girls that pretty. Ones with strawberry blonde hair, with big brown eyes and freckles dotting her cheeks and nose.

He made it his mission to get her attention. He would go out of his way to walk by her class, or locker. He sat with her and her friends at lunch, and would wink or smile at her.

It wasn't hard to get her attention, well not when she felt the same. So he got to know her, 'pursued her' as his parents like to say when they tell this story.

It happened quick. They were friends, turned best friends, turned boyfriend and girlfriend.

And they couldn't be happier.

**

Now freshly graduated and headed off to start their lives, Shawn and Savannah are clinging to whatever childhood they have left.

The only thing being summer.

"Babe." He says looking up from his phone and over at her sitting across from him on the couch.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go for a walk." He says standing up. She smiles and quickly follows him to grab their shoes.

He helps her get her shoes on, strappy sandals, and then opens the front door for her. Always a gentleman and opens the doors for her, but still a boy so he smacks her butt as she walks through.

"Shawn!" She hisses as he closes the door behind him. He snickers but knows she secretly loves when he does that.

He's quick to catch up with her, slips his hand down her arm to her hand. Their fingers instantly tangling together, it's become second nature, a reflex. He swings their conjoined hands between them causing her to giggle.

"Where are we going?" She asks as they cross the street.

"No idea." He smiles at her. She returns the favor, making his heart skip a beat.

They walk in silence for a while, just enjoying each others company. They stop when they reach the local playground. It's empty, and silent.

"Race you to the swings." He grins, letting go of her hand.

They both take off, sprinting towards the swings. He lets up and slows down just a bit before they reach the swings so she can win.

"I hate it when you let me win." She pouts standing in front of the swing.

"I didn't let you win." He protests, lying straight through his teeth.

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes at him, taking a seat.

"You remember when we came here all the time as freshman?" He asks taking a seat on the one next to hers.

"That seems like ages ago." She sighs kicking her feet a little. She laughs a bit at the memories of them sitting in these exact swings. "We used to plan our lives sitting in these swings." She grins at him.

"Yeah, I'd be team captain and you'd be valedictorian." He nods.

"At least one of those happened." She giggles.

"Hey I could have been team captain." He whines.

"You were in my eyes, deserved it more anyway." She says reaching out and taking his hand.

"Or when we planned that we'd be Prom King and Queen."

"That didn't happen." She chuckles looking away.