Sure to fall

Chapter three: The boy down the street

My 9th birthday was coming up and Richard and I had slowly grown apart.

I often thought about his smiles to me as I passed in the hallway. He was still the same beautiful boy that he was when I was 7.

The only reason we had discovered differences is because of middle school.

He was now 11 and was in a completely different school than I. I wish I could go back to all those nights I had spent wrapped in his arms, all those times he had comforted me, and me the same for him.

I had changed a lot since I was 7. Seeing as I didn't see Rich as much anymore, I had become less happy and more secluded from the rest of my classmates.

I tended to gravitate towards the back of the class and wore darker clothes than I used to. My mother always mumbled about being to young to be depressed, but I had many reasons to be.

Being 9 years old just gave me a new perspective on things and made me realize that my life was really quite unfortunate. And not having Richard around made it 10 times worse.

I missed him everyday that we were apart. And sometimes walking down the street I would see him with a bunch of his popular friends laughing like he didn't have a care in the world. I wondered if he still ever remembered me.

I was just walking aimlessly down the block, when I ran into someone tall and hit the pavement.

"Oh damn! I'm sorry, luv! I didn't see ya there." The boy said seemingly very startled.

I looked up and saw the most beautiful sight I think I have ever seen.

He was tall and thin, with shaggy brown hair,  deep brown eyes and teeth so straight and stunning. He held his hand out to me.

I just stared, I couldn't form words.

"Uh?" He said, confused. "Are ya a'right?"

"I- uh- yeah!" I blurted suddenly. "I'm sorry. I was walking and I didn't even notice where I was going!" I said feebly.

"Ya lost?" He asked.

I looked around. I was lost.

"Uhm.... yeh actually I am." I blushed.

"M' names George." He said, and pulled me off the ground.

"Alese." I replied.

"Yer mighty gorgeous, luv, how old has a little girl like you got to be?" He asked in a flirty manner.

I giggled and blushed. "I'm 9." I said.

He stared at me . "9?" He questioned.

I smiled and nodded.

"Well damn I expected much older than that." He mused.

"Like how?" I asked.

"Ooh about," he cocked his head to the left. "11 or so."

I laughed. "Well how old has a beautiful lad like you got to be then?"

"Well, ya see, I'm only 10." He said kind of shyly.

I smiled and patted his arm. "It's only a year difference."

"Yenno...." he sighed. " I'd like to see you again sometime. You seem like a lovely girl, and maybe...."

"Maybe what?" I laughed.

"We'll be together forever!!!!!" He yelled.

I was laughing so hard, and when he looked over at me, where the sun had been going down behind me, it made his eyes sparkle and his hair glow. He was so breathtakingly beautiful.

I felt so at ease with the world and like nothing could get to me.

"Well this is my stop." I said sadly.

"Ahhh, g'night, luv. I'll see ya tomorrow!" And with that he kissed my hand and strutted down the street to the house only a few doors down.

George. I thought. Oh the boy down the street. How I hope we'll be together forever.

I turned myself around and went inside and fell on my bed. I couldn't stop thinking about him. Nothing had ever made me feel better....except, Richard.