The Sweetest Save

Date

The sixth-graders, Tuure's peers, squealed as they ran around the school's large playground. It was June 11, 1999, the last day of sixth grade. Tuure had just finished playing a game of shirts versus skins field hockey on the grass next to the playground. He was exhausted after stealing the 5-1 win for the shirts, so he was resting on the curb in front of the middle school.

As he was watching the other kids, he spotted a head of thick black hair. Tuure sat up straighter as the girl turned around.

Anja.

He had told his mother, Inka, how strong his feelings were for Anja Heikkenen. Inka has been the one to inform Tuure that he might have a crush on his newest classmate. She had recommended asking Anja on a nice date. Perhaps Tuure could take her to the park or to see a movie.

Anja and Tuure made eye contact at the exact same time, and they both smiled. Anja mumbled a few words to the girl she was currently playing hopscotch with and started making her way over to Tuure.

Tuure's heart began to pound, and his throat seemed to tighten. He wanted to ask her now, and he was going to. He didn't want to be the type of person to ask someone out from behind a computer screen. Tuure wanted to ask Anja out on a date in person.

"How are you, Tuure?" Anja sat down next to him. "I saw you in that little hockey game on the field over there. I think you did great."

Tuure struggled trying not to blush. "Thanks. The final was 5-1 for my team."

"Great job," she complimented him and then went silent.

Tuure's breath sped up. If there was a time to do it, it was right now. They were sitting there together, enjoying the sun on their last day of school. They could spend their summer as boyfriend and girlfriend if Tuure got lucky.

"Anja, can I ask you something?" Tuure looked up into Anja's stunning green eyes, his voice timid.

"Go ahead," she shrugged.

"I was wondering if you, um, wanted to go on a date sometime?" Tuure barely got the words out of his mouth, but his voice was more confident when he asked the big question.

Anja's face turned scarlet. "Tuure, I-I'd love to. Where would you want to go?"

"Do you have a bike?" Tuure blurted.

"Yes," Anja confirmed.

"Maybe we could go to that scenic trail in the park and ride our bikes there," Tuure suggested. "After that, we could go see a movie at the theater."

"That sounds like fun," Anja said. "There's a teen movie that just came out in January. I've wanted to see it for a while. It's called Zenon, I think. Do you like science fiction, Tuure?"

Tuure nodded. "I could get us two tickets to that movie. We can go to the park as well."

"Sounds like a date," Anja smiled sweetly at Tuure. "Do you mind if I hug you?"

"Not at all," Tuure consented. "Thank you so much for asking."

"You're welcome," Anja murmured as she lightly wrapped her arms around Tuure. She treated him like the mostly normal person he was, but she was still aware that he had Asperger's syndrome. Despite the fact that he was a bit awkward around others, he had been a great friend in the three months they'd known each other.

And maybe he was about to be more than a friend to her.

"So," Anja continues once she pulled away. "When do you want to go on the date?"

"Are you free June 15th?" Tuure inquired. "It's a Tuesday."

"Sure," Anja confirmed, then gasped. "Tuure! If you come over the next day, we can have a watch party of Game Four of the Stanley Cup Finals happening in America right now! The games start at two in the morning here, which is early, so we watch them once we're awake."

"That sounds like fun!" Tuure squealed. "I've never been to a hockey game watch party before. What time should I come over?"

"Noon on the sixteenth," Anja responded. "I'll send you an email with my address in it as soon as I get home."

"Sounds good," Tuure said. "Who's playing?"

"The Buffalo Sabres from the state of New York and the Dallas Stars from the state of Texas," Anja answered. "Dallas leads the series two games to one, so they only need two more games to win the big Cup."

"That's fun!" Tuure exclaimed just before the teachers announced that it was time to go inside.

As soon as Tuure walked through the door of his house, he ran upstairs to his computer. His heart jumped when he saw that he had a new email.

To: tuure1987@excite.com
From: heikkenena@excite.com

Dear Tuure,

Hey Tuure! This is Anja. Here's my address for later.

8130 Mestrovic Drive
Dubrovnik, Croatia
20207*

Can't wait to see you!

Anja.

Tuure could barely keep himself from running over to Anja's house every minute for the next four days, but he was able to wait. June 15th came around, and by eight o'clock in the morning, Tuure was ready to go.

He was dressed in a button-down shirt, black pants, and a tie that he had tied on his own. He had informed Anja via email that he was going to look this way. She responded that she'd try her best to look formal as well, and Tuure's heart raced when he thought about what she's be wearing.

He took the bouquet of roses that his mother had bought him and biked to Anja's house, which was only ten minutes away. Tuure rang the doorbell and waited nervously.

Anja swung the door open and smiled when she saw Tuure. She was wearing a long blue dress and had her hair tied back in a ponytail. Tuure tried not to stare, but he couldn't help it. She was so pretty, and he was going on a date with her.

"Hello, Tuure!" Anja exclaimed. "Can I hug you again?"

"You can always hug me," Tuure consented. "You don't crush me like some other people."

"Tuure, you're so kind," Anja commented as she wrapped her arms around Tuure. As the young couple was hugging, Anja's parents walked over to the doorway.

"You must be Tuure," said Mrs. Heikkenen. "I am Anja's mother. Just take care of her and have her home by nine PM."

"Don't hurt her," Mr. Heikkenen added.

"I promise that I'll follow your directions," Tuure shook the hands of Anja's parents, and soon, he and Anja were off to the park.

Before they went to the movie, which they both thought was amazing, Anja did something that Tuure would never forget.

They had just arrived at the end of the bike trail. Tuesday wasn't a very active day at the park, so they were all alone. Anja blushed and looked at Tuure.

"Tuure, I need your permission to do something very big," she stated.

"Okay, what is it?" Tuure asked.

"I..." Anja murmured. "I want to kiss you."

Tuure's throat tightened. He wanted to do what she asked, but he was nervous.

"You can definitely do that," he blurted.

Anja leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Tuure kissed back, not using his tongue out of fear that she wouldn't like it. He wrapped her arms around her and held her there for a long time. When they parted, they both smiled at the same time.

"So..." Tuure started. "Are we official now? Girlfriend and boyfriend?"

Anja smiled. "Of course we are, Tuure."

That night, Tuure went to sleep with a huge smile on his face that wasn't wiped off for days.

He had a girlfriend, and he loved her.

*Not a real address