One 

August 8, 2002- the day that he asked me to be his girlfriend. I remember it all so 
clearly as if it was just yesterday. I was only fifteen at the time and was about to 
enter the tenth grade at Hazzard High School. James was my first true love and hopefully my only. 

We met back in the third grade at a pie eating competition at the local community center. I had taken home the second place medal whereas him, the first. Our relationship progressed from childhood playmates, to high school lovers. 
Everyone considered us to be the high school sweeties. James was an amazing 
person. He was one of the smartest, brightest students at Hazzard High. 
He had a well-rounded persona which made him all that easier to love. 
His smile was full of happiness and could light up anyone’s day better than the sun could. He was a strong type of guy who always gave his heart and mind to 
anything he set out to accomplish. 

James had a charming face and an outstanding body. His dark green eyes matched 
his perfectly chestnut brown hair. He was every girl’s dream man. To this day, 
I haven’t a single clue why he chose me in the first place. I had fairly light brown hair
with emerald green eyes. Being a rather petite girl, I wasn’t sure how I came to look 
tall but it’s probably due to my fully developed complexions. Throughout my high 
school life, I had dorky glasses making me not legible for being a popular girl if you 
know what I mean. James and I always had a strong connection. We knew each 
other’s feelings before it was said. He knew me inside out and I told him even more 
than I told my friends. He was very easy to trust and he never broke that. I admit it. When I was younger, I had many fantasies about James and I being together. 
I dreamt that one day, I would become his princess and he would be my prince. 
Oh and of course, we would live happily ever after.James was a very deep person. Everything he said had more meaning than you could ever imagine. I remember his 
first gift for me. It was a silver box. It wasn’t just an ordinary box though. He told 
me that whenever he wasn’t there, and I needed someone to talk to, I could just 
open the box, say everything that’s on my mind into it, close it, and he would be 
able to hear it. It was my most precious gift.

James always had a whole crowd of girls surrounding him wherever he went. He attracted them faster than he could get rid of them. I know his heart was mine 
and I was in no fear of losing that. That was, until the year of 2003.
That was the year that my life turned from being the best, to upside down. 
I had never experienced pain like I did that year. August 8, 2003. It was a bright 
sunny day. I remember every little detail as if it was tattooed into my brain. That day 
I had worn my white shorts and blue tank top and walked to the park where James asked me to meet him. It was almost seven o’clock but not even a bit cold outside. Every time I saw him, my heart skipped a beat. 

There he was, in jeans no matter how hot or cold the weather. He was just standing there, yet I knew something was wrong. The expression on his face scared me.
When I reached him, he gave me a quick and urgent kiss. 
Then he said the four words I never hoped to hear.

“We need to talk.” He said with a serious face.

My heart raced like crazy and I started to shake. I was scared; terrified of what he would tell me.

“OK…” I said with a shaky voice. 

He took my hand and led me to the grass. We sat down and he looked me straight 
in the eye. I couldn’t dare to look back– afraid of what I would see so I merely 
looked down to the grass.

“ Ann ,” he said, “I have something to tell you.