Our meeting was completely accidental, almost like fate. This happened abruptly one day, it was one spring morning and I was leaving my house to go to school. My neighbour was outside talking with someone when he saw me. 

“Good morning________, come meet the new foreign exchange student. This is Kevin,” he motioned to the boy beside him. He was beautiful looking, with the appearance of an angel. He had golden brown hair with brown eyes, and small yet built figure. I didn’t know where he came from, and I really don’t care. All I know is that, for the first time, I feel like I’m actually in love. Not those crushes that you have while in school, but a genuine love.  

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” that’s all I could say, I bowed and left to go to school. I felt so embarrassed. Throughout the day, all I could think about was Kevin. I didn’t even know him at all, but somehow I felt really close to him already. I imagined what he would sound like calling my name, and I knew it would sound sweet. When the bell rang telling me that it was time to go home, I ran home, with the hopes of seeing him again. There he was sitting on the porch, listening to music. I mustered up the courage to say, “Hi, how are you?” He looked up at me with those beautiful eyes; it felt like I was going to melt just by his gaze. That’s when we started talking, he told me he was from Korea and is studying abroad here for the school year.  

After that day we got close, we would go out and have fun when we would have time after school. That’s when I found out how old he was, he’s 21 and I’m just 16. My parents were against me hanging out with him, and to forget this un-acquired love I have for him. I tried but I just couldn’t. The thought of him would drive me crazy, I felt like my heart was going to burst at any moment when I was around him.  

That’s when everything blew up in my face. One day, I was coming home from the supermarket, and I found him sitting on the steps of my house waiting for me. He saw me and ran towards me and hugged me. My heart was beating fast at the thought of how close he was, but then I heard words I didn’t want to hear. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to me. I was about to burst out in tears. 

“Why? Why are you telling me I’m sorry?” I just wanted to yell at him, throw the words at him, but it came out as a whisper. I thought he was going to tell that he was leaving me, forever. I don’t think my heart could bear that. He turned to and looked at me with those eyes, I’m going crazy! What does he want to tell me? Why isn’t he speaking? That’s when he finally spoke. 

“I was only living here temporally, I’ve found a place to live and I’m going to move out tomorrow.”  My heart shattered, but my mouth wouldn’t let me say anything. Then he continued talking, “I know how much your parents are against us, but I love you and that will never change. I’ll come as often as I can. My apartment is a bit far, but distance or age will never change anything about us.” While he was telling me this, I burst out in tears, tears of joy. It felt like this, what we had right now, was right and no one could change that. This is what love means, there is no limitations to love and there shouldn’t be.  

The next day came and it went as fast as the breeze. I met Kevin outside to say goodbye but it’s like I can’t escape. I can’t leave his side, but I had to let him go. I knew I would see him again, but why did it feel so painful to see him walking away. Later that day, I was in my basement when I heard my parents talking. 

“Thank goodness that, that boy next door left. Now he can finally leave our _________ alone. He was only wrapping her around his finger, using our little girl.” I felt so angry; I went up stairs and started to yell at them. They don’t know anything about how I feel! How could they say that! That was the first time I had ever fought with my parents. I felt like my world was about to end. That’s how it felt for a while; I hadn’t seen Kevin in two weeks. Where could he be? He told me that nothing would change between us, so where is he? 

I thought like that for a while, until I saw him. It was while I was getting ready to go home from school; I was at my locker getting my books. One of my friends came up to me say that there was someone waiting for me. Who would be waiting for me? I put on my jacket, slung my backpack over my shoulder and went outside. There he was, standing there, as if he was meant to be there. I ran into his arms and started to cry. I was so happy to see him again, that I couldn’t hold it in. Kevin softly touches my face and lifts it up to look at my face and says “I’m back.” 

There were not words in the word that could describe how happy I was feeling in that moment. Just being in his arms and hearing his sweet voice say those few words to me. It’s like the world is now complete and nothing was ever wrong.  Kevin is the only person who can make me feel this way.  I don’t want anyone to ruin what Kevin and I have. “I went to ask your parents if we could date, even though they were very reluctant at first. They ended up letting me date you. So would you be my girlfriend?” I looked at him in surprise. Was he trying to convince my parents for these last two weeks, so that we can be together? 

I looked at him, like I never did before. “Yes, because I love you too much to be apart.” The days that followed were happy days, days with my only love Kevin.