A high pitched bell rang throughout the school indicating the end of yet another school day. Gathering your books, you carefully moved them into the backpack that hung on the back of your chair, once everyone was packed up your Sunflower class began to leave to head to the school buses or to their parents waiting out in their glossy cars. Lifting your backpack up onto your shoulder, you walked over to your best friend, Leo’s desk.

"Do you want to stop by the park on our way home?" Leo questioned lifting his backpack up onto his shoulder.

"Sure! That sounds like fun" You smiled while the two of you headed outside.

Warm rays of the sun basked down on the matching school uniforms the two of you wore, your favorite pair of pink sneakers while his black pair of shoes matched your pace. Chatting about assignments and friends, the two of you walked home with smiles on your faves and laughter filling the air between the two of you.

Heading to the park, the two of you slipped your backpacks off of your shoulders and placed them on a bench before running around and playing tag and hide-and-go-seek for hours. The sunlight began to fade as the two of you sat on the pair of swings just rocking back and forth letting your feet dangle just above ground.

”______?” Leo cooed as you lifted your head from it resting against your hand wrapped around the chains on the swing.

"Yes Leo?" You questioned back as you noticed his fist clenched around something.

"How long have we been friends?" He asked while his brown eyes gazed down at his closed fist.

"A really long time, since we were toddlers because that is when we became neighbors" You replied as your mind slightly churned in curiosity.

"I was just wondering because…. I think I like you…" He lifted his eyes and turned his head towards you.

"Like, like like me?” Your eyes widened not thinking that anyone could have a crush on you or even think of you in that way.

"Yeah…" Leo hesitantly lifted his fist and turned it over and opened it to reveal a handmade bracelet made with your favorite colors.

"Leo…" You looked down at the bracelet. "I haven’t told you either, but I think you are really cute and I think I like like you too”

Hearing your words Leo smiled brightly while lifting his hands to position the bracelet on your wrist. Outstretching your hand you slipped your hand through the beautiful bracelet. Twisting your wrist, he tightened the bracelet around your wrist.

"Let’s start heading home before it gets dark" Leo slipped himself from the swing as he trotted over to the backpacks. Grabbing both of them, he trotted back over yo you and handed yours to you after you slipped from your swing.

"Our parents will worry if we stay out too late too" You added taking the backpack from his hands. Lifting the bag onto your shoulders, you began to walk along the sidewalk as Leo walked next to you.

Slowly slipping his hand through yours, he bit his lip gently until he felt your hand gently tighten around yours, turning his head to you, he saw your short hair frame your face as your childish smile comforted him and his racing heart.

Years passed as the two of you became eve closer friends even though your pre-teen stage while the two were told you were too young to even think of love or having a boyfriend or girlfriend. Walking home one fall afternoon from school, both of you rounded the corner as a large truck was parked in front of your house. Seeing strange men carrying belongings out of your house, you let go of Leo’s hand and ran into your house.

"Mom! Dad!" You yelled trying to locate them as Leo followed you inside.

"In the kitchen" Your mom cooed as your haste footsteps pounded against the hardwood while your eyes took in the suddenly empty place that you once called home.

"What is happening?" You demanded seeing your mom place another box on top of the counter.

"We are moving, your father got a job in the city" She explained while her black pen marked the brown cardboard box.

"When did this happen?" Thoughts ran through your mind as you were just trying to understand what was happening.

"We just found out this morning, they want him right away" Your mom tried to explain.

"Will I go to the same school?" You questioned with worry knowing that this could change everything.

"No we are going to have to transfer you, we will be moving a few hours away from here" Your mom picked up the box and moved through the living room to the front door as she handed the box to the movers.

Leo stayed hidden behind a wall as he listened to the news, slowly walking out of your house he began to make his way to his house that was only a house down from yours. All of your thoughts caught up to you as you couldn’t help but feel warm tears rolling down your cheeks. Wiping your eyes angrily, you bolted out of the house, running down the street, you saw Leo walking towards his home.

The pounding footsteps caught Leo’s attention as he turned around and saw you bounding towards him, opening his arms, you opened yours and ran into his chest as you held him tightly.

"I-I-I-I d-don’t w-w-w-want to m-m-move" You whimpered into his shoulder, the tightening of his arms around you comforted you while you continued to cry in his shoulder. 

"I don’t want you to move either" He whispered as your parents continued to load up your belongings into the moving truck. After a while of hugging you, your sobs slowly faded.

"What do you want to? We can do anything you want to" He says pulling away from the hug before you wiped away your tears.

"Can we go to the park and play just like we used to?" You questioned, with a nod he patted your shoulder.

"Race ya!" He smiled and ran off in the direction of the park, with a sad smile sitting on your lips, you quickly ran after him to the park where you spent the rest of the day just playing how you two used to.

A black sky hung over your heads while the twinkling stars started to shine over your heads. Laying on the coarse grass, you two looked past the tops of the trees while your mind relaxed and tried to enjoy the last moments the two of you would have together.

Hours ticked by before the two of you headed back home hand in hand. Seeing the moving truck all fired up and ready to leave, your parents car was ready to leave too as Leo’s parents stood outside and bid your parent’s goodbye.

Walking over to the group of parents, your hands slipped from each others’

"Are you ready to leave?" Your father questioned you as you looked over at Leo as he gave you a little smile, nodding your head gently, your parents hugged Leo’s parents as you hugged Leo once more.

"I’ll call you okay?" He whispered as you hugged him tighter.

Your family filed into your car and began the journey to the big city, turning around you watched Leo’s small figure become smaller and smaller until it faded. Turning back around in your seat, your fingers fiddled with the bracelet that he gave you those few years ago.

Time passed as you finished middle school then high school, calling him as much as you could the two of you continued to be friends through the years. As college was quickly approaching, you decided to move to the city to get settled in before the school year started. 

Walking to a friends house for a friendly gathering, the clicking of your heels against the concrete kept you company as your light colored jacket wrapped around you as it slightly covered your mini skirt. 

Approaching the house, you knocked on the large wood door with your knuckles as your friend answered the door. Welcoming you inside, a few pairs of eyes landed on you as your friend showed you where the snacks were.

A familiar stranger leaned against a wall as he was surrounded with friends swapping stories of what happened in the summer. His scanning eyes caught your figure while your beautiful stride made it hard for him to look away. Blinking his eyes a few times, he felt his heart leap in his chest as a feeling started to form in his gut as a single name popped into his head. 

Grabbing a drink and a snack or two you stood by yourself and let your eyes wonder around the beautifully decorated room.

"I’m going to get another drink" He slipped past his friends as his eyes stayed on you, moving slowly to the table he picked up another cup and cleared his throat as you turned around seeing a man close to you.

"Sorry am I in your way?" You asked as the shaking of his head made you a little confused.

"No, you just look familiar to me is all." He replied with a little smile

"Oh?" You cooed, tipping your head to one side slightly, getting a good look at his face, he seemed familiar to you too.

"May I ask what your name is?" He questioned thinking that it might help connect the dots.

”______” You smiled at him,

”_______„ ____ _____?” He questioned in shock as your name rang in his head as he could see it clearly now. “I’m Leo”

"Yes" You smiled and blushed a little as your fingers played with that same bracelet. "I feel like I have seen you before too"

"Remember, we used to play at the park after school together" Leo tried to refresh your memory. With your memory becoming clearer, you couldn’t hide your smile as you wrapped your arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I thought I wouldn’t see you again Leo" You whispered into his chest as he wrapped his arms around you too.

"Don’t worry I couldn’t let that happen" He smiled and rocked you a little from side to side as his large hands rubbed your back.

"What happened to your pink sneakers though? And your short hair?" He questioned pulling away a little from the hug.

"Well my sneakers… I grew out of them and my hair… I grew that out too" Your fingers gently played with the ends of your hair.

"You still kept my bracelet though~" Leo smiled as he pointed to the worn bracelet around your wrist that he gave you those long years ago.

"I couldn’t get rid of this, it was given to me by my first love"