The cool spring air felt wonderful over your skin as you rode your bike onto the main road. A bundle of nerves grew tight in your stomach. You quickly stopped when you noticed a crossing guard a block away, helping some young children across the street. It gave you an extra minute or two to think.

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It was a nice warm summer day and everything seemed right in the world. Fresh watermelon was sold at every street corner in the pharmacies, local farmers were restocking the shops as fast as they could.

You remember walking hand in hand with him. He was the first man to ever make you smile. He was the first man to ever take your feelings into any kind of consideration. You two walked down the street while nibbling down onto pieces of watermelon.

"Where do you see yourself this time next year?" You asked. He had big dreams for himself being an entertainer. You knew he wanted to talk about it more but he seemed to discourage himself often.

"I dunno. Could be anywhere. I could still be here living with mother and father or out there." He always spoke about Hollywood like it was a mystical land.

You finished your pieces of watermelon and sat inside a local malt shop. You two sat in a booth by the window. To people passing by, you were the epitome of young adults madly in love. Smiles plastered on your faces, sharing a vanilla milkshake in the middle of the table. Everything seemed so right in the world. Nothing could go wrong.

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Then fall came and like the leaves, things started to roll downhill in your life. Danny had gotten a call out to Hollywood and while this was everything he worked for, he couldn't bare to part with you. You would've loved nothing more than to hop on the train with him, but there was no way your folks would ever let you.

"I'll call you every night, right before bed. We could find a way around this," he cried into your hair. You held him as close as you could. Parents waved goodbye to their young adult children who were already seated. Danny wore a coat that was always your favorite on him. It was brown, and complimented his hair and his eyes wonderfully.

"I love you, Danny."

You tried to be strong but it killed you inside. You were going to be without your boyfriend, your best friend for who knows how long. He could go out for a screen test and sell the producers on his talent, or he could fall under the radar.

He kept his word, he called you every night at exactly 9:15 pm New York time. 6:15 pm Hollywood time. He would tell you all about his day, stars he met on the backlots. He had loads to talk about but he always ended his sentences with a glum "I wish you were here."

You didn't want to admit it to yourself, but you knew you had limited time with Danny. It was only a short time before he'd find himself hooked on a beautiful young starlet and would forget all about his high school sweetheart. It was sad, but realistic.

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Your fall time predicament was right. He did in fact find someone new and boy, she was a stunner. She was a budding starlet, just like him. You were crushed. Your heart felt as frozen as the snow outside. You didn't leave your bedroom, you didn't want to socialize with anyone else. You wanted to wallow in self-pity and heartbreak.

Some days when you couldn't take it anymore you'd clean up your room. Move the stacks of clothes into the right drawers and dust the shelves on your walls. You held a photo that was housed in a metal frame. Inside was a photo of you and Danny from your high school prom. The traditional prom photo pose where his arms latched your waist and you two looked semi-awkward at the camera. Except he was looking at you with a wide grin. It hurt.

You put the photo back on the shelf not wanting to get rid of it just yet. You felt entitled to keep it.

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Before you knew it, spring rolled around quickly. Flowers were blooming again and things started to feel okay. You weren't gloomy anymore, you started to visit with family and friends again. Just like the weather, you felt like you were blooming into a new version of yourself. One of your friends called and told you that she had a date set for you for that afternoon.

You rode your bike down to the main road. The cool air hitting your face while a bundle of nerves grew tighter in your stomach. The crossing guard moved out of the way allowing for traffic to resume.

The date was at the malt shop, the same one Danny took you to all those times. Your heart sank just as you thought things were getting better. You parked your bike on the side and walked in. She said he was a handsome fella.

There he was.

There was Danny sitting in a table by the window all by himself. A vanilla milkshake in the center of the table with two straws. There was no sign of another person with him. He looked over at you. You stood across the shop with locked eyes.

You instinctively walked over to him and let him pull you into a hug.

"I missed you so much." He wore that same brown coat. His hair was now a strawberry blonde color but he was just as handsome as ever.

"I missed you too."

He motioned for you to sit across from him. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

"You're the date that she set up with me?" He nodded. You chuckled, you should have known.

You spent the rest of the day catching up, learning the starlet in the papers was a simple publicity stunt set up by the studios. Danny fled from Hollywood on leave, insisting you return back with him. It was an offer you couldn't refuse. You couldn't care what your family or friends would say. You loved Danny, and just like the flowers in the ground, your romance bloomed into something special that spring.