Those who have fallen in love know how painfully beautiful it can be. Love isn't the perfect mess that romantic comedies make it out to be. Love is hard. It's painful and exhausting and can be so ugly. But it's also moving and warm and can be so very beautiful.

The best kinds of love stories aren't the easy ones. They're the ones about a sad, beautiful, tragic love that has everyone betting against the two to be together. The best kind of love stories aren't the ones you see in movies where the nerdy girl takes off her glasses and becomes the conventionally attractive girl who the asshole jock with a soft side loved along. The best kind of love stories aren't the ones where the bad boy defies all parental units and proves that he is meant to protect the shy, quiet girl next door. Although done right, sure those love stories can be great, but that's not the type of love story Dana and Katie fell into.

The best kinds of love stories are the ones that make you cry. The best kinds of love stories are the ones that push the limit on the love and that manage to surprise you in the best and worst kind of way at the same time. It's the kind of love that you can't predict. It's the love that you fight for, no matter what.

Every love story, good or bad, has a beginning. This was theirs.

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A small white sedan followed by a light blue Volkswagen 181 pulled into the driveway of a modest three bedroom single family home. As the cars came to a halt, three people simultaneously escaped the vehicles. Karen Thomas stretched her long pale legs then walked over to the small for sale sign on the front lawn. "I think it's safe to take this down now." A large smile tugged at her lips as she released the small sign from the ground's grasp.

"Mom, I haven't seen you this happy in a while." Dana Thomas walked over to hug Karen with a smile that lit up her face as she looked into her mother's golden brown eyes.

"Well, that's because it's the first time I've been happy in a while." Karen squeezed her daughter back, brushing a strand of the teenager's wavy dark brown hair behind her ear.

Eddie Matthews took a step back to admire his new home, and nodded in admiration, smiling at the other two. He took a deep breath of fresh air and nodded. "Dana, Auntie Karen...I think I'm going to like it here."

"Glad to hear that, little orphan Annie," Karen said turning to him, "now grab some boxes and put them inside." Dana chuckled at her mom and helped both her and Eddie bring the moving boxes inside. There wasn't much to move in considering they had sold most of their possessions before they left their last home.

The trio stepped inside their already furnished home and brought boxes to their designated places. Dana found her room and set the boxes beside her bed. Eddie ran in and leapt onto Dana's bed, startling her slightly. His long, thin legs crossed over one another as he made himself more comfortable. "So D, you going to put sheets on this bed?" He asked.

Dana rolled her eyes and sighed at her cousin. "After I wash them, Eddie." Dana said beginning to unpack her boxes.

"Cool you want to do mine too while you're at it?" He nonchalantly added in with a grin.

"No I do not." Dana refused without hesitation, not bothering to look at him.

"But D, you love me." Eddie stuck his face in Dana's, and gave her a sad puppy dog look with his dark brown eyes. Dana looked at him and pushed his head away getting back to unpacking. "Wow. You lesbians are so mean," Eddie added, fixing his short dark hair.

"Not a lesbian, Ed." Dana brushed off the comment.

"Right. 'Bisexual.'" He put air quotes around the word bisexual, causing Dana to give him an evil look. "What? You and I both know you're only into girls."

"That's not true." She objected. She didn't want to argue with him, but she could feel herself prepare for the lecture she would have to give.

"Yes it is." Eddie argued right back. "And don't use the excuse that your last relationship was with a guy because that doesn't count. It was fake, and he was a jerk." Eddie shook his head in disgust, remembering Dana's last boyfriend.

"You just always hate the people I go out with – even if the last one was just to make someone else jealous." Dana stopped packing, and stared at her cousin puzzled. "Why are you so adamant on me being a lesbian anyway? Why can't you understand that being bisexual isn't just a halfway point to coming out and that it's an actual sexuality? I'm tired of people assuming I'm either not ready to come out as a lesbian or I'm only experimenting and I'm actually straight. I'm gay. Why can't people just accept that?" Dana sighed then realized she was ranting. She apologized to Eddie, but he shrugged, allowing her to rant. "Whatever." Dana rolled her bright hazel eyes at him. "I'm going to get something to eat. Are you coming?"

"You paying?"

Dana sighed, "I guess." Eddie bounced off of Dana's mattress and followed her downstairs. Dana called out to her mother, announcing that she and Eddie were going out to eat and asked if Karen wanted anything while they were out.

"I'm fine, muffin! Have fun! Love you!" Her mom called back to her.

"Ditto." Dana replied back. Eddie started laughing, still not being over the fact that Karen called Dana 'Muffin.' "It's always been a nickname so shut up." She glared at him. The two hopped in Dana's blue car and drove away. Soon Dana and Eddie reached a small café style restaurant and decided to go in. They saw a line but it was moving fast so they didn't mind. They quickly ordered their food, and stood patiently waiting for their order to be called.

"Hey D," Eddie looked at her and broke their awkward silence. "I'm sorry. You know, for making you move and change schools and leave your friends and stuff." Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. He felt guilty for uprooting Dana and Karen. Eddie believed that if it hadn't been for him, they wouldn't have even thought of moving.

"Ed, it's fine." Dana smiled at him. She really didn't mind moving. If it were for Eddie, Dana would move anywhere, and she knew her mom and her didn't base their decision solely on Eddie. "Besides, I hated my old school so you have no reason to apologize for that."

"Well then I hope the people at Ridgeway are better." Eddie smiled at her.

"Excuse me," someone behind them in the line spoke up, "I don't mean to eavesdrop, but did you just say you're going to Ridgeway?" Dana and Eddie turned around and looked down to see a girl half smiling at them. Eddie nodded at her, somewhat confused. "I'm Ashley," the girl smiled at them, making her eyes appear greener than they had before. She stuck her hand out towards them. Dana and Eddie both awkwardly smiled back, each shaking her hand.

"I'm Dana, and this is Eddie." Dana politely introduced the two of them.

"So you're new, huh?" Ashley asked. Dana and Eddie nodded simultaneously. "Well I'm the SGA president at Ridgeway and I would just like to say welcome, and I hope you enjoy it here." Ashley's beaming smile made Eddie feel slightly uncomfortable, and start to squirm.

Dana awkwardly smiled at Ashley again and thought Great...the Patty Simcox of Ridgeway already found us. Dana and Eddie's names were called, and they quickly said goodbye to Ashley before retreating to take a seat. Eddie sat across the table from Dana and just gave her a smile, indicating he was trying not to laugh. Dana kicked him under the table causing Eddie to just put his head down, shaking it and laughing silently to himself.

☼ ☼ ☼

The next morning Dana got up late, and remembered she forgot her wallet in her car. She headed outside in search of her wallet. After grabbing it she watched as a car pulled into the house across the street from hers, and noticed a familiar face exit the car. "Dana?" The girl said, noticing her.

"Hey Ashley," Dana sighed to herself while forcing a polite smile, "I guess we're neighbors."

"Actually no," Ashley corrected, "my friend Katie lives here. I'm just house-sitting while she's away."

"Oh..." Dana awkwardly and slowly turned towards her house to make a break for it.

"Hey Dana," Ashley called after her, "do you want do something today? My boyfriend and I were going to hangout downtown if you and Eddie want to come." Dana, not wanting to be rude, smiled and agreed. "Great! Give me your number and I'll text you the details." Ashley seemed nice enough, so Dana didn't see the harm in spending one afternoon with her.

"What are we doing here, D?" Eddie complained as they drove into downtown later that day. "I mean why Ashley?"

"Give the girl a chance, Ed. We don't even know her. She's probably really cool and just came off strange when we first met her." Dana answered, parking.

"Oh please, you're just too nice to say no to people." Eddie slouched in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I can say no to you, can't I?" Dana's eyebrow rose as she mocked her cousin.

"Shut up and find where we're supposed to meet them."

Dana and Eddie exited their car and looked around for Ashley. They found her and walked up greeting her with smiling faces. "Dana, Eddie, this is my boyfriend, Mason." She said referring to the giant standing next to her.

"Nice to meet you," Mason ran his rugged, light brown hand through his short, curly black hair smiling, "Ash tells me you two moved in across the street from Katie."

Dana nodded, "I guess so...even though I have yet to meet the infamous Katie."

"You will soon enough. She's coming back from a cruise with her mom and her boyfriend soon." Ashley explained. The group of four spent most of the day together and Dana and Eddie realized that Ashley really wasn't that crazy or weird. The group ended up having a really good time - one that Dana and Eddie desperately needed. When Ashley's mom texted her, they knew it was time to leave.

"So guys, a friend of ours is having an end of summer party next week. Do you want to come?" Mason smiled with his built arm draped around Ashley's shoulder. Eddie and Dana agreed then said goodbye to their new friends.

"See, Ed." Dana spoke up while on the way home. "Ashley's cool, so nothing to worry about. And don't even say anything about the party." Dana knew Eddie was going to say that it was probably one of those stereotypical high school parties, but Dana didn't want to hear it.

"D, you know what happens to you at those types of parties." Eddie slouched in the passenger seat, staring out the window.

"I'll be fine, Ed. I'll just stay away from...well people." Dana sighed slightly, "Ed, we have to meet people. You have to meet people. This is our new home, so we have to make friends."

"Since when do you care about making friends? And I don't need any more. I got you D, that's all I need." Eddie rested his head in his hand, not being convinced the party was a good idea for the two of them.

"Eddie, I don't care what you think you need, we're going to this party." Dana said sternly.

"As long as you play nice."

"Fine Ed," Dana briefly looked over at him, "I promise to play nice."