Tim fell in love with her in elementary school. Then again, all the boys did. But in elementary school, love is manifested differently. Love is depicted with worms. Put in her hair. Love doesn't work so well in elementary school. It wasn't Tim who did that, by the way.

He was still in love with her in middle school. He was pretty sure she knew. Tim actually talked with her in middle school. At the lockers, they would chat. Nothing major. But it was a pretty big deal for Tim. He didn't chat with a lot of people in middle school, much less girls he had crushes on. But she was different. He knew that better than ever, in middle school.

But in high school...Willa transferred to a different school, a private school. She was gone. Tim never even had a chance to say goodbye. Not that he would've known how to do it. How do you say bye to the love of your life, especially when you never even dated, never even kissed?

He would hear things, every now and then, about her, about how her fantastic, envious, super-stupendous, luscious looks...had gone away. Her face was covered in pimples. Puberty used to be so kind to her...! She'd wear shirts with low necklines, and everyone knew she had boobs before any other girl, and...But she wasn't just a pretty face and cleavage. The best girls, and Tim somehow knew that even when his hormones were telling him to pay attention to everything else, they radiated kindness. Maybe that was why she talked to him, at the lockers, in middle school, when everyone else ignored him.

No, it didn't matter that she had pimples now. If she had pimples now. Rumors mixed with jealousy. Worms in the hair. It never changed, and it never mattered whether you were a boy or a girl. Classmates were always the same.

Then one day, Tim came across Willa again. He'd go to CVS, sometimes, just because it was the only place to go in town. When he saw her, Tim almost didn't believe his eyes. Her hair looked different, but she was the same. Willa was the same. She'd always been the same. She was the only elementary girl he'd known who was already the woman she'd become the day he met her. And there she was again, and the same as it had always been, it was like seeing her again for the first time. Except this time it really was.

She saw him staring, and walked over.

"Hey," she said. "Long time no see."

"Yeah," he said, trying not to stammer.

"Listen," she said. "I'm kind of busy now, but it's great to see you again. We need to catch up! Later, okay?"

"Okay," he said.

"Okay," she agreed.

She turned to walk away again, but then stopped. And she kissed Tim.

And everything was okay in the world again. Everything was perfect.