My name is Jayden Anthony Clarkson. I was 12 years old, sharing a milkshake with her, when I realized I was in love. Her name was Clementine Beth Summers.
Clementine Beth had gorgeous strawberry blonde curls, that I couldn’t help myself but to play with them. She had the most piercing and intimidating green eyes. She was like an open book, there was nothing she could hide from me. Clementine always had a smile on her face, she was filled with joy. She always knew how to cheer me up.
Our families had been best friends since before either of us were even born. Our mothers had met at “becoming a mother” classes and right away they clicked. They would do yoga and walk together while they were pregnant with us.
I was the first to arrive. I came on July 12, and she came soon after on July 15. We had had done literally everything together since then. Our parents always said that when we grew up that we would get married. We found that a little weird, we were young and just wanted too be friends. All of the sudden our friendship started to change.
Clementine was my first kiss, and I hers. She was the first girl I held hands with, and it was as I walked her home from school. I had been her first Valentine, and it had been a construction paper heart with her name on it in first grade. She had been the first girl that I ever shared my fruit snacks with. She had been my first everything, and I had been hers.
Until one day my world turned for the worst. My dad had been moved to France by his work. I was totally devastated. I tried everything I could to stay in Kansas, telling them I could live with my aunt or friend. They wouldn’t even listen. I knew they wouldn’t though, because we were a family and I had to go with them. We moved the day after my 13th birthday. I cried on the ride to the airport. I wouldn’t even get to celebrate her birthday with her. I couldn’t spend day after day with her. I barely even got to say good bye.
I called her everyday for the first three month I had been in France. The calls got shorter and came less often. We just had nothing to talk about over the phone anymore. I would stay up late many nights as I thought about her and what she was doing. I would dial her number in the phone everyday, but I was too scared to actually call her. I wrote her imaginary letters that I kept hidden under my bed. I stared at the pictures in my room of her and me whenever I got the chance. I kept a picture of her in my wallet and made sure I had it where ever I went.
My mom couldn’t get a job in France until two years after we had moved. My dad had gotten angry with how lazy she was being, so she decided it was time to look for a job. They stopped yelling at each other once she got her job, because they barely saw me or each other. Their jobs had long hours and I got so lonely. I missed Clementine more than ever and two years had already past! I called her every couple of months, but that just wasn’t enough. I needed her so badly.
A year after that my parents started fighting more and more. It really made me sad and I had no one to talked to. I tried to tell Clementine a couple of times, but I was scared of what she would think about how messed up my family was. Finally one night they were yelling louder than ever and I heard things crash and a door slammed. I looked out my bedroom window to see my dad speeding away in the car.
I heard soft steps about an hour later coming to my room. My mom came in looking weak, pale, and thin. I asked if she was all right and she just said that I should start packing my favorite things because we were moving back to Kansas. I asked her about dad and she just said that he would not be coming with us.
My mom left and I started to cry, because I knew they were getting divorced. It crushed me on the inside, but now I was at least going back to Clementine.
As I sat in the airport waiting for the plan that was going to take me back to Kansas I took out my phone. I quickly dialed in Clementine’s number and she picked up after the first ring.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hey Clementine. I am about to get on a plane to come back to Kansas. Can you meet me at the airport?” I said cautiously.
“Oh my word!!! I can’t wait to see you!!! I am going to get ready and head there now! I can’t wait!!!” she screamed joyfully.
“Thanks. See you soon.” I replied and hung up.
They called our seat numbers, and my mother and I quickly got up and boarded the plane. I tried to sleep on the ride, but I was to excited because I was about to see Clementine for the first time in three years! I thought about her the whole ride there. I was wondering what she would think of me after these years, I hope she would still like me. I hope she wanted me, because she is the reason I got up every morning for those three awful years of being apart. I knew in my heart that one day we would come together again. That day is today.
I got off the plane slowly. I was nervous about seeing her again. Even though I was ecstatic, I was so scared of what she would think. I just rounding a corner when I saw her.
There she was, looking more beautiful than I could ever remember.
As I starred into those loving green eyes for the first time in 3 years, I knew that just being with her again will get me through the rest of my life.
