Butterflies and Bubblegum Pink Hair

I hadn't seen her in months. The last I said to her was terrible and she left in tears. I spent endless nights sitting in bed, trying to sleep, but my mind would drift off and think about her.

Her beautiful ice blue eyes, her soft blonde hair, and the way our hands fit perfectly together while walking down the halls together at school.

How could I have been so stupid? I thought.

I stood up off my bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I spent hours putting together the perfect outfit. A short black skirt, one she’d given to me on my birthday last year, tights, and a long sleeve red blouse. Looking at myself in the mirror, I began to doubt if I’d chosen the right outfit. I felt like I needed to change, but I didn’t have enough time. Hopefully my fashion sense wouldn’t impact our meeting. 

I double checked my hair, my make-up, and made sure I had everything in my backpack before heading to the car. I pulled out of the driveway, and onto the street. 

While driving, my mind drifted off to the first day we met. It was our sophomore year of highschool, and I had my nose in a book like usual. Since I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going, I bumped into her. I made her drop her notes, I quickly apologized and helped her pick everything up; and just like any typical love story, our hands touched. 

I thought that would be the end of it, but she ended up being in half my classes that year. It didn’t take long for us to become good friends. We started hanging out all the time, going to the mall, studying, gossiping, and just being with each other. 

Over the time we spent together, I found myself thinking about her more and more. I’d had a few silly little crushes before, but this felt different. She was the first person I wanted to talk to when I woke up, and the last person I thought about before falling asleep at night. 

Prom night was coming, and fast. It was a week before the dance, and everyone had a date. Somehow, I got up the courage to ask her. I didn’t have the time to ask her in some big, fancy way. I went to her house late one night, and asked her right then and there. She paused for a moment, with a soft smile on her face. I shut my eyes and waited for the rejection, but to my surprise, she said yes.

I was ecstatic. I started planning our date the second I got home, and when the day came, nothing went the way I had hoped. We didn’t even make it to the dance. I wanted to give up, but as we stood outside the school in the pouring rain, she started to laugh. She laughed and she couldn’t stop, eventually she had me laughing too. We locked eyes, I held her hands in mine, and her lips pressed against mine. 

Despite how badly the day had gone, I still look back at it and think of it as the best day of my life. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. 

Looking back at the fight, everything's a blur. My memory of the night is full of tears and regret. Things that I desperately wish I could take back had been said. I had never been so angry, but not at her, at myself. She was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I screwed up. 

Nervousness among other things flooded my body as I pulled into the parking lot. I turned off the car and fidgeted with my keys while deciding whether or not I could actually do this, if I could actually face her. 

I wondered what she would do. If she would cry, or yell at me, or if she wanted to move on. I prayed to God it was the third one. 

I hoped she knew how sorry I felt, the pain that I put myself through just by knowing I hurt her. I had only felt that much once before, and I didn’t think I could handle it again. 

I looked through the window of the cafe she asked to meet me at. I hesitated before pulling the door open. School started in a few days, I'd have to face her sooner or later. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach as I stepped inside and looked around.

Instantly, I found her. Sitting at a table. A soft smile sitting on her face. She had changed so much over the summer. For one thing, her hair was shorter, and instead blonde, her hair was bubblegum pink. My favorite color. She also looked older, more mature. 

I slowly walked over to the table and shakily said, "Hey stranger."

"Lucy, I'm glad you agreed to meet me." She stood up and pulled me into a hug.

"Honestly, Sam, I'm surprised you wanted to see me again after what I said to you."

"You were going through a loss, and I should've been there for you."

"But you didn't deserve to have anyone say that to you."

"No, I didn't." Sam agreed.

"I'm so sorry for everything that happened that day."

"I spent my half my summer mad at you, but I realized I was making myself miserable. I wanted to forgive you, I didn't feel ready to forgive you just yet, but I wanted to do it in person."

"Is that why we're here?"

"Not yet, I still don't think I'm ready, but I hope when I am ready to forgive you, we can try our relationship again."

"So why are we here?" I asked.

"Because I missed you and you're the first person I wanted to talk to!" Sam said with a laugh.

God how I missed hearing her laugh. It was impossible not to smile when you heard her laugh. Then again, that's how it was with her whole personality. Sam had such a bubbly and uplifting personality that everyone at school adored her.

"I missed you too."