Derek:
It was easy to be close to Sophie because she was the type of girl that wanted to know everything about someone, and that would let you know everything about her. She loved to ask me questions, and they were always silly things that nobody really needed to know, but she said she did. She wanted to know what my favorite color was, and my favorite movie, and my favorite kind of pizza. The funny thing is, she asked me millions of questions, and she probably asked tons of other people the same questions, but she always remembered my answers. Always.
After our first phone call, she called me again the next day, and the next, and one day, without even thinking about it, I asked her to go to the movies with me. She said yes. We went to the little theater that nobody ever goes to, we sat right in the middle of the theater. I don?t remember what happened in that movie, I mostly just watched Sophie. Her face showed so much emotion. She would look over at me at times and the biggest smile would explode across her face. I never wanted it to end, but eventually it did.
After the movie was over, we stepped out into the cool air and I began to walk toward my car.
"Let's take a walk," she suggested. How could I say no? She boldly grabbed my hand and held onto it with the most gentle grip, but so kind I knew she wasn?t going to let go anytime soon.
"I want to swing," she said as we walked by the park.
"But it's dark out."
"So? Why can't I swing in the dark?" This is what I loved about her. She could do anything.
So I sat down on a swing beside her and as we talked. We talked about life goals and favorite colors, biggest fears and dandelions. She would ask me the deepest questions so casually as if she was asking for the time of day. She always let me answer, and then she would answer it herself. I guess she thought if I had to answer it, so did she.
It seemed like forever when she finally got up. That's when we found our tree. She found that random tree in the middle of the park, and hugged it. Anyone would think she was loony if they saw her doing that, but she hugged it, and danced around it, and said she loved that tree.
"Sophie, I think we should get home, it's getting late."
"Okay," her face fell and I knew I disappointed her, but it was almost past my curfew.
We walked to my car and I drove her home in silence. It wasn't the awkward kind of silence, though, it was the comfortable kind, where you know you don't have to say anything.
The rest happened so fast. I finally pulled up to her house. She thanked me and said she would see me at school, and then, she leaned over, kissed me on the cheek, and then got out of the car and ran. She turned around and waved goodbye right before disappearing into her house. I sat in her driveway for a few moments before I finally caught my breath and remembered I needed to get home.
Sophie:
It's kind of funny when I look back on it all. I was so daring back then; I remember my first date with Derek. He drove me home, and I just leaned over and kissed him. I would never do that now. I don't know why I did it then. I think it was that kiss that started our long relationship. I was stupid back then. If only I would have known it would lead to what it did.
It's crazy how much I've changed. I'm not that foolish little child anymore. I used to run around doing dumb things like picking dandelions and trying to find four leaf clovers. I don't know how I ever managed to find any. It doesn't matter, they never gave me any luck anyways. Actually, they gave me the opposite of luck.
"Sophie, can I come in?" I heard a light rapping on my door.
"Fine," I replied in the least angry tone of voice I could manage.
It was my mother. "Honey, we're thinking about planning a trip to Ohio soon, what do you think about that?"
"What do I think about that? I think it would be a stupid waste of time."
"But honey, you could visit Derek. Isn?t that what you want?"
I couldn't take it anymore, I was sick of her talking about Derek. Derek, Derek, Derek. I wanted to end it once and for all. "MOM! FOR THE LAST TIME I DON'T WANT TO SEE DEREK," I couldn't stop myself from screaming at her. "I HATE DEREK. I HATE DEREK, AND I HATE OHIO, AND I HATE ALL OF YOU. STOP TALKING ABOUT DEREK."
Her face looked more hurt than I had ever seen it. I started to regret saying what I said, but I immediately stopped myself. I wasn't going to worry about her. Maybe now that she heard this she would stop trying to make me happy. I didn't want to go to Ohio, and I didn't want to see that boy ever again. I didn't even want to hear his name.
She didn't give up. "Sophie, don't say that. You don't hate him. Remember all the good times you guys had together? Remember the time you guys went to the beach? You came home with all those seashells, and pictures of that giant sand castle you built together. What happened to all of that?"
I was calm, "Mom, get out of my room." She frowned, moved toward the door, and just before leaving, turned and looked at me, with tears in her eyes, and left.
I could remember all the good times I had with Derek, and I was just a little sad they were over. I remembered that day at the beach. How could I forget? It was the day we had our first real kiss. We spent the entire day walking up and down the shore finding sea shells and sea glass.
I never really liked the beach. I always thought it was too hot and I hated the sand. I didn't like to swim so I never had much fun. After that day I began to love the beach. The weather was perfect, and I found how much fun just looking for shells could be. We made the biggest sand castle I had ever seen and took tons of pictures. We sat on a blanket and watched the sun set, and at the end of that night, he kissed me. I felt on top of the world.
But it doesn't matter, because it's over now, and it will be over forever. I can never move myself back to Ohio, I can never go back to when Derek was my boyfriend, and I can never change the way things are now. So I didn't see the sense in remembering any of it.
