(A/N: I'm not a fan of Taylor Swift, but this sentence fits this story perfectly.)
We were both young when I first saw you, I close my eyes and the flashback starts.
He was just five, a mess of a little boy. Unruly dark curls falling over his face, casually brushed aside, yet stubbornly dropping back into place. His dark, brooding eyes stayed focussed on her, the girl that he knew, even at his tender age, was beautiful. That young, pure face of hers, framed by her blond hair. She would always be so attractive, the center of attraction, subject of lust and jealousy. Even in kindergarten, she was in the 'clique' that everyone else did not dare approach.
Her best friend, a slightly pouty brunette with sharp features, scrutinising the class with an air of superiority that came with being an only child, spoilt and accommodated at all cost. A striking blond boy, whose light hair was accented with darker streaks, his blue eyes bright and friendly, wearing a smart checked shirt and earning smiles from his female classmates. Their companion, a dark-haired boy with a shadier aura, scornful of his peers, wearing a sharp blazer and tie, a scarf he was never seen without tucked scruffily into his messenger bag.
But she was all he could see. He saw beyond her company, right into her smile. A hearty laugh, one that filled the room, and her grin was sunshine. A picture of pure bliss, innocence, she seemed larger than life. Her eyes gave everyone a friendly glance, like she was truly happy to see them. Even to him. She was the only girl that made his little heart flutter that way. He wanted so much to talk to her, say hi, let her know that there was a Daniel Humphrey in her class.
But he knew, he would always just be one guy. Girls like her grew up to date the Nathaniel Archibalds and Charles Basses, not Daniel Humphreys. She was beautiful, and she deserved the best. He would probably only know her from afar. As that dazzling blond beauty that he saw, liked, maybe even loved. Invoking images of the rainbows, perfect waves, fountain pens, and everything else that meant 'happy' to a five-year-old. His dad's special acoustic guitar that he was forbidden to touch. Waffles with maple syrup. Little notebooks. And now, one more to add to the list.
Serena van der Woodsen.