11 years old

I sat on a branch of the oak tree in my front yard. I looked over the sunset, smiling. I heard the sound of the leaves moving, I looked over and saw the boy across the street from me, Travis Stoll.

"Hey Katie" he smiled. I just stared at him.

"How'd you know I was up here?" I asked him. His sky blue eyes sparkled.

"I saw you through the leaves" he grinned. I laughed and patted the spot next to me. He crawled over and sat next to me.

"Wow, it's really pretty up here" he looked around. A small smile played on my lips and I nodded.

"Yeah, I come up here all the time, to get away, relax" I told him. We've known each other our whole lives and were good friends. Except when he would prank me, then I'd yell at him and come up here.

"Well, it's very relaxing" he said. I smiled.

"Why did you come up here?" I asked him. He shrugged, his curly brown hair falling in his eyes.

"I wanted to know what you were doing here" he looked me straight in the eye.

"Well, now you do" I smiled at him. A piece of my dark red hair fell in my eye, I pushed it back behind my ear.

13 years old

I climbed my tree as fast as possible and sat on the tree branch and let tears fall from my grass green eyes. I put my back to the thick trunk of the tree and put my arms around my legs, bringing them close to me. I put my head down.

"Katie, are you okay?" I heard a voice ask. I lifted my head and blinked to focus my vision. I saw a tall, scrawny boy, my age, with curly brown hair and sky blue eyes.

"What does it look like?" I asked. He frowned and opened his arms. I let myself in his arms and cried.

"What happened?" his voice was soft. His arms were around me so I looked up at him.

"He- he died" I said. He understood how this felt, for years he thought his dad was dead, but then found out he just left his mother, brother, and himself. Now all I had was my grandmother and two sisters.

"It's okay" he soothed in my ear. I put my head on his shoulder and hugged him. After I was cried out, I let go of him and kissed his cheek. He stared at me.

"Thanks Travis" I smiled at him and jumped down the branches.

15 years old

I walked outside with a book and sat on the steps to the porch. I heard something snap and I looked up and saw Travis through the leaves picking at the bark. I smiled and set my book down and climbed the tree. I sat next to him.

"Hey" I bumped his shoulder with mine. "What's up?" I've had a secret crush on him since we were ten, but always restrained myself, even when he had girlfriends and I had a boyfriend or two.

"Nothing really, but Kayla and I broke up" he said. I frowned, but on the inside I was bubbling with joy.

"What happened?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"We never really talk anymore, we're still friends, but it'll always be that awkward tension, you know?" he said. I nodded.

"Well, that's… I have nothing to say about that, but I do have to go and help Olivia and Miranda with dinner, I'll see you later" I smiled at him and prepared myself to jump down. He grabbed my wrist before I could.

"Wait, Katie" he said. I glanced at the kitchen window and sat back down. He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him. I blushed as he did. His face was a centimeter away from mine.

I glanced at his lips that were really close to mine. He leaned into me and kissed me on the lips. I was too shocked to do anything at first then I remembered this was the boy I've had a crush on since I was ten. I put my arms around his neck and played with his soft, curly hair. I pulled away first and just stared at him.

"Katie, I'm so sorry" he apologized.

"No, it's fine, but I've got to go help them cook, I'll see you later" I jumped down the branches and went inside, but not before waving to him and smiling, but crying on the inside because he probably didn't like me that way.

17 years old

I sat on the tree branch, it was summer and Travis moved away not long ago. We were dating since his 16th birthday and ever since he moved across the state. I sighed as I looked over the sunset like the first time we sat in the tree together.

I smiled as I knew he was probably looking at the same sunset I was, maybe even in a tree like this one. I remember a few months ago when we sat in this tree and laughed over what the teachers have said on accident in front of us. I smiled and imagined him next to me again when I saw him next.

Same time, Travis's POV

I climbed the oak tree in my family's backyard. I made sure there was one at our new house. I sat on the tallest branch and played with the leaves while I thought of Katie. I couldn't wait to see her again. I hated that my mom got a better job offer and made us move.

I was still somewhat angry at my mom for doing it. I hated that girls at my new school wouldn't get it through their heads that I had a girlfriend and completely loved her. I hated that I couldn't be with my friends. I hated that this oak tree didn't carry the same memories the old one did. But most of all, I hated I couldn't create better ones on this one and I every time I looked or thought or touched this tree I thought of Katie's tree.

All I wanted to do was see her again.

19 years old

I had come back home for the summer after my first year of college. I grinned as I saw my favorite pick up truck. It was run down, rusted, had chipped dark blue paint, was dented in many spots, and held some of my favorite memories.

Someone's arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind. I knew the arms so well I could glance at them and know who's they were. I turned around and hugged my boyfriend. I almost cried in happiness from just hugging him again. I felt his curly hair on my neck and I smiled. I pulled away from the hug.

"I haven't seen you since March" I kissed him.

"I love you too" Travis smiled. We turned to the tree. I looked at him and we raced to the tree. I made it to the top before he did.

"I missed this oak tree so much" he smiled. I grinned at him.

"Me too"

So I got the idea for this from a super tall tree my neighbor has, It's leaves are already falling and I can see all the branches and I got the idea for this one-shot from it. I hope you guys liked it as much as I liked writing it.

I'm sorry to say that on my other stories, A Summer To Find Love and We'll Always Have Paris are both almost done, just a few more chapters, sadly. I love writing them and already have the next to new story plots figured out.

Love you guys!

~WhenWeMeetAgain