"You can't. No." Gretchen Grundler could not believe what she was hearing.
"I know Gretch. I don't want to, but I don't have a choice." The blonde, 5'8 young man told his girlfriend.
"Gus, I can't imagine my life without you anymore. It's our junior year! Can't you just stay two more years?" the redheaded genius asked in dismay.
"I wish I could! My dad got re-assigned; I don't know what else to say."
A lot had changed since fourth grade. In 7th grade Gretchen got braces and by the beginning of 9th grade, they were taken off and the large circular glasses were replaced with contacts. She never put her straight ginger into pigtails ; and puberty was very kind to her. When the kids from Third Street School came to their first day of high school, hardly anyone would recognize the science whizz.
Gus had changed as well, he grew to be five feet and eight inches, two inches shorter than his girlfriend, but he didn't care. His military buzz cut was gone as well, the blonde hair was grown out to the tips of his ears, the longest his father would allow. He was small, but muscular. No one wanted to mess with Griswald, or his friends.
"These have been the best years ever, Gretchen. If you want, we can still make this work."
"Long- distance relationships have an eighty-three percent chance of failure." The upset girl said.
"Stop calculating for once, honey. Think about that seventeen percent. If anyone can do this, I know we can."
"Where are moving to?"
"South Dakota, but …" he stopped at the sight of his girl, tears pouring down her beautiful, freckly face.
"Who- who else knows?" she asked in between sobs.
"No one, for now. I just found out an hour ago. As soon as I could, I came here."
"Do you really think we can keep going?"
"Is Mikey a poet?" he said gently.
"You'll always be with me," Gretchen said, inching closer to her military kid, "In here." She added, putting her long, elegant hand over his heart.
"Forever."
They hadn't kissed before, and this seemed like the time to. They looked into each other's eyes and knew they were meant for each other. Gretchen stooped down a smidge, and their lips met.