Author's note - Ah, insomnia my old friend. Anyway, yeah, couldn't sleep and had to write an English paper about the use of love in modern literature. Guess what we got? And yes, I have a bunch of food allergies (but not peanuts surprisingly, but milk, soy, food colourings etc) so the stuff about the epi-pen and what not. Totally lived through it.

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First romance, first love, is something so special to all of us, both emotionally and physically, that it touches our lives and enriches them forever. - Rosemary Rogers

Distance

She opened her locker and there it was in all of it's dairy free, nut free glory. She also knew that he had to drive four hours round trip to find the dark chocolate peanut butter cupcake. She also knew that he had an honours math exam today.

"Mike, you didn't have to."

He shrugged. "I saw how upset you were when Rachel brought those cupcakes into Glee."

She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his chest. "I almost don't want to eat it…it means a lot."

"Please, eat it." He said, pulling back and smiling. "Or else it makes my $110 speeding ticket so not worth it."

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Horror movie

He knew that she was scared, the way she shrunk into the couch, the way she pulled her blanket up to her chin.

"This movie is a classic." He said moving closer, allowing her to bury her head in his chest. "Well it's supposed to be."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure you didn't get it just so you could grope a feel?"

His face grew red, but he shook his head adamantly. "No."

Burying deeper in his embrace she rolled her eyes. He grinned, allowing his hand to drop over her shoulder.

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Time

It amazed him how little it took for Tina to get ready. Most girls he knew, his sister included, took at least 45 minutes to get ready. It took Tina less than 15, and she always looked gorgeous.

"Do you just roll out of bed and look amazing?" He asked one day, receiving a deep blush from Tina.

"Shut up Mike."

He looked at his watch, and back when he saw her skip down the stairs, wearing a pair of jeans, a dark shirt, and looking amazing as always. "You do, don't you?" He teased.

"Speak for yourself." She retorted messing up his hair.

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Summer

Mike loved summer. He loved swimming, he loved the freedom, heck, he even loved working as a counsellor at camp. Though the last one was for two reasons. Tina and heat. It was always hot at Asian Camp. Always. And when it was hot, it usually meant tank tops and bikinis. He might be a respectful Asian boy, but even respectful Asian boys can look with beautiful girls wear bikinis. And Tina filled that roll for him.

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Fear

He remembers the first time he felt real fear. They were sitting in the cafeteria, eating the school lunch. Tina's face screwed up and she started gasping for air. They all stared as Finn tore off to the lunch line.

Mike rummaged through her bag, tears in his eyes, looking for the yellow tube he knew she kept close.

"They…they said it may contain peanuts…"

His hands were shaking as he flipped off the cap and stabbed her in the leg.

They said he saved her life.

It was the least he could do. She saved his.

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Hospital

She had to stay in the hospital for three days after her allergy attack. His parents had to force him to school, but as soon as he was able he was at the hospital. He brought her homework that never got done, he brought her DVDs that never got watched, he brought her books that never got read. The nurses came by, but none of them had the heart to separate the couple. Instead they just pulled a blanket over their prone bodies and smiled. They woke him up at the same time every night so he could go home, but they would find him the next morning in the same position.

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Bills

"My mom took away my cell." She said sadly.

"It's okay, mine got taken away too." He shrugged. "Apparently I used up all my minutes."

"Me too. My mom flipped when she saw that we talk for hours late at night."

Mike shrugged. "I have to work mine off at my dad's office. Filing." He leaned in, his mouth close to her ear. "But it's worth it."

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Pain

He knew she was going to hit him. And probably really hard. But he waited nonchalantly beside her locker. The balloons flew out of her locker, streamers falling, confetti coating the floor.

"Happy anniversary!" He chanted before tearing off down the hallway.

"You're going to pay for that in blood!" Tina cried.

His shoulder hurt from where she hit him, but he grinned when he saw her show the necklace to Quinn with pride.

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Mornings

Mike Chang was NOT a morning person. He would sleep in until noon if he was allowed. But that was before he met Tina Cohen-Chang. She loved the morning, she was up with the sun with a smile on her face.

That's the reason why at 7am he was sitting in a café, drinking a coffee and watching Tina eat her muffin with a smile. That's the reason he's stared going to bed at 10pm.

She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly.

That's the reason why he has a smile on his face.

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Raid

Mike's mom watched as her son at the kitchen table reading each box, slowly separating the food into two piles.

"What are you doing Mikey?"

The boy didn't look up, but kept at his work until everything in their pantry was separated. He pulled out a black magic marker and started meticulously labelling things.

"Mom, can we keep these in another cupboard?"

"Why?"

He looked up. "They have peanuts and dairy." He said bluntly.

His mom sighed and put them in a box. "She's coming over?"

He smiled and continued labelling.

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Love

"I want you all to write about love." Their teacher, Mrs. Wilson said with a smile. "It doesn't have to be love for another person, but just what love is."

Tina looked down at her blank piece of paper before slowly writing.

Mike wrote quickly, his loopy scrawl taking up the paper.

"Now keep them. Look at them. Remember that you have it. When days suck, look at it."

Leaving the room, Mike glanced at Tina. She smiled back, their hands linked.

"What'd you write?"

She passed him her piece of paper. He passed her his.

Mike Chang.

Tina Cohen-Chang.