He was always there, next door. He was my best friend we played together every day as kids. We were in the same classes, we grew up together. But… we were never more than friends. In high school we grew apart. I became a cheer leader he joined band. It wasn't cool for a cheerleader to be friends with a band geek. So I did what any girl in high school does I went along with the popular kids. I felt bad always. Gawaine was so nice and we had been such good friends. I still had a little place for him in my heart. We both dated different people, hung out with different people. He tried to talk to me in the halls but I ignored him. I wanted to talk to him but they were always near, the popular kids. I couldn't. What about my reputation? Senior year came and went. I was homecoming queen, prom queen, head cheerleader and I dated the quarterback. That's every girl's dream right? Every girl except me. Gawaine was my dream. Senior year ended and we both went to different schools. He lived at home and went to a state school I went to a big name university and joined a sorority. The years passed but not a day went by that I didn't think about Gawaine. I wondered what he was doing if he was partying hard or studying. If he had a girl friend, if she was pretty, did he ever think about me? Did he ever know how much I care for him? I ended up flunking out of school I'd go to parties every night and get trashed then be too wasted to go to class the next day. It became routine, parties all night sleep all day and party again. I knew I was flunking and it was finals week I didn't care I guess I was drinking to hide my pain. Well there I was at this party the band was playing the music was loud, the crowd was dancing and so was I. It was early on and I had only had few drinks yet. One of my sisters nudged me and told me that the hot guitar player was checking me out, that he'd been watching me all night. I agreed he was hot. He had longish brown hair and stubble covering his jaw and upper lip. He performed shitless and every girl at the party – including me - couldn't help but drool over his chiseled torso with a light dusting of hair. After the band fished their set I decided to say something to the guitar player. I walked up to the stage and he looked at me. He dint smile but he looked me right in the eye and said " Do you ever think about me?"

I was stunned. Who did he think he was? What a cheesy pick up line!

Before I could retort he spoke again "do you even remember me?"

Whaaaattt? I racked my brain. I couldn't think of when I might have ever met this guy before. I would have sworn I hadn't. I thought really hard about it and couldn't think of why I should know him but I thought I should .He shook his head at me and said " I didn't think so."

Then he walked away from me.

I tried to blow it off. He wasn't that good looking, I told myself. Besides that he was a musician and probably poor as dirt.

It kept bothering me throughout the night. I decided I needed drink and I saw one of his band mates in the keg line. He said "Hi" and I said "Hi". Then we were quiet for a bit before he asked "So how do you know Gwaine?"

Gwaine…that must be the guitar player. I nodded "He acted like he knew me but I can't remember for the world how he could. I swear I've never met him. I did know a Gawaine and ...well I don't know what happened to him."

"I saw him watching you. He said you're just as beautiful as when you were kids, maybe even more so."

Kids...it couldn't be, impossible. " Excuse me I think I need some fresh air."

I walked away from the tap and went outside the night air was warm and there was a cool breeze blowing. I sat on the front porch and cried. It was impossible for this to be Gawaine, why get my hopes up. He's probably some weird guy from high school or Jr. high that never got over me. Or he could be some random jerk making stuff up to get me into bed. I heard the door open more people stepped onto the porch, the footsteps were heavy, must be guys. I heard them talk. One of them said " She really didn't remember you, are you sure it's the same girl?"

`"I'm sure." Said the second guy. " She hasn't changed. She did once ,I thought maybe she'd changed back. I guess that was hoping for too much."

"Maybe you should talk to her. Try to jog her memory."

I sat in the same place, no longer crying just listening. I didn't want them to notice me or see me. Those were the guys from the band the guitar player and the guy at the tap, the drummer. Both of them were cute. I wouldn't want them to see me with mascara all over my face.

I was still upset and a sob escaped me. They both got quiet. One of them walked to the edge of the porch where I sat. He put a hand on my shoulder it was strong and comforting... he knelt beside me and wiped a tear from my face. I turned to look at him. He was smiling playfully. His eyes had a slight sparkle to them they were very boyish still and brown, the same deep mischievous brown as..."Oh my god!" I whispered.

"Oh my god!" I said a little louder.

He laughed "So you do remember me?"

I burst into tears and wrapped my arms around him. It WAS Gawaine, my Gawaine. I was so happy. He took my face in his hands and asked "Do you ever think about me?"

"Every second of every minute of every day." I told him.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight while I cried my heart out. It was a dream come true. I flunked out of school that semester. Gwaine had a house with a buddy and his girlfriend; I moved in with them and quit drinking. Gwaine graduated the next year with his masters in music performance. We got married 3 months later and moved back to our hometown. Gwaine opened up a studio where he recorded his own music and that of others and gave music lessons. Seven months later we had our first kid, a baby girl named Hayley. Through the years we had 2 more kids a boy whom we named Matthew and another girl named Judy.

I lived a dream life in high school then flunked out of college and shacked up with a musician...and I couldn't be happier!