A/N: Okay before I start this story, I wanted to write a quick outline/summary for what you guys should expect from it. It's going to cover Kitty and Ryder's story from meeting as five year olds on the playground to their mid-twenties and college. I've planned out 10/11 chapters with each chapter based around an event in their lives from a different age. I was inspired by the song 'Everything has Changed' by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift and the super adorable music video so it'll cover their journey from childhood friends into childhood sweethearts. I would leave some ambiguity but if you've heard the song and know this a Kyder story, you're going to know their endgame. I will try my best to keep up with it and update frequently but life may get in the way. Reviews will motivate me more though so please do leave one if you're reading, it's always good to know people are actually reading your stories! Now, let's get to it…
(First Meetings – Age 5)
Kitty played with her long blonde hair, twirling it around her fingers as she glanced around the classroom full of other children. It had been a few weeks since she started school and she'd made a few friends since she'd started, mainly the girls who lived down her road but they didn't really interest her too much. They were obsessed with Barbie dolls and tea parties, both of which Kitty couldn't stand. She was more interested in running around, playing on the adventure playground and generally getting stuck in with the boys. This hadn't been a problem for Kitty until now. She had two older brothers, both of whom allowed her to play with them and took no prisoners when it came to playground games. However the boys at school and in her class were different, they didn't want to play with her and made it clear that she wasn't welcome to join in, just because she was a girl.
Kitty's eyes moved over each of the tables in the classroom, each occupied by a single gender. She didn't understand why the teacher grouped them like that because she'd rather be sitting with the boys but she knew she couldn't complain, as she didn't want to draw any attention to herself. The girls at her table were either working on simple worksheet they'd been given or talking about who had what Barbie and which Barbies were better than the others. At the next table over, she could hear the boys discussing football teams and who could give the best wedgie. Kitty looked over to the table just as the boy on the end closest to her looked up at the same time. He locked eyes with her, and gave her a small, friendly smile before dropping his eyes back down to the sheet of paper in front of him. Kitty watched him curiously for a few seconds before leaning over the gap in the tables to talk to him. "Hey, are you doing the work?" She asked, trying to think of a way to talk to him.
"No, I'm not." The boy shook his head. "I'm drawing stuff." He shrugged shyly, holding up the piece of paper to show her his doodles, all of which Kitty recognised as the superheroes that her brothers loved to talk about.
"Oh… well your drawings are very good, especially the one of Superman." Kitty nodded as she looked over the boy, taking in his shaggy hair and his cheeky smile.
"Really? You know superheroes? But you're a girl?" The boy asked, looking up at her in surprise as he put the paper back down on the desk and turned to face her.
"So? I have brothers and just because I'm a girl, it doesn't mean anything." Kitty shrugged her shoulders, continuing to play with her hair as she spoke.
"Well you're cool then, cooler than all the other girls here." The boy nodded as he watched her play with her hair. "I'm Ryder by the way." He said as the bell rang for recess and before she could reply, he was yanked out of his seat by one of the other boys and pulled towards the playground.
Kitty sighed as she watched him leave with the other boys, before standing up and making her way out into the playground. All of the other girls headed towards a grassy picnic area where they could play with their dolls. Kitty followed them, sitting down and boredly looking around the playground. Her gaze then fell upon Ryder playing on his own in the sandbox, building sandcastles. She smiled as she saw him playing, standing up and leaving the group of girls to head over to him.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Kitty asked, sitting down in the sand opposite Ryder.
"I'm building a fort for my men." Ryder shrugged, gesturing towards the sandcastle he was building and then towards a pile of superhero action figures lying next to him.
"Okay." Kitty chuckled softly as he explained. "Why aren't you playing with the other boys?" She asked, glancing over at the rest of her boys, who were playing football and tackling each other to the ground on the other side of the field.
Ryder followed her gaze, sighing sadly before he answered. "They said I'm not allowed to play with them because I'm a girl."
"What? But you're a boy?" Kitty asks, frowning in confusion at his answer.
"Yeah but it's because of my hair." Ryder sighed, gesturing to his long, shaggy hair.
"That's stupid, boys are stupid." Kitty nodded. "No offence." She added hurriedly with a chuckle.
"It's okay, the rest of them are." Ryder nodded his head in agreement. "So how come you aren't with the rest of the girls and the Barbies?"
"Because Barbies are stupider than the boys." Kitty shrugged cooly.
"You can say that again." Ryder laughed. "Well since you're here, do you wanna help me with my game?" He asked with his shy, cheeky smile.
"I'd love to." Kitty nodded, returning his smile as she picked up a bucket and started to fill it with sand.
"I don't know if you heard me before but I'm Ryder." Ryder told her as he helped to build the sandcastles.
"Yeah I did." Kitty nodded. "I'm Kitty." She replied, putting the finishing touches to their sand fort.
"Well Kitty, would you like to be Superman or Batman?" Ryder asked, picking up the action figures and offering them to her, smiling as she took the Superman figure.
A/N: So it's a little shorter than I would have liked but there we go, they've met each other and we're off!