a/n: happy valentine's day, guys! i had two snow days in a row so i was able to work on this and i can't believe this is 6.1k. (last time i wrote something over 5k, it took, like, forever. so proud.) i'm really sorry for any mistakes. i'm also sorry if this seemed really awkward.
beta-read by the amazing clara (lydiamartins)!
written for lisa (scintillating stars) in the octavian country day valentine's day exchange.
all the kingdom lights shined
massie/derrick
-x-
we were the kings and the queens
you traded your baseball cap for a crown
-x-
February 14th, 2005.
Massie Block is four years old and her favorite game is "house".
Whenever she and her friends play, she is always forced to be the dog. Massie hates being the dog. She's always forced to crawl around on her hands and knees. What she really wants is to be the mother. She wants to boss her "children" around and be in control of everything that goes on in their pretend household.
The calendar on the wall tells her that it's February 14th. Apparently, it's some sort of special holiday called "Valentine's Day". There are red, pink, and white paper hearts taped all over the preschool classroom; the word "love" keeps showing up and Massie wishes someone would just explain to her what it means.
Massie doesn't even know what Valentine's Day is. She just knows that last year, her daddy had bought her mommy roses and they had left the house for a while to go on something called a "date".
"Do you liiiiike anyone?" Ahnna Pincher, a girl with pretty blonde hair, asks her, elongating the "i" sound in "like" on purpose.
Ahnna is Massie's supposed best friend. But Massie thinks that she is actually quite mean. Ahnna always gets to be the mother, and she is the one who had suggested that Massie be the dog.
"Um, I don't know," Massie shrugs and plays with the pink ribbon in her chesnut hair. She and Ahnna walk to the play kitchen together, inside of the preschool as it's playtime, Massie's favorite time of day. "I like my mommy and daddy?" She isn't quite sure what this word, "like", means. To her, it just means that she thinks something is cool and fun. She likes "house". That's cool and fun.
"No, silly." Ahnna laughs and Massie can see a hint of mischief in her bright green eyes. "What I mean is, do you have a cruuuuuush on anyone?" She elongates the "u" in "crush" this time. Massie is really beginning to get annoyed by this. What point is Ahnna trying to prove?
Massie must look really confused, because Ahnna sees her expression and just laughs harder. "Fine, I'll explain. Do you like a boy? Like, do you want to marry one of them when you grow up? Do you want one of them to be your boyfriend?"
Massie almost trips on a stray Lego piece. As far as she knows, boyfriends were for when she was much, much, much older. Besides, boys are gross. "Well, no," she says. "I don't want a boyfriend."
"What's wrong with boyfriends? I think they're fun." She points to a boy with shaggy blonde hair. Massie thinks he's a little cute. He's certainly not as gross as all the other boys. He isn't as crazy as all the other boys. He isn't making a beeline for the Legos and plastic cars, like all the other boys. He is standing by himself. He's different. "You see that boy?" Massie nods. "That's Derrick Harrington. I think he's adorable. I want him to be my boyfriend."
"That's . . . great," Massie manages.
"I know, right?"
"Um, so . . . I was just wondering, can I be the mother today? Please? Just for one day? Because you're always the mother, and I just want one chance to be the mother, and I promise that you can have Derrick as your boyfriend, in case you were worried that I like him, because I don't, I think boys are gross, and -" Massie has no idea what she is even saying. She just wants to be the mother, for once. The parts about Derrick were completely random; Massie doesn't even know why she even mentioned him. "So, uh, yeah," she concludes.
"Yeah, sure," Ahnna replies, but Massie can see that she's occupied with something — or someone — else. "I might not even play today."
"Why not?" Massie asks. Ahnna always wants to play house. This is a really strange day, she thinks. One of the main reasons Massie wants to be the mother is to boss Ahnna around, anyway, so this new piece of information sucks all the fun out of it.
"I think I'm playing with the boys today."
Massie doesn't even know how to respond to this. The boys and girls never mix during playtime. The boys like to play with the Legos and plastic cars while the girls like to play "house" and play with the dolls. "Fine, whatever," she says. "I'll just be the mother and play with Shauna, Lana, and Brianna."
"Fine." Ahnna storms off in the other direction, towards the box of scattered Legos. Her ruby red Mary Janes catch on a Lego piece and she trips. Massie laughs as Ahnna starts shrieking. She knows it's cruel, but she can't help it. "Derrick, help!" Ahnna cries.
Derrick turns around and he can't seem to find any reason to help her, so he turns back around and continues to build something with Legos. "You know," he comments, "you can just get up yourself. And I really don't think you're hurt."
"Shut up," Ahnna growls. "Can someone help me up?"
Everyone seems to have a mental connection with each other, because they all shake their heads with mischievous smiles on their faces.
"I don't need you guys," Ahnna huffs, and gets up herself. She stomps over to the doll area and starts throwing Barbie dolls, with their perfect porcelain skin and all their features in the right places, at the wall. She gets scolded by the teacher seconds later, but the damage has already been done. Ahnna is put in the time-out chair; she has to sit there for the rest of playtime.
Massie's eyes sweep the room, trying to see everyone's reactions. Her gaze lands on Derrick Harrington and they lock eyes. They both start laughing simultaneously, never taking their eyes off of each other. Derrick starts to walk over to her once the laughter subsides. Massie tugs at her brown hair nervously. She doesn't really know what to do now, because didn't she promise Ahnna that she would stay away from Derrick? But then again, Ahnna has been put in time-out, and, well, a little chat couldn't hurt.
"Hey." Derrick is the first one to speak. "I'm Derrick."
"I know — I mean, I'm Massie. I loved what you said to Ahnna."
"It was nothing. She was really mean. I don't like her at all. But my mommy knows her mommy and they're friends, and they always force us to spend time with each other. She's really bossy. I told my mommy that I didn't like Ahnna, but she said that Ahnna was a very nice girl and I should keep playing with her." Derrick lowers his voice. "The problem is, I think she likes me a lot."
"Wait, so she has a crush on you?" Massie says, making sure to use the new word she had just learned today.
Derrick shrugs. "Maybe. But I don't like her."
"I don't like her too much, either," Massie admits. "But she's my best friend, and I'm supposed to like my best friend, so I guess I like her, but I don't like her at the same time, if that even makes any sense."
He just smiles at her and says, "So, uh, I was wondering if I could play house with you and the other girls today?" The statement comes out as more of a question, and Massie finds his shyness ah-freaking-dorable.
"Yeah, sure. We need a replacement for Ahnna, anyway. But who will you be? I'm usually the dog, and today, Ahnna let me be the mother if I — um, she basically let me be the mother. So you can be the dog, but being the dog is horrible, trust me on this, and, um, oh, I know! You can be the father. There is never a father. So, um, yeah."
"Okay, I'll be the father! What do I have to do?"
"Just go to your pretend job every day, kiss the children when you come home –except, never mind, you don't have to do that—" Massie wrinkles her nose at the mere thought of Derrick kissing Lana, Shauna, and Brianna on the cheek. "—and, just do fatherly stuff. Oh, you're married to me, if you haven't caught on already."
"I don't mind that," Derrick says with a big goofy grin spreading across his face.
"Great." Massie takes his hand and feels butterflies in her stomach. She knows that this is wrong. She's not supposed to even be talking to boys. She is going against everything she said and thought before. But Derrick Harrington is different. He doesn't seem gross at all, because he isn't like all the other boys. It's like they even have some sort of special connection.
They play "house" together and pretend that the preschool classroom is their kingdom and they're the king and queen of it all. Lana, Shauna, and Brianna are their daughters, the princesses. Derrick calls her "m'lady" and Massie can't seem to stop smiling and giggling. They defend their kingdom from evil dragons and other mythical creatures, and like in a fairytale, always come out victorious. It's the best thirty minutes of her life.
She's so happy that she doesn't even notice the glares Ahnna Pincher sends her way from the time-out chair on the other side of the room. You lied,she mouths. You lied.
The next day, Ahnna Pincher comes back to the play kitchen and forbids Derrick Harrington from playing "house" ever again.
Massie Block never forgets what happened on February 14th, 2005.
-x-
February 14th, 2010.
"I need you to be my fake girlfriend."
Derrick Harrington, the boy from preschool, is standing outside the Block's front door. It's raining cats and dogs outside—he's dripping wet and his blond bangs are sticking to his forehead. He looks like he's been running from someone or something.
"Uh, um, uh . . ." Massie sputters. She hasn't talked to Derrick in five years and this isn't really the way she imagined their reunion would go. In her mind, it would be more of a fairytale-esque setting. She would be in a beautiful princess styled dress and would have a crown, maybe one made out of roses and lilies, and high heels, even though she can't walk in them yet; he would have ditched his casual shorts for something more formal and his floppy bangs would be slicked back. They would be the reigning king and queen, just like they used to be.
But after all, that is just her dream, taken straight from the pages of a fairytale. Reality isn't like that. Not at all.
"Just, please," Derrick begs, "There's this girl chasing me and she claims that she loves me but I just met her less than five minutes ago and I think she's really annoying and insane and besides, I'm nine years old and I really shouldn't be dating anyone and she wants me to be her boyfriend and — can you please just pretend to be my girlfriend so that she would go away?" He stops to catch his breath.
Massie raises an eyebrow. "I thought you said you were too young to be dating anyone." She smirks, proud of herself for finding a flaw in his plan. Really, she just wants to show off her superior intellect.
"You won't actually be my girlfriend," he states like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You'll be my fake girlfriend."
"But still, I haven't seen you in five years and suddenly you're at my door, trying to convince me to pretend to be your girlfriend and — hold up. How did you know where I lived?" None of this makes any sense to her. Derrick Harrington from preschool can't just randomly show up at her front door after five years, asking her to be his fake girlfriend. It's just not right.
"I, uh, well, Ahnna told me," Derrick admits.
"You – you still talk to Ahnna? And when did she tell you?"
"Um, kindergarten?"
"So what I'm getting is, you've stalked me since kindergarten." Massie shakes her head, mildly amused but mostly just surprised. Derrick Harrington kept tabs on her for more than four years. Her mind is spinning as she tries to process this.
"God, Massie, why do you have to make everything so complicated? Please, I'm begging you. I'll explain later. Please, just help me get rid of this girl."
"I haven't seen you in five years and — you know what, fine." Massie throws her hands up in the air, exasperated. "What do I have to do?"
There are a lot of things that are still unanswered. Why did Derrick pick her, out of all people? She isn't special, really; she's just another one of Ahnna Pincher's little minions. Ahnna was always in the spotlight, so why didn't he pick Ahnna? Then there's the fact that they haven't contacted each other in five years. Massie went to Presbyterian Elementary and Middle School, and Derrick went to . . . she doesn't even know what school he went to, just that it was not the same school as her.
Derrick's voice cuts her out of her thoughts. "Great! Thank you so much. All you need to do is follow me outside and nod and smile when I introduce you to Layne." Layme name, Layne, Massie thinks, giggling slightly. "And maybe improvise some lines about how much you love me."
"Oh my god," Massie says, punching him on the arm. Derrick winces slightly, but it's clear on his face that it didn't hurt that much and he is just playing around with Massie.
She follows him into the rain and immediately wishes that she had put on her coat. Her two-thousand dollar clothes are going to be drenched by the end of this. A few strands of her chestnut hair are already clinging to the side of her face. She also wishes that she had changed into better shoes, like rain boots or sneakers. Her pale pink ballet flats feel extremely uncomfortable and are sticking to the soles of her feet.
"Derrick, remind me again why I'm doing this, please?" Raindrops are coming down heavily and sticking to the brim of Massie's eyelashes. She can barely even see through the rain. "And please, tell me why you even let Layme — Layne, sorry — chase you outside into the rain."
"Don't ask questions," is Derrick's response. Massie resists the urge to tell him that the last one wasn't a question, it was a statement, but she pushes that thought, and all others, aside when Derrick grabs her hand. She feels like she's on Cloud Nine. She feels fearless. She feels invincible. (She also feels butterflies in her stomach, like she did five years ago in preschool, but that doesn't hold her back.) Massie Block is ready to show this Layme Layne girl up.
"She's right there," Derrick says, pointing to a girl with mousy brown hair standing a few houses in front of them. She is wearing a raincoat with fake paint splatters all over it and white pants with red hearts on them. Derrick notices Massie staring at Layne's clothing choices and says, "Yeah, Layne has a pretty unique sense of style. I've learned that she likes being different."
There's nothing wrong with being different, Massie thinks, because how else could you stand out? But there was good different, and there was bad different. She puts Layne in the "bad different" category. What kind of nine year old chased a boy around in the rain and wore clothes like that? Massie shudders.
"Derrick, where are you?" Layne calls. Derrick and Massie start running faster so that they're only a few feet behind her. Layne doesn't notice, and keeps calling Derrick's name.
"Ready?" he whispers.
"I was born ready," Massie mutters. She puts on a smile and tries to pretend like she's having fun, although she would much rather be sitting back home, where the rain couldn't get to her.
"Layne," Derrick says. "I'm right here."
"Oh my god, Derrick, I was so worried!" Layne pulls Derrick into a bone-crushing hug and he winces, in response. Massie giggles, covering her mouth with her hand so that Layne wouldn't hear. After fifteen or so seconds, Layne pulls away, smiling broadly. "I hugged you. There. Now you haveto be my boyfriend," she announces in a matter-of-fact tone.
"What?" Derrick exclaims, stepping back. "No, I can't be your boyfriend. You see, uh, I already have a girlfriend."
"WHAT? WHO? WHERE IS SH-" Layne's eyes land on Massie. "Oh."
"Hey," Massie says politely. "I'm Massie Block."
Layne doesn't even bother to answer and just storms off down the street, probably heading back to wherever their party was being held.
"Don't you feel a little guilty?" As Massie watches Layne fade into the distance, she feels guilty about having done that to her. No matter how weird Layne was, she didn't deserve that. She knew from firsthand experience that being rejected was not a good feeling. She experienced that with Ahnna Pincher all the time.
"I guess," Derrick says. "But, I mean, I tried everything and she still wouldn't go away. This was the best option."
"I guess so." Massie shrugs it off. "Can I go home now?"
"Sure, I'll walk you there. Or run you there." Derrick grabs hold of Massie's hand again. Together, hand in hand, they run back the way they came. Massie smiles, a genuine smile this time. They run into raindrops and tree branches that cloud their vision, but they always keep running. All the guilt that she felt about what they did to Layne leaves Massie. Now, it's just her and Derrick against the world, two naïve nine year olds crazily running around in the rain.
Once they reach Massie's front door, they slow down and come to a stop, slightly out of breath. "Happy Valentine's Day, Massie Block," Derrick says, breathing heavily. "I'll see you around. Thanks again."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Derrick Harrington."
-x-
February 14th, 2013.
"Massie, it's the day of the big dance, and you're telling me that you still don't have a date?" Alicia Rivera, a Spanish beauty with raven colored hair, says. She snaps her makeup compact shut and puts her eyeliner back in her makeup bag, with a roll of her chocolate eyes. "You're the most popular girl in school. How embarrassing would it be if you showed up without a date? And as you very well know, everyone's rooting for you to win Sweetheart Queen."
Alicia had been Massie's new best friend ever since she transferred to Octavian Country Day School in the midst of fifth grade. Since then, she had changed a lot. She was no longer one of Ahnna's faithful followers, instead becoming the leader, or alpha, of her own clique, the Pretty Committee. She is also the most popular girl in the seventh grade at OCD. Massie really likes her new life; she wonders how she ever survived at PMS, without the Pretty Committe by her side.
She grabs the books she needs for her afternoon classes, and slams her locker door shut. "God, Alicia, I don't need to win at everything."
"Well, one of Josh's friends still doesn't have a date. He's supposedly the most popular boy at Briarwood." Briarwood Academy is Octavian Country Day's brother school. It's an all-boys school, and usually the girls from OCD like the boys there, or so Massie's heard.
Massie arches an eyebrow to show that she's interested. It's her way of telling Alicia to go on. "His name is Derrick Harrington," Alicia states.
Massie's blood freezes. Derrick Harrington. The boy she met in preschool. The boy who asked her to be his fake girlfriend in fourth grade. The boy she hasn't spoken to since then. Now, she isn't like her friend Alicia, who flirts with all the cute boys she sees and has had about a million crushes, nor is she like her friend Dylan, who distances herself from boys and always tries to avoid them. Massie has never really had a real crush. Derrick Harrington was a special case, and it was really hard to explain their relationship to her friends, if it could even be classified as a relationship.
"Ah, Derrick's adorable," Dylan Marvil, their red-headed friend with a love for food, says, joining them as they walk to fifth period. "You should totally go to the dance with him, Mass."
"I would've thought that a popular boy like him would already have a date," Massie says, choosing her words carefully. She can't let her friends know that she already knows Derrick.
"You thought wrong, then," Alicia says. "Josh told me Derrick was holding out for some special girl he met in preschool, or something. He said that Derrick hadn't seen this girl in around three years, and he didn't want to go to the dance without her. Which is a shame, because if he had a date, he would totally be crowned Sweetheart King."
"And you would be crowned Sweetheart Queen," Dylan adds. "So that's why you two should go to the dance together."
Massie's mind whirls. She is almost certain that she is the special girl Derrick was talking about. "Um, thanks, guys, for trying to match us up, but really, I'm fine with going alone. Hey, you gotta be single to mingle!"
She is the only one of her friends without a date. Even Claire Lyons, who just moved to Westchester from Florida a few months ago, has a date (Cameron Fisher, the boy with one blue eye and one green eye). Kristen Gregory, their super smart, super athletic friend is going with Kemp Hurley, Dylan is going with Chris Plovert, and Alicia is going with Josh Hotz.
Massie tells herself that dates don't matter; they're only in the seventh grade, after all, but a little part of her wants to ask Derrick to the dance, or the other way around.
-x-
"Hey, Massie Block."
Derrick Harrington is standing at her door again, and she feels a sense of déjà vu. It feels just like fourth grade. Massie hasn't seen him in years.Derrick Harrington really has a habit of showing up at my front door on Valentine's Day, she thinks.
"My god, Derrick," she says. "It's been three years. What is it this time?" She places her hands on her hips in an annoyed manner. She glances down at the designer watch on her wrist. "I have a dance to go to."
"Yeah, well, I'm going to that dance, too. You look nice, by the way." Derrick offers her a smile. Massie blushes slightly, looking at the ground, her fingers entwined. She is wearing her favorite dress today — it's a lovely deep red halter neck dress with a silver belt around the waist and a lily flower pinned beneath her right shoulder. She is carrying a silver Alexander McQueen clutch and on her feet are silver glittery Prada platform heels. Her hair is twisted into a chignon, with a few loose strands of hair dangling on both sides of her face. She feels older than twelve. She feels like a princess. The compliment from Derrick warms her like a cup of hot chocolate.
"Thank you," Massie says, and she means it. "But seriously, what do you want?"
"Since we're both going to the dance, and we both don't have dates, um, will you go to the dance with me?" Derrick asks, meekly. "And not as my fake date this time."
Massie's head starts spinning again. She is really tempted to say yes, and not just because her friends want her to go with Derrick. She likes being around Derrick. She always has fun with him, and the two of them make a great team. Whether or not she's ready for the two of them to become a couple, she's not sure. She doesn't even know Derrick that well.
"Okay," she simply answers.
Derrick takes her hand and Massie feels like she's flying again. If she happens to fall, she knows that Derrick will be there to catch her. "I've missed you, Massie," he says.
"I've missed you, too," Massie finds herself saying.
-x-
The gymnasium of Octavian Country Day School has been completely made over. There is a huge banner hanging at the back of the room that reads "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY". Massie is hit with waves of nostalgia as she remembers that one Valentine's Day back in preschool. The preschool classroom back then and the OCD gymnasium now are decorated similarly, with pink, red, and white hearts lining the walls. There is a disco ball hanging from the ceiling at the center of the room and bright neon lights are flashing all around in a way that's almost blinding.
It looks like something straight out of a movie, a classic crazy middle school dance. It reminds Massie vaguely of the crazy parties in the Capitol fromThe Hunger Games trilogy, except without the crazy hair colors and bizarre fashion choices. The energy level in the gymnasium is very high. The songs are all very upbeat and easy to dance to, which makes things a lot simpler.
"Who in their right mind decides to have a school dance on Thursday?" Massie shakes her head. "Everyone's going to be so tired tomorrow. And we're only middle schoolers, for heaven's sake."
Derrick nods, agreeing. "I bet someone spiked the punch. Or whatever drink they're offering."
She makes a face. She cranes her neck to see the drinks table and says, "Yeah, it's punch." She scans the room, looking for her friends. Massie finds Dylan and Chris standing by the food table, eating chocolate covered strawberries. Typical. Alicia and Josh are laughing and dancing on the dance floor. Claire and Cam are standing off to one side, talking about who-knows-what. Kristen and Kemp are nowhere to be found. Kristen did mention that she felt a little sick a few hours ago, though.
"You know what's strange, Massie?" Derrick says. Massie stops looking around the gym. "I've always thought of you as more of the type of girl who loves partying. I thought you'd be in the middle of the dance floor."
"Yeah, well, not when it's Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is supposed to be romantic. And this . . ." She gestures to the couples jumping around on the dance floor. ". . . is not romantic." She sighs. "But then again, what do I know about romance? I've never been in love; at least I don't think so. I've just read a lot of romance novels and magazines."
"Hang on a sec." Derrick grins. He starts weaving his way through the partying crowd of kids. Massie has no choice but to watch everyone have fun while she waits for her date to come back. God, what was Derrick even doing? She hopes that he isn't ditching her for his soccer friends, or, even worse, another girl.
"Mass! Oh my god, hi," a voice says behind her. Massie whirls around and sees Alicia Rivera, with Dylan Marvil, Kristen Gregory, and Claire Lyons trailing behind her. She doesn't know exactly how they managed to find each other, having been in different corners of the gym.
"Did you find a date?" Kristen asks.
"Wait, Kris, I thought you were sick," Massie says. "Oh, and yes, I did."
"I got better," Kristen says. "And oh my god, who is it? And where is he?"
"It's Derrick Harrington. And he's off doing something. I don't know what. He said he'd be back in a sec." Massie tries to look for his shaggy blond hair in the crowd of people, but too many heads are in the way.
"No way!" Alicia shrieks. "Did he ask you? Or did you ask him? When? How do you even know him?" She stops to catch her breath. "And I thought you said you were fine with going alone."
"I—" Massie begins. She's glad that she doesn't have to continue when she spots Derrick a few feet away from her. "Uh, there he is. I'll talk to you guys later. Bye." Her friends exchange confused glances with each other, but leave shortly after. Massie exhales sharply. She didn't want to explain to her friends about her and Derrick's backstory. They would ask too many questions, and it would take way too long.
"Where were you?" she asks him once he's right next to her.
"I was just requesting a slow song. You said you wanted real romance, so here you go," Derrick replies, sheepishly.
Massie's eyes widen, surprised. "You really didn't have to," she says. "I'm fine with staying here and just watching, really."
"Come on, Massie," he says, grabbing her hand just as the slow song he requested starts playing. "May I have this dance?"
She giggles. "Yes, you may."
They dance together and become one, swiftly moving through the crowd of people as they make their way to the center of the gym. They understand each other perfectly, and never step on each other's feet. He dips her and twirls her around.
Everyone's watching them by this point. The shouting and screaming subsides. They are in full command of the dance floor. They move gracefully and on the beat. It's like it's just the two of them in the room. Everything else disappears, and they lose themselves in the music. They are perfectly in sync with each other, never missing a step, and never making a mistake. Their dancing skills when they are together seem to be impeccable.
When the song is over, someone shouts, "Another one, please!"
Massie and Derrick lose track of time as the DJ plays one slow song after another. Other couples are dancing, too, but none of them are as radiant as the two of them. A spotlight is put on them, and everyone knows that they are the couple of the night. Massie thinks that this is what Valentine's Day should be like. They should play slow songs from now on, instead of the typical pop music.
When the time comes, they are crowned Sweetheart King and Queen. No one is surprised. They ruled the dance floor and took everyone's breath away. They are truly a force to be reckoned with. The Pretty Committee beam at Massie, proud of their best friend. The lights are shining just for them. They rule the world, or at least the Octavian Country Day gymnasium.
As they stand onstage, with their golden crowns atop their heads, Derrick whispers in Massie's ear, "Was that romantic enough?"
"Oh, Derrick," Massie says, putting her arms around Derrick's neck. "It was perfect. Thank you."
They lean in to kiss just as the photographer snaps their picture.
-x-
They are together for the next few months and become something similar to the golden couple of Westchester, and everybody else envies them. He treats her like a queen and gives her everything she wants, and Massie wonders why in the world it took so long for them to get together.
She attends his soccer games and always gives him a congratulatory kiss when his team wins the game. Even when they don't win, which is a rare occurrence, she kisses him anyway, and he feels instantly better. They go on Starbucks dates and love flirting with each other. He gives her little gifts every few weeks and she does the same for him. Everyone can tell that they Massie and Derrick were simply just meant to be.
They kiss on the Fourth of July, under the fireworks, creating some magic of their own. They go to the beach with their friends and laugh as they splash each other with water; they stand by the shoreline, frigid water lapping at their ankles, and feel invincible, just like so many years prior. He compliments her every day and tells her she looks beautiful. She feels beautiful, every day.
When school starts, they make sure to text each other every period of the day. Girls send jealous glares her way and wish that they had a boyfriend like hers. He picks her up from school sometimes and they ride home together on his bike, with her clinging on to him for dear life.
It all seems perfect—a little too perfect.
-x-
"I'm moving to London."
Those four words change everything. Massie doesn't want to move, but it's not her choice, it's her parents'. Her family lost a lot of money a few weeks ago, and moving seemed to be the best solution. Her father found a new job, one that would make them even richer than before, in a country all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. All her begging and pleading with her parents to let her stay with Alicia, Claire, Dylan, or Kristen, were to no avail.
Derrick doesn't know how to process this. He hopes that she's lying, but the dismal look on her face tells him that she's not lying. He wants her to stay, but knows that it's not possible. Massie Block, the love of his life, is leaving him.
"I'm sorry, Derrick. I really am." Massie starts crying, and Derrick immediately pulls her into a hug. They both never want to pull away and want this moment to last forever. She wants to stay in his arms forever, where she's safe. But there's no such thing as forever, or so it seems.
"I'll come visit you," Derrick promises, but Massie knows that it's not going to work out. Long distance relationships never work out. All they can do is never forget and keep hoping.
Those four words have sent their sturdy castle walls crashing down as their own little fairytale ends.
-x-
February 14th, 2014.
Derrick Harrington does not attend the Valentine's Day dance this year. While all his friends are dancing and having a blast, he is sitting at home, nostalgically looking at old photos of him and Massie together.
His heart's broken, and maybe he doesn't want to be whole again. Maybe he can't be whole again, if his other half is an entire ocean away from him.
-x-
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Massie Block is doing the same thing. With every picture comes a new memory; she fingers the pictures carefully as if trying to grasp onto the memory, not letting it slip out of her reach.
-x-
At the same time, they both pick up the picture from the seventh grade Valentine's Day Dance, where they were crowned Sweetheart King and Queen. They both smile, knowing that that was a day they ruled the world and everything was theirs.
In a way, they still rule the world. After all, true love can stretch over any distance. Maybe their paths will cross again someday.
The kingdom lights will always shine for them. They are, and always will be the rightful king and queen.
-x-
'cause bring on all the pretenders
one day we will be remembered