Next day I tried looking for Kylie so we could talk more, but I couldn't find her. She must've been really busy with all her cheerleading practice. But of course, I saw my prince charming, Spiny. He was wearing a dark green button-down shirt and black jeans. It really made his blue eyes stand out.

He looked so adorable and irresistible. We didn't get to talk that much, mostly because we were in our classes and during lunch he wasn't there. So I sat with Kathy, Patty, Miranda, Meagan, and Darla.

Of course, their main interest was how I'd been going with Spiny. "So…" said Miranda.

I stared at her dumbfounded. "So…what?"

"So….how's it going with…you know…"

"With what?"

"Oh, you know what we mean!" Meagan said.

I shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kathy started whistling "The Wedding March." I rolled my eyes at her and elbowed her. "Oooh. You got angry!"

I felt my cheeks coloring and I couldn't fight the smile that was coming on my face. They all started going, "Oooooh!"

"Stop it!" I yelled.

"So, when's he going to ask you?" said Miranda.

"Ask me what?"

"Ask you to be his girlfriend?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I mean, he's kinda shy around me, you know. It's like he wants to say something but, he won't dare to. But…I don't know. He's nice. And he's wonderful. And smart. And dreamy. He's cute and adorable." I was off in la-la land again.

I was like that almost the entire day. Then, after the last bell rang, I was at my locker getting my things. I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around and my heart stopped. "Hi, Lilia." It was him. My pulse accelerated. And when he smiled at me, I felt the blood rising to my cheeks.

"Um…h-hi." I stuttered and started trembling all over. "How are you?" he said. Completely in love with you. I wanted to say that so badly. But his angelic smile had stopped my speaking abilities.

"Oh, fi-fine."

He didn't stop smiling. My heart just started melting. "Listen, I was wondering, since we have to present our project tomorrow, maybe today we can to the actual experiment."

"Uh, yeah sure." But I wanted to leap up and down for joy. Another afternoon spent with Spiny! I couldn't wait.

He grabbed my hand and we started walking down the hallway.

Out of nowhere, Kylie appeared. "Oh, hi Spiny. Ready for our swimming date?"

My heart froze. Had I just heard what I thought I heard? I looked at Spiny. He had a blank expression on his face. Like he didn't know what to say. That's when I realized that everyone in the hallways was watching the three of us.

Before I knew what I was doing, I ran out of the school, pushing out everyone and everything that got in my way. Behind me, I heard Spiny's voice yelling for me to wait, but I couldn't stop running.

I got on my bike and started pedaling so hard I thought my legs would bust and my lungs would burst. I pedaled and pedaled and kept going, crossing streets, running stop signs and red lights, and almost killing myself about three times and even made a minor car accident in an empty lot.

Somehow, I ended up in the park. When I got there, I threw my bike aside, not caring if someone tripped over it or stole it. Then I walked up the stairs of the slide and just sat there. I wrapped my arms around my legs and just started crying.

I cried so hard that I lost my breathing for a while; not kidding. I had never been so humiliated and embarrassed in my whole life! How could he have done that? How could Spiny have been so dishonest! So cruel! So mean! So inconsiderate!

I could not believe it. The boy of my dreams. The one whom I thought would soon be for my own. And now…I guess Mom was right. Even the cutest boys can really break your heart into pieces. But Spiny? I was so hurt, like I'd never been hurt in my whole life. Life no longer had meaning for me. How would I ever face the others? Would things change between us?

I was sitting there for about ten minutes, when I heard footsteps. I looked up, but couldn't see much, because of all the tears. It looked more like looking from inside a car in a car wash. I literally couldn't see anything. It was a washout.

All I saw was a figure, panting and weak from running. I pretended not to see. I didn't want to be near anyone, but I didn't really feel like going anywhere either.

So I just there, while the person that I had seen stepped under the slide and sat on the ground. I tried to remain invisible by staying as quiet as possible.

It was very hard.

I had to use all the willpower that I had left in me to remain silent. I had to keep my suffering and sorrows to myself.

And I certainly wasn't about to tell my parents about this. I would die of embarrassment, and I would never be the same person myself again.

Not only that, but, somehow, all those years of having liked Spiny really affected me. I still felt a small tinge of hope deep in my heart, and I didn't want to ruin it.

But at the same time, I could feel that small tinge of hope getting smaller and smaller. I then realized that I would have to avoid Spiny completely and never see him, speak to him…or even think about him.

And I would have to learn to reject him if he came near.

All of the sudden, the wonderful memory of all those days spent with him became all but a distant memory, as if it were a distant happening of a past love, one who had long gone. I knew that I would have to get over him and forget him.

Which would not be an easy thing to do. I mean, we did live right in front of his house. And I would have to keep seeing him because we were neighbors and classmates. On top of that, we had the same friends. Exactly the same friends. And…

I let out a small whimper. I realized that I was leaving out the most important reason. That I still had feelings for him. The boy who at the tender age of seven had stolen my heart. My first love. The one whom I had dreamed for so many years would give me my first kiss.

My deep, tragic thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a strangely familiar voice. "Lilia!" the voice shouted. I looked from where the voice came from. It sounded like a boy. Like a teenage boy. The voice was coming from below me. I wiped my tears so that I could see better.

Peering through the holes and with the help of the afternoon delight, I saw a young boy. He had black hair…and blue eyes? My heart started palpitating. I jumped off the metal walkway and started running as fast as possible.

Behind me, his voice said, "Wait! I can explain everything."

I didn't turn to look at him. But he grabbed my arm, and then by the shoulders turned me around to face him. I started shuddering and my heart started skipping beats. I just couldn't help it. "Spiny, we have nothing to talk about!" I said half-heartedly.

Oh, he has such a beautiful face. And he's so cute and adorable! He can't help it. Now, wait. Keep your focus. Just breathe, girl.

He forced me to look at him, and he said, "No! You will listen to what I have to say. I never agreed to go with Kylie. And yes, she did call me, but I never got to say no because she hung up on me. And, I hate her just as much as you do. Besides, I only like you. I really mean it. I like you."

His blue eyes penetrated deep into me whole being. I was completely mesmerized by them. Not only were they overwhelmingly stunning, they were turning from a light aqua blue to a rich, deep blue.

He's being honest, I said to myself.

I tried to regain what he had just said. "You…you really like me?"

He nodded. "Yes."

He just said it. He said he likes me! And he really means it!

The silence began growing around us. We stared for seconds that felt like hours. He started nearing to me. My pulse accelerated. He ran his finger from my eyebrow down the side of my face, and to my neck. I shuddered as I felt his touch on my face. It felt like fire and left a burning, tingling sensation.

I felt my lips parting slightly and my eyes closed gently. I felt his hot breath and waited to feel his lips.

And then, ruined by the bell. Or the ring, I should say. I answered it. It was my mom, asking if I was going to be home soon. I said yes.

"My mom wants me home," I said to Spiny.

He smiled at me. "Oh. I'll walk you home, then."

I felt myself smiling too. And that same feeling started coming. First, the butterflies in my stomach. Then, my face turning red. And best of all, a warm feeling over my heart that deepened and grew.

"Thanks," I said.

He took my hand in his and we started walking home. As we were walking home, I heard myself say, "She's pushy, isn't she?"

He turned at me, dumbfounded. "What?"

"Kylie. She's very pushy."

He laughed. "Oh. Well, actually that's pretty mild way of putting it. I'd say pushy, nasty, mean…"

"Selfish, superficial, immature…"

"Oh, and megalomaniac."

Huh? I looked at him. "What is that? Did you make that up?"

He shook his head. "No, I didn't. Look it up in the dictionary later."

I laughed. "All right. I promise."

The rest of the walk home was silent. But the silence said what in a million words could never be reached. When we got to my house, he said, "Say, you think we have time to do the experiment?"

I smiled. "Sure. Why don't we do it now? Oh, and Spiny?"

"Yes?"

I looked down and tried to not blush. "I just want to say that…"

"What?"

"That…you're the nicest, cutest, and most charming, wonderful boy I've ever known." I dared to look up at his face. He wasn't blushing. He was smiling and looking directly into my eyes. "Thanks."

We went in my house and got to work. It took us about two or three and half hours, but by the end, we had managed—you'll never believe it—we built a fuel cell generator. Well, he built it. He ran back between the Palace and my house about a dozen times, and called Larry about half as much times to bring parts.

When we had finished, we admired our results. "Well, what do you think?" Spiny said.

"Looks great. You're very smart, you know?" I said.

He blushed and looked down. "Oh, well…" he just shrugged timidly. He was simply irresistible. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and put his hand over mine, which sent electricity all over me. Then he put his arm around my shoulder and brought me closer to him. I leaned my head on his shoulder, and smelled his fruit-scented shampoo.

I put my arms around him. We were like that for a while, in each other's embrace.

Afterwards, we tried it a few times, and finally we made enough electricity to light up an iPad. We admired the results, and noted down all our observations. Then we came up with a conclusion and a thesis statement.

We took some pictures of the generator, and also downloaded some pictures of older versions that dated back to the first electric generator made in Amarkia. That was back in the year 145,185 BCE.

During Spiny's great or great-great grandfather's time.

Then we got some cardboard paper and pasted our whole experiment on it, with all the steps and pictures and everything. We decorated the edges and glued the pictures on it.

By the time it was finished, Spiny stood there admiring it. "Well…I'd say that is a job very well one."

I agreed. Not to brag or anything, but it was just about perfect. "Think we'll get an A+ on it?" I asked him.

"We should. You helped, didn't you?"

I blushed. "Oh, you know what I mean."

"But, don't worry. The grade we'll get is the one we'll deserve. And we did work pretty hard at this."

"Yeah, we did." I looked at the clock on the wall. "Wow! Look what time it is! It's past 9:15!"

He looked at his gold watch and his eyes popped open. "Hey, you're right! I have to go. Listen, I'll take the generator since it's heavier, and I don't want you to hurt yourself. It weighs at least 35 pounds."

I nodded. He's so considerate! "And you can take the cardboard here that we used to write our experiment. The presentation's tomorrow, so we have to be ready, all right?"

"Okay," I said.

"All right." He sighed. "Well, I have to be going. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded and smiled. "Okay." He carried the generator, and I walked him out the door. Just before he left, he leaned over pecked me on the cheek. "See ya." Then he walked back across the street to the Palace, carrying the generator.

As I saw him walking away, I couldn't help smile.

And I had no idea that the next two days would permanently change both of our lives forever.