For the first time in my entire (admittedly not that long) life, I fell in love. Well, I had a crush on somebody, but based on essentially every story I had ever heard, that was love. As for who, well, there really weren't that many people my age I knew in Storybrooke, and I was related to half of them. I had a crush on Michael. I didn't really know if it was love or not, because what did I know about love? Not to mention that I had known him a week. But I liked him, that much I knew. The problem was just getting up the nerve to ask him. I had no idea what to do, and nobody to ask. Papa would get all overprotective and tell me to stay away from boys, Henry knew no more than I did, and I didn't want to tell Charlotte until I was sure. So I decided to talk to my brother.
"Baelfire?"
He turned around. "What's up, little sis?"
"This might seem like a stupid question-"
"I'm sure it isn't."
"Yeah, ok. Um... how would I know if I was in love with somebody?"
A grin appeared on his face. "Have you got a crush, sis?"
I blushed and tried to avoid his gaze. "Maybe..."
"Good for you," he said with a smirk.
"Okay, but for real. How would I know?"
"Who is it, first of all?"
"That is none of your business, Bae."
"Elizabeth."
I glared at him. "It's Michael. The guy I met in that prison."
"Well, alright. Do you think he's funny and smart?"
"Yeah."
"Do you like spending time with him?"
"Yeah, he's fun to hang out with."
"Do you feel like you could tell him stuff you couldn't tell anybody else? Like even your Papa?"
"Um... I'm not sure." But I already had told him things I might not be willing to tell Papa.
"Do you feel like you would protect him? Like you would sacrifice for him? Like he's worth fighting for?"
"I don't know! I'm only a teenager, Bae!"
"Ah, there it is."
"Huh?"
"From what I can gather, you have a teenage crush on him. That's good enough. Date him, then. What's it matter whether or not it's real love? You're just kids. If you really love him, and he really loves you-or if you don't now, maybe you will someday-then you'll just know. You'll feel it. Like me with Emma."
"Oh, has Emma agreed to date you again?"
"Not yet," he said, glancing at the ground. "Might not have exactly asked the right way yet."
"You should get on that."
"Yeah, I know."
"Anyway, thanks for the advice, Bae."
He shrugged. "No problem. Good luck with Michael."
"Thanks."