15 days, 3 hours, 19 minutes and how ever many seconds since I kissed a girl. Her name was Nora Amare. She was beautiful and she kissed me back. But I haven't seen her since then. I wish I'd told her before she left that I never wanted her to leave. Too late now though

I'm not afraid to admit that I spent a couple of afternoons in the English building hoping to catch even a glimpse of her auburn hair or freckled complexion. She hasn't been there though. I suppose I must just be going at the wrong time.

It's funny really because I don't even know her and yet I miss her so much. It's as though she was the part of me that's been missing but I didn't realise that until I was lying in bed after she'd gone. Lying in bed that night I couldn't stop thinking about her. She had invaded my mind completely, and was refusing to relinquish control. Over and over I was replaying the feel of her lips against mine and the way her body automatically leaned in so as she could fuse herself with me.

And then her smile. Of all the, admittedly few, things I knew about her, this was the thing that permanently imprinted itself on the forefront of my memories, claiming them as its own; as her own. It was a perfect smile; the most perfect I have ever known with its infectious nature and the way it moulds itself to perfectly match the situation and let me know what she's feeling.

God! What am I doing! I don't even know this girl. But I do know her. Don't I? I know the curve of her back, the smooth feel of her skin, the warmth of her lips and the taste of her kiss. I know the freckle just below her eyebrows and the colours within her eyes. I know that she can read me like a book and I know that I make her heart race and her breath quicken. And I know how much I want to know everything about her. That's enough isn't it?

Perhaps she doesn't think so. She's probably already forgotten about me, the boy she took to the beach. Like a toy she once loved from a distant memory, long since a faded image at the back of her mind. But that's ok. Well, no it's not ok but I can't change it. She doesn't think about me the way I think about her; if she did she would have come looking for me.

I dreamt of her last night. And that first night, and every night between the two. But last night's is the one I remember the most prominently. We were on the beach again and she was running, her hair moving wildly and catching the light in such a way that it looked as though she was on fire. I was chasing her, running as fast as I could but still I couldn't close the gap between us. If anything she was getting further and further away. I shouted her name, panic rising in my throat as I realised I was losing her.

'Nora! Wait for me!'

'But James, I don't have time to wait. If you want to be with me, you'll just have to be faster or your time will be up to.'

'But I can't go any faster!'

'You have to try. Otherwise, before you reach me I'll have moved on.'

'Please! Don't! I'm coming!'

Just as I reached her, she tripped and fell and I caught her in my arms, just as I had the first time I met her.

'You need to be more careful Nora. I can't go on without you. Look, see, the beach ends where you do.'

'It does doesn't it. It's ok though. You reached me in time. And don't forget, even if we can't go forwards, we can always go back.'

'Ok. Promise?'

'I promise. You can come and find me anytime you like so long as you look hard enough.'

I woke up then, falling back into reality with a sickening jolt. Just thinking about it now makes me feel slightly ill. I just can't shake this feeling that time is running out somehow.

Right, that's it! I decided to go out, walk around and clear my head. God knows I needed it.

I found myself wishing that I'd picked up my jacket because it was cold tonight. Autumn had set in properly and the Winter was biting playfully at my extremities. I cursed myself inwardly for not thinking ahead.

And then it didn't matter anymore.

There she was. Nora. My own personal source of heat and I felt it radiating towards me instantly.

She was sat on the steps of the library and something about her posture told me that there was something wrong. She was illuminated in the light of the streetlamp shining above her and as I drew closer I could see the tear streaks blemishing her face. That sadness. It consumed me completely. Suddenly I knew nothing of what I was or what I had been and the only thing that my mind could comprehend was her and making her feel happy again.

'Nora…'

'James…is that you?'

'Yeah, it's me.'

'Did you come out to look for me?'

'No…but I found you.'

'Yes…I…James…'

Her voice broke and I was running towards her, scooping her up into my embrace. She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face into the crook of my neck. I rubbed her back, whispering into her ear that it would be ok and that nothing could hurt her whilst I was here.

'I need…'

'Yes anything. I would do anything for you Nora.'

'I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere, anywhere?'

'Of course. My place is just down the road. Is that ok?'

'Yes. That's perfect.'

And so, without daring to let her go now that I had her in my arms, I carried her the short distance back to my flat and made a silent vow to do everything I could to fix her. Even if that meant going to the ends of the Earth and back; so long as I didn't have to leave her behind when I went.

'This is it. It's not much, but it's home.'

'I'm sure it's wonderful. But I'll compliment it later. Right now, I need you.'

I wonder if she knew, in that moment, just how much I needed her.