Anyone else would call it puppy love, but the boy would argue otherwise in that headstrong fashion that young men have excelled at for eons. Why, she was his muse, his Beatrice! He would have pulled down the stars from the heavens if doing so would earn him a favored glance! Instead he surprised himself by asking Sarah out, and was even more surprised when she said yes.

He took her to the mall, as she liked, and they spent all their quarters on arcade games, and he bought her ice cream. They walked around the park for a while, and talked about how her mom had left, and his grandma had died. Somehow, your mom abandoning you seemed worse, and the revelation left him awkward and unsure how to respond.

"Can I try something?" Sarah suddenly asked. The shadows were lengthening with the setting sun, turning the park sinister in the waning light.

"Okay," he said, because he was only 16 and eager to please.

She kissed him. If he'd seen it coming, he would have prepared himself, but he didn't. She smelled of gum. He didn't know what she tasted like, because he refused to open his mouth and allow her in. Her mouth was nice - very warm and soft. He would kick himself later.

His eyes were open the whole time, too shocked to close them. Her eyes were closed, her brow furrowed, as if she sought an old friend in the crowd that she just couldn't find. When she pulled back and opened her eyes again, she smiled in a brittle way and said, "Sorry, did I startle you?"

"Haha, no," he said weakly.

The said nothing as they left the park. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he kept them in his pockets. Sarah seemed particularly interested in the treetops above them, her eyes roaming, hungry. She looked woefully disappointed in the world, and he felt as if he were responsible. They parted ways at the high school. "Can I call you?" he asked. Years later, he would realize that he'd already lost her, but adolescent desperation had given him hope.

"Sure," she said, but she sounded sad and uncertain, and she was still looking over his head at the trees.