Back To You

The Boy I Thought Was The first thing Amelia learned about love was that everyone had an opinion about it.

Some people said love was supposed to feel like butterflies.

Others said it was supposed to hurt.

Her mother always said love was something that needed patience, because feelings could change faster than the weather.

Amelia didn't know which one was true.

All she knew was that, at seventeen, she was sitting beneath the old mango tree behind Westbridge High School, staring at her phone and smiling at a message from Ryan.

Ryan: Meet me after school. I have something for you.

Amelia read the message twice.

Then a third time.

Her smile grew.

“What are you smiling at?”

Amelia quickly locked her phone and looked up.

Mia stood in front of her with her schoolbag hanging from one shoulder.

“Nothing.”

Mia narrowed her eyes.

“That wasn't a nothing smile.”

“What is a nothing smile?”

“The kind you make when you're pretending you don't have a secret.”

Amelia laughed and pushed herself up from the bench.

“I don't have a secret.”

“You're smiling at your phone.”

“So?”

“You've been smiling at your phone every day since Ryan started dating you.”

Amelia felt her cheeks warm.

“He's my boyfriend.”

“I know.”

“So why are you acting like you've discovered a crime?”

“Because you're hopeless.”

Mia laughed and linked her arm through Amelia's.

They started walking toward the school building.

Amelia couldn't stop smiling.

Ryan had been her boyfriend for almost three months.

Three months wasn't a long time, but to Amelia, it felt like something important.

She liked the way he looked at her when they were alone.

She liked how he remembered small things.

The first time she'd mentioned that she loved strawberry candy, he'd surprised her with a packet the next day.

It wasn't expensive.

It wasn't extraordinary.

But Amelia had kept the empty wrapper inside the back of her notebook anyway.

Maybe that was what being in love was.

Finding something special in ordinary things.

As they reached the corridor, Mia suddenly stopped.

“Speaking of your boyfriend…”

Amelia followed her gaze.

Ryan was standing near the lockers.

But he wasn't alone.

Chloe stood beside him.

Chloe was one of the most popular girls in school. She always looked perfectly put together, from her neat hair to the expensive-looking shoes she wore.

Ryan said something to her.

Chloe laughed.

Amelia watched them for a moment.

Then Ryan noticed her.

His face immediately changed.

He waved.

Amelia smiled and waved back.

“See?” she whispered to Mia. “Everything is fine.”

Mia didn't answer.

Something about the way she looked at Ryan made Amelia's smile fade slightly.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“Looking at me like you know something I don't.”

Mia sighed.

“I just don't trust Chloe.”

Amelia glanced back at the girl.

“Why?”

“She likes attention.”

“So do half the girls here.”

“Exactly.”

Amelia rolled her eyes.

“Stop worrying.”

She adjusted her bag and walked toward Ryan.

“Hey.”

Ryan smiled.

“Hey.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

It was brief, innocent, and enough to make Amelia's heart jump.

Mia groaned dramatically behind them.

“I'll leave you two alone.”

Amelia laughed.

“Bye.”

Ryan waited until Mia disappeared down the corridor before looking at Amelia.

“I need to talk to you after school.”

Amelia's stomach fluttered.

“About what?”

“You'll see.”

“Ryan.”

He smiled.

“Trust me.”

Then he walked away.

Amelia stood there watching him.

She didn't know why, but something about the moment felt different.

Not bad.

Just different.

She pushed the thought away.

For the rest of the school day, she couldn't concentrate.

Her mathematics teacher called her name twice before she realized she was supposed to be answering a question.

At lunch, she barely touched her food.

And when the final bell rang, she was already waiting outside the classroom.

Ryan didn't come.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

Then fifteen.

Amelia checked her phone.

No message.

She called him.

Straight to voicemail.

Her smile disappeared.

She walked toward the back of the school, where they'd agreed to meet.

The field was almost empty.

She saw Ryan standing near the bleachers.

Chloe was with him.

Amelia slowed down.

Her heart began beating faster.

Why was Chloe there?

She almost turned around.

Then Ryan saw her.

“Amelia.”

She stopped.

“What's going on?”

Ryan looked uncomfortable.

Chloe crossed her arms.

Amelia looked from one to the other.

“Ryan?”

He exhaled.

“We need to talk.”

Those four words made her stomach drop.

“Okay.”

Ryan looked at the ground.

“I don't think this is working anymore.”

Amelia stared at him.

For a moment, she didn't understand.

“What isn't working?”

“Us.”

The world seemed to become strangely quiet.

Amelia forced a small laugh.

“Is this a joke?”

“No.”

“Ryan…”

“I think we should break up.”

Her smile vanished.

She stared at him as though waiting for him to laugh and tell her he'd been joking.

He didn't.

Amelia swallowed.

“Why?”

Ryan didn't answer immediately.

Then Chloe stepped closer to him.

Amelia looked at her.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

Her eyes moved between them.

“You like her?”

Ryan remained silent.

That silence hurt more than an answer.

Amelia's throat tightened.

“How long?”

“Amelia—”

“How long have you liked her?”

Ryan sighed.

“I don't know.”

She nodded slowly.

“Right.”

She turned away before either of them could see the tears gathering in her eyes.

She made it halfway across the field before one escaped.

Then another.

She wiped them away angrily.

She wouldn't cry here.

Not in front of them.

Not in front of Chloe.

“Amelia.”

She heard Ryan behind her.

She didn't stop.

“Amelia, wait.”

She kept walking.

Then someone stepped into her path.

She nearly collided with him.

“Sorry.”

She looked up.

Adrian.

He was standing there with his schoolbag hanging loosely from one shoulder.

He looked at her face.

Then at the tears she was trying desperately to hide.

His expression changed.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“You're crying.”

“No, I'm not.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

“You're terrible at lying.”

Despite herself, Amelia almost smiled.

Almost.

Then her lips trembled.

Adrian didn't ask again.

He simply moved closer and opened his arms.

Amelia stared at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Come here.”

“I don't need—”

“You don't have to explain.”

Something inside her broke.

She stepped forward.

Adrian wrapped his arms around her.

Amelia buried her face against his shoulder.

For the first time since Ryan had spoken those words, she allowed herself to cry.

Adrian didn't say anything.

He just held her.

His hand rested gently against her back while she tried to steady her breathing.

“I hate this,” she whispered.

“I know.”

“I thought he loved me.”

Adrian's arms tightened slightly.

“I'm sorry.”

“He chose her.”

Adrian pulled back just enough to look at her.

“That doesn't mean there's something wrong with you.”

Amelia wiped her cheeks.

“You don't know that.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“Because I've known you long enough.”

She looked into his eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The noise of students leaving the school seemed distant.

The late afternoon sun fell across Adrian's face.

Amelia suddenly noticed how close they were.

She stepped back.

“Thank you.”

Adrian smiled faintly.

“Anytime.”

She nodded.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small packet of strawberry candy.

Amelia stared.

“You remembered?”

“I remember a lot of things.”

She took it from him.

Her fingers brushed his.

A tiny smile appeared on her face.

“You're strange.”

“I've been told.”

She laughed softly.

It wasn't much.

But it was the first real laugh she'd had since Ryan broke her heart.

Adrian smiled when he heard it.

“Better?”

“A little.”

“Good.”

They started walking toward the school gate together.

Neither of them knew it yet, but that afternoon would become one of the most important memories of Amelia's life.

She had gone to the field believing she had lost something.

She didn't know she had just begun finding something else.

Something she would eventually lose too.

And years later, when life brought Adrian back to her in the most unexpected way, Amelia would remember that afternoon.

She would remember the strawberry candy.

She would remember his arms around her.

And most of all, she would remember the way he looked at her when she was convinced nobody could possibly love her.

Back then, she thought Ryan had been the person she was meant to spend forever with.

She was wrong.

She just didn't know it yet.