Prologue

One foot in front of the other Emmalee, one in front of the other. I have to tell myself to keep walking as if I didn't just see the one person I'd hoped I would never see again. The one cause of endless heartache and longing in my elementary school years. The only person who could bring me to my knees with one smile.

Blake Taylor.

Slowly I turn away from him, and finish my lap around the field. I can't help but remember when I first heard his name.

I was a third grader at a small school named Benjamin Foxen Elementary. My class was combined with the second grade, and our class consisted of fifteen kids. Six of us were third graders, three girls and three boys. Our teacher, Mrs. Adams, told us that three new boys were coming to our school the next year. At a school as small as ours, this was a huge deal. Suddenly, us girls had someone new we could potentially date, so we made a pact. Each of us girls chose one of the boys, and neither of the other girls could date any other boys until we said so.

The boys' names were Joshua Lincoln, Joseph Rodriguez, and Blake Taylor. I remember thinking that Blake was the most beautiful name I had ever heard. I began to imagine what he would be like. Curly black hair, beautiful blue eyes, tall and lean. Someone smart and funny and sporty. Little did I know, that that was exactly what he was like when I met him.

So, we each decided on our boy, and because I was the youngest, I got to choose first. I chose Blake, obviously, while Danielle picked Joshua, and Sasha picked Joseph. We made this pact, not even caring what the boys would think. That was the last day of third grade.

I shake the memory from my mind and take one last look at Blake. I turn around, and continue on with my mid-practice run. I play softball with the Central City travel team, West Coast Xplosion. We are a team of the best players in the city, all competing to win Nationals this year. I'm what they call a Utility player. I can play every position on that field, and I never play the same position twice in a day. I love playing, the adrenaline rush and the friendship with my teammates.

"Emmalee! Get your damn head in the game! What is wrong with you?" My coach yells from behind home plate.

I am playing Center, and I just missed a ball for the third time in a row. Why does seeing a crush from three years ago shake me up so badly? I just want to sit in an abandoned corner and cry.

"Nothing! Sorry Coach!" I yell back at him. 

Slowly, I make it through the rest of the practice, my mind lost in memories I haven't thought about in over a year.