Old Love

  Thwack The tennis ball flew across the court and over the fence. "Dammit." I muttered under my breath. Normally, I would've made it in the actual court, but I was a little off focus. Okay, I was a lot off focus, but I had good reason!
  I was taking private lessons and the guy teaching me also tutored other girls. Now, this wasn't just any man, it was Jeff Williams. He was my P.E. coach from second to fifth grade, and whom I also fell in love with in fifth grade. Yes, I know fifth grade too early to fall in love with someone, it' just petty little playground romance, well whatever.
  I was always extremely mature from a young age. I took school seriously, even before it really counted. I even had all my college plans mapped out in third grade. So, naturally I was more high school mature in elementary school.
  Jeff and I would always hang out. He'd exclude me from exercise and we'd talk and walk around the field, tossing a ball every once in awhile. Nothing ever happened, but I dreamed about him, a lot.
  But all those dreams ended when the summer after sixth grade rolled around and I ran into him at the mini golf place - with a teacher from the elementary school. I was so crushed, I didn't say anything, but run out of the building.
  Now, I was in high school, a junior practicing my tennis over the summer to keep up my skill. Jeff was holding a college girl, somewhat inappropriately, and showing her how to swing the racket just right. I picked a ball off the ground and sent it soaring towards them, nearly knocking the blonde upside the head.
  "Sorry." I called out sarcasticly. Jeff just waved and shouted back "Down worry, we'll work on it!".
  "We'll work on it." I mimicked as I sent another ball flying, over the fence of course.


  "So, tomorrow we can work on your backhand, okay? You seem a little wobbily." Jeff said as we walked towards the gate. It was just him and me, thanks to his volunteering me to pick up balls with him.
  "It doesn't need work." I stated with a look of pure hatred on my face. Jeff seemed a little surprised and then confused.
  "Well, I'll just feed to some, just in case then."
  I didn't reply, but just kept walking a few steps ahead of him, keeping my head high. I just couldn't get the image of him leaning over the backside of that blonde and how much I did for him. Then before I knew what I was doing, I blurted, "What did you think you'd get out of me while pretending to be my friend in elementary school?"
  Uh-oh, but I couldn't stop it now. Jeff looked taken back. I turned around, blocking the only gate out and crossed my arms across my chest.
  "Valerie, I don't know what you're talking about."
  "All those times you let me skip and we'd go hang out somewhere? And, God, you never called me Valerie. It was always Val or V. You do know, I loved you, right? I mean, God, it was so obvious. So why'd you play with my heart like that?" Softening my tone some at the end. By now I was just about eye level with him and about a foot away from his face. From, up close he looked tired and his eyes looked like the were recovering from being redshot.
  "I wasn't playing with your heart, Val. I meant every second I spent with you. Every talk, every time you'd look me in the eyes, every time you would hug me goodbye, but held on a little bit longer than needed." Jeff defended. Now, it was my turn to be surprised. I walked up to Jeff's face, leaving only an inch or two between our lips. I looked him straight in the eye and whispered, "You loved me, too?"
  Jeff hesitantly, lifted his hand and tucked a strand of my dark crimson hair behind my ear. At the same time, tracing my cheekbone. I closed my eyes and just let the feel of him, something I'd remembered and kept so close to me, consume my every thought. "Yes." Jeff answered. Then, just as quickly, dove him lips to mine. He searched my open mouth with his tongue, oh how I'd fantasized about this night after night.
  He slipped his hand under my shirt and felt my spine right up, until he felt my bra clasp. I shivered, but in a good way.
  "Do you want me to stop?" Jeff drew back, taking my shiver the wrong way.
  "Absolutely not." I said and made his mouth meet with mine. I moved over some and leaned back against the tall, chainlink fence. Jeff ran his hands through my long, silky hair as I felt his abs under his plain white t-shirt. I lifted it over his head and threw it across the court. I felt him smile as he kissed me and he reached under my shirt to undo my bra.
  And we spent the rest of the afternoon, exploring and discovering so much about each other we didn't. Even after all those walks with each other, I think was what both of us really wanted. To hear the other one say I love you. It was an amazing feeling to know, that after all these years we still loved each other.
  Now we've been married for six years with three kids. The twins, Heather and Stacey, 8, and Ryan, 5. There's always someone you'll want to spend the rest of your life with. You've just got to keep searching until you find them.