The One Who Got Away

"The One Who Got Away"

I remember the first time I laid eyes on him. It is a memory that plays in my head over and over again. Though we haven't spoke a word in five years it feels like yesterday when we were together. I've thought about calling him but what is there really left to say? People grow up and move on with their lives and unfortunately there is no going back. There are days though when I do go back at least in my head.

What lead up to me being in Florida is a different story all together but when I walked through the doors of my new private school he was the first person I noticed. He was wearing a dark green school polo shirt and Timberland boots. He had the most beautiful golden brown skin I had ever seen. I was to nervous to talk to anyone so I went into my class and stared at him from afar for weeks. By this time I had made some friends and there was a new boy that caught my attention. His name was Marcos. Marcos and I lasted for about two days before he had one of his friends come up and break up with me in front of a group of my peers. I can remember feeling like I was going to cry until he walked up to me with his best friend. At this point you probably think it was Marcos but it wasn't....it was Daniel.

Daniel Figueroa and his best friend Derek were comforting me. If I remember correctly I put on a strong face and held my tears back and tried to bluff. He was actually talking to me. I was sitting in class when some of the popular girls asked me what I was doing on Friday night. I told them nothing and they filled me in on what they did on Friday evenings. They turned the ice skating rink next to the school into a small club and local radio station came into DJ. Everyone who was someone was going to be there and I got invited. I can remember being so excited to be part of the in crowd. That night I went home and told my Mom and Grandma and they actually said I could go. Now figuring out what to wear. I had a Guess shirt that my cousin Tiffany had given me and a pair of shoes my Mom had paid a lot of money for. I had one pair and white and blue and one of white and red. It has been almost 10 years and I can't tell you which shoes I picked but I went.

When I walked in it was better than I could have even imagine we were all dancing and having a great time. Daniel unfortunately was dancing with one of the popular girls. We all walked into the bathroom for a break and the girl he was dancing with said she couldn't be with Daniel ever because her parents would never let her date a Puerto Rican. Well that is all I needed it was a way to get her away from him and this was my chance. Being the gossipy little 8th grade girl I was I ran and told his best friend who ended up telling Daniel. He asked me if it was true and of course I told him it was. Daniel and I danced the rest of the night and while everyone else was going home Daniel and I were on the ice kissing. My 2nd french kiss. The first one was not worth remembering....but this was something special. This was a kiss that I would never forget.

I remember the next couple of weeks were full of fun hanging out with Daniel and his friends. Falling down while running through the woods, sneaking watching American History X, him sneaking into my ice skating PE class,holding hands, laughing, talking on the phone and doing all of the things that kids do.I even remember he gave us a song which was Differences by Ginuwine. These are all things that I dont think that he would even remember but to me they were special. Daniel was there for me at a time in my life when I felt completely alone. He liked me for me and didn't ask me to change or be anyone different.

I don't remember how or when she got the call but she got it. My Dad had filed a court order for a custody hearing in Colorado. We had to leave Florida. It was only supposed to be a couple of weeks. I called Daniel and told him. I told him that I would not be at school but I would be back. We packed our suitcases and flew to Colorado. We didn't come back though and even though we visited we never moved back. We talked on the phone, we wrote letters, we had great visits but things between him and I slowly faded.

I visited once and he called me to tell me that he had to go to his Dad's in Miami and that he wasn't going to be able to hang out with me. I cried and told him I wouldn't be in town much longer and I had to see him. He woke up at 5am and came and picked me up. We went to McDonalds by my Grandma's house and talked and had breakfast. I wrote to him, I emailed him, and I still called him but when you are that young there really isn't a way. We didn't have jobs, money, or even the commitment it takes to stay together. We fell in love with different people, fell out of love, and felt heartache. All of the natural things that young people go through.

My last visit to Florida is one that I will never forget. We had moved my Grandmother to Virginia and we were clearing out her house. It was one of the most emotional times of my life and I wanted to see him. I wanted to know he was there for me. I called his house to ask for his cell phone number. His mother picked up and I asked her how he was. She said something was going on but she would let him tell me. She took down my number and said she would have him call. He did call and when I heard his voice my heart skipped a beat. When we talked it was like nothing had ever changed. He was still my same Daniel. While we were on the phone he told me he had something to tell me. He said he had been seeing this girl from school and that she was pregnant. She was pregnant with twins. His twins.

I dont know why I went to see him. I dont know if it was because I was going through so much with my Grandma but I went to see him. I got in the car and drove straight to the gas station by his house. . I wore the best outfit I had a sexy black halter top, a pair of capris and a sexy small heeled sandal. I was scared I wouldnt remember him but when he got out of the truck he was still the same boy I had seen on the first day of school. He still had that gorgeous golden brown skin but he had grown up. He had muscles and tattoos. He was the most attractive man I had ever seen. I gave him a hug and he quickly said he had to fix a sink in their barn and asked if I wanted to ride to Home Depot. I can remember walking through the store and just looking at him and knowing that the feelings that we had when we were together were the same ones. I just knew this was my guy. We went back to his house and he started working on the sink. I remember looking at his body becuase it was so different than the little boy I once knew. This was a grown ass sexy man. His shirt was off and he was working so hard on that sink. I dont know what happened but he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him and we just started kissing. Kissing so passionately that when we heard a noise it startled us both and he put me down. I mean literally this could have been the best set up for a porno ever but it was interrupted. Even though no one was there it was the guilt he felt. I could feel it to and I knew that this was bad. He was going to be a father. I took that as my queue to leave and we promised we would see each other again before I left.

I went home and told my cousins and my family thinking they would be on my side. This whore stole my true love and got impregnated! My cousin pretty much told me I was a home wrecker and I needed to leave it alone. Not exactly the support I was looking for. The next day I called him and called and called him. Finally someone answered but that someone wasn't him it was her! She answered the phone and asked who I was. I told her exactly who I was and demanded she put Daniel on the phone. He got on the phone said he was in court and that he would call me later. He called later that evening and I had my mind made up. This was MY MAN. It was destiny. We were supposed to be together. We were soulmates. He still felt the same way I did right? I knew this would be my only chance. I told him how I was feeling and I asked him to come with me. Come back to Colorado with me and be mine. We are adults now and we can do this we can actually be together. He told me he had an obligation to go with her and her family on a trip and I begged him to reconsider...I begged him to pick me. For crying out loud I was leaving on a plane to Colorado and he is thinking about going on a trip with her? I remember crying and then being angry. He promised he would call me again.

I remember the last day I talked to him. I got a call from him it was a beautiful day in Colorado and I picked up the phone. He was back from his trip and wanted to talk. I was so angry with him and I told him he made his decision and that he picked her. He had his chance to finally be with me after all of this time and he picked her. I couldn't understand it and I was just angry. We ended the call and I dont remember it being nice or friendly.

I really can't believe that is the last time we talked. I remember writing him a letter but Im not sure if I ever mailed it. I've thought about calling hundreds of times but never followed through. I heard through his best friend that he has four children now and is still with the same girl. I am married to a wonderful man who I love with all of my heart. I have had many heartaches besides this one but Daniel is truely the only person I can say who never intentionally hurt me. Our lives met again at the wrong time. He did the right thing he picked his children. I was angry back then but time heals all wounds. I am proud of him. I am proud that he stuck around because as an adult I know how many men take the easy way out. He didn't. She is very lucky lady and she didn't let him get away.