Marcus was a boy like no other.  I guess I sensed that even when we met that day when we were 5, I just never knew how to put it into words.  We became best friends that day, and I wrote in my little diary every day afterward with the simple words, “I love Marcus.”  You see, I was only 5 years old and did not understand the phrase “having a crush.”  But, those words understated my feelings, anyway.  I fell in love before I knew what love was.  I never understood my emotions completely, but I swore I loved him.

Life happens, best friends grow apart, and Marcus and I were no exception.  It happened around third grade.  I wasn’t happy about it, but I couldn’t find a way to put things back to normal.  Life went on, seventh grade came, he changed over the summer and all the girls suddenly had their eyes on him.  Hanging back, I watched each girl fall for him, thinking how silly they were. 

Pretty soon, school was out; I read the place where he signed my yearbook, saying “Merry Christmas!” He had been singing Christmas songs that entire week, and everyone had that written under his signature.  August came, my best friend had found out that he was moving.  I cried when I found out.  He was at school for the first three days to say good-bye to his old friends.  He passed around a notebook for everyone to sign.  It had been my opportunity to tell him how I felt, but I didn’t.  I knew that it would have been a bad time to do that, so I just told him I would miss him a lot. 

As we left school that last day, my best friend, Marcus, and I walked out of our last class together.  We came to a fork in the hallway, and Marcus turned one direction as my friend and I went the opposite way.  “Bye Marcus.  I’ll miss you,” I said sadly, and he turned around where he was.

“Bye,” he said, looking confused.  “I’ll see you on the bus, won’t I?”

My best friend and I shook our heads but it was too late; the sea of students had swollowed him and the last thing I saw was his blonde hair getting farther and farther away.

I have said before that he left me heartless.  My heart followed him wherever he went, as I left it for him to keep.  So, part of me hopes he’ll realize it and return it; the other part hopes he keeps it forever and maybe he’ll put it back together someday.