I don't claim this to be my best work, hell, it sucks. But I thought it necessary to put what happened to me on New Years into a story. Even though it sucks, it helped get rid of some more of my pain.

Names and some instances have been changed. This is for privacy.

Where it all started

New Years Eve 2002 Zach awaited his ex-girlfriend Ashley's arrival eagerly. Even though they had broken up, they still had strong feelings for each other. The only reason they broke up was because Zach didn't know what he was doing in a relationship. He always had to be coaxed into kissing, and he was just too plain ignorant to understand the meaning of having a girlfriend. Now she had a new boyfriend and it tears him apart. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach. The doorbell rang and Zach answered it. There she was, standing in the doorway.

She was beautiful. Her skin, touched with a tan, her green eyes, and blonde hair. She smelled like a fresh rain, a smell Zach knew would be with him forever. Zach wasn't a bad looking boy either. He was slightly built, brown hair, mysterious brown eyes. Zach welcomed her in.

They went through the formalities, but Zach was shy, even though they had known each other for years. He slid into his room, trying to coax her into starting a conversation. It was a miserable attempt, which ultimately ended in failure. In light of his failure, Zach just sat in his room and waited for all of the guests to arrive.

Steve arrived next and he was primed to party. Steve was kind of lanky and a bit of a dork, but still a cool guy all around. Next came Sharon. She had short brown hair and freckles. Her cheeks were the kind grandmas dream about pinching. Finally Derek arrived. He was the smallest of the group, with kind of a chipmunk face, but he was an all around funny guy.

When everyone got settled someone proposed a game of truth or dare. The game started off a bit rocky, but eventually it got smooth. The next Question asked, would start a chain of events, that would pan out to make for a very interesting story.

Truth or Dare?

"Truth or Dare? Zach." Asked Steven.

"Dare," said Zach.

"All right, I dare you to kiss. Ashley!" Steven exclaimed. Zach looked at Ashley, and then he told Steven that she had a boyfriend, and that he couldn't.

"It's all right, he'll never know, it's not like any of us know him." Said Steven. Zach looked at Ashley again and leaned in to kiss her for the first time in a year. When their lips met, a fire burned and passions flared. Zach never wanted the kiss to end, but the others were waiting to get on with the game. Zach and Ashley separated, but the fire still burned hotly.

The game continued, but all Zach could think about was the kiss. He wondered if she would let him kiss her again. He knew she felt the same thing.

"Zach, ZACH!" Derek yelled.

"What?" Zach said as he came out of his daydream.

"Oh never mind, Truth or Dare Sharon."

Eventually the game ended. Zach lay on his bed while everyone did own thing. Ashley lies down next to him and puts his arm around him.

"I want tonight to just be us." She said.

"But what about Tommy? You two are going out."

"Forget Tommy, tonight I want you. I want to feel like we did a year ago. I love you and I know you love me, so let's just take the night and do as we please."

"Okay," said Zach and they kissed again, more passionately than before. Nobody even took notice. That was the most special night of Zach's life. They acted as if things never changed. By midnight they had established a bond that would never be broken, as for the first time ever, Zach and Ashley shared their first New Years kiss.

It was a sign that they should never be parted. But alas, she had to leave. They said their goodbyes, and Zach knew she would go back to him.

With love, comes heartbreak

Zach went to his bed and lied down. He started to mull over the events of the past 24 hours. He thought about her lips, how soft they were. How the kisses were gentle, yet fierce. He broke down and started to cry. All of a sudden the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi," Said the voice on the other end. It was Ashley. 'She never calls' thought Zach.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Not much, you?"

"Oh, you know, same old. Did you have fun last night?"

"Yeah. Tommy's not to happy that I stayed over there last night."

"Oh well, it's not like I have to meet him."

"Well, I gotta go, I just wanted to say hi. So, I'll talk to ya later."

"All right, bye."

"Bye." Zach lied down on his bed once more and fell asleep, cradling the phone in his arms. The next morning Zach woke up and he just didn't have the energy to get up. He lied there for another hour or so, then went downstairs for breakfast. Zach looked through all of the food in his house, then, not finding anything he would like to eat. Went back upstairs. He grabbed the phone and called his friend Michelle. She answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me, Zach." He started, "I need some help."

"What's wrong?"

"I let her go. I didn't try to stop her from going back to him. I'm so upset, I just want to destroy things. I don't know what to do."

Alright, tell me what happened, cause I don't understand what you mean." Zach told her the night's events, at certain times. Choking back tears.

"Jeez, I don't know what you should do. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I'd love to help, but I can't. Sorry."

"All right, well, thanks anyway. Bye."

"Bye." Zach hung up the phone, and sat back. For the next few days Zach couldn't eat or sleep. He was told he was coming down with clinical depression. He decided that he should call Ashley, and just let out how he feels. As he dialed the phone, his hands started to shake. When she answered the phone he acted as if nothing was wrong.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hi. This is Zach. I wanted to, you know, see what's up."

"Oh, nothing much." For the next few minutes they talked about nothing in particular. Then:

"Ashley, I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?"

"Pretend. I am in a lot of pain, I mean, I can't eat, I can't sleep, I'm a total wreck. God, I mean I love you. I want things to be like they were before.

"You need to eat, you need-"

"I need you. I need to know that you feel the same way I do. I need to know that I'm not just pursuing a lost cause."

"I do feel the same way."

"Then why is it like this?" said Zach softly. There was a long silence.

"I don't know."

"Neither do I. All I know is that I only want to be with you. I want to know, how after three years, we can still be in love. What can draw two people together like that."

"I don't know."

"Well, at the least, we'll still be friends. Just know I'll always be there for you."

"Alright." They said their goodbyes and hung up.

What happened then?

Zach is still friends with Ashley. He helps her out with Tommy, even though Tommy is an ass. He only does it because he wants Ashley to be happy. He continues to put her feelings before his. He is still madly in love with her. So the question, What is love? Can be answered by Zach, who knows the pleasures and pains of being in it.