He loved her, it was as simple as that.

The moment he saw her, he believed she was everything he ever wanted. It was the first day at practice and he had seen her sitting in the concert master chair. He noticed her eyes fixated on him as he attempted to set up the choir stands.

She remained unfazed as he returned the look, neither turning away. From that moment, he knew there was something vastly different about this girl.

But anytime he ever tried to approach her, she was never alone. Constantly surrounded by friends, he could never bring himself to talk to her. His mind told him it'd be a good opportunity to know more about her, but unfortunately his body refused to move.

At those moments, his pulse sped up when she smiled at one of her friend's jokes. And every time, she'd look up and stare him straight in the eyes. But nonetheless, the smile gracing her lips softened her face which gave her an angelic appearance.

But that wasn't all that made him feel that way about her. He loved music, which was why he was willing to dedicate his entire summer for its sake. He knew good music when he heard it and that was exactly how she played.

Hearing some of the others, he had been highly skeptical about the quality of the band's playing in public. But her first solo of the opener was exactly what he was hoping for. It was at that moment he knew for certain that she was all he needed in life.

The one time she was alone, he gathered all the courage to talk to her. Before he could speak, those eyes were on him again, tired but intense simultaneously. He couldn't even bring himself to muster a 'good morning'. Instead, he could only compliment her clarinet playing, as a trance like state seemed to overtake her body. Her usual loud voice had diminished to a mere whisper, while her eyes became void of any emotions. It seemed as if her body would shut down at any mention of her playing.

Nonetheless, he quickly left before he was susceptible to further embarrassment. But while he was seated, he could feel her again. He knew she wasn't too far away. Eyes glancing up, he caught her staring at him from across the dining hall. This time instead of walking away, she smiled at him and nodded.

She never became one of his close friends. She never spoke to him again. He gave up trying to take the initiative. But everyday, he saw her, he heard her, and he watched her. When she played during concerts, an aura of confidence shone and that was what he loved.

But close to the last day, she walked up to him confidently. He saw her coming, thinking one of her friends was behind him. She stopped in front of him, as he felt his heart racing with madness. She stuck her hand out, and at that moment, he realized that nothing could possibly change his mind.

The last few days went by before anyone could acknowledge it. The last concert was done, and he knew his chances were over. People were all around her as she attempted to clean up her stand and instrument. He could hear her laughing above the noise within the general vicinity. He didn't want bother her. Maybe it was best they didn't say good bye, so he could save himself a heartbreak or two.

But soon, she was with only one of her friends, he roommate. He was the tears streaming down her face as she hugged the other crying girl. From behind, he felt someone clap his shoulder, distracting him from the scene in front of him.

His best friend on this trip stood behind him. He was the only one knew how much he actually cared about her. His friend nodded and walked away. No words were needed. He turned around again, surprised to see her standing a few inches away from him. She smiled at him through tears before he pulled her into a hug.

He felt her arms around his neck as he tightened his grip around her waist. She fit perfectly against him. He felt her pull back slightly, but he managed to maintain a loose grip on her.

This was his time. This was it. He'd never see her again after this night. But again, he froze as her gaze was set on his eyes again. Waiting… waiting for something.

It was just three small words. Why could he not say it? Instead of speaking, he pulled her close to his body. Now was the time, seize the moment. Slowly tiling his head to her ear, he could feel bother their heartbeats racing. Inside, he was happy he wasn't the only one starting to lose control.

But as he started to speak, he couldn't focus. The three he had wished to say never came. Instead, she smiled at what he had said, not at all how he had anticipated their exchange to go.

Nonetheless, her eyes were shining with gratitude after he had spoken. She leaned up and softly kissed him on the corner of his lips. A sudden shock ran through his body as she finally, for the first time, avoided his eyes. He stared at her, refusing to let her go. Who knew when the next time he'd see her would be. Nothing was stopping him from cherishing these last few moments with her.

She apologized profusely, believing she had fully embarrassed herself. This time, it was his turn to smile and brush aside the unnecessary apologies. If she only understood what she did to him…

Unfortunately, he could never bring himself to tell her the truth. He could never tell her how she could stop his breathing without a look in his direction. He could never tell her how crazy it had driven him when she ran into his room for a dare, clad in only a bikini. She would never know.

All he could do was feel her touch at this moment. It was these last few seconds that he knew he would remember forever. The smell of her hair, the light touch of her hands on his back… everything.

It was only because he couldn't say those three words. Instead, he was willing to remember her through memories. All because he lacked the courage.

…'I love you'...

----------

'You are amazing'.

Those three little words still rang in her head as she showed off pictures to her best friends. The moment they shared that final night were branded into her mind. She remembered everything from how tightly he held onto her to the way he reacted to her 'kiss'.

She had lost herself for that one second. He had no idea how badly she had fallen for him. Anytime she saw him, she could never walk up to him. Instead, she merely watched from a distance until he would look up.

She shook her head, attempting to get the image out of her mind. Seven months had passed since she had last seen him. Her friends still wanted to see the pictures daily, causing her to never take the time to delete them from her camera.

She glanced out the window, watching the other snowboarders and skiers riding down the mountain. Part of her mind was hoping… dreaming, that he would be here. But realistically, she knew that he would never appear in her life again.

She liked him, she truly did. She was never able to tell him and talked to him only because of her friends' persuasion. Everything about him she liked, and now he would never know.

Maybe it was just for the best.

As her friends continued their daily routine, she was stuck doing nothing. Mumbling a few words, she disappeared out the door of the lodge.

The snow was falling freely now as she regretted not bringing out her hat, goggles, gloves and jacket. Disregarding those minor details, she made a move towards her board to be immediately cut off by another snowboarder.

Jumping away, she silently cursed the jerk and continued on her way. But before she could move, a bare hand gripped tightly on her upper arm. She felt a familiar tingle run through her veins as she slowly turned around.

He stood there, staring at her in bewilderment. She knew it was him, not matter how she tried to reject that notion. His goggles and hat hung from his free arm, revealing his entire face to her. Brilliant blue eyes stared straight into her own, as if daring her to deny his sudden appearance.

She knew she nearly collapsed when she had first turned around. Had it not been for the tight grip on her upper arm, she would have fallen into a clumsy heap at his feet. Instead, she remained still and waited. What for, she was not sure.

"I thought I was just imagining you standing here." were his first words before he pulled her close to his body. Even through the heavy layers of her snow wear, she felt as if she could actually feel his touch on her skin. She pushed herself closer to him, savoring the few minutes they would share together that day. His arms tightened considerably as she clung onto him.

"I missed you so much." she found herself whispering quietly.

"As did I."

She had originally intended her statement to be a mere thought. She didn't want him knowing how she truly felt about him. But hearing his response erased any second thoughts. She loved knowing that he actually felt the same way in that perspective.

Unfortunately, she now knew she was prone to another heart break. Having to leave him (again) would definitely be worse than the first. Any feelings she ever had for him suddenly came crashing down on top of her. Getting herself out of this mess had just become more difficult.

A cold breeze caused shivers to run down her spine, yet part of her knew it was the wind. Pulling back slightly in his arms, she stared straight into his eyes. "How about let's go inside? It's a bit warmer."

He merely nodded, grasping her hand with his. Bare skin met as the touch of his fingers warmed her heart. Without a word said, he pulled her into the lodge. He quickly found a corner table unoccupied by anyone. Staring into his bright blue eyes, she knew that brilliant color would be forever haunting her dreams.

Nothing happening today could possibly benefit her emotional stability.

----------

She was here, physically in front of his very eyes. When his friend had almost run her over, he could not believe his eyes. He thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him again. After all, it would not have been the first time he had mistaken someone for her.

But no, this was real. Those dark brown eyes he had fallen in love with were shining back at him. She almost looked as if though she had not accepted the reality of the situation. He thought he had managed to get over his feelings, but seeing her again made that nearly impossible.

She sat next to him, facing her knees towards his body. Every so often, their legs would touch, causing shock to run through his entire body. But he couldn't let her know that. "Who are you here with?" he finally managed to say.

She shrugged and looked past his shoulders. "Just a few of my friends from school. And you? Here with your girlfriend?" With the last question lingering in the air, she cast him a wary look.

Excitement coursed through his system. Could she possibly…?

"A few friends." He responded in an attempted calm fashion. Using his years of theater, he tried to plaster an emotionless mask over his face in order to conceal his true apprehension. "My best friend was the one who almost ran over you. And I don't have a girlfriend."

She merely nodded at his words and leaned back against the wood panels. "So to be blunt and forward, how the hell have you been? I've barely talked to you online."

He closed his eyes. The loss of contact was entirely his fault. Returning to America was one of the hardest ordeals over the summer. Doing so meant never seeing her… until now. But through his twisted logic, he believed never talking to her would help calm the pain.

Now it was coming back to bite him in the ass.

"Life's been good." But better if you were around. "School basically sucks." Cause you're not here with me. "I still think a lot about the summer a lot." Mainly you… I can't keep you off my mind. "I really do miss you." I can't help that I'm in love with you.

His inner battle was reaching a completely new level. All the words he wished to say stayed quiet in his mind. The very moment she smiled at his words, he felt himself melt again. Her mouth was moving as she said something in response. To him, he heard nothing. The only comprehensible thought running through his brain was how badly he wanted to kiss her.

Without another thought, he leaned forward while placing his hands on her knees. It was either now or never. "I need to talk to you about something." He whispered. Her expression dropped quickly the second those words slipped from his lips. He almost regretted the moment he spoke, wishing to see that beautiful smile again.

Quickly standing up, he held out a hand for her to take. The frown on her face pained him, but he couldn't give up now. He had backed down far too many times. If he truly believed in her, he had to do this. Cool fingers eventually slipped into his grasp. An unintentional shiver ran up his spine as skin came in contact.

Slowly pulling her to her feet, he led her up the stairs to one of the smaller lobbies on the second floor. Despite the warm clothes he was wearing, the shivers never ceased. He knew the tingling sensation was in no way related to the weather, but because of the girl holding onto his hand.

Pushing aside all anxieties, he sat down on an empty couch as she situated herself close to him. "What's going on?" she asked, looking around cautiously. "Is everything alright?"

He gave her a shaky smile, attempting to wash out any second thoughts. He'd already gotten this far. Not now…

"I need to talk to you about something." He repeated, glancing down at his bare hands. "And just… don't talk until I'm done, alright?"

She cast him a confused look, but said no words. He waited for a response, hoping she wouldn't walk away now that he had built up the strength to do so. It felt like an eternity, before she nodded slowly, her piercing gaze on his eyes again.

He let out a loud sigh, rubbing his face furiously. How was he supposed to start? "Do you believe that everyone deserves a chance at love?"

At his opening question, she seemed taken aback, but just as quickly gathered her poise. He beat himself internally. He had started off too direct, too straightforward. He had to cool it. A shine flashed in her eyes for one second. "Yeah, I do." She paused for a moment, pondering over the thought. "But not everyone sees it, you know? Sometimes, it's right there in front of their faces, but they don't see it. The chance slips by. It happens."

Her words struck him. She looked completely unfazed as if she had been waiting forever to say those very words.

He dropped his voice to an unintentional whisper as she leaned in to hear his words. "I think I've found my chance."

----------

She shut her eyes. Could he possibly feel the same way she did? Could he not feel the want oozing in the air every time she was near him? Never in her life had she even felt this way about any guy. Such lust was foreign to her, as she imagined the fire burning through if he ever kissed her.

Insider, she was hoping their conversation would transform into the ultimate confessional. But some part of her believed he merely needed love advice from a girl outside of his hometown for a fresh perspective.

"Okay." she managed to muster. "Tell me about this 'chance'." Heat was rising in her, as well as the suspense. Unable to take it, she slipped off her sweatshirt, leaving her in a short sleeve shirt.

When she looked back at him, she couldn't ignore the blazing desire evident in his eyes. He truly did feel strongly for this girl... "She's amazing at music, which was what first caught my attention. She's not afraid of embarrassment and knows what she's doing."

He moved closer so now he was completely facing her. Her fingers were grazing the cold material of his snow pants, as she tried to back away. Whoever this girl was, it definitely was not her. If anything, he emphasized her courage and decisiveness, the two qualities she and all her friends knew she did not possess.

Before she could move too far away, he had pulled her back to her original position. "She means everything to me." He confessed, holding her faze. "And I really want her to know she can trust me. How do I do that?"

At that, her heart shattered. He was merely asking for advice, as she had originally believed. She moved out of his hold, feigning a stretch to prevent the tears. This was it, her first heartbreak. She never thought it would happen, but here it was, presenting itself in all its shining glory.

She felt him push her knee slightly, trying to catch her attention. Mustering all the pride remaining in her soul, she locked eyes with him once again. Seeing her vision turn misty, she knew tears were really to spill over. She saw the distorted concern in his eyes as she spoke. "Show her that you really care about her." Her eyelids slowly slid shut as words fell unconsciously through her lips. "Tell her how you feel, and truly mean it. Don't hold back on the small gestures. A little bit of romanticism is all I need." She squeezed her eyes tighter, not meaning for that one pronoun to be heard. "Maybe she does too."

Silence shrouded the two as she prayed for something, anything. Maybe when she opened her eyes, he wouldn't be sitting in front of her. She'd be back at home, watching movies with her friends.

She literally froze when a warm hand slid to her cheek. A thumb rubbed soothing circles as her emotions ignited again. Willing herself to see reality again, she was shocked to see him still sitting there. Neither of them spoke, as his hand slowly slid down to her neck.

Quietly, she whispered his name while reaching up to cover his hand with her own. The contact caused bliss to re-enter her body again… hope resurrected. "Say girls all want the same." He continued, his fingers lightly tickling her skin. "Would kissing the girl be to much if I only wanted to tell her how much I cared about her?"

Seconds felt like weeks as she basked in the warmness of his fingers. She didn't want the moment to end, knowing that he'd soon leave to confront this girl of his. But yet, she couldn't stop the growing feeling that maybe this girl was herself.

"No." she whispered gently, as she felt him pulling her closer. His clouded blue eyes were now mere millimeters away, begging for her to continue. "It'd be perfect."

She felt his breath hitch, as her eyes began to shut on its own accord. Her chest tightened as his other arm somehow snaked around her waist. At some point in time, he had managed to strip himself of his sweatshirts, causing his bare arm to come in contact with her skin.

Goosebumps spread up her arms as she anticipated his actions. There was no doubt in her mind what was coming. Her heart was about to explode as his fingers traced patterns on her back.

He let out a sigh, warm breath beating down on her lips. "You drive me crazy." He muttered, as she strained to hear his words. She grew impatient as she shivered under his touch. As he continued to stretch out the inevitable, she began wondering if actually did care about her and was only doing this for a bit of fun. The battle raging in her mind drove her near insanity.

"You make me feel whole." She found herself saying, despite her rational side.

"Good." was the last thing he said. Before she could say a word, his lips had covered hers softly.

----------

The kiss was nothing like he had ever felt in his entire life. Sure, he had his share of girls, but nothing could match this. The way she responded so lightly made him never want to let her go in case she fell. Slowly, he felt himself needing more from her. Now that the connection had been made, he could finally attain what he truly wanted.

Pulling her body closer to his so she was straddling his lap, he tilted his head slightly to gain better access. The kiss gradually grew as the pent up passion within them suddenly erupted. For seven months, he had deprived himself of this.

How he survived, he didn't know.

His hands had drifted down to her hips, pushing down the fabric of her snow pants. Her small hands slid to his shoulders, as he began to experience a whole new side of her. Sucking lightly on her bottom lip, she groaned which only lit the raging fire within him.

When he slipped his tongue into her open mouth, he was almost terrified she would break away. But he needed her so badly, he didn't care anymore. Nonetheless, her grip tightened on his shoulders as she pushed herself closer to him.

Lust burned heavily in his veins as he finally managed to pull himself away. He knew he had to, or else he'd never be able to stop. "Tell me you feel the same way I do." He said huskily, tearing his gaze away from her mouth. All he wanted was to feel her soft lips on his before he left again. "My God, you've been on my mind since day one."

She returned his look, running her fingers up his chest. Her touch made him shut his eyes, as he tried to remember the blissful satisfaction of this moment. "You never noticed." She finally spoke. "You're the first guy I've actually given any thought to, you know"

Those words cause his confidence to surge again. That was all he ever wanted to hear from her. Smiling softly, he pushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "I love you."

The words hung in the air, waiting for consumption. She merely stared at him, as he internally begged her to say something… anything. He had come so far and everything had been working beautifully. But ultimately, it all came down to this. She couldn't fail him now.

"I'm falling in love with you too."

No words were needed after that. This time, it was she who kissed him lightly. Again, his emotions boiled to a dangerous point as time flew. He never wanted it to end, but he knew everything was far too perfect for reality.

With those words spoken, he felt a one ton weight lift from his shoulders. To him at that point in time, there were no more troubles left. Everything pressuring him for the past seven months was finally alleviated.

Breaking off the kiss, his breathing was uneven as was hers as the remained lost in a daze. Him in his idealistic world whiles she in what he hoped to not be second thoughts.

Suddenly, his cell phone began vibrating violently in his pocket. The gravity of the situation finally hit him. Disregarding that thought, he flipped open his phone while holding onto her hip with his other hand. Now that he had done the impossible, he never wanted to let her go.

"Where the fuck are you dude? Our plane's leaving in four hours. The next plane from Jersey to New Orleans is tomorrow. We've gotta get back for you bro's birthday, remember?"

"Right. I'll meet you at the car in ten." He sighed and slammed his phone shut. He burrowed his head into the crook of her neck, not wanting to leave her alone. He didn't care about his brother, just her. If it meant staying an extra day with her, he'd take it. She was all he needed at this point.

"When are you going home?" she whispered into his ear, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Flight leaves at six o'clock, tonight. But we're leaving now, since we're going up to LaGuardia."

He felt her nod, tightening her hold on him. "Am I ever going to see you again?" she asked. He pulled away from her, not daring to meet her eyes.

"I promise you, I'll do everything I possibly can to come back." He said, doubt growing with every word. He knew it'd never happen, she knew that day would never come. All in all, it was hopeless to even try.

Desperately he pulled her down for one more kiss. It was all he wanted… to feel her one more time before he forever disappeared from her life. Their tongues clashed as each fought their own individual battles. His hands began drifting up beneath her shirt. With his fingers, he tried to learn by heart every part of her. Every outline, shape and detail, he wanted to remember everything.

It was the least he could do.

----------

His fingers were leaving a burning trail in its wake. She had never been touched like this, never with such need. His touch caused her to arch into his body, emitting a loud moan which seemed to turn him on further.

He tore away from her, leaving an empty feeling in her heart. "I don't want you to forget me." He whispered into her ear as her heart skipped a few beats. "Promise me that." He began sucking at her neck, as she grew dizzy with every passing second. "Promise." he muttered into her neck, his tongue leaving a cool path on her skin.

"I promise." She managed to reply, dreading whatever was coming next. He was leaving, he had to. New Jersey just wasn't where he lived. But she forgot all thoughts as he began kissing her neck fiercely, no doubt leaving his mark on her as a permanent reminder.

"I don't want to leave you. Not now." His phone vibrated again. No doubt his friends wondering where he was… Groaning, he picked up his phone. "Just get my fucking board and be patient for one second." He was silent as she watched him. He laid his hand on her cheek, letting his thumb run over every detail on her face. She shut her eyes, as his fingers caressed her soft skin. "No, fuck you." He snapped into the phone. "Fine. Five."

She heard him curse aloud as he sat up. Knowing that was her cue to get up, she stood up alongside him as he held on to her hand. From the death grip, it felt almost as if he would slip away from her life forever if he dared to let go. Gathering all his belongings, he finally turned back to her.

"Remember." He whispered. "I love you." With one last kiss, he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She didn't even have time to react before he released her. "I'll be back." he said, before turning down the stairs.

With that said, she saw his figure disappear as he descended. Running to the banister overlooking the entrance, she saw him turn around for one last second. Her breath stopped when blue eyes met brown.

Before she could say anything, his friends had already dragged him out the door. She turned, sliding down the cool white walls. Part of her had been reborn the second she saw him alive in front of her. Yet, she had predicted an ending similar to this. It had been her fault to reconnect to him. A heartache was inevitable… she knew. But still, it wasn't that difficult to make the ultimate life changing decision.

When it came down to love, just one time can fulfill the needs of a lifetime.

So, this was a new experiment for me. I changed my usual writing style in this, if you couldn't tell? This was far more lovey-dovey and angst-y than what I usually prefer. If you didn't realize, MGA is written in a similar mind set with the disparity of some humans. Anyway, I tried something new for this one. Not only did I have absolutely no names, there was more emotion than words. That's what I'm trying to do now.

And as for the main themes of the story, I was slightly influenced by F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" and Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man". TGG gave me the idea of the man's idealistic view of what would be the perfect world to him. If you couldn't tell. For IM, I got the nameless narrator (or narrators in this case), from Ellison. Hope you liked this as much as I did!

-Stef

P.S. My birthday is on the 14th. Expect the new edited chapter one of MasterCard Theory up by that day. My present from me to you :