Love is like a puzzle. When you're in love, all the pieces fit but when your heart gets broken, it takes a while to get everything back together.

1. Locate your target, preferably someone who a. is liked by someone else or b. likes someone else. Bonus points if that someone happens to be your friend.

He's hilarious. And not obnoxious, trying too hard to be the class clown hilarious. He's just genuinely funny. I also happen to get a front seat to this comedy show, my seat in English being a seat back and over from his. It's quite a nice set up. And after one of his one liners, he'll look back in my direction laughing. Of course, he's probably looking at his friend who sits next to me, but a girl can dream.

So, target located: Julian Rhodes. Brown haired rock n' roll lover, advanced math student, English joke-cracker, tennis player, and recipient of 14 non consecutive months of my secret affection.

I came to terms with my little crush (or should I say, reprisal of my little crush) in the middle of October of my freshman year. And I was actually quite pleased with this. You see, Julian Rhodes is friends with a certain Dave McIntosh who happens to be dating my friend, Margaret. So, we're practically best friends. Okay, maybe I'm taking it a little too far, but we eat lunch together and hang out before school. Not that I'd ever had a real conversation with him. Outside of my head and a couple of words spoken in class between us, Julian Rhodes had never had any contact with me. Naïve me, back in October, thought it was possible for Julian Rhodes to notice me, start a friendship and then eventually something more…

"So, what am I going to do about…?"

"Julian," Margaret filled in for Cora. Let's get something straight early on. Cora Patel is not, nor will ever be, my best friend. She has Margaret for that. Cora is someone that I am willing to hang out with and exchange light banter with, but never will I ever share my deepest secrets with her or hang out with her outside of Margaret's presence.

At the mention of Julian, I listened closely to their conversation in that particular art class. Cora looked over at me, blushing. "Cora likes Julian. A lot," Margaret filled in. Cora's blush deepened. "He's different. And nice. And kind of cute," Cora added.

"Oh," I said, smiling. Let me get another thing straight: that smile- phony, fake, superficial.

"Yeah and we're going to make sure that Julian doesn't miss out on this great opportunity," Margaret said. "I mean, it's obvious that he at least has some feelings for you. He always directs his jokes and stories during lunch at you. There are plenty of other people at the table, me, Dave and even Beth!" Yes, even me. Julian could very well be telling us about his weekend and be looking into my eyes and telling me the details.

"I don't want to get my hopes up," Cora said.

"Pa-lease," Margaret said. "It's pretty much a done deal."

And that's when the first sign of a crack in my heart appeared.