It all started six months ago. Six months ago I had friends and a place to be every Friday night. Six months ago I was the popular girl who was the life of the party. Six months ago all the guys wanted me and all the girls wanted to be me. Six months ago my life was perfect… Then everything changed.

It was all her fault. She changed me over these six months. Sometimes I wonder what things would be like if I’d never gotten to know her.

I had seen her around school, watched her in all the sports she played. I always thought she was cute. I was self-identified as straight at the time, but, deep down, I think I always knew I wasn’t. I certainly knew she was. She was the senior star athlete, everyone knew her, envied her, even wanted her. I don’t know why, but I always had a yearning to know her. Maybe it was the sideways glances and the small smiles she threw at me in the halls. They told me she knew me too, although we had never had direct contact. It didn’t surprise me, hell, everyone knew who I was. I was the most well-known freshman this school had ever seen. I was friends with everyone in my grade and many upperclassmen as well.

That was the reason I was invited to the party-the party where we spoke for the first time. She had just led the basketball team to the state championships, and it was cause for a celebration. No parents, loud music, and plenty of alcohol-just how any good party should be. I arrived late and went straight to the kitchen for a drink. As I was fixing it, she came in behind me.

“Hey” she whispered in my ear.

          “Holy Shit!” I yelled, hand over my heart, “You scared me.”

“Sorry, that was certainly not my intention,” she said smirking.

“So… What’s up?” I asked with a nervous chuckle. Now that we were talking, face-to-face, I was slightly intimidated.

“I just came in here to get a drink-“she started.

“I’ll get it for you!” I said a little too quickly, “What do you want?” I asked, beginning to blush.

“Surprise me,” she said in a flirty tone with a smile. I thought I was crazy-why would this beautiful straight senior be flirting with me? ‘She wouldn’t,’ I thought, knowing I must be mistaken. I decided to make her my drink of choice-one part UV Blue + two parts Mountain Dew = 100% goodness.

“Here you go.” I gave her the drink and we began talking, her sitting on the kitchen counter, me standing in front of her. We talked for a few minutes about the game before she excused herself to go dance and we went our separate ways.

Looking back, I think that was the first time I had ever enjoyed someone’s company that much, just talking for a little while at a party. Little did I know, meeting her that night would lay the foundation for the life-changing events following in the next six months.

Oh, I guess I forgot to introduce myself… My name is Spencer Carlin, and six months ago I didn’t know what love meant, but I’d also never felt the ache of a broken heart.

Six months ago, I wasn’t in love with Ashley Davies.