Kevin stayed in Christina’s apartment overnight, waking early the next morning.

He walked with Christina to school, saying goodbye to her at the gates.

‘When do you return back to school?’

‘I don’t know’ Kevin shook his head. ‘Soon in think.’

She smiled wearily at him, touching his face briefly.

‘They’re nearly gone’ she spoke in a mumble, before withdrawing her hand. ‘I’ll see you later.’

‘Yeah’ Kevin nodded. ‘Take it easy ok?’

She nodded tiredly and turned away.

Kevin watched her go, lingering at the entrance of the school grounds. He glanced to the side, recognising a figure in the distance. It was Jessica, and she was with her friends.

Kevin raised his hand to wave to her, and Jessica waved back, smiling.

Kevin went away then, heading towards the train station. With every step he drew closer to the station, he became ever more nervous.

For years he had longed to see Lisa again, now at last he would, and he was overcome with nerves, but longing at the same time, and excitement.

He was still very early when he arrived, Lisa’s train would not reach the station for another few hours. But he didn’t care, he wanted to wait here for her, and watch the trains come and go.

He found a small table at a café, and stayed here while he waited for her, watching the people going about their lives, gazing out of the window silently.

He glanced around, looking towards the clock upon the wall as around him, the quiet murmur of the customers continued. He felt a jolt in his heart as he saw the hour. It was time.

Kevin placed his hands flat upon the table, pushing himself up.

He walked out of the café, palms sweating. He headed over to the correct platform, standing there as his heart hammered in his chest.

A few minutes passed, and he watched the timetable above his head.

The train suddenly appeared, drawing closer to the platform and coming to a gentle stop.

Kevin drew a slow and deep breath, watching the doors of the train.

About a minute passed as the passengers filed slowly off the train, and then he saw her.

Lisa stepped off the train and onto the platform, facing the other way, looking out for him. And then she looked towards him, eyes lighting up as she spotted him.

Kevin’s breath caught in his throat as she made her way over to him, pulling with her a wheeled suitcase.

She was a sweet young girl, about a year younger than Kevin, with a petite build and a head shorter than Kevin in height. She had bright blue eyes and a curtain of black hair, and she almost always dressed wearing flowers. That was the way she was as a child, and that about her had not changed as she grew up.

She slowed to a stop as she approached him, maintaining a short distance between them as she smiled.

‘Kevin’ she spoke. ‘It’s so good to see you.’

He smiled back at her, the edges of his lips twitching nervously.

‘I’ve missed you’ he breathed.

*

Lisa left him for a short time, visiting her father’s home to drop off her luggage, meeting Kevin again at the base of the building her father was staying.

‘It’s good to get rid of my stuff’ she smiled sweetly at him. ‘I hated dragging that suitcase around.’

Kevin smiled warmly back at her.

‘Where shall we go first?’ she asked him, holding her hands behind her back and swaying.

‘Well…’ he began nervously, ‘a-are you hungry?’

‘Yeah’ she smiled. ‘Let’s go get something to eat together. Take me to a nice place’ she beamed.

‘Ha’ Kevin breathed, ‘a-alright…let me think.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Ok…I know where we should go. It’s this way’ he pointed, turning to walk in that direction.

‘Ok’ Lisa replied happily, moving to walk with him.

She reached out to him as they went, taking him by the hand as they walked together.

Kevin stared ahead trying to remain calm, but he couldn’t swallow the lump in his throat, and all he could hear was blood rushing in his ears.

I can’t believe after all this time we’re together again he thought to himself, grasping her hand tighter in his.

……I’ve missed her so much……

*

They walked for a long time together, moving away from the centre of the town, and towards quieter areas on the outskirts.

The town was a very busy place, but on the edges there were patches of greenery, little areas of woodland, scattered areas of tranquillity. When they were children, Kevin and Lisa often came to areas like these to play, they would make dens together, swings and shelters. They hid away often in their days together, Kevin remembered on rainy days they would huddle together, they would bring food out to these places and have picnics and play board games.

In one of these dens many years ago, they had shared their first kiss.

Kevin and Lisa spent hours together, catching up on old times, talking, smiling, laughing.

Lisa and Kevin sat side by side, facing the little stream that trickled water. The leaves blew gently around them, and the little birds sang. As time went on, Kevin began to relax a little, getting over his initial nerves. Lisa on the other hand, had been completely relaxed from the moment that had met at the train station.

At one point, Lisa shuffled closer to Kevin, leaning into him, her head bowed against his shoulder.

Kevin’s heart skipped in his chest as she did this, staring down at her with wide eyes.

He let out a sigh, shoulders relaxed. Kevin dipped his head, resting his cheek against Lisa’s head.

He put his arm around her, holding her close.

*

After that, Kevin and Lisa went back to Kevin’s home to see his parents. They welcome Kevin and Lisa warmly, cooking for them, the four of them shared a meal together.

As Lisa spoke to both his parents, telling them about her life, Kevin felt a strong surge of love towards her.

Kevin had known Lisa almost his entire life, and from the very moment they first met as children, they had liked each other, and had become close friends.

Over the years, Kevin’s feelings towards Lisa had changed, gradually becoming something more than just friendship. But it had never progressed anywhere, as Lisa had moved away with her father due to his work. Losing her that day felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest. Now she had come back to him.

Kevin put his elbow on the table, resting his chin on his palm as he watched Lisa continue to talk to his parents happily.

At the back of his mind however, another memory stirred within him, of another girl he had once known and lost, but of one he would never see again.

*