He’s always here. Sitting on the swings. Doing nothing but getting lost in his thoughts. Every night I take my dog for a long walk through the park and take a break on a bench in the playground. That night he’s not on the swings. I open a book and read for a bit but then someone walks up to me. “Mind if I sit here,” they ask. I shake my head without looking up from my book.

A few minutes later they speak, “I know you’ve been watching me.” I look at him. It’s the boy from the swings. I can’t seem to find a response. He’s even more gorgeous up close.

“I don’t mind. I would be watching you too but I wouldn’t want to get noticed.”

I stare a him in shock. He smiles. I speak quietly, almost to myself, “Oh my god.” He laughs, “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m honestly flattered. A pretty girl, totally out of my league likes to stare at my face.”

I can feel my cheeks getting redder my the second. I look at him and ask, “You think I’m pretty?” I wasn’t not pretty but I don’t think anyone’s ever told me straight up that I’m pretty.

“Very pretty,” he responds. I think I might die.

“Uhm thanks.”

“I’m Charlie, what’s your name?”

Charlie’s a good name. It suits him. He seems playful and has a good sense of humor. That’s how a Charlie should be. I smile, “Elsie.”

“That’s a cool name, I’ve never heard that before.”

I smile, probably as red as a tomatoe. He gestures to my dog, “And this guys name?”

“Robert.”

“You named a dog Robert?”

“It was my mom.”

He smiles. We sit in silence for a little while. A comfortable silence though. This is crazy. He checks his phone and frowns, “Sorry Elsie, I gotta go. But I’ll see you around, right?”

I smile brightly and nod, “Bye.”

He walks off, smiling, as I sit there, extremely shocked but extremely happy with what just happened.