When I first met Alexa at the library, she handed me a small yellow sticky note.

“Here” she said, shoving it into my sweaty hand

“What is it?”

“Read it!”

I was young back then. Thirteen probably. I dunno. I read the note carefully.

“Meet me behind the oak tree”

I don’t know why I did it, to be honest, but now that I think back to it, I am glad I did.

When I arrived at the oak tree she started questioning me.

“What’s your name”

“Fern”

“How old?”

“Thirteen”

“Same! What do you like to do?”

“Read? I don’t really know. People don’t ask me that. It’s more: your moving fern.”

“Well, I’m asking you.” She said with a grin.

We played this game a lot. Under the oak tree. And then one day, it happened. She stared at me through the moon light. I stared back, unsure of what was gonna happen. She leaned in and her face collided with mine. I was in love. That was the day I promised never to leave her.

Not that I have ever been good at promises