She’d listened patiently as he detailed his plans for the future. Plans that talked of building but building that would have to put off for the time being. He said they had to be practical. While marriage was the goal and he saw his life with her….it just didn’t make sense for them to get married now.

Her heart sank. Another delay. Another hope deferred for the ever elusive future. Date, TBD. She knew he was right. In a realistic sense she was living in a fairy tale to think that things would just fall into place for her. That had never been her story. For her friends perhaps, but too often in her own story her hopes seemed to be on pause. So, she swallowed her own tears as another invitation came in the mail for a wedding set next summer.

She gathered her things and slowly released the air trapped in her lungs. It’s now or never. Plucking up her courage she left her desk and slowly made her way over to him. She’d had a crush on him all school year. She doubted if she’d survive another school year of him dating the wrong type of girls.

She called him name and he looked up. A little surprised, but pleasantly surprised. He was about to speak when another girl slipped her arm through his and kissed his cheek. He looked a little flustered but off he went. He looked over his shoulder, his look lingered over her. She missed it. Her eyes, misted, were downcast. She’d missed her chance. Again.

Sympathy