Finding love 2.

Since that day, Ashley was torn apart. Her plans were going well. Jake seems to be falling for her too. And she fell for Jake,she really do. But how can she love Jake if her heart was with Mike?

But Mike didnt know. He didnt even remember Ashley. And it hurts Ashley a lot, knowing the person who holds her heart thinks she is just another friends' friend. But what could a girl like Ashley do?

Days and nights Ashley spent thinking about a way to get Mike to remember her. Maybe,just maybe, if he remembers, and he feels the same way too, it will be clearer to Ashley.

She likes Jake,she really do. And she never want to hurt Jake's feelings, but now she was hurting. Confused. She was really at lost.

Then one day she thought of a way. She asked Mike out for a quick lunch, with the reasons of getting to know more about Jake from him. They ate,they talked. Yet Mike still show no signs of knowing Ashley before this. Then Ashley gave Mike a lollipop,one that he used to give her. Ashley searched his face for a flicker of recognization, but Mike just laughed and took the lollipop,not saying another word. Ashley gave the fakest smile ever, feeling her recently discovered heart breaking into pieces.

At home,Ashley wondered. How could Mike dont know her at all? Dont he ever think about her after kindergarten? Wasnt she special enough for him, the way he was to her? She knew it was stupid,it was 15 years ago. She dont really know what type of the person he has become. And he dont know her at all. But she hope he will. Maybe they can start again. Ashley and Jake are not exclusive yet,so why not?

But of course,fate meddles with you. A couple of days after the lunch, Jake asked Ashley out. On a saturday night. For a real date. It was romantic. They went to a restaurant near the beach, enjoying all the scrumptious seafoods. After that they went for a walk near the shore under the full moon. The sea breeze was gentle, and a gentleman Jake was, he offered her his jacket. Ashley could feel, with the pieces of her broken heart, that she was melting. And that was when Jake asked her to be his girlfriend. Ashley was stunned. That was all she has been wishing for since the first day she met Jake. But with Mike in the picture, she hesitated, only for a fraction of seconds.

Then she smiled sweetly at him, saying yes.
Maybe first love doesn't always worked out, she thought.

Tulistangan; Finding love

Love. What is love? Is liking the guy who gives you lollipops love? Or liking him because he plays with you in the kindergarten when no one else bothers? Or because of the facts that he has brown eyes and spiky hair? If that is love,then Ashley was in love.

And that was the only love,if it was love at all,that Ashley knew.

Mike had stolen her heart without knowing it. The way Mike looked at her,and smiled,and laughed,they all made Ashley's heart melt. She felt butterflies in her stomach,but she didnt know why. And when she told Mike about her stomach ache,Mike would laugh, dimples showing,eyes twinkling, and time would stopped.

After kindergarten,they went separate ways. And Ashley never hear from Mike again. And she never feel the butterflies. All she felt was the emptiness in her chest and she didnt know why.

Going through primary school,middle school,and high school was a breeze for Ashley. She was pretty,she scored well,she was not the mean girl. Guys fell at her feet,but she never really respond to any of them. She never really fall in love.

Her mom was worried that she wasnt pretty enough,wasnt popular enough that no boys were chasing her. But her dad was glad. He never want any immature irresponsible boys touching his little princess. But they didnt know,Ashley's heart was taken. Even Ashley didnt know that.

Sending Ashley to college with teary eyes,her mom told her something. Something like 'dont be afraid to fall in love. It happens'. But her dad said something else. Something wiser. He said 'your heart was taken. Find who took it'. Ashley smiled and hugged both of them.

Ashley settled in pretty quickly. She made friends like Jessica and Amanda. But they were not the reason why Ashley blushed. It was Jake. Jake the guy who accidentally bumped into Ashley,twice. Jake the guy with sparkling blue eyes,strawberry blonde hair and a crooked smile.
And Ashley smiled to herself thinking about that Jake.

Is this love? Ashley would wonder. And Ashley wondered what would Brenda the captain cheerleader do if she fall in love. Wear short skirts while cheering his name? Or what would June the smart Asian girl do? Maybe she will give him a really complicated equation explaining her feelings.
Then Ashley would laugh. But she realized,she was not Brenda or June,she has to do it her way.

And Ashley did it perfectly,the way she always do things.

First she started by becoming friends with Jake. It is the basic thing,of course she did that first. And it went well. With her sweetness and sense of humor,Jake became really comfortable with Ashley. They started studying together. Then they had lunches together. Next,they started hanging out during weekends. It went perfectly the way Ashley planned it to be.

Until one day when Jake introduce Ashley to his friend,Mike.
Suddenly Ashley felt happiness,beyond happiness,euphoria,contentment. Like finally her world makes sense.

Then Mike smiled,dimples showing, eyes twinkling.
And Ashley had found her heart back.