"Love in high school, is it really possible?" I've asked myself this question so many times throughout my 3 years in high school. I thought I was in love, but I was wrong more times than right. It wasn't love, it was lust. You can date someone for 2 weeks and say "I love you" and not mean it.

I dated 4 guys total in high school. 1 my Freshman year and it was a total disatser. Eric was a Sophomore, I, a Freshman. We both were in band, and had a lot of things in common. He told me he loved me, and I, out of pure courtesy, said it back, not knowing what I was getting myself into. I knew about sex, and everything, but I didn't date up until my Freshman year. I was one of those innocent girls that got all the dirty jokes people made, but won every "Never Have I Ever" game I played. I didn't really know if I loved him back or not. I tricked my mind into believe I did. I broke up with him after 2 months of ridicule and torture from people. Turned out, he was the type of guy that no one really liked, and was a total suck up to teachers. I was teased, and called horrible names. I came home in tears most days. I wasn't as tough as what I am now. I didn't date the rest of my Freshman year.

Summer rolled around and I met a few people on a college visit trip. Turns out, they were best friends with a guy (Kody) I had met and talked to for 2 hours in a mass band thing my old middle school band director held. We had sat next to each other, me a flute, him an alto sax. We talked every chance we had, and he used the corniest band pick-up line I had ever heard. "So, what instrument do you play?" Are the exact words he asked me. The funny part, I had my flute sitting on my lap. A few weeks after talking to his friends, I got his phone number and asked him to come to my birthday party. He was at his friends birthday and couldn't. His friend ended up becoming one of mine. She was a flute player and I got to know her at Band Camp. Kody and I started dating the 2nd day of school. He was a Freshman, me a Sophomore. We lasted 8 months until we broke up. We had been saying that we loved each other since the first month we started dating. I was completely head over heels for him. I was no longer a sweet and innocent little girl after dating him. No, we never had sex, but we did a lot more than I care to remember.

I dated only 1 other guy that year, and I had known him for 8 years. Pat was sweet, but too timid for me. I was always having to make the first move. We did love each other, but it was more of a brother sister kind of love. We broke up within 1 month.

My Junior year became interesting. I dated Kody again but we didn't last a month. We had changed, and we just didn't feel a connection anymore. I dated another one of my best friends. Will had come to my school in the 4th grade and we've been best friends ever since. He had become a brother to me. We dated a week, and he broke up with me over a rumor that I was cheating on him. It wasn't true and I was crushed. I had fallen deeply in love with him and will always be in love with him. It all started on the day he moved here. I never stopped loving him.

Now, it's the end of my Junior year and I'm dating Eric again. The reason behind it? I really think I love him. He's sweet, nice, loving, and is a complete gentleman. When he wants to be. I love him, and I don't plan on dating anymore in high school because I am truely happy where I am now.

I do believe Love in high school is possible. You just have to find the right one, and if you don't find him in high school, don't give up. You have at least 35 more years to find him.

"Never give up, because life's too short to live in regret." Bryanna Niswonger