Puppy Love

It was September. School was back in.

INT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

Bell used to love the first week of school.

New Notebook. New Pencils. New Clothes. Everything felt like a fresh start. But so far everything had felt off. It wasn't because of schoool, it was because of him— Alessandro Marchetti.

Bell had seen him, even hung out with him, but their usual rhythm was off, like they didn't know how to act. And everytime she wondered where it changed to led to the same conclusion— that day under the oak tree. He had called her pretty. He called her Bella.

He walked her to class sometimes, and they talked, but nothing had been quite the same since that day.

Today Bell is walking down the hall, deep in thought when Alessandro approaches her. Surprise jolts her out of her thoughts.

"Hey Bell." He says.

"Hey." She replies quietly. She hates that all of the sudden her heart is beating 200 miles a minute.

Alessandro rubs the back of his neck. "Sooo want to come over after school? My mom got me these new books and I wanted to show them to you."

"Oh okay, sure, well then I'll see you after school."

Alessandro nods. He heads off towards his group of friends, back to goofing off in the halls.

INT. MARCHETTI ESTATE

Bell went home to change out of her uniform before she headed over to Alessandro's place.

She'd been here a million times before, walked up the same exact steps to the big grandiose door, but now her heart was beating fast, and she felt a little shaky.

She knocked and the door was opened by Liliana.

"Oh Bellissima! Alessandro's just out back in the gardens"

Bell nodded. "Thank you Mrs. Marchetti."

Liliana watched her walk to the back doors with a smile.

....

When Bell stepped outside into the warm air Alessandro was sitting on a bench, hunched over like he was studying something quietly.

Bell wrung her hands but continued to walk slowly to where he sat.

"Hey Alessandro, what're you doing?"

He looked up, a grin breaking out on his face.

"Oh hey Bell, I was just watching the bee, it was collecting nectar from that flower right there."

"Oh." Bell said with a nervous smile. Then she sat next to him. "So where are your books?"

Alessandro smiled again. "Well actually, I do have the books, but that wasn't the real reason I asked you to come over."

Bell felt her heart go even faster. "Oh, w-well then why did you?"

Alessandro turned towards her. "Bell… I think… Bell I like you…"

Bell didn't respond, she just stared at him in shock. She could feel the warmth spreading across her cheeks. She turned her head away from Alessandro, letting her hair fall infront of her.

"You can't just say things like that Alessandro."

"What? Bell I'm just saying how I feel."

Bell finally turned back towards him. "You like me? Like you like-like me."

Alessandro nodded. Bell was quiet. He spoke again.

"Well… do you like me too?"

Bell felt her heart rate start up again. "Um…. Well… I think I do too."

Alessandro broke out into a big grin. "Really?! Well that's amazing then, I thought you were gonna tell me no, and then it would be weird."

Bell couldn't help but smile. "Well what now? I mean we both like each other… so are we supposed to… date or something."

Alessandro stopped smiling and sat like he was deep in thought. "Well if you want to then I want to… but I don't want to make you feel like you have to."

Bell shook her head. "I want to."

Alessandro took a moment to be quiet. A then he let out a small smile. "Well then, Isabella, will you go out with me?"

Bell looked down shyly. "Sure."

....

After that day the love that would blossom and consume them was born.

They were awkward at first. The young age of 13, their first relationship. They had to learn how to function in a relationship.

A year later. It was winter. They had turned 14 the school year before in March, and then in April.

They were walking together. Alessandro had her hand tucked in his coat pocket with his, fingers curled together like it was the most natural thing in the world. They both let out shuddering breaths.

Snow crunched under their sneakers as they trudged along the sidewalk, the sky already bruising into evening. Bell's cheeks were pink, not just from the cold.

They'd missed the bus — passed out in study hall like idiots — and now they were walking the three blocks home in the cold. Bell didn't really mind. The silence between them was soft, comfortable. Sort of like falling asleep on someone's shoulder.

"You're freezing," he said after a while, giving her hand a small squeeze.

"So are you."

"Yeah, but I don't care if I lose a finger. You're the one always forgetting gloves."

She smiled, nudging him with her elbow. "Maybe I just like an excuse to share yours."

He looked over then, really looked at her. His nose was red, hair messy from the hoodie he'd shoved under his coat. He looked… unsure. Like he wanted to say something and didn't know if he should.

They stopped under a streetlamp — the kind that hummed faintly, casting gold against the snow.

"Bell," he said, voice low and nervous. "Can I… I mean… would it be okay if-"

She kissed him before he finished.

Just a small, shy kiss. Her lips barely brushed his before she pulled back, heart pounding in her ears like thunder.

"Sorry," she breathed. "I didn't mean-"

"No. Don't be sorry." He smiled, soft and stunned, like he couldn't believe it happened either.

They didn't speak the rest of the walk. But he didn't let go of her hand, and she didn't ask him to.

After that day it was no longer awkward, and as they aged they fell deeper in love. They were inseparable.

Bell's hair grew longer, she grew into a woman, gentle, gracious, and beautiful.

Alessandro grew into a man, respectful, courageous, and strong.

They hoped it would always be the two of them together, but then again, the future was unpredictable. Their future surely held many twists and turns.