• One day, i met a boy. He had long hair, and he wore it down like an angel.
    "My name is Rob," he said.
    "My name is Anna," I answered, and then we smiled.
    Rob was my best friend. We talked about heaven and love and coffee with just enough sugar and cream. Ours was a fairy-tale dreamland with perfect moments where we never ran out of things to say.
    "Lets be hippies today," he said, and we donned our handkerchiefs and sunglasses, let down our hair, and talked of peace and love.
    "Lets be bad," I said, and we scowled, decked out in black, and rocked to heavy metal.
    "Lets be optimistic," he said, and we walked around in yellow, on top of the world.
    "Lets be individuals," he said, andwe made up puzzling outfits, contemplated anarching, and laughed. This was our favorite game.
    Sometimes we sang, sometimes we ran, sometimes we talked, but mostly we laughed. We had summers of perfection and idyllic winters. We had sunshine, and we had red cheeks, and we danced in the rain. It was beautiful.
    "Lets be in love," I said, and i bit my nails and cried, afraid he wouldn't like this game. He danced.
    "I love you!" he said, and on went our fairy-tale dreamland. But my stomach was upset, and my eyes cried without me at night, and i knew it was wrong.
    "Lets break up," I said, and he cried. And i cried for his broken heart and the way he didnt look at me anymore.
    "I dont like this game," he said.
    Then our fairy-taled dreamland disappeared, and we looked around to see where the colors had gone, and why our world was gray.
    "I think it left with all the love," I said, and cried.
    "But it was only a game," he said, laughing quietly, and i remembered there were kisses. My heart hurt, and I cried because I didnt realize the truth.
    Once i knew a boy. Now he has forgotten our fairy-tale dreamland, and I watched me as his heart grows cold. He said that he was truly bad.
    "Lets hate each other," he said, and i agreed. Then my stomach turned again, and i cried in the dark, and knew it was wrong.
    "Lets make up," I said, and we pretended. Then we tried to remember our fairy-tale dreamland but he was completely lost.
    "Lets say I've fallen in love with someone else," he said, and i smiled sadly because i knew it wasnt a game anymore. He wouldnt play with me again.
    "Lets move on," I said.
    Sometimes i still go to our dreamland looking for him, because he was lost.
    "Lets be hippies today," I call, but i get no answer.