People often talk about their desire to fall in love like in a storybook - and I silently laugh. When I was a little girl and I read fantasy stories, or watched movies about Prince Charming, I dreamt about falling in love that way. My family convinced me things like that never happen in real life. My parents never wanted me to have hopes too high for something they did not believe could happen. I was brought up not to believe in miracles and magical romance. One thing I have learned over time is that my parents are not always right.

When I was in seventh grade, I went skiing during winter break with my family. At the resort I met a boy named Anthony. We only spent two days together, but we found ourselves inseparable. We enjoyed each other’s company and found we had a lot in common. When it came time to go home, I was devastated. I knew we could have something special if we had the chance; there was chemistry between us. But Anthony lived six hours away, and we weren’t old enough to drive. We exchanged addresses and promised to keep in touch, although it seemed unlikely we would ever see each other again.

My family and friends called me immature when I said I missed Anthony. When I received a letter from him and got excited, they laughed and told me nothing would come of it. Nobody understood how I felt. I knew I was young, but I didn’t think there was an age limit on love. There was a feeling that came into my heart whenever I thought of Anthony. My parents labeled my feelings as silly, an infatuation that would pass, but they were wrong.

I don’t believe in the word “impossible.” I believe that things can happen if you really want them to. For years Anthony and I continued to write. We called whenever we could. As we got older, I sometimes thought I might never see him again. The letters arrived farther apart, and the phone calls came once every few months. I never told Anthony how I felt about him since everyone close to me tried to crush the idea of anything ever coming of it.

Now I am in the eleventh grade. It has been four years since I met Anthony. We now know almost everything about each other and, although we have not seen each other in years, I know that when we meet I will have the same feelings I had those years ago. The only difference is that now I am older and more mature. Now I have the capability to act on my feelings.

I received a letter from Anthony a few weeks ago. The beginning was nothing out of the ordinary, but on the last page he wrote, “Lori, we’ve known each other for a very long time. I know I haven’t seen you in years, and this may sound absurd, but I am in love with you. Not a day has gone by since we met that I haven’t thought about you. You know me better than I know myself, and I need to see you again before I go to college. I can picture spending the rest of my life with you someday. It may sound crazy, but you are the only girl I can see myself raising a family with. I want you to come to my prom, and spend the weekend so you can come to my graduation. These are two of the most important days of my adolescent life, and I wish you would share them with me.”

These were the most heartfelt words anyone had ever said to me. So many different feelings ran through my head. Nobody believed anything would ever happen between us. I sensed it back when I was a little girl in the seventh grade, and the feeling that Anthony and I belong together still exists inside me now. Who knows? Maybe one day Anthony and I will get married. Maybe we’ll only remain pen pals until we grow old. Or we may lose touch over the years and only exist in each other’s memories. All I know is that I have had the honor of experiencing storybook love, and now I will never stop believing in destiny.