st　friend’s　heart；　and　I　ached　with　him。

We　spent　hours　talking　on　the　phone　late　at　night；　forting　each　other；　giving　each　other　advice　and　worrying　about　college。　Over　the　rest　of　the　summer；　both　of　us　were　single；　so　we　spent　all　of　our　time　together。　Late　at　night　after　work；　we　would　meet　at　cafes　and　just　talk　for　hours。　We　grew　even　closer　that　summer。　I　only　wondered　why　our　friendship　had　to　get　so　close　now；　as　we　were　both　preparing　to　leave　for　college。

As　the　time　approached　when　we　would　have　to　say　good…bye；　we　went　shopping　together　for　school　supplies　and　planned　our　first　rendezvous　as　college　students　for　a　month　after　we　were　both　at　school。

As　I　left　that　Saturday　morning　to　take　him　to　school；　I　was　extremely　nervous；　my　stomach　full　of　knots。　I　kept　wondering　what　was　wrong　with　me　during　the　three…hour　car　ride。　Of　course　I　was　going　to　miss　him；　but　this　was　not　a　sad　feeling；　this　was　nervousness。　As　we　finished　packing　him　into　his　tiny　room　and　making　it　feel　like　some　semblance　of　home；　it　hit　me—and　it　hit　me　hard。　I　was　in　love　with　this　guy！　And　it　wasn’t　the　friendship　kind　of　love　that　I　had　felt　for　him　throughout　high　school；　it　was　something　much　deeper。　I　felt　helpless。　I　had　finally　realized　my　true　feelings　for　my　best　friend　when　it　was　too　late。　Tears　filled　my　eyes　as　I　sat　on　his　springy；　steel　bed。　I　said　good…bye　to　my　best　friend　and　the　love　of　my　life；　wondering　if　we　were　really　going　to　meet　in　a　month　a