5 ,6 ,7 ,8 ,9 ,10 ,11 & 12

fifth & sixth grade love was signing up for hotmail, not gmail, and sending emails and IMs back and forth of " i like, like, like like you".  And teasing them on the play ground, and having rosy cheeks if they say hi to you. oh, you can't forget the iconic email of "I like you. Do you like me??????"

seventh grade love was the "will you go out with me?" love.  it was the text saying "want to hold hands?" and replying back with "uh, sure?" its the sweaty palms and the embarrassment of having all your friends watch and not saying a word to each other after. it's the Facebook "I LOVVVEEE YOUUU!!!" and the M&M's you gave me and the bracelets i still have.

eighth grade love i don't even know- it is whatever you think it is.

ninth grade love was the hopeless romantic idea of a boyfriend. the sweaty basketball games and hugs. it was the "i like you too :)" and the "can i come over?".  it was the nervous butterflies in your stomach, trying to figure out how to cuddle with someone for the first time, and realizing that it was fun.  its the first kiss and the second kiss and the to many kisses to keep track.  it was realizing you liked his best friend more than you like him.

tenth grade love was seeing eighth grade love at the football game and hanging out for a week. then realizing he just wants to kiss. so you leave.

eleventh grade love was watching him, hoping he would notice you.  it was finally gaining the courage to ask someone on a date. (i always thought that was the guys job.) it was the sweaty palms of hoping you would make good conversation.  it was singing to the top of your lungs to Michael Jackson, and then hugging for the last time in two years. 

twelfth grade love, twelfth grade love is noticing him.  its history and music and traveling conversation and eye contact the keeps me sane through out the week. it's asking someone you don't know to a dance and finding out more about yourself than you thought you would. its comparing him to him on the way home from breakfast. (why did i notice you now?) its springsteen and mumford and sons and not climbing that tree just to stand next to him. 

paris love is the love that lasts forever. its the love that takes forever to figure out and people for forever have been trying to figure it out. i think the paris love is the love that keeps you up until four am pondering life and wishing he was right there with you. paris love is the feeling you get as you ride that elevator to the top of the eiffel tower; scary, magical, thrilling and exciting. paris love is landing in the city of love and wanting to explore and find all the secret streets that no tourist knows about.  paris love is the love that people dream about. 

"you can choose to surrender to love or not, but in the end love strikes like lightning." - the paper airplane i picked up in class