{0: Prologue}

"Mommy, mommy, look!" I exclaimed excitedly as I dashed towards the playground. The playground was bustling with children about my age, running around and enjoying their childhoods with their friends. As I ran towards the swingset, my eyes became fixed on a little girl. She had medium-length wavy hair that was a brunette color, with her beautiful bangs sweeping over her mesmerizing blue eyes. Her skin was fair and soft-looking and it only made me even more infatuated with her. I felt the Star in my heart vibrate faster and glow brightly as I stared at her, transfixed.

My light brown eyes never left her slightly freckled face. Everyone else at the playground didn't matter; only she did. She finally turned towards me, noticing that I'd been staring at her for the longest time. "Um," she stuttered as she began to walk towards where I was standing, "were you staring at me..?" My face immediately heated up and became red, "Uh, yes!" I didn't want to lie to her and so I just told her the truth, though I couldn't believe that I actually did. She was surprised at first from my sort of bold response, but her surprised look turned into a simple smile, which I immediately began to adore.

"Why..?" She asked quietly, but loud enough so only I could hear her question. I was surprised by the question, but I knew exactly what I'd tell her. I hopped off the swing I was on and looked down at her. She was a few inches shorter than I was, which made her even more beautiful. I softly grasped a strand of her wavy brunette hair and I twirled it in between my fingers. She stood still, not wanting to ruin the moment if we could call it that.

"You're just...very pretty."

Her eyes widened in shock and happiness. Her small and simple smile turned into an adorable and innocent grin. I could almost see the stars in her eyes as she smiled, which only made my Star in my chest vibrate faster than before.

She placed one of her warm and soft hands on my cheek, caressing it gently. I thought I was going to melt.

"You are too."

Those words, especially coming from her, made the Star in my chest vibrate at such an alarming speed, she could slightly hear it. We stayed there, not daring to move, infatuated by each other.

My young body was emotionally melting when a sudden excruciating pain was felt in my chest. I coughed out blood and fell to the wood-chipped ground in agony. I could feel my vision fading and all I could see were small blurs. The last thing I could hear was the girl, the girl who I began to admire, her yells asking if I was okay. But the pain was too much for my young and small child body to take...and I blacked out.

~~~

I'm partially happy that I know now what I didn't know back then.

I know that I'm unable to feel love. Romantic Love. The type of love that makes your Star beat faster and faster. The type of love that makes you blush and makes you want to do crazy things. The type of love that leaves you breathless.

I can't feel that. If I do, it'll kill me.

I know that now from experiences, but I didn't know that back then; back to the time I met what I'd call the love of my life.

I didn't know that I wouldn't know how important love was...until I couldn't feel it anymore...