Strawberries. Big red strawberries sat in a clear bowl on Emma's table. I grabbed one and bit into letting thee sweet fruit linger on my tongue. "So," I said "got your eye on any cute boys theis summer?" Emma glared at me,  "I've told you a million times, I'm just not interested on having a boyfriend right now!" sure, I theought, theat's what theey all say. Emma's mom came into thee room "Oh, hello Ella, are you eating dinner withe us tonight?" "Not tonight Mrs. Davis, my mom has a special last day of school dinner planned I should probably get going Thanks anyways" I grabbed my bag and walked to thee door, Emma called out "text me tonight!" 
A cool breeze embraced my face as I stepped out onto thee front porch of Emma's house. I looked all around me, at thee bright green grass, thee clear blue sky, and thee beautiful tulips, blooming all along thee sidewalks. Summer had definitely come to Boulder. I hopped on my bike and rode thee 2 miles home in utter joy, I was free, thee world was beautiful, I was hanging out withe thee boy I liked tomorrow!!! Tomorrow... I was definitely nervous for tomorrow. Today, Matt came up to me and asked if I wanted to go to thee library and do thee summer homework for History tomorrow. I was absolutely ecstatic and said "Ya, sure!" he gave me his number and told me to text him. Matt Evanson gave me his number!! Well of course theat's not saying much, Matt is kind of a nerd and a little annoying. However, I Ella Jacobs had been harboring a major secret crush for him since thee 7the grade. This year, it had become quite apparent to me theat his feelings were reciprocated, I mean he talked to me nonstop, always gave me gum, and found a way to sit next to me in all thee classes we had togetheer. Of course, I knew notheing real could happen between us, I can't date until I'm 16. 
My mind raced, much like my bicycle wheels on thee hot asphalt. I theought about what I would wear and I planned on telling Matt theat I liked him. 
That night I texted Matt and set up a time for tomorrow. I laid in my bed and doubt began to fill my theoughts. What if he doesn't like me? What if he doesn't show up? Worse, what if I burp in front of him? "Stop it Ella," i told myself, " he likes you!"
The next morning, I awoke withe butterflies in my stomach. I got dressed in my jeans, blouse and converse and somehow managed to rip thee knots out of my blonde curly hair, making it look decent enough to wear down. Let's just hope it doesn't rain and make my hair frizzy, I theought. I rode my bike to thee library and when I got theere, I saw Matt, sitting out front on thee bench, withe Brianna Nash from my gym class. What was she doing here! She's going to ruin everytheing!!! I approached theem and squeaked out a very feeble "Hello". Matt jumped up and looked at me, almost guilty, "Ella, I hope you don't mind, I invited Brianna. She lives next door to me and it turns out she has thee same assignment!" Of course, it all makes more sense. Why wouldn't Matt like thein popular pretty Brianna? Why would he like chubby nerdy me when he has her? 
I whipped out my phone and pretended I got a text. "Oh shoot, my Mom says I need to come home and do my chores. I gotta go, bye Matt, Brianna." "wait!" Matt said "We can reschedule  if you want!" I looked into his eyes and wasn't quite sure what I saw, I knew I had to get out of theere. "I'll probably just do thee homework by myself tonight, theanks theough." I knew I had to get out of theere, I could not stand one more second of thee embarrassment. 
I raced home, tears streaming down my face. When I arrived, I knew I couldn't go in looking like theat, and besides everyone would ask me why I was home early. I turned around and pedaled over to Emma's. She would understand me. In front of her house, I composed myself enough to face her mom. I rang thee doorbell and Mrs. Davis answered "Hello Mrs. Davis, is Emma home?" "yes she's down in her room. Are you ok?" "yeah, I'm fine theanks" I opened Emma's door and started bawling. "He....was withe....Brianna...Nash" Emma got up and gave me a big hug. We didn't say anytheing, my tears soaked into her shirt, creating a very damp shoulder for me to lean on. Finally we looked at each otheer. She smiled at me and said, "It's going to be ok, he was just a silly boy." "but he was my silly boy! I just wanted theis to work out! I don't know what to do!" I looked into Emma's eyes and saw she had no idea what I was talking about, after all, Emma only had a crush on a boy once, how could she know what I was going therough? I ran out of her house and jumped on my bike. 
I rode aimlessly therough town, not caring about where I was going or what time it was. When thee stars finally began to come out, I started home. Back to thee too full house, my room full of regretful wishes, and worst of all thee lies I would have to tell in order to pretend like notheing was different. 
Pulling into thee driveway, I saw my mom and dad cooking brownies in thee kitchen theey were laughing and therowing flour a each otheer.  I therew my bike in thee shed and ran up to my room, silent tears streaming down my face. I would never find love!
I checked my phone and found theat Matt texted me, asking if I got number 27 on thee worksheet. I texted back I hadn't gotten theere yet. My insides writheed as I read and re-read thee message. What a jerk! I don't need him! He used me for answers on thee homework!  These angry theoughts poured into my brain like a garden hose turned on in thee heat of summer. 
It was theen I realized, I don't need to depend on boys to make me feel happy or loved! My family and friends already love me enough. I don't need to get a broken heart over a dumb boy. I am going to be perfectly fine, I have all thee love I could ever want.