As a girl raised on Disney stories — where the princess is always in danger and the prince charming gallops in to save her — I grew up believing love was instant. Magical. The kind that makes you fall head over heels the moment someone rescues you. Just like that, you're madly in love.
But is that really what love is?
Lately, I've started to question it. I've heard too many stories of couples who met in high school, claimed to be soulmates, and got married... only for everything to fall apart. Affairs, constant arguments, betrayal — yet they still say, "I love you." I can't help but wonder: is that love? Is that what we're all chasing?
By the time I got to high school, love was all around me — or so it seemed. Girls falling for boys left and right, often the kinds of boys I quietly thought of as... swine.
I was part of a tight-knit trio: Zoey, Lily, and me — Annie. We were inseparable, like we'd come out of the same womb. Teachers tried to split us up; it never worked. We were a unit.
Zoey was the loud, energetic one — a social butterfly with a TikTok following and a flair for drama. She played sports, lit up every room, and loved the attention. Lily — I called her Lil — was the genius with an angelic voice, straight A's, and a violin in her hand since forever. A real prodigy.
Then there was me — Anne. Quiet, awkward, hidden in their shadows. I wasn't good at socializing or making grand entrances. But I noticed everything. You could say I was the observer of the group — like Kuroko from Kuroko no Basket, invisible but always watching.
One afternoon, the three of us were hanging out in the hallway when Zoey started gushing about a guy — "the love of her life," as she called him. I was curious. She'd barely finished her sentence when he walked past us. Speak of the devil.
Zoey and Lily were practically drooling.
I just stood there, confused, wondering what all the fuss was about. Then came the poetry — or nonsense, depending on how you see it. Zoey said, and I quote:
> "He's a Greek god. His chiseled features and piercing blue eyes seem carved from granite, yet softened by a gentle smile that could light up the world. His strong jawline and perfectly tousled brown hair frame a face that's rugged but refined — an effortless charm that leaves you breathless."
I blinked. All I saw was a regular guy — sweaty, mildly athletic, and kind of gossipy.
I accidentally said it out loud.
Zoey turned to me, half-offended, and asked, "Why do you always have to be so judgmental when it comes to guys?"
But I wasn't being judgmental. I just didn't see what they saw. To me, none of the boys in our school deserved titles like "handsome" or "prince charming." Seriously — have you seen some of them?
Before I could defend myself further, Lily interrupted with a sly smile and said, "One day, Anne, you'll fall for someone, and everything you believe now will flip upside down."
I scoffed. Loudly. Not a chance.
But as it turns out... Lily would be right.