The Year That Changed Everything

"Oh crap!," Elizabeth yelled as she lost her footing on the frozen lake.
We all laughed and puffed on our numb fingers as we watched our breaths float away like smoke. This was the way it had always been. Me, Julieta, Mimi, and Elizabeth; we'd been best friends for as long as I could remember. Ever since we met in kindergarten, weekends were filled with sleepovers and movie nights at each other's houses. Our families even planned vacations togetherand we had all learned how to flirt by practicing on Julieta's brother Zach. We all helped each other through first periods, horrifically embarrassing summer camp moments, and went on diets together. When Elizabeth's Dad died in fifth grade, Julieta, Elizabeth and I were the ones wiping her tears. When Julieta got bullied in seventh, we stood up to Janie, the meanest girl in school. Ever since last April, when Mimi told me that Ben wanted ask me out, they had eagerly listened to all my stories of love letters, first dates, and first kisses. We were closer than ever, even though we were now freshmen in high school. Today was Julieta's fifteenth birthday, and we were celebrating with a day of ice skating and a trip to the mall. We were having a great time, racing each other across the lake until...
"Oh god! Ouch, Shit!," I wailed, crumpling to the icy floor.
"Oh my god Maritza are you ok?" stammered Elizabeth, "Are you hurt?"
"I think so, I just tripped over that branch..Oh god my arm really hurts!"I shouted as I struggled to retrieve my bearings, but before I could stand up, I scattered my bearings all over the ice.
"Ew! Sorry, umm Maritza we'd better get you back to my house," said Julieta as she lifted her hand to me.
A few minutes after that I found myself snuggled on Julieta's brother Zach's bed, where I promptly fell asleep. I awoke a few hours later to Zach putting a glass of water on the bedside table. I propped myself up on the pillows and said,
"Oh hey, Zach. Sorry to steal your room."
"No problem. I just want to make sure you're feeling ok. Was it your left arm that got hurt?"
I nodded and handed Zach my wrist. As his strong hands rotated my wrist, I felt a tingling sensation shoot up my spine. I could barely believe it. This was Zach, the sixteen year old boy with deep green eyes, the boy I had spent my almost half my life in love with. And here he was, taking care of me and staring into my soul.
"Well you can move it, so it's not broken, so you should be okay."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I scooted closer to where he was perched on the bed.
"I care about you, Maritza. You know that."
"Really?" Was this actually happening? I asked myself.
"I always have. I guess I've loved you since we first met." He gently brushed the errant strands of hair from my face and suddenly he was kissing me softly and it felt so right. I gasped for air,
"Where are your parents and Julieta?"
"Still at the mall..They won't be back for hours."
"I love you," I whispered and pulled him close. He was under the covers with me, and with every touch and kiss I felt more alive. Before long, we were naked and I felt a burning desire unlike anything I'd ever felt before.
"Maritza..are you sure?" he asked, his face giving everything away.

In that moment, there was nothing else in the world I wanted. I pulled him closer and felt his body sink into mine.