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Love Between the Distance
by
Adam Bianchi
The computer
screen blinked repetitiously on the screen. Someone unfamiliar to
the young 15 year old was
trying to get in touch with him. I shouldn’t be surprised, he
thought to himself. He
was, after all, in a chat room his friend invited him into. Rob clicked on the instant
message. Wow. It was a girl! Rob really never got much attention from girls in the
past, girlfriends here and there, but nothing serious. Apparently, the girl who
was talking to him now was in the chat room with him. What the heck, I’ll talk
to her. Rob’s friend Joe, who had invited him into the chat room, told Rob that
he had known her before and that she was a cool person. The girl, named
Elizabeth, lived in New York. She wanted to know how he was doing. Rob
reluctantly answered that he was fine. Two hours later, Rob had a radiant smile
plastered on his face. This girl is pretty cool after all, he thought.
Upon talking to
her more and more over the next few days, Rob learned so much about Elizabeth.
It was only a few days, but he felt like he knew her like he knew the back of
his hand. She had even sent him pictures of her. Elizabeth was a beautiful
girl, standing 5’6” tall, with long, flowing dirty-blonde hair. When she
requested a picture of him, Rob suddenly got nervous. He didn’t want to mess
this new friendship up by sending a picture to her. Rob wasn’t exactly a
heartthrob. However, the young boy gave in and sent the school picture from his
freshman year. Expecting the worst, but hoping for the best, Rob waited
anxiously in anticipation. “You’re so handsome” were the words that displayed
on the screen. He thought it was a joke, but the girl was serious. Rob
remained glowing, all the while staring at Elizabeth’s picture. She was truly
beautiful. He then realized it had been about ten minutes since he last heard
from her. “What are you doing?”, he asked. Elizabeth replied, “Staring at your
picture.” Rob took comfort in knowing he was doing the exact same thing with
her picture.
Weeks turned into months, and the two became increasingly closer. It was amazing how much they had in common. They truly believed they were soul mates, destined to someday meet. What were the chances that two people would meet on the computer and have the chemistry these two possessed? Rob was thanking his lucky stars that he was online the night he met Elizabeth, and that his friend had invited him into the chat room in the first place. Phone numbers were exchanged, and Elizabeth sounded horrified on the phone at first. “Hello?” she called out apprehensively as Rob asked for her. She was so nervous that she even started giggling. Rob thought it was cute. The two lovebirds knew that starting a long-distance relationship would be incredibly difficult, especially at the age they were. They knew there would be crushes in school here and there. Elizabeth couldn’t take it anymore. “Will you be my boyfriend?” she asked, on April 28. Rob was ecstatic and immediately said yes.
The couple was
going along smoothly. April turned into May, May turned intoJune, and June
turned into July. Their love grew stronger. The distance from New
York to New Jersey seemed like millions of miles. In reality, it was about
four-hundred. “I can’t take this anymore, Rob,” Elizabeth said one day.
Rob was nervous. “Are you breaking up with me?” he asked. Elizabeth
took a deep breath and sighed. “I want to see you, Rob,” she exclaimed.
They had talked about how much they had wanted to see each other on several
occasions, but the thought of it becoming reality always seemed out of reach.
How would they do it? Rob’s parents didn’t even know about her, much less
know how they met. “I convinced my mom to drive me there,” Elizabeth
jubilantly exclaimed one day. Rob had talked to her parents before on the
phone, and they seemed like amazing people. One day, Rob finally got up
the courage to explain the situation to his parents. They were skeptical
at first, because they didn’t know who Elizabeth was, and the thought of a
complete stranger arriving at their house didn’t sit too well with them.
“Come on, please,” Rob pleaded. Every day he was at it, chipping away at
the wall that separated him and his love. Elizabeth’s mom called soon
after, and Rob knew this was their final chance. August was approaching,
and they would both be back in school before they knew it. “Alright, I
suppose it’s alright with me,” Rob’s mom said. The two love-struck teens
got back on the phone and were ecstatic at the realization that Elizabeth would
soon be on her way to New Jersey.
Excitement
quickly disappeared as important fears and questions came crawling into their minds. Would
they like each other in person? Would the chemistry be the same as it was online and
on the phone? Would this change their relationship for the better or worse? They knew
they had to do this, though. “We’re so strong, Rob,” Elizabeth said as she
reassured her boyfriend. “No teenager does this…we’re amazing,” she said. Rob agreed with
every word she said, and knew this had to be done, even if it didn’t turn out the way
they wanted it to. If it didn’t work, they would know they weren’t meant to
be. As usual, the summer flew by, but dragged on once the day they were going
to meet became closer and closer. Finally, the day came. Their hearts were
beating with anticipation and trepidation. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later?”
Elizabeth said, with a strong sense of excitement in her voice. “You bet,” said
Rob. He was finally going to meet his amazing girlfriend.
Rob waited on
his porch on the night of August 15. Suddenly, he heard his name being called.
He looked and saw a white car coming onto his street. It was Elizabeth. Rob
began laughing and covering his face, taking frequent glances at the passenger’s
side where Elizabeth was sitting. Rob’s heart stopped. That can’t be her, he
thought. Oh my God, that cannot be her. She looked nothing like how she
appeared to him on the computer monitor. The mere sight of her took his breath
away. His girlfriend was a goddess, a princess. His princess. She sat in the
car, covering her face as well, afraid to move. Her mom urged her to get out
and meet her boyfriend. They were both laughing, just looking at each other,
realizing their ultimate dream had just come true.
For the three
days Elizabeth was at Rob’s house, the two had unbelievable chemistry. They put all
the fears and ill-willed thoughts behind them, knowing that their relationship was
something special and was meant to last. Unfortunately for them, the days went
by extremely fast. It had all ended too quickly. Weeks of waiting all gone in
three days. Rob, although saddened, was just so happy, as was Elizabeth. “I’m
so glad we did this, Rob,” Elizabeth said with a slight choke in her voice. Rob
held her in his arms, playing with her hair while he stared deep into her eyes.
“I know we’re meant to be, Elizabeth,” Rob replied. They kissed and hugged, and
said their final goodbyes. As the car pulled away from his street, Rob
staggered back into the house and collapsed on his couch. He tried to suppress
the tears from flowing down his face, but was unsuccessful. Rob opened
the envelope Elizabeth had given to him as they were saying their goodbyes. It was a
poem that stated how much she loved him and how much she would miss him. But more
importantly, it showed that Elizabeth’s feelings were no different from his. They
both knew this relationship was going to last.
Rob and Elizabeth saw each other on and off for the next year. They broke up a year after their relationship had started. It became so difficult arriving and seeing each other, but then being forced to return to their homes heartbroken and miserable. Distance ultimately ended their reign as a couple. Their feelings never changed for one another, which made it even harder knowing they had to let it go. As much as they were upset about knowing they had to break up, Rob and Elizabeth still stayed best friends. Both of them know that meeting one another was one of the best things that had ever happened to them. What the future has in store for them is still up in the air. Either way, best friends or husband and wife, will be more than perfect. Rob and Elizabeth both know that no matter where they are or who they’re with, nothing will ever take away from the fact that they had both received a best friend for life just by going on a computer. And for that they will forever be grateful.
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