When a Fool Believes

Written in her notebook one hundred times: her first name, his surname

High school memories are still alive; he was her first love

Every time she hears "Mad About You," a giddy schoolgirl smile returns

Nodding to 1986 and their first kiss

Always and forever, she often told her teenage pals

Fleeting, it was only fleeting; graduation, summer's end, a sad goodbye

Off to college, he went, moving four hours away

Onward, life advanced separately, each pursuing dream careers

Let it go, she tried, and thought she succeeded

But feelings always crept up, especially in the quiet of the night

Early last week, they bumped into each other at the local diner

Long ago resurfaced, sparking hope of rekindling; her wish had come true

Illusions consumed her, rising to his apologies; his smile was only polite

Every little failure suddenly came rushing back

Very obvious to others: his body language, excuses, unreturned phone calls

Elements she overlooked because fantasies ran wild

She still writes in her notebook; her name minus his surname, questioning her foolish beliefs

...

Author's note: My entry is for the Say It Plainly Challenge and partly inspired by this song by the Doobie Brothers.

Sometimes, idealized love becomes an illusion when one party doesn't reciprocate. What might be plain as day for onlookers meets the blind eyes of the infatuated one. On some level, I think many people experience some variation of a "Fool's belief," especially during youth.