A boy and a girl stood together in a dimly-lit secluded clearing of the forest.

“Here,â€? said the girl, holding out a closed fist. “This is my heart. Be careful, it’s fragile, so don’t break it.â€? She opened her hand to reveal a delicate glass heart. The boy reached down and carefully took the heart from her outstretched palm.

“Your heart is safe with me,â€? he said as he held the tiny glass object against his chest. They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity, neither of them wanting to look away.

“I want you to know something,â€? said the boy. “If you ever feel afraid or alone, know that I love you and I always will. And, as long as you love me our love will last forever.â€?

“I do love you,â€? she replied as tears began to trickle down her
pale cheeks. “And I don’t know how I’ll be able to survive without you.â€?

“Neither do I,â€? he said. “But you know I must go.â€? And just as he was about to leave, he turned back and gave the girl one last kiss and whispered a final “I love you” in her ear.