"The nucleus of the atom then separates, creating a chain reaction where it then collides into another particle and finally releases energy. Anyone know what this is called?"

Someone raises their hand, "It's called Nuclear fission."

I smile and turn around to write on the whiteboard, "Great, now your assignment tonight is to read chapters 31 to 34 on nuclear fission and fusion as well as chemical compounds that we have learned in class toda~"

"Excuse me Miss Colton, but like, how old are you?" The young man who says this quickly adds, "A-a lot of us are j-just wondering because you're like not much older than us, so we heard you're a genius? Since you're just a sub for Dr. Tao again."

I turn around from the whiteboard and face all 221 students in the room. I knew that because I was just a substitute for Dr. Tao again.

I grin, "Turning twenty-four tomorrow. Word gets out fast huh?"

Everyone awes in shock.
Since being fifteen, eight years ago, I've definitely matured to act my age; just a little bit better though.

Since my last time in LA, I left that place as a new girl. I looked at the world differently, I did pretty normal things by myself. I learned to be a lot more independent. I traveled without my mother, even became an entrepreneur in Italy. I founded a nonprofitable organization to build clean drinking wells for families in Africa as well. I even joined the UN to represent Ghana for their great sake, and ate a lot more from fast food places.

I've done a lot in eight years.

Sometimes I still think about him because he's the one that allowed me to have this changed perspective.

I think about him to remember why I've been doing these good deeds; but he's probably married or has a girlfriend.

By now, he's like 29, turning 30.
Crazy how time flies.

Soon, my lecture ends and they all exit.

I return to my desk, gathering stacks of papers which are again still too large for my body that I cause to scatter them all over the floor once again.

Perfect.
I sigh, groaning at the mess.

"Do you need help Miss?" A deep voice says from behind me.

I shake my head no and tug the loose strands of hair behind my ears before attempting to bend down. Curse my pencil skirt and heels.

What a failed mission.

"You sure, G? Seems like you need it."

G.

I whisper, "G," out loud. Only one person has ever called me G and that was the one boy I could never forget.

Colby Brock.
I could never forget the one whose made me a better person.

My first love.

I spin around in shock.
The same boy I knew eight years ago, but older and a little more mature with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Colby...~" I quietly reply. I look into his ocean blue eyes and I couldn't stop staring into his deep abyss.

"Hey, it's been awhile," He smiles, kneeling down to pick up the papers I dropped. He hands them to me still knelt on the ground, and I shyly take them from him.

"Thank you... So you attend UCLA? I previously observed that you have a backpack," I say, trying to neatly stack my papers again.

"Yeah," He smiles, "I kinda got inspired to go back to school because of you."

I blush, aghast by him. "Really? I didn't expect you to-"

"Get in?" He chuckles.

"No!" I laugh, "I was going to say to take my advice."

Colby puts down his backpack and silence creeps up as he walks closer to me.

My face flushes with heat, feeling his warm breath so close to my skin.

In his deep voice, he says, "I've missed you."

I sigh, shakily replying the same to him. "I-I've missed you too."

We stare at each other closely, and the tension was just unbearable. Nobody in the last eight years could make my heart beat faster than him.

"Gen, you've really grown up so well," He finally beams, breaking the tense silence. "You're so beautiful now."

I blush, "You've matured, Cole."

He smiles widely at me, pulling me into a hug. I return his embrace warmly and sigh in content.

Only his arms make the butterflies swarm inside me.

"Do you want to go to our place?"

"Our place?" I shyly reply, confused.

He chuckles, "Have you already forgotten the same cafe we used to go to after classes to eat croissants and drink hot chocolates and coffee?"

My eyes widen with realization, "Oh my god, I totally forgot!"

He laughs, "Aw, G, how could you?"

I shrug, "Been a little busy in eight years."

Colby grins taking my hand, "Come on, let me tell you what you've missed."

[ <3 ]

"No you haven't," I say, slamming my hand on the table with disbelief. "Wait you're already going to be starting your internship? I thought you would need one more year and then you could become an intern."

"Hey, I was valedictorian in high school, and I took enough AP courses to skip a year of university," He replies nonchalantly.

"And you went back to school after I left?" I whisper astonished.

Colby chuckles, "You've changed me Genevieve Colton!"

"Colby..." I smile.

"What? You've honestly have, I've been in school for about eight years with one thing on my mind; that maybe I'll see you again and I can tell you I graduated with my medical PhD."

I awe at him internally, too embarrassed to even say anything more. "Are you serious?"

He beams, "Deadass, G. You really think I wasn't serious?"

"What? I mean, you're crazy," I laugh.

"Crazy for you."
He winks.

I roll my eyes, "Oh my god stop."

He doesn't laugh, just grins cutely at me.

I give him a sly eye, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because, it's crazy that you never changed but you did, and you're still the same beautiful girl."

"You're so cheesy..." I flush, "Are you hitting on me?"

He brushes his hair out of his face, "Is it obvious?"

I giggle, "Where's your wife? Fiancé? Not even a girlfriend?"

"Can't find one when I have only one girl on my mind," He shrugs.
"Gen, you know you're the only girl."

I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Genevieve, since you taught that class and popped into my life- er more like me popping up into yours, I haven't stopped thinking about you. I knew being with you was dangerous, so of course I tried to not get attached but I did. You got me hooked, and I couldn't stop being with you.

Then when you left, we kissed, and that was the end of us... we left our story on such a bittersweet note. I missed you more each day.

Did I ever expect age to come between us? Of course, but I didn't want to think about it. It was too good to be true if we were to just so easily be together. You're so intelligent but so unique and alike me, we clicked so well. You were my younger, quirkier self and I loved everything about you. Despite you being younger. I don't care now, you're too good to lose.

Your age is nothing to me, it's you that I want and I regret not running back to you telling you that I didn't care it was illegal because love has no age restrictions.

I will admit I tried to forget about the sweet, fifteen year old genius that had me, in different and wrong ways, but I always kept going back to the thought of you.

The thought of you however, it made me fear that if I were to see you again, that you would have changed changed. I went to UCLA in hopes to see you again. Purposely took Dr. Tao's classes in case there was chances to see you substitute for him again.

And by god, there you were, eight years later you were there teaching the same lesson you did eight years prior."  Colby finally breathes and takes my hands in his, "And I don't ever  want to lose you again."

"And eight years later, I don't want to lose you again either," I confess.

He grabs my face and kisses me hard over the table. His soft lips, the same I kissed eight years ago, still the best feeling in the world.
Breathless, we release each other.

"Let's get out of here."

[ <3 ]

It's a few months later and I'm almost about to go to Ghana temporarily to check on how the country's people are and do some community work for the school I'm going to soon build.

I promised Colby that after my month there that I'll return to him.

"Baby, can you come over here?"
I hear from the other room of my boyfriend's apartment.

He offered for me to stay with him til I decide to officially move here, and since I'm just a temporary substitute teacher.

Colby was in the living room on his laptop while I was grading papers in the kitchen.

"What's up babe?" I ask, plopping down beside him.

He kisses my lips lovingly and turns his laptop to me.

"What do you think of this house?"

I look down at the screen. It was a beautiful, basically white mansion. A Barbie dream house really.

"It's gorgeous, an actual Barbie dream house but what about it?" I ask, confused.

He beams, a look of excitement courses through him.
I eye him suspiciously, as he was glancing between me and the picture of the house.

After some silence he shouts, "It's ours!"

My eyes widen and I laugh, "Haha, what do you mean, 'ours'? "

"G, let's move in together and have our own dream house. We can afford it, I have my savings and stocks, and well, you're a genius babygirl."

"Colby, what the actual fuck?"

"C'mon isn't it amazing!"

"It is gorgeous, but are you shitting with me, this is crazy. Us have a house?" I say in utter shock.

He frowns, "Do you not want to have a house with me?"

"No, baby of course I do but woah this is insane I'm just shocked! That's all, happy shocked holy shit."

He smiles and I kiss him so happily. He holds me closely as we break contact.

I pull away and tear the screen away from him, "So that's ours?"

He laughs, "Yeah that's ours, baby."

I grin, giggling and squealing, "Ugh, I love you so much!"

He laughs, "I love you more than anything, love."

I hug his neck so tightly pushing away the computer from his lap and sitting on him to embrace him tighter.

Colby treats me so well, he's the only man that has my heart.

Even being younger than him, it just doesn't affect our relationship at all.

[ <3 ]

"Here we are G!" Colby says as we walk onto the steps of the new house.

"Oh you kids are so adorable, let me take a picture!" My mother says, pulling out her phone and instead of taking pictures, takes a video.

"Honey, you get the camera!" Colby's mom says to his Dad. His Dad pulls out a Canon camera and starts taking pictures of us with the keys to the house.

I laugh, posing "You ready to go in? I'm so excited!" I say to Colby, clutching his hand tightly.

"You ready to take another huge step into our relationship?"

"I'll take as many steps as I can with you, forever," I reply. I take his cheek in my hand and peck his lips.

He holds my hand and kisses it too, "Baby, I love you so much. I'm so happy we're doing this together and I am so ready to take things further. Ever since I found out you were so much younger than me but the most intelligent girl on this planet?

I thought you would never be friends let alone be in a relationship with someone like me, but hell you somehow did for some reason? I think you're the only girl who gets me. You've pushed me to reach my full potential and also, fun fact I've been loving you for more than eight years of my life. I know I'm ready to take an even bigger step with you, will you?"

Colby pulls out a black, velvety box from his back pocket and gets down on one knee.
And by this time, I'm covering my mouth and tears are streaming down my face.

"You opened up to me about your dilemmas in this world because you were a child prodigy, and I did the same about my fears and the cost it was for us to finally love each other was nothing. Love has no age limit. No restrictions. I won't be afraid to say that I loved a fifteen year old girl when I was twenty-one years old. I loved you and still do.

There's no other genius let alone person who can amaze as much as you do everyday. So please do me the honor of being mine forever.
Genevieve, will you marry me?" 

I throw my arms in the air before throwing myself in excitement to his body, sobbing out of happiness.

"So is that a yes?"  He chuckles, hugging me tightly back.

"YES, YES OF COURSE!" I laugh, crying at the same time.

"I love you, G."

"I love you too, and I always have."

[ <3 ]

Years later, did I ever feel like I was normal. My normal life with my son and daughter and husband.

Did age affect me in the worst ways possible while I was growing up?

Of course it did.

Did it stop me from loving the man of my dreams?
Yep.

But it's just a challenge that I was able to overcome.

When things are meant to be, they will.

The right places, right times, was I able to achieve and succeed in life.

I succeeded in living a normal one,

I achieved it.

Colby, you showed me what it was like to live, to be out there, to love someone unconditionally.

Despite our ages, you continued to love me through eight years without contact of me.

Is that even possible?
Maybe you're the impossible.

Will I ever know? I don't know what made you love a younger, quirkier version of you.

But thanks.

Because I love you.

Thank you for making me feel like I was normal and not basing me off my age.

————[ <3 ]
HeY AGE IS NOW COMPLETED I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS SHORT STORY!!!

I have more short stories coming up, as of now I have a BTS fanfic with PARK JIMIN, it's called DreamBoy and I think it's fucking crack and hilarious but that's just me and I'm not actually funny so. BUT READ IT CUZ HEY WHY NOT?;)

Love you allllllll when I have time I'll start another Colberity book cuz ik y'all want it hah okay thanks kweens peace

COMMENT, VOTE, & SHARE!!

hugs, kt