When writing about Michael in Capture Our Moments, I based his character on:

1. The actual Michael 
2. A childhood crush 

We all know Michael. No more elaboration needed. :) So, where does this crush come in?

Similar to Michael, this childhood crush of mine liked doodling on stray papers and had a love for magic tricks. He was the sweetest guy – well, boy. We were kids. 12 years old. The coin trick I wrote in Chapter 12 – that was something he happened to show me. Doing magic tricks and delighting his audience was one of the significant traits of him that I remember.

As a kid, I went through the whole does-he-like-me process like any other girl. At first, we were just friends; talking, laughing, playing pranks on each other, but a year later, he would often give me these little gazes and stares and smiles that were so sweet and different from his usual ones. 

I was so shy, though. I just smiled a bit and looked away. I remember when we fought for the first time (as friends), he kept trying repeatedly to make me laugh at his jokes again.

Our contact ended during our teenager years because we studied at different schools. Six years later, we took different majors but happened to study at the same college. I long stopped daydreaming about marrying him (remember, I was a kid back then!) - but I still hoped that we were on friendly terms. It's always great to reconnect with familiar faces.

But perhaps we became very different people. We didn't know how to interact with each other anymore. Once or twice, I said "Hello" and he mouthed "Hi" with barely a smile. That was it. A few other childhood friends whom I was much less close with were surprisingly happy to stop for a conversation, but his response was this unnatural awkwardness. Funny enough, we eventually shared many mutual friends (it was a small college) but they never overlap in social situations, so there weren't any opportunities to talk. 

I know people change. I've changed a hell lot, too. It's not a saddening event, really. I'm puzzled with his reactions rather than upset. 

Anyway, revisiting those memories as an adult, playing a third-party bystander in those long past events ... I'm glad to have shared moments of childhood joy with him. 

In a drawer, I have a box of old childhood things: cards, keychains, bookmarks ... I still keep a family of origami frogs he folded for me. Two big frogs and three tiny ones that were as small as a Monopoly thimble token. A nice childhood keepsake and a reminder that I once had a sweet, innocent friendship with this person. :)