It was dark and lonely walking through the rain. My heart was limping along beside me as we continued through the park on our way home. I remember it being so cold. We were completely soaked with no umbrellas or jackets. 

     We were almost home when my heart stopped a few paces behind me. I turned to look at it. There were so many bruises and cracks and bandages...so many scars. As the rain continued to fall, my heart just stood there with its downcast eyes. 

     Before I could say anything, it turned and walked off in the opposite direction. I was so overcome with grief and shock that I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I felt so empty. The one thing I had left abandoned me just like so many people before it. 

     As I stood in shock, a car horn blared as it passed me on the street. I immediately snapped out of it and began to cry as I ran the rest of the way home. Once inside, I went to my room and slammed the door. 

     Without changing out of my drenched clothes, I fell onto my bed and just wept and bawled. My heart had left me, and I had nothing more than a hollow cavity in my chest. 

     I ended up crying myself to sleep that night and the many nights that followed. So many questions flew through my mind. Why had my heart left? Where did it go? Did it blame me for all the bruises...for all the pain? 

     I trudged through the next few months all alone with no friends, no happiness at all. The overwhelming darkness closed in more each day, isolating me from everything and everyone. The emptiness in my chest was a constant reminder that I was all alone. 

     I walked that path through the park every day, hoping that my heart would be there; but every time I passed through and my heart wasn't there, that emptiness inside grew. I was so empty that I couldn't even cry away my frustration and depression. 

     After a few more months, I had lost all hope. I continued to walk the path, but not in search of my heart. It was just the fastest way home, the one place where I didn't have to pretend everything was okay. 

     Then one day as I was walking through the park, my head down, I ran into you and dropped all my books and my papers. I kept apologizing, trying to avoid eye contact. I was so embarrassed, but you just smiled and helped me pick up my things. 

    As we stood back up, our eyes met. Your eyes were so warm, and your smile was so bright that it pushed the darkness back a little. I actually smiled back at you. I didn't think I'd ever be able to do that again. 

     We began talking and relaxed by the lake for what seemed like an eternity. It was so peaceful and so amazing. The conversation went on until sunset, but that wasn't the end. After that, we met in the park every day. 

     We'd get ice cream or go out for a snack, but we always returned to our spot by the lake. We'd share stories about our hardships and stories about the good times. I told you how my heart had left day. I told you how hard it had been and how dark it was. 

     You would just smile and put your arm across my shoulder, letting me know that you were there and had no intentions of leaving. That empty cavity in my chest began to fill again, but something was still missing: my heart. How could I love or be truly happy without my heart? 

     Again we met and went to our spot by the lake. We laughed and talked. Then, we just sat in silence, enjoying each other's presence. The darkness had left, and the light had begun to shine through the clouds. 

     I heard footsteps behind us and turned to look. I couldn't move, astonished to see two bruised, scarred, and bandaged hearts walking towards us hand-in-hand. They stopped in front of us and smiled. 

     I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I saw my heart. It had been so long since it had left. You smiled at the sight too and reached out to the other heart. It was yours, but it backed away from your hand. 

    We both looked at the hearts in confusion, but they just continued to smile at us. I tried to reach out to my heart as well, but it backed away just as yours had. My heart then laughed and placed the hand of your heart into mine. Your heart did the same, placing my heart's hand into yours. 

    As soon as your heart took my hand, my whole world lit up. It was warm and loving and relaxing. It was truly amazing. I turned to look at you, and you were already smiling back at me. You understood too. 

     My heart was yours, and yours was mine. We had exchanged hearts and fallen in love, an endless love that could never be broken.