Falling back in love

Chapter 3

Friday, June 19th 2020, 11:00 am  (Katies Pov)

A large yawn escaped my mouth as I slowly sat up in my bed, rubbing the drowsiness out of my eyes. Through my apartment windows, sunlight poured in making dust particles dance in the air. I just sit in bed for a moment, not thinking about much, just enjoying being at peace before my day officially begins. My relaxation was abruptly cut short when a thought popped in my head. The letter. It's been exactly two weeks. Surely Clay would have been able to respond in time. Right? A surge of panic runs through my body, shocking me awake. What if he hasn't received the letter? Or worse, what if he had received the letter and chose not to respond?
I throw off my sage green blankets and race to the kitchen to where my computer lay. I quickly unlock it and go to Google, and look up: How long does mail take to come from Florida to New York city? My eyes scan the answers that pop up on my computer screen ".....it should make it there in less than one week." My once panic filled face, falls into a disappointed state. He had chosen not to respond. I slam my computer shut and flop down back on my bed. I had poured everything I had been feeling for the past year into that letter and he just didn't respond. My vision fogs up and hot tears fall down my face. A feeling of hopelessness consumed me. I was lost, and I had thought Dream would be my flashlight, my guide. Most importantly, I felt stupid. Stupid for thinking he could ever forgive me for walking away. Stupid for thinking there would ever be a "right time" for me and him again. What if he had moved on? What if he had a girlfriend? What if-...No. I rigorously shake my head, I can't do this. I need to get him out of my head. I need to pull myself together. Though parts of me still yearned for him, I convinced myself to get started on my day. I slowly crept off my bed, taking my time to stretch my limbs. A window facing my bed showed the city in the day, full of possibility.  Brushing my hands through my dark brown hair, I walked to my closet.
As a broke college student, it was nearly impossible to find an apartment on my own. But I worked at a small coffee shop in Brooklyn and I saved up for this small studio apartment. One of the reasons I chose this apartment was because it had an average sized closet, and not a small shoebox. Of course there are cons of the apartment, there's ants that crawl around, and just when you think you kill the last one, 2 more pop up in its place. My neighbors blast music during the night, making it hard to sleep and the bustling cars on the road at all times doesn't help. But ever since I sent the letter, even without my loud neighbors or the never sleeping city, I haven't been able to sleep well anyways.
I flipped the lights on, and scanned my clothing options for today. I could wear a dress...maybe a skirt. I flipped through the rows of hangers, analyzing which article of clothing could go with another. When I had finished flipping through my skirts and dresses, I ended up deciding just to go with sweats for today. For the 5th day in a row. I turned my body to look at my sweatshirt options when I saw it. The sweatshirt. His sweatshirt. My mouth fell a little open as I reached out and grabbed it from the shelves. I laid it out on the floor and crouched next to it. It was just a regular gray nike sweatshirt but what gave away that it was his, was that on the cuff of the sleeve it said "Have a good day!-D". D for Dream. I placed a hand on my head, slightly shaking it. I forgot all about the little notes he would place in random places for me to see. I loved it when he did that. I scooped up the sweatshirt, pulled it over my head, and hugged myself. Silent tears flowed down my face like a small river. God I missed being in his arms. I just missed him. But he didn't miss me back. Maybe he didn't want to give us another chance. Maybe he thought it was never meant to be.

                    ~~~

Friday, June 19th 2020, 8:30 pm(Katies Pov)

The sun was setting over the city, the sky painted orange and yellow.  I was lying down on my couch, flipping through Netflix trying to find yet another sad rom-com to cry to. I could watch Mariage story....Perks of being a Wallflower? Irreplaceable You? I look down at the birthday cake ice cream container in my hand, and the mess around me. I sigh and lean my head back against the couch, what have I become? A million thoughts swirl in my head going against me trying to get him out of my head. I stand up from my couch, and shake off the crumbs that still lingered on my clothes.  I was quietly walking to my sink, to wash my hands, and then I heard my phone ring. Someone was calling me. Was it him? Was it Clay?  Grabbing the hand towel, I pick up my phone from the kitchen counter, and answer it.
"Hello?" I tentatively ask with a tremor in my voice. My heart was pounding in my chest, threatening to leap out.
"Hey girl!" exclaimed the other line.
My face fell and I loosen my grip on the phone. That voice on the other line was Samantha, my friend. "H-hey Sam. How are you?"
"I'm good! I feel like we haven't talked in a long time!"
I ran my fingers through my hair and nodded my head "Oh yeah, I've just been a bit busy...with uh...you know stuff."
"Oh! What kind of stuff?" she asked. Listen, I like Sam and all but I wasn't in the mood to have a conversation with anyone as of now. I searched in my head for plausible answers...I could say I'm sick? Or catching up on school work? "Are you talking to that Clay guy again?" My heart stopped. When did I tell her?
"What? Oh no I-Im not."  I nervously croaked out.
"Oookay. How's college?" She asks just trying to make small talk, I answer but my heart wasn't in the conversation.
                    ~~~
"Okay! Bye Katie!" Sam said cheerfully and hung up. My shoulders relaxed, I took a deep sigh and put my phone on the counter. We had been on the phone for around half an hour, each minute more agonizing than the next. I had nothing against her but my mind was constantly elsewhere, thinking of him. During the phone call, some part of me just accepted that I would never get over him. He would always be a nagging thought in my mind, but not an annoying thought, just a reminder of what we could have been.
    I leaned against my kitchen cabinets, trying to somewhat collect my thoughts when I heard a knock on my apartment door. I take a deep sigh before I walk to my front door and look through the peephole. A man no older than 21, wearing blue jeans and a dark blue crewneck. He was attractive, sure, with blue eyes and curly brown hair. I realized that I should stop staring at him and answer my door.
    "Hello?" I asked softly, slowly opening my door. He was taller than me, maybe 6'2 or 6'3, and was holding mail in his hands. My mail maybe?
    "Hey! I live down the hall and I was walking by and saw your mail still in front of your door. I didn't want anyone to steal it or something, and I'm sure you don't want that either." I form an "O" shape and smile at him.
    "Thank you!" I piped, genuinely thankful for him. "What's your name?"
    "Im Noah, you?"
    "Katie." He flashed a toothy grin, showing off his perfectly straight teeth. My face was steaming hot, and I looked everywhere in the apartment hallway other than him. Noach cleared his throat and handed me the stack of mail, definitely containing multiple bills I can't pay in there.
    "Well Katie," He started, "I would love to talk to you more.." I slowly nodded my head, internally freaking out. " How about we get to know each other tomorrow, say how does 10 am sound, at the coffee shop next to this building." Ouch. Sorry Noah.
    "Oh...you know what? I am super busy tomorrow so it wouldn't work out...." I nervously spit out, holding the door knob in one hand, and my mail in the other.
    "That's okay! What about Sunday?" Noah pushed, clearly not getting my hint.
    I took a deep breath and mumbled under my breath "I have a busy week..I'm sorry." Noah leaned back and folded his hands, getting that I wasn't busy, infact, my only plan this week was to rewatch the entirety of Criminal Minds. He nodded, slightly smiling, waved goodbye and stalked off to the end of the hall. Not wanting any more human interaction, I swung open my apartment door and locked it tightly after I walked in.
    I let out a deep breath that I was holding in and sat down on my couch, flipping through the mail. There were so many bills I had expected, like college payments, apartment rent, and car bills. The last envelope however, wasn't a bill of any kind... in fact the return address was from Orlando, Florida. Sitting back on my couch, I held the letter in my hand and thought who did I know that was from Florida. Then it hit me. Clay. Clay lives in Orlando. With no hesitation, I ripped open the letter and stared at the words written on the page. He had written me back. My hands shaked as I gripped the paper in my hands and started to read.

                        ~~~
My eyes looked over the last lines for the hundredth time. Clay had written "I think one of the reasons I now remember these little details and little moments that still, even more than a year later makes my heart ache thinking about them, is because I now know that I don't want to forget. I don't want to move on. I'm not ready. I am not ready for your chapter in my life to end. I am not ready for our ending. And I don't think you are either." He was right, I was not ready for our ending. Teardrops were scattered on the letter he had written. His heart aches thinking about me. He doesn't want to forget. I felt as if I could smile in glee, and cry at the same time. What now? What is my next step? Shoot, I hadn't thought this far ahead. I wrote and sent that letter on a whim. I leap up from my couch and rush to my phone still laying on my counter. I quickly unlock it and open up Clay and I's texts.

                  

            Clay :)
                            imessage
                                Today 9:45 PM

                           hi
   (delivered)

And now we wait...

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authors note: hi!! this is chapter 3!! i already have things planned out for chapter 4 so i'll begin writing this weekend!! :))) have a good day!
word count: 1944