168 Hours of Miles Fonte

Chapter 21 - Friday

             As quickly as I moved into Miles dorm, I moved out. The walls of my new place were the same tan shade as Miles apartment. But everything else was different. Things were put in place and there were no chips on the counter. There were three twin sized beds, all made, with no wrinkles. This was where I was supposed to end up a week ago. It would've been perfect for me, placed in my own happy world, the world I'd been raised in. But now, only a week later, I had seen a whole new world, and I'm more reluctant to go back.

I laid in my bed last night thinking back to bungee jumping. The blurred lights contrasting off the black background. The cold breeze in my face but the warmth from Miles arms around me. It was a good night. It will remain in my head as a nice memory.
But now is now. I woke up at 6 this morning and unpacked my things. I folded everything neatly into my new drawers. Then I made breakfast. I brushed my teeth, showered, and put a cute little outfit together. I had to look together to put myself back together. I needed to remind myself of the textbook, small town girl I was.
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My roommates were sweet, Chelsi and Vanessa. Vanessa was in my first block Spanish class.  We sat next to each other. The class went by slowly, I played a game with myself. Every time the teacher hit the board with her pen I'd look at the clock. The game backfired, it made time go slower.

Heather had found me.
"April!" She grabbed a wrist. "Miles called me last night. That girl-"
"Do you know who she is?" I asked.
She shook her head. "She was just a fling." Heather said, trying to reassure me.
I scoffed. "I'm sick of hearing that word."
"Okay, okay. I understand, believe me, but April you're different to him...okay?"
I took in a deep breath. "It's good that you're defending him Heather. You're a good friend. But I think I'm done. I got to go."
"April." She sighed.
I pushed through a crowd forming in the hallways intersection. Thankfully, Heather didn't chase me.

When I was walking to my next class I saw Kali pass by. She looked like the Kali I knew, she walked confidently through the hall with chains down her waist, she smiled at me as I passed. She looked genuinely happy. Maybe things worked out; maybe Miles called Brandon, maybe Kali and Brandon were going to travel the world together.

Suddenly, Miles tugged at my sleeve making me stop.
"April." He said catching his breath. He'd been running. "I need to talk to you." He sounded serious.
He was wearing his glasses today, and the same sweatshirt he'd worn at the pool, the one that got drenched. The one I washed with my laundry. The one that made my heart skip.

I looked around. There were a lot of students surrounding us. I felt a lump in my throat rising. I knew I would cause a scene if I didn't leave. I couldn't deal with this in the middle of the hallway. I started to walk away, but he pushed. The more I tried to move the more anxious he seemed to become.

"April I just, I just need to know- April." He sighed. "I need to know if you care about me, uh, more than a friend." He said it so low, I almost thought I heard him wrong.
I turned toward him. "Im-I'm not sure," I said.
"It's not hard..."
"It is hard!" I raised my voice. His eyes grew wider at my tone.
"You were with, gosh, what is her name?" I asked, irritated.
"It's not hard, just say how you feel." He ignored my question.
"Look, it won't work Miles."
"April, I'm sorry about that girl." His voice was shaky, nervous.
"You won't even tell me her name." I scoffed.
"Because it doesn't matter!" He emphasized, loudly. "All that matters is us!" He sighed, again.

I looked around, people walking by were glancing at us. I felt my face flush. He must've felt the eyes too, because he pulled me into a janitor's closet.
"All that matters is you." He said after he shut the door. The only light shining was coming from the bottom of the door.
"Miles there's no light in here-" I began to say when he pulled me in and kissed me.
All my logic went out the window.
I eased my arms around his neck and pulled him in. He smelled like the laundry detergent. I could feel his lips curve into a smile as I let my hand run through his hair. He then brushed my hair away from my neck, he waited a moment, almost asking permission before kissing my collarbone. I melted. My fingers instinctively slipped into his sweatshirt, I tugged at the shirt underneath. I heard his breath catch in his throat which encouraged me go further, my hand ran along his waist. I didn't realize how much I wanted this; him kissing my forehead gave me butterflies but this felt like my whole body was levitating.
He placed one of his hands on the small of my back, pulling me closer, and the other behind my head kissing my lips again. Damn, he's good at this.
Which is what reminded me; Of course he's good at this. He has had plenty of experience.
My mind wouldn't stop repeating two things; That girl. Miles' relationships are just flings. That girl.
I could no longer enjoy myself with my mind screaming at me. I respected myself too much to get caught up in Miles. I knew I would be the one who would get hurt.
I put my hand on his chest and backed away. For a few seconds all I could hear was how out of breath we both were.

I'm glad there wasn't much light in this closet, because my eyes began tearing up.
"Who are we kidding Miles? The only reason you even noticed me was because you were forced to live with me, and now that's over." Crap, he could hear the tremble in my voice.

I put my hand on the doorknob. He put his on mine.
"So that's it." He said softly.
I nodded my head, even in the dark he knew.
"I'm really sorry, April."
What killed me is that I could hear the trembling in his voice too.
"I'll see you around." I said, biting my lip.
I slipped through the door, his hand slid off mine. Letting me pass, letting me go.
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