Don't Forget About Me

Chapter 2

Walking to the bus stop gives me time to breathe the fresh air and clear my mind. As I'm standing there looking at my phone reading up on the daily news, I get this weird feeling on the back of my neck. 

As I lift my head up and look around I stare across the road to the other side and see this man in all black standing by a tree. “What the hell,” I whisper to myself. He has dark hair and glasses on and seems to be smoking a cigarette. I look around me and notice no one else around me so he is definitely staring at me. When I go to look up again, he is gone. I look all around on that side of the street and he's gone. Who was that and why was he looking at me?

As the bus pulls up I go to board and scan my bus pass. As I go to sit down I am still looking out of the windows to see if I see where he went. Nothing, he's gone. But I can't get the feeling that he is still watching me somehow. As I sit down all I do is try to concentrate on my breathing, not that I need to have a panic attack on a public bus. Breathing slowly and trying to think of something that could calm me down, “Breath, Kelsey, it's going to be ok," I can hear my mother telling me from when I was younger and would get worked up. 

At the memory a tear gets to my eye and I choke it back and breath again. As I start to calm down I realize we are almost to the campus. I go to stand up and pull the string to stop at the next stop. I walk off of the bus and look around as if I am trying to see if anyone is watching me. Nothing, there is nothing other than college kids rushing to their next classes. I walk towards my first class and there's that feeling again. I turn and still nothing. “What the fuck” again whispering to myself so I don't bring attention to me. I hurry up and go inside the building. Walking up the stairs to my Literature class I find the door. When I go to turn the handle I notice that it is locked. Great, I'm late. I look at my phone and realize I am not late, I look at the bulletin board next to the door and notice a piece of paper on it. 

To All Students

Literature on May 12th

Class will be canceled for today due to Mr. Ross being out sick. Please follow up on the class site for assignments. If there are any questions or concerns please reach out to your Counselor.

Thanks

Well damn. As I turn to walk away I run into something that feels like a brick wall. “Shit!” I said a little too loud. All my books fall and so does my phone. Secretly praying that my phone was ok I leaned down to pick up my things. 

“Are you ok?” I heard a very deep husky voice say. 

As I looked up from where I was staring on the floor I saw this tall, dark, and holy shit gorgeous man in front of me. I feel myself instantly start to turn red. “Uh yea I am fine,” I go to reach and start to pick up my things but he's so quick he's already grabbing it. “Oh! Uh, thanks so much, I am really sorry for running into you.” 

He smiles down at me. “It's not a problem, you can run into me anytime.” 

He has this half smirk that is making things in my stomach turn into knots or maybe it's butterflies, I don't know. As I grab my things I just stare at him. Realizing that I am probably getting to that creepy staring point, I smile and say  “Thanks, again,” and turn to walk away. 

“What's your name?” He says as I go to walk away. 

I turn and give him a questionable look, “Kelsey,” and I turn again and walk off as fast as I can without running. 

Walking back to the stairs to go to the library, seeing as how I don't have my morning class now. I got to the next building that has the administration offices as well as the library, I go to head in. Walking past all the counselors offices I look in and notice the guy I ran into is in the office talking to the receptionist. 

All I can think to myself is how the hell did he get in there that fast. I didn't stop on my way over here and I don't remember him walking or running past me? I stand and stare a minute too long because he must feel me staring and he turns and smiles. Just as he does that I rush past and head to the doors of the library.

Being inside the library makes me feel so calm. I love reading and the quiet that goes along with it. I love getting out of my life and jumping into someone else's fantasy. I walked over to the book shelves and started to glance around. I didn't realize that I had gone to the far back. 

For some reason I always find myself back here because I always find the best books and even though libraries are supposed to be quiet, they are never quiet enough for me. Glancing through the books I get that chill feeling on the back of my neck again and just as I am going to turn he's right next to me. 

“Are you following me or running from me, Kelsey?” As I study him trying to figure out the answer to his question, I smell something that seems familiar. 

The only way that I can describe it is woodsy with a hint of freshness. “Neither, was just coming to the library, I think the question is: are you following me? Oh, and how did you get over here so fast because I definitely didn't see you go past me.” I probably shouldn't have asked that, but he seems amused by the questions. He's looking at me and it's almost like he is trying to figure me out, but I just keep getting this feeling that I know him from somewhere else. “Did you need something? Because I would really like to get some reading in before my next class.” 

He stands there with that smile that just seems to go on for days, “Nope don't need anything but would like to see you later. Are you busy?” Studying him, I have no idea how to react to his question. 

I have never been on a date and don't even know if that is something that I want to do. But all I can hear is Sara in my ear about us needing to have the best summer ever. “I don't even know your name and I think that it would be rude if you didn't give me that.” I don't know why I keep wanting to test him but something about him is just bringing this out in me. 

“Osvaldo, but you can call me Os,” he reaches his hand out to shake mine and I just look at it. Without even realizing that I do it, I'm shaking his hand. 

Shaking my head, “Hello Os, nice to meet you. That's a very interesting name,” I don't know why I say that second part. 

“Yes, my parents must have thought giving me such a strong name would make me kind of important.” Smiling because I see that he is trying to joke, I grab a book off the shelf and go to turn away. “You didn't answer me about tonight?” 

I turn to look at him holding my book to my chest, “Sure, meet me right outside of this building around four.” I see the smile on his face get bigger and for some reason I start to smile too. 

“It's a date, Kelsey.” 

Something about when he says my name makes my stomach get all crazy again and I turn to go to the table where the rest of my things are. When I sit down, I look around and I do not see him anywhere. Did he just come in here to follow me? Or maybe he already grabbed what he needed and left in a hurry. Either way, the guy is super quick in everything that he does.