The Summer I Met The Girl

two

The campus is practically buzzing with the warm weather. Spring is in the air, and everything feels alive. The grass is green, people are laying on blankets in the quad, two kids are throwing a frisbee back and forth, girls carrying around iced drinks with their sunglasses on top of their heads. The flowers are starting to bloom, and today is the first really warm day they've had.

Matt walks through campus, enjoying the feel of campus on the way back to his car.

"Hey Fisher!" A voice calls from a distance.

Matt turns to see Landon Baker running towards him. Landon was Matt's roommate freshman year, he ended up quitting the football team but they stayed friends.

"What's up, Baker?"

Landon slaps Matt's back and falls into stride with him, "Heard about Carly, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks."

"What are you doing this weekend?"

"I'm headed up to Cousins with Crew. My whole family is going."

Landon nods, "Oh cool. I was going to ask you to come to a party with me, but hit me up when you're back and can hang out."

"Sure," Matt glances at Landon, "Are you still hooking up with that ADPi?"

Landon shakes his head quickly, "Hell no, that girl was a nightmare."

Matt chuckles, "Whatever, she liked you."

"Like I said, a nightmare."

Matt rolls his eyes. Landon is classically good-looking and girls fawn over him. He's also got a slew of issues and can't commit for shit, like Matt. They always bonded over their inability to settle down with a girl.

"You ever think about getting serious with a girl, Landon?" A group of seemingly freshman stare at Matt with wide eyes as they pass.

Landon shrugs, "I don't know."

They cross a sidewalk and a horn honks, someone yells out the window, "Matt Fisher, you're the man!" before speeding off.

"Why do you ask?" Landon says.

They approach Matt's car, Matt unlocks it, "I don't know. I'm just getting tired of messing around."

Landon sighs, "What happened with Carly?"

Matt throws his backpack into the passenger seat, "Not important."

Landon chuckles, "Sure it isn't."

Matt glances at the time on his phone, it's 2:15. He has workouts in 2 hours.

Landon nudges him, "I've always figured that when I find the right girl, I'll be able to be a good man for her."

Matt climbs into the driver's seat, "Yeah, I thought that too. But what if you've already fucked it up with the right girl?"

"Carly wasn't the right girl, Matt."

Matt shrugs, "I guess I'll never know," Matt closes the door, "See ya."

Landon half waves and Matt drives away.

Matt isn't focused during his workout. He's distracted and his strength coach is frustrated by the end of it.

He takes a long shower in the locker room after, and takes his time leaving the training facility.

There's a cool breeze in the air when he walks to his car.

"Hey Matty,"

Matt looks up, Bethany Peters is leaning against the front of his Jeep, her arms crossed over her chest and her duffle bag slung over her shoulder.