What I Should Have Done ✓

Chapter 3

The thing about our campus was, it was small. Tiny. At 2,500 students, you ran into people all the time, which was why I was surprised it had taken three days since my return to campus to run into my friend Liam from freshman year.

Even through the warm evening light the slowly sinking sun cast, his face lit up when he saw me waving and he stopped in his tracks in front of the dining hall. "Grace, it's so good to see you! How have you been?"

"I've been well, how about you?"

"I had a good summer! I worked quite a bit, spent time with my family and friends, and stayed with my grandma in Colorado for two weeks."

He looked down at me from his six-ish-foot height, grinned, and ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair that curled at the tips. He looked older than our sophomore spring, more mature, and although summer break was only four months, it was half a lifetime in college.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." I was still smiling, a natural reaction I had to Liam. "Hey, let's get dinner together sometime this week and catch up."

"Sounds fantastic. Do you want to go to Four Cows to celebrate the beginning of junior year?" he asked. "I hear they have great vegetarian burgers. Like, so good that even meat-eaters enjoy them."

Four Cows was the local tavern, and they did also serve some outstanding burgers. And he remembered I was a vegetarian.

"Sure. We'll have dining hall food long enough, right?" I made a face. The dining halls weren't bad at all, but after a while everything tasted the same. "Actually, are you free right now?"

"Oh, um... sure. No, yeah, you're right. We'll get dining hall food every day. I'm learning to be more spontaneous."

I smiled and clapped my hands beneath my chin. Side by side, we then made our way down the hill and into town, passing Starr Hall where I had the distinct pleasure of inhabiting a single on the top floor this year. He lived farther up the hill in the International Student House, but he would be walking past my building on his way to the library all the time. Part of Old Stone Row, Starr was centrally located on campus and thus popular. I was lucky I had been able to get in, and a single room at that.

The way we fell into step on our way reminded me of our orientation hiking trip. We were paired with random people, "for safety," as they had told us, but everyone knew it had been for bonding reasons, and it had worked for Liam and me.

And now, junior fall, there he was again. He'd been working out over the summer, his shoulders were broader now. His natural tan was even darker, no doubt from spending lots of time outdoors over the break.

Two years later, it was now a lovely summer day in early September once again, the air was warm and the sun hadn't set yet. Four Cows was packed as usual, but they still were still able to seat the two of us on the outdoor porch.

"You look great, by the way." Kindness radiated from Liam's adorable, dimpled smile.

He was exaggerating. My simple pair of jeans and white crop t-shirt were nothing to write home about. White went well with my long, honey blonde hair and the jeans accentuated my small waist, courtesy of my mom's good genes, but I hadn't put much thought into my outfit for the evening. After all, I hadn't known I'd be going out for dinner. And I didn't know if he meant anything by it.

Still, my cheeks warmed at the compliment. "Thank you."

He was handsome himself even in his simple gray v-neck t-shirt and tan shorts, but I didn't tell him.

The mushroom burgers we had both ordered were fresh and juicy and every bit as tasty as promised. Around other people, I might have felt uncomfortable eating such inherently messy food, but not Liam.