Pillowtalk S2 | D.O'B.

3. Fresh Starts

She dreams about him that night.

Though, really, having to see his face in every corner of her mind feels more like a nightmare than anything else. But, still, her dreams are haunted by the memory of them. All throughout the night, no matter how many times she attempts to wake herself up and try again.

But when she does finally wake the next morning, she doesn't miss that subtle ache in her chest at the realization that none of it was real.

For the rest of the day, she banishes the thought of him. Won't let herself wander to the questions she still has about the way he stormed out of the diner. Or about how he's doing after...that night. Or if he's...happy.

He certainly looked happy the last few times she saw him. He's not the same Dylan she once knew and while maybe that should surprise her...it concerns her more than anything.

Now he's riding on a motorcycle? Flirting with people? Going out to diners on a school night?

Truth be told, she's kind of impressed.

Sage doesn't notice how distracted she's become, and Rory is grateful for that. She doesn't even know where she'd begin to explain her history with Dylan.

She doesn't know why she should have to.

Instead, she keeps him tucked away in her past, no matter how persistent the universe seems to be on putting him back in her present.

Like...today. He's everywhere. Not only in her dreams now but behind every corner she turns.

And each time they lock eyes, they both freeze. As if struck down by a memory of what once was.

Then, they turn away and do their best to put as much distance between them as possible.

She hates it.

She hates the awkwardness. Hates the fact that he seems to be as equally annoyed with her as she is with him. Hates the way she glances back for one last look every damn time.

Hates the way she finds him looking back, too.

She hates that she doesn't know what went wrong. Or why he's no longer the man she used to...

He's not her Dylan.

He's a stranger. Barely a ghost of who used to be. Now just a tall, familiar memory that sends the hairs on her neck upright.

She's not sure how to really put him behind her. How to really move on and focus on her future.

But she decides today that she has to. Because she owes it not only to herself...but to Sage.

And when she sees Dylan making his way across the courtyard a few hours later, she chooses to take control of the situation that once controlled her.

She's reached him in seconds, her rage taking the reins as she follows him up the stairs and into Henderson Hall.

"Hey," she calls, rather forcefully given the enclosed space, and her voice bounces off the narrow walls as he suddenly freezes.

They both stop in the middle of the hallway as other students continue to scurry their way from room to room.

For a moment, he doesn't turn around. Doesn't choose to acknowledge her, and she wonders if she should be offended or furious.

Then, he looks over his shoulder. "What?"

Not, hello. Not, hey, been a while.

She begins to glare. "We need to talk."

"No," he says immediately, head shaking as he begins to back away. "No, we don't."