Love and Food

xliv: ghost

"Finally done with banquet."

"And I'm done with you." Cecilia said to her phone before swiping away the text message from her screen.

She felt a sense of euphoria rise over her. There were only 2 more classes until she never had to see him again.

All she had to do was get through them.

The first class was studying for the final for the class. Cecilia sat far away from Kyle and she was instead sitting in between Addy and Smiley. She plugged in her AirPods and started playing some Lana Del Rey.

All of a sudden, she started to get a headache.

No, now is NOT the time for a headache.

At first, she tried to ignore her head throbbing, pounding, and irritating her. From biting her lip to closing her eyes for a second, nothing seemed to work.

One of her classmates saw her, and the second that she and Cecilia locked eyes, she could tell something was off.

"Are you ok? You don't seem ok?"

Cecilia shook her head.

"I just have a headache that's worse than usual."

Professor Reuben looked up from his screen.

"Oh, I thought you were taking a nap."

"Never, Professor. I'm sorry."

"That's ok." He went back to his computer.

The pain never seemed to go away. Cecilia buried herself in her hoodie and took deep breaths.

All of a sudden, Smiley taps her shoulder.

"Hey, let's go on a walk."

She nodded and they left.

The two of them walked silently across the campus.

"Getting some fresh air always helps me. I saw you struggling to keep it together."

"Yeah, it's been like that the past few weeks."

"Oh, I saw but I didn't want to get you upset."

"No need to worry, I'm using whatever happened this year in general as character development."

"Honestly, yes. That's a good start with that."

They walked into the main hall where a Starbucks was located.

"Wait, do you need anything?" She saw that he had a cold brew that was almost done in his hands.

"Nah, I'm good. You can go get yourself something. You need it."

"Okie dokie."

Cecilia ordered an iced vanilla latte and waited outside.

Once it came out, she grabbed it and took a sip.

"Much needed."

"You're feeling better?"

"A little. I think I just need to take a nap in my car."

"That helps too."

The two of them walked out of the Main Hall and back into class.

As soon as they walked in, Professor Reuben noticed the latte in Cecilia's hand.

"So you went to Starbucks and didn't get me anything?"

"You didn't ask."

"Cut the girl some class. She's having a rough moment."

"Do you want me to get you anything?" She asked.

"Oh, I'm good. I was just teasing."

Kyle refused to look and her, and neither did she.

He was all part of the past, as if their pasts never crossed.

That was a good thing.

The year had shaken her up, threw her around, and got her in a headlock. But, she got out.

For a while, it felt lonely and quiet. But, Cecilia really needed the lonely moments and a phone that was dry of any man that was romantically interested in her. 

In the meantime, she started to find interests in who she was and started to write a novel on a platform about her experience. 

This year was a story spread out in countless life lessons. It tested her mental state and her boy crazy issues. 

Addy texted her just as she was in a state of thought.

"Hey! I'm just checking in on you to make sure that you're ok after all that has happened!"

Cecilia smiled and she started texting.

"Hi! I'm doing great! I officially ghosted Kyle, I'm not sure if you noticed."

"I figured. Good for you! He was not Mr. Right for you at all!"

"It's fine. What do they say? Good things come to those who wait. I'm not in a rush, when he comes, he comes. And, I'm probably going to take a hiatus from men for a while."

"You deserve it, I mean you did go through a lot."

Cecilia put her phone down and took a deep breath. 

She loved, lost, learned, and developed.

And sometimes, the main focus in your life is not a mediocre boy that you'll forget in 10 years but instead the friends that have been with you through your highs and lows and thick and thin.

Crushes are temporary. Friends that look out for you last.