˗ˏˋOur Differences Sequelˊˎ˗

-44-

The last month of school flew by faster than I could blink.

Even after the never ending study sessions in my bedroom and my lack of contact with the outside world, I still felt unusually unprepared for my finals. And just as quickly as they had come, the exams were completely over. Doom washed over me as I exited the testing center, predicting my awful test scores without even seeing the grade.

I knew I did bad.

My mind was in a much darker place since coming back from Chicago, though the comfort of not having to return back to work anymore was a very good feeling.

There wasn't a good way to explain how I felt about what had happened. Sadness loomed over me with each passing day, making it hard for me to focus on anything or anyone. I was truly in my own world.

I stood at the bottom of the stairs, suitcase in hand, while giving my freshman dorm one final, solemn goodbye in my head.

There were very little memories attached to this place, oddly enough. I spent more time at school, Devin's apartment, and Taco Bell than I did in my own bedroom. Still, it served me well for a full term of college, and I was endlessly grateful for that.

I sat on the edge of the cracked, dull sidewalk that lined the perimeters of my dorm building waiting for Charlie to pick me up. Our flight back to Knoxville leaves tonight, and we both were planning to leave earlier than usual in order to dodge the horrific traffic in San Francisco.

I wasn't looking forward to going back, weirdly enough, because Devin wasn't coming with me.

Him and I have been more distant the past two weeks because of school confiscating almost every spare second that we've had. I'd call him on occasion to update him on my studying, and vice versa. He was always doing much better than I was, yet I still lied about me understanding what I was studying so he wouldn't think I was stupid.

We didn't have much to talk about. My boss sexually assaulted me, but that was a conversation that neither of us wanted to bring up. I was leaving for the summer — another distasteful topic that we purposely avoided the mention of.

Still, I wanted to see him before I left and tell him that I love him, because I do. It felt uncanny to be leaving for several months without saying goodbye to him, and a deep, terrible pit full of uneasiness sat in my stomach as my texts from this morning to him went unanswered.

He didn't pick up my calls either.

I knew he had exams today, so there was a good chance that he was still busy with those. Or maybe he was taking a much needed nap from all the studying he's been doing for days. He definitely wouldn't ignore me. I haven't done anything wrong. I know that for a fact.

The pit in my stomach doubled in size as Charlie's dark gray Audi pulled into the parking lot, stopping directly in front of me.

He popped the trunk and hopped out of the drivers seat to take my suitcase from me.

I'm fucking leaving.

"Is this all you have?" Charlie eyed the suitcase and then me in suspicion.

"My Dad rented a U-Haul for the rest of my stuff." I told him as he lifted the heavy suitcase with ease and placed it in the trunk of his car.

"Leo's keeping most of my shit at our grandparent's house. They live in Oakland - about 45 minutes up the road."

"Oh wow. That's like, super convenient." I got into the passenger seat, and Charlie got into the driver's seat. "Does all of your extended family live here?"