You're The One

1

Sleep is something I'm beginning to get less and less of lately. Ever since I transferred to LSU at the beginning of second semester I started getting less and less sleep. I often found myself falling asleep at my desk while I studied, waking up with an aching back and a restless look on my face. Trying to catch up in my other classes has been a hassle, I didn't realize how far ahead they were.

My third and final lecture of the day was astronomy, I still kick myself in the ass for taking it honestly. I put my SUV in park and rest my head on the wheel, one more lecture and you can take a nap, it'll be all right, I thought to myself. I grabbed my bag and walked into the lecture hall, grabbing out everything I needed.

I watched the last few stragglers file in as the professor set up his things to teach. I felt my eyelids weight increase but I tried to fight it although all I wanted was to give in and fall asleep.

"Hey." I heard someone say as I woke up. I looked around in confusion, soon realizing that I was in an empty lecture hall, the only people in there being me and the football player that I sat next to.

"Shit," I put my head in my hands, "I fell asleep?"

"Yeah," the tall light-brown haired boy said as he held out his notebook to me, "you can borrow my notes since you slept through the lecture, just meet me in the library to return them around seven. I'm Joe by the way, Burrow."

"Jasmine Green, are you sure you want to let me borrow your notes?"

"I don't mind, or we could go to the coffee shop and I could help you out. Some of the things I wrote down don't make sense without context," Joe grinned sheepishly and put his hand on the back of his neck slightly flexing his bicep. I noticed and quickly deterred my attention.

"Yeah that would be great," I smiled, "I'm gonna run to the restroom real quick and then we can hop in my car and head there, that cool?"

Joe nodded and I headed out of the lecture hall. The second I found the bathroom I headed for the mirror and took my hair down, regretting that I wore the most basic outfit possible, but grateful that it hugged my curves so well. When I walked back out I saw Joe standing there waiting for me.

"You ready?" I asked as I began walking toward the parking lot. We reached my car and I unlocked it, "Hop in."

Joe stood, partially astonished at the vintage green Ford Bronco in front of us. "This is your car? How did you get a vintage Bronco?"

"Unfortunately, my ex bought it for me for our one year anniversary but we broke up when I moved out here. I still can't believe he made the commitment of buying me my dream car just to turn around and leave." The two of us got in the car. I started it and put it in reverse and I sat for a moment before pulling off, "And it's insane to me because he transferred first and he knew I was transferring to LSU and then I was gonna transfer to UF after this year."

"Where does he go to school?"

"On the west coast, I think he went to a college a town over from UCLA."

"Nice," Joe said, "Why are you transferring to UF?"

"A program they have, but I don't know if I want to transfer again. Are you new this year?"

"Kind of," Joe shifted in the seat, "I transferred before I graduated from Ohio State."

"How come?" I continued to focus on the road as I spoke, not daring to even glance at the man next to me. I don't usually get distracted by guys, especially football players, but something about him was so intriguing.

"Football. I got basically zero play at OSU and then I transferred here. Next year looks really promising but it's also my last season."

"Well there's always ups and downs," I say as I pull into the coffee shop parking lot. Joe held the door for me as we walked in and paid for both our drinks. A gentleman, I thought to myself.

We sat and studied for an hour, after Joe gave me context to what we'd learned it all made sense. We've been sitting and talking for thirty minutes now, it's astonishing how much you don't know about the person you've sat next to for a semester.

"Can I ask you something?" Joe looked slightly uncomfortable, almost as if the question he wanted to ask was taboo.

"What's up?"

"Why'd you and your ex break up? I mean he gave you your dream car, you don't really give someone that kind of gift just to end the relationship."

I took a moment to try to find a reply, hopefully that was displayed on my face rather than discomfort from the question.

I honestly wasn't very sure why we broke up. Our relationship was great, it was healthy, happy, our families treated us as one of their own when we'd visit. I assumed the distance killed it but even then, when we moved nothing changed between he and I.

"I, I really don't know," I finally answered before listing off the reasons that further confused me as to why the relationship ended.

"That's strange," Joe said, a puzzled look on his face. Maybe he's trying to find some viable reason too, "how'd you meet him?"

"We went to the same college before we both transferred. I'm from Georgia and he's from California but we met our freshman year at SCAD. We dated happily for two years before we both transferred, then we broke up."

"I'm sorry that your relationship ended, it seems like you really loved him," Joe fell silent, neither of us speaking for a short while.

"So why are you taking astronomy if you're almost a senior?" I ask to break the silence that fell upon the both of us.

"I like space. It's always fascinated me. You fascinate me, Jasmine."

I felt my heart rate pick up, his pale green eyes looked deeply into mine as if he were trying to search through my brain. I broke the eye contact by looking down at my cup. A silence fell over the two of us, "We should get going, it's late," I say breaking it.

"Can you drive me to my dorm? I walked to astronomy from my previous lecture."

I obliged and drove Joe back to the boys dorms. I drove myself back to my own dorms as confusion filled my mind. "You fascinate me, Jasmine." The sentence replayed in my mind. What did he mean by that? It was simultaneously flattering and discomforting, a feeling I was unfamiliar with.

He probably meant nothing by it. That's what I decided on. The semester was nearly over, all I had to do was study for my final exams, pass them, and then I could finally transfer to UF. By the time I finished my thoughts I was at my dorm, the second I walked in my room and touched my bed I let myself have some very well deserved rest.

A/N: how are we liking it so far? good?