When We Were Stanger

New Start

I've known about Jace Gillian Cox long before I ever met him. His name was a constant melody in my mother's stories, a rhythm in the background of my college life at UPenn. Jace, the brilliant architect that every girl dreamt of, he had already conquered Cambridge and was now shaping his future in Delft. It felt strange, how someone I had never met could feel so familiar, like a character in a book I had read a thousand times.

But reality has a way of blurring those lines, of turning distant names into faces, and faces into people who suddenly matter more than they should. And when I finally met Jace in a beautiful place I've never imagined, he was everything I had imagined and more. But I couldn't let him know that. How could I explain that I had spent years in the shadow of his stories, that I knew too much about him without knowing him at all?

So I pretended. I pretended that Jace was just another stranger, even though he was everything but. As I stood there, facing the man who had been a part of my life without ever being in it, I realized that sometimes, the hardest thing isn't forgetting someone—it's pretending you never knew them in the first place.

Let's get back to the time where i live in the shadow of his stories long before we met.

October 2021, Fall semester at Upenn

God, finally, I get back to my busy life, knowing that I'll stop thinking of him for a second. Or at
least, that's what I keep telling myself. The truth is, he's always there, lingering in the back of my mind like a shadow that I can't shake off. Every time I walk through campus, every time I open a book or hear a random laugh, I'm reminded of the stories Mom used to tell me about him. It's like he's woven into the fabric of my everyday life, even though we've never actually met.I thought being a freshman at UPenn would be a distraction, a fresh start. New friends, new classes, new everything. And I did find new friends, Celine and Rae, who've quickly become my anchor in this whirlwind of a new life. Celine is always bubbling with energy, dragging us into spontaneous adventures and late-night study sessions. Rae, on the other hand, is the calm to Celine's storm—steady, reliable, and always there with a listening ear.

Living with them has been a blast. We've created a little bubble of comfort in the midst of all the chaos—our shared dorm room cluttered with textbooks, snacks, and the occasional stray sock. We laugh about everything, from our awkward encounters with professors to the mysteries of campus life. Celine has this habit of turning mundane moments into something memorable, while Rae helps me navigate through the stress of exams and deadlines with her no-nonsense approach.But even with their constant presence and the whirlwind of new experiences, I can't escape the nagging curiosity about him. I find myself daydreaming during lectures, lost in thoughts about what it would be like if we did meet. Would he be as charming as Mom made him out to be? Would he even remember the stories she told?As the leaves turn and fall settles in, I'm trying to push these thoughts aside and immerse myself in the here and now. It's just hard when the past and present seem so intertwined. For now, I'll focus on making the most of this freshman year with Celine and Rae by my side, and try to keep the shadow of him at bay.

The semester rolled on, and with it came the arrival of our group project. Celine, Rae, and I were assigned to collaborate on a major Communication project, and as much as I dreaded the workload, I was excited to work closely with them. We had been meeting at our favorite café on campus, The Green Bean, which had become our unofficial headquarters.Our project was centered around developing a strategic communication plan for a local non-profit organization. It involved everything from researching the organization's goals to crafting a detailed communication strategy. I found myself sinking into the work with a surprising enthusiasm. The task was challenging, but it was a great way to channel my focus and energy.Celine took charge of the research phase, her organizational skills and attention to detail proving invaluable. Rae, with her knack for creativity, was responsible for designing our presentation and coming up with engaging content. I was the one piecing everything together, making sure our strategies and ideas were coherent and aligned with the non-profit's mission.We spent countless hours brainstorming, debating, and refining our ideas. There were moments of frustration—like when our first draft was completely off the mark—but we always managed to pull through, often with laughter and some late-night coffee breaks. Our teamwork turned out to be surprisingly smooth, and I felt a genuine sense of accomplishment with every milestone we hit.

One evening, as we sat huddled around a table strewn with notes and coffee cups, Celine turned to me with a mischievous grin. "You know, Rochelle, this project might just be the thing to keep your mind off of—" She paused, looking at Rae who raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Rae smirked and added, "Off of whatever or whoever you've been daydreaming about. Seems like you've been a little distracted lately."I couldn't help but laugh, feeling a mix of embarrassment and relief. "Yeah, maybe. But this project is actually helping me stay focused. It's good to have something to dive into."And it was true. The project, with all its late nights and deadlines, was a welcome distraction. It kept me grounded and helped me focus on what really mattered—my studies, my friends, and the journey I was on. As we wrapped up our final presentation, I felt a sense of pride not just in the work we'd accomplished but in the bond we'd formed as a team. When we finally wrapped up our presentation and got the thumbs up from the professors, it was like a huge weight lifted off our shoulders. To celebrate, we decided to indulge in a late-night pizza binge, our way of blowing off steam. The cheesy slices and hilarious movie nights were a perfect distraction from the lingering thoughts of Jace.

In between the chaos of schoolwork and hanging out with my new friends, the days seemed to fly by. I was truly enjoying my life with the people around me, feeling grateful for their presence and the moments we shared. Still, there was a shadow in my heart. Despite all the fun and new experiences, there was a nagging emptiness that only Jace seemed to fill. It was as if, no matter how much I tried to move on and be present, his absence made me feel less complete.

Life was shaping up to be pretty awesome, but that lingering thought of him made it hard to fully embrace the happiness I had. I was ready to face whatever came next, but part of me knew that the journey to truly feel content was far from over.