What Can Be

Chapter 3

"Sage." I say as soon as she answers the phone. I'm in my car, headed home and I swear I'm about to have an anxiety attack.

"What's wrong?" She asks me, worried.

"It's him. L-Levi. He's our neighbor he-"

"Okay, calm down. Are you headed home."

"Yes." I gulp and stop at a red light.

"Okay, when you get home, we'll talk, okay? Drive safe." I take a deep breath,

"Yeah, okay." I end the call and throw my phone into the passenger seat. All I can think about is Levi's face when we hugged each other for the last time before we both left for college, when we knew it was goodbye. His blond hair sat atop his head, right above his perfect blue eyes. And his smile. And his arms around me. I can't shake the image out of my head and I finally pull into my apartment complex. Our apartment complex.

I rush inside and up the elevator to our floor. I can't walk past his room fast enough as I rush to mine and hurry inside.

"Raven Avis." Sage demands as she steps into the room.

"What the hell is going on?"

"It's him, Sage." I sit on the floor, completely shocked. Levi is my neighbor once again. It's been years and suddenly he just pops into my life, again.

"Are you gonna talk to him?" She asks the obvious question. I nod my head and stand up. I might as well get this over with, now.

"I'll be back." I gulp and head towards the door. Yes, this is a very stupid and rash decision, but I'm gonna do it before I can get myself all worked up, well more so than I am, or have second thoughts. So I walk out the door and go a couple doors down. His door is open and I hear him rummaging around in the kitchen area. I take a deep breath and my heart is pounding so fast, I calmly knock on the doorframe,

"Hey, neighbor." I watch as he stands up and his perfect blue eyes lock with mine. I can't help but let my eyes travel his body, looking from his dress shoes to his button up shirt, rolled up sleeves, and muscular, vainy arms. I bite my lip a bit, soaking in his grown up body. I haven't seen him in forever...

"Well, look who it is." He sets down a box on the counter and walks over to me. He smirks as he looks me over, I can feel his eyes taking in every curve and edge of my body before his eyes lock with mine once again. "What are you wearing?" He asks, pretending to be disgusted.

"I should ask you the same thing." He looks down at his own clothes,

"I'm sure this turns you on." He winks at me. It's true, though. My mouth goes dry and I swallow as I look at him once again.

"Well I just got done teaching a dance class..." I say, awkwardly.

"Wow, you really did pursue a dance career. Congrats." I nod a little,

"And you went into business?" He nods, proudly, before hoisting himself onto the counter.

"So uh, how have you been?" He asks, awkwardly.

"Great, actually." I nod. Since I've moved out, I've been able to date other guys without constantly being reminded of the hot neighbor I always had a shot with. So I've been living it up. But now that he's back... Lord knows what's about to happen. He nods and looks me over again,

"You look great..." He says, seductively. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Don't do this, Raven. You have Jack.

But that doesn't seem to stop me.

"You too." I say and take a step closer to him. "You come here alone?" He laughs and hops off the counter,

"C'mon Raven, you know me. I've never been able to settle down." It's true. Ever since our junior year of high school, when his parents got a divorce, he's never been the same. He went through girls just as fast as Carter. I nod as he takes a step closer to me.