When I Met Her....

Sorry

Sorry

Julia's POV

Leaving my parents house this weekend, I am ready to do whatever it is that I need to do to make Laurel love me again. Whether its wait on her to come to me, or persistently pester her with apologies. Anything would do just as long as she knew how I felt.

This was my mindset as I got dressed this morning, drove to school, and prepared my classroom today's lesson. The bell rings and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest in anticipation.

Students piled in one-by-one, each time my heart drops when its not her.

After what seemed like forever she finally comes in and I am once again taken back by her beauty, like it was the first day I layed eyes on her. Her make-up was lightly done, beautifully accentuating the features of her face; the bright yellow of her spaghetti strapped shirt seem to brighten my world just a little as I hung over some blue jean short shorts with a white floral pattern over the back and front pockets.

I could have stared at her forever, but that would only draw others to see how I felt about her and I did not need them in our business when I was trying to put our relationship back together.

Laurel's POV

Walking down the hall to Julia's class almost killed me. The pain of having to see her again and knowing she wasn't mine was too much. So when I make it to the door I don't go in. I let every student pass by me, standing silently at the door until the hallway was clear and I know the tardy bell is about to ring in any second.

I draw in a deep breath before walking in. I immediately feel her eyes on me and they follow me all the way to my seat. Even when I sit down they never leave me, almost as if it would pain her to look away.

Eventually she stopped staring, probably because I would never look up to meet her intense blue eyes. She starts the lesson and I take notes carefully, including some stuff I know I would normally ignore, just to keep my mind from wandering to the what-ifs. It doesn't work for long though, because my mind starts flooding with hopeless possibilities.

What if she meant everything she said at the club Saturday?

What if she actually does love me?

What if I'm just imagine things and feelings like I did the first time around?

The last one cut the deepest and I had to fight the urge to curl up in a ball to hold myself together. I just settled for crisscrossing my legs in my desk seat and putting my head down.

The rest of the hour it is a constant battle to keep the gut-wrenching sob at bay that threaten to rip through my chest. When the bell rings, I sigh with relief and lift my head up from the desk to begin packing my things.

"Laurel, stay behind please." I hear her call over the hustle and bustle of my rushing classmates.

Macey nods at me as she's about to leave for our 2nd period and I nod back in return.

The classroom clears a little too fast for my liking and Julia pulls up a desk next to mine, so that the opening for her desk was facing mine.

"Hi," she says, folding her hands together in her lap.

I don't respond, nor do I look up into her eyes because knowing me, there won't be a single rational thought afterwards.

"Can we talk?" She asks.

"We are, aren't we." I mumble.

"Can we talk about us?"

"There is no us." I sigh heavily.

She pauses for a second.

"But I want for there to be." She says, moving her head down into my line of sight.

I avoid eye contact and wait for her to speak again.

"Please look at me." She pleads, and it almost sounds as if she's about to cry.

Before I can overthink it I snap my head up to look at her. My body aches to touch her gorgous face and I shove my hands under my thighs.

"Laurel..." She starts.

She says my name and then its almost as if she's at a loss for words.

"I want to start off by saying how incredibly sorry I am for all the pain I've put you through these past few weeks. And how stupid I was to break things off with you. I thought we were better off apart but now I realize how sadly mistaken I was. Ever since the day I pushed you out of my life, its been full of nothing but hurt, and confusion."

Glistening tears are rollind down her cheeks and I have to fight the urge to wipe them away.

"I know now that was because I pushed away the most important person to me in the world. Laurel, you're my everything. You make me want better for myself and everyone else around me. You brighten my day by just walking into the same room I'm in. I love you so much and I don't want to live the rest of my life without you. Please forgive me."

I look Julia in her eyes and all I can see I truth and love. Every bone in my body screams for me to forgive her, before flashbacks of a few weeks ago surge through my mind, knocking every ounce of breathe from my body. The pain was torturing and the depression was piercing... and it won't let me move on. I can never allow myself to be hurt that way ever again.

"I'm sorry. I can't do this." I gasp, shoving my desk away from hers so I could get out and snatching my stuff from the ground.

"Laurel." Julia cries out, reaching to grab my arm as I pass her.

She continues to call after me and I even hear the screeching of the desk legs moving quickly across the floor and then footsteps but I pick up my pace and run to farthest bathroom possible.