Nerd Squared [COMPLETE]

Epilogue

The familiar jingle of bells comforted my racing heart as I stepped into Phoebe's diner. I had just moved back into town after college, and I was ready to have a constant again, and a cute corner diner was just the thing I had missed out in Minnesota.

"Hey Alice, Arnie, you guys look better than ever!" My heart was filled with a joy I hadn't felt since moving out as I walked into Phoebe's for the first time in almost five years.

"Charlotte McDouggal, is that you?" The old woman behind the counter's face lit up, and she rushed to wrap me in a bear hug.

"Man I never knew how much I really missed this place." I laughed, I had hated working here, but it had gotten me money through high school, it wasn't as bad as I remembered.

The booths had been redone, the once red and white patterns were now blue, and the counter had a new finish.

"This place looks, wow." I couldn't hide my expression of awe. I slid my hand over the place I had once spent afternoons working, hanging out with my best friend, and my boyfriend. The days I had wasted doing nothing, the hours I had watched tick away during the slow hours. The nights I had closed up, and walked to my car, slightly terrified of the monsters that were supposed to live in the supply cabinet.

Those days were gone, but the memories weren't. This was the place where Collin had asked me out, and the place where he'd broken up with me. It was happy and sad, a happy ending and a sad beginning. But that was done and gone now.

"So, you living in the area again Charlotte?" Arnie's voice interrupted my nostalgia, which was probably for the best.

"Um, yea, I am. I got a duplex outside town, by Wilson Lake. It's really nice. It's good to be back in an area I know, I never did get used to being in Minnesota." I laughed a bit, going to college there had been a whole new experience.

"Well I'm so glad you're back, the town just isn't the same without your stellar smile girly." Alice always knew how to make me feel good. I gave her a goofy grin, and she laughed.

"I'm gonna go get you a burger, this one's on me, welcome back kid." Arnie smiled at me as he made his way back to the kitchen.

"Sit dear, sit sit." Alice motioned to the bar stool across the counter from her. "So, do you have a boyfriend again?" She winked at me.

Alice had never really gotten the entire story with Collin, I didn't want to bring more people into it than necessary, but I loved her anyways, she was my second mom.

"Nope, I had my focus on a degree, plus, if I dated a boy out there, I might have to stay, and it's so cold." Alice laughed, she didn't know I was serious.

"Well now that you're back here, you can find a good boy and settle down." I rolled my eyes at her, and she grinned. "You know I love you Charlotte. You're the daughter I never had." She smiled at me again.

"Oh right, how's Alex?" Alice's youngest had just gotten his masters degree or something back east.

"Single," Alice winked at me, "He just got his doctorate. Now he can get a job and pay off his loans." Her smile hadn't faded, she loved her sons. "He was thinking of moving out here, but I don't think that's the best choice."

I smiled and ran my fingers through my short hair. I had gotten myself a pixie cut after graduation, and left for Minnesota to start a new chapter, but I could never forget the small town that gave me my start.

The bell jingled again, and me and Alice turned to see a man walk in, with tan skin and scruffy dark brown hair. When he lifted his face from his phone screen, I was met with the same coffee eyes I had fallen in love with six years ago.

"Well hello there Collin Mark! Long time no see." Alice was chipper in greeting him, and she looked over at me, she seemed worried that I would be offended.

"We broke up on good terms." I muttered under my breath. Alice gave me an glad look and nodded.

"Come over here ya rascal, fill me in, how've you been? Where'd you head off for college?" Collin walked over to the counter and leaned against the edge.

"Well I was down in Arizona, got my degree in bio-engineering, I'm doing pretty great, landed a good job at the lab a couple miles north of here." He hadn't seemed to change much, his style was the same, he still ran his hand through his hair when he wasn't sure to say. I caught myself staring, and looked down at my fingers.

"Boy are you gonna love this Charlotte, I did a little magic and got this burger perfect, better than the usual perfect too." Arnie was almost running out of the kitchen, a plate in his hand.

I laughed as he set down the plate and did jazz hands.

"Oh, and here's the ketchup, you still eat your meat like that right?" Arnie knew me way to well.

"Of course Arnie, I haven't been gone that long." He smiled at me and I flipped open the lid and poured tomato sauce on my burger.

I could tell Collin and Alice were looking at me, but I pretended I didn't know, and started to eat the burger.

"Charlotte McDouggal?" Collin was trying to whisper to Alice. He had never been a super quiet kid, and an empty diner didn't help much.

"The one and only. She's been in Minnesota, no boyfriend, got a degree in.." Her voice trailed off. "What did you major in again honey?"

"I got an education degree and an English degree." Alice and Collin both nodded.

"Oh quit it, I know it's you, just sit down ya dummy." I was tired of acting like I didn't see them looking at me. "Collin Mark, it's good to see you."

Collin's face was almost as red as the ketchup on my fingers, and I laughed at his shock. Well I hadn't changed much, I had gotten better at socializing.

"What about that friend of yours, what is she doing?" Alice was trying to start a conversation, I would go with it.

"Ellie? She's still at Stanford, getting her doctorate, still dating Riley." Collin and Alice looked surprised. "I don't know how they do it, been dating since like grade five." I shook my head and laughed.

I finished my burger in time, and conversation flowed between the four of us in the diner. It was like the weeks before graduation all over again.

"I think it's about time I got home, my puppy needs to be let out." I pushed the plate in front of me towards the other side of the counter.

"I'll come back Alice, maybe even pick up a couple of shifts well I look for a job." Alice grinned at me, and I grabbed my bag off the seat next to me.

As I reached the door, the bell jingled to let someone else in, and I caught the door.

"Oh thanks." He looked like a junior, rock-band tee and ripped jeans, dressed the same way I used to.

"No problem." I smiled at him and went outside. The warm air was inviting, and the sun had started to set. I dug my keys out of my bag and swung them on my finger, as I made my way to my old Altima.

The door opened again, and I heard footsteps coming up behind me.

"Lottie, um hey." Collin's voice was nervous.

"Hey Collin." I turned around and smiled at him.

"So, I figured since you were back in town, and I'm back in town." He paused, pulling on his fingers.

"Maybe we could go out sometime?" He looked at me hopefully, those eyes hadn't changed much, and I couldn't resist his stupid face.

"I would love to."

- - - - -

a.n.

So it's over. I'm actually writing this on the 8th of April, I had this planned and I felt like writing it before going onto chapter five. Sorry not sorry. I hope you've all enjoyed this story, I had fun writing it, this is actually the first one I've finished (If i finish it lol). But don't forget to

-Vote / Comment / Fan / Share -

-c.h.