I Promise

Chapter 12

*Kay's POV*

Life has a way of working out problems in its own way. Things take time to heal: open wounds will close, tumors will go away. Moving on is the best thing you can do for yourself.

It took me a long time to get over the heartache of Reese leaving. No amount of pain will ever compare to the way he made me feel the day I received those daisys. Long after the cancer was gone, I was still grieving his absence. I still am, in some ways. But I realize now that I couldn't expect him to take on my cancer at only seventeen. It was hard enough for me, he didn't deserve to be in that situation.

"Kay, do you honestly think that Shakespeare wrote his own work? I mean there is speculation that it was written for him." Anna brushes her choppy blonde bangs to the side, eyeing me for an answer. I have been roommates with her for three years now, and I'm growing tired of the English debates. But what can I say, she's my best friend.

"Anna, give it a rest. None of us are English Majors besides you. We don't give a shit." Laci's snobby remark is not a surprise. She's the one that keeps us all in check, and makes sure that our partying outweighs our studying. She's only been roommates with Anna and I for two years, but it's like we all have known each other our whole lives.

I shake my head at the two girls, laughing softly. I look towards the library entrance, seeing a familiar face staring at me. I haven't seen him in three years, but I would know those blue eyes anywhere.

"Hey I'll catch up with you guys back at the house, okay?" I say, turning to the girls. They smile and wave their goodbyes as I approach him. I am not nervous, nor scared. Which is weird, because I should be. I should be a fucking mess. But just seeing him is holding me together.

"Hello Reese," His name, rolling off my tongue, feels so normal. I haven't spoken of him in a long time. He was part of my past that I stashed away in a box in my closet. But here he is, standing right in front of me.

His hair is still the same shaggy blonde, and it's as if nothing has changed. He's the same person I have dreamed about every night.

"Kay I-" He finally says, and I can see it. I know what he's going to say, and I realize that I don't want to hear it.

"Don't worry about it," I interrupt, stopping him before he ruins it all again. I don't want to hear those words Im sorry.

He stares at me for a while, as if he doesn't know what to say next. I have no clue either, but it's very obvious that he isn't going to initiate conversation. Besides, this should all be up to me. He broke my heart, and now I get to decide where we go from here.

"So, you go to school here?" I ask, fighting the urge to fidget.

"Uh yeah. I just transferred last year. They have a better medical program here." His words take me back, and I am stunned to silence. Medical program?

"Y-you're major is medicine?"

"Actually biology. But I am on the pre-med track. What's your major?"

I stare into his eyes for a moment. Who is this...man? Has he changed so much in the years since I have seen him?

"I'm actually a Political Science Major, hoping to go pre-law."

He laughs, and the sound is so invigorating. It brings back too many warm memories.

"Why are you laughing?" I ask, a smile creeping on my lips. God he is so beautiful when he laughs.

He looks up at me through long lashes. " I was just picturing you as a lawyer," he replies, and I know there is more to it than that. "You will make a great one some day."

"Well what do you plan to do with that biology major?" I ask, my smile spreading. He scratches the back of his neck, a sign he is nervous. He gazes at a bench close to us and begins to walk to it. I follow and we both sit down.

"I, uh, want to be an oncologist." He chuckles nervously, not meeting my gaze. My breath catches in my throat and I'm not sure how to respond. Has he really been as affected by our break up so long ago as I was? I don't have words for him, so I just sit, staring at the books on my lap.

"Let's get coffee later," he says, standing up. "I have class in ten minutes. We can meet in an hour? At the Starbucks on campus."

I pick up my books and stand. "That'd be nice," I reply, forcing a smile.

He beams and starting walking backwards. "See you later, Kay."