Lost and Found

Chapter Thirty-two

Hope for the best. Love all you can. Dream so your dreams come true.

***

"Put the chair over here," I said, pointing to space by my bed. Ethan moved over there. I chose the bed that was on the right side of the dorm because the right is the right side.

Jess and I had arrived at the University of Colorado about two hours ago. Ethan, who said he'd help bring our stuff in, was regretting his offer quickly.

"No," Jess said. "Put the chair over here." Jess pointed to space by her bed. Ethan followed her directions.

I rolled my eyes. "Ethan, you're my boyfriend, move the chair over by my bed."

"Ethan, I know where you sleep."

"Ethan-"

"Oh my God, shut up," Ethan said as he put the chair in the middle of the room. Then he walked out of the dorm. I rolled my eyes and smiled at Jess before jumping off my bed to follow him.

As I walked out of the Dormitory I caught a glimpse of the mountains that boarded the school. My dad would have loved it here, I thought. The fresh summer air filled my lungs and all of a sudden it hit me. I was here. I was at the University of Colorado. That little nine-year-old would have been so proud. I had a dream once and I stuck to it. I had blocked my mother from my life and I was going to my dream university. A glimpse of Ethan caught my eye. And I even had my dream boy.

I ran up to Ethan and grabbed his arm. I twisted him around and pressed our lips together. I'm so happy that I could finally do this, I thought. When I backed away Ethan said, "I'd much rather have you in my arms instead of that chair."

"Me too," I responded, looking directly into his blue eyes.

Ethan chuckled as he grabbed my arms and put them behind my back. Then he bent down and kissed me once more. His lips on mine felt right. I knew that this was the start of something amazing.

"Really guys, get a room," a voice said.

We moved away from each other only to see Hunter. I smiled and walked over to him. "We never officially met," I said to him, "I'm Juliette."

"The best friend?" Hunter asked me.

"I'm guessing Ethan just told you that?"

"Ethan told me that a year ago."

I turned to Ethan and saw that smirk covered his face. I couldn't believe that even though he left, he still called me his best friend when he told people about me. I thought about it for a second and realized that I did the same.

"And by the way, I'm Hunter."

"I know. Oh, and when you get a girlfriend I'm gonna make sure you never get a second alone with her."

"I figured."

***

"I'll have a full rack of ribs with a baked potato and french fries," I told the waiter. His hair was dyed a shade of bright pink and he had a really big tattoo that read forever a Hufflepuff.

"Of course my darling," he responded.

"I have a boyfriend."

"That muggle?" The waiter nodded in the direction of Ethan. I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing.

"Yes," I responded as I rubbed Ethan's arm. "I'm very fond of this muggle."

"But I'm a beater."

Okay, I've read all seven Harry Potter books but this dude was bad. "I don't care what position in Quidditch you play. This muggle has my heart."

"Your loss."

With that, the waiter left. Without taking Ethan's order.

"You forgot me," Ethan mumbled.

"We can share mine."

"But how dare you eat with a muggle."

"I'm sorry. You're right, we should just end it now. That wizard is much better than you."

Ethan grabbed my hands and patted them. "I know."

We stood there a moment before laughing. It was extremely difficult to stop when the waiter came with our food.

"Okay, ribs for the lovely lady," he said as he set the dish in front of me. "And leftovers from the table that left two hours ago for the dog."

Ethan shot him a glare before rolling his eyes. I mouth, "Seriously."

Ethan mouthed back, "Should we ask for a new waiter?"

I shook my head. It'd be rude to ask for somebody else, and he might get mad. So Ethan and I split my ribs. Then we left without out giving the guy a tip and complaining to the manager.

"Wow that was something," Ethan said as we walked out.

"Hey, it was something I'll never forget."

"I know."

On the way out the door, Ethan wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into a kiss. I looked at the two of us in a window of one of the shops. I smiled. I could almost see my dad shaking his head while Piper gave me a thumbs us. I could almost feel their presence.

"Thank you," I whispered under my breath.

I looked in the window again and I saw myself staring back. I almost cried. It had been two years since I could look in the mirror and see myself. The crafty tomboy who loved life. Maybe her life was harder than some but it takes bad things for you to notice the good.

If my parents didn't die, Jess wouldn't be back in my life. If Ethan never walked away it wouldn't feel so great to have him back. If I never kissed Paul I would never have known how different it felt to kiss somebody you loved. I looked at Ethan.

He bent down and kissed me again. "I love you," he mumbled against my lips.

"I love you too. So much."

It may have taken two years of being lost, but I was found. And I was happy. In the end that's all that matters.