The Forgotten Year

11

I still haven't talked to Hunter since that day, I sat in silence on the ride home. Hell, it's been a week later and I still didn't know if I could talk to him. Our relationship, if you could even call it that, complicated things and made a mess of my life. But maybe, it would be worth it if it worked out? A knock at my bedroom door broke me from my internal monologue. 

"Come in," I say.

The door opens and Brett peers into my room. "Hey, can I talk to you?"

I sit up on my bed and nod. Brett comes and sits down at the bottom of my bed. We sit quietly for a few minutes, both of us refusing to look at each other. Things have always been slightly tense between Brett and I especially since I had arrived to live here. 

I was the first one to speak. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Um, I guess I wanted to first start out by apologizing. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye and lately that has just grown more since you've moved here. But I am truly sorry for being a complete ass sometimes. I don't hate you either; you're like a little sister to me. I get annoyed when you do stupid things." 

Tears well up in my eyes and I try to tell myself not to cry at Brett's admission. I let out a laugh and smile brightly at Brett. Before opening up my arms to hug him, which he gladly reciprocates. This was headway in our friendship, more than we've ever made in the last five years that I've known him. 

"Aww, I love you too," I say jokingly. 

"Alright, that's enough love for today," Brett chuckles. 

I release him from my grasp and he gets up from the bed and walks over to the door. 

"Does Hunter hate me," I finally ask before I could stop myself.

Brett stops immediately in his tracks and turns around with a gleam in his eyes. "You'll actually find it's quite the opposite, Ellie. But I've already said to much."

And with that he left my room. I was left in utter confusion about what Brett meant by that. Did he mean that Hunter was in love with me? Because I know that was not a possibility. For years, I had only been seen as a friend in Hunter's eyes. But what changed that? What's different now than it was before? 

I shake my head, willing myself to forget the unanswered questions I've asked myself. I instead tried to focus on today's visit to Western State University; I had visited the campus before last fall, but this visit was different. This visit was official college business and I would be there to meet with an advisor about my schedule in the fall. I look over at the clock and groan at the time. I only had an hour and a half until I needed to be on campus and with all my thoughts about Hunter, I really wasn't motivated to get up.

***

To say Western State's campus was gorgeous would be an understatement. Even though the middle of summer brought heat, the quad never looked greener and students were walking around on their way to their classes. I walk to the middle of the quad and admire the true beauty the campus gives off before my phone chives signaling I have 15 minutes to make my advising appointment. Panic sets in as I try to remember where I need to do before I pull out my phone and begin to read the email. Before I know it, I'm almost falling face first onto the pavement before a strong tanned arm wraps around my waist. I look up and meet the eyes of my savior. 

"Shoot, I am so sorry! I was rushing and totally wasn't paying any attention," I apologizes.

I take a once over of the person in front of me as we sets me back up. This guy is so hot. He was about 6'4" and have broad muscular shoulders which give into his even muscular arms. Although this man in front of me was extremely attractive and totally my type, I couldn't help but compare him to Hunter. I groaned inwardly at my lack inability to forget that god forsaken man. A slight cough wakes me out of my thoughts and I look back into the stranger's eyes.

"You're good," the stranger huffs out.

I look down at my phone awkwardly and catch a glimpse of the time, panic rising in my chest. 

"I'm so sorry to do this, but I really must go before I'm late for my appointment," I say hastily.

I step aside and jog my way in what I hoped was the right direction for the advising center. Luckily I was in the right direction and I spotted Nicolas Hall and let out a breath of relief. I climb the stairs two at a time and peek my head into the advising center. The receptionist greets me with a warm smile  and I smile back.

"How can I help you sweetheart," she asks. 

"I have an appointment for Eleanor Stevens to meet with an advisor."

The receptionist looks over at the computer sitting on the desk. "Yes, I have you down right here. An advisor should be with you shortly, please take a seat."

I sat down in a seat across from her desk and boredom overtook me. I pull my phone out of my pocket and scroll through my phone. Soon after, the receptionist tells me I can go back to the advisor's office and I nod my head and walk quickly back to the office. 

***

My advising appointment went smoothly. I'm glad to say that I'm officially enrolled to my dream college, especially after all the hard work I put in after all these years. I stroll across the campus, taking in the atmosphere, students, and everything else around me. I walk over to a shaded area in the middle of the quad and take a seat on the grass. My smile widens, I'll be a student here in a matter of months, this will all be surrounding me. This thought only excited me more for the fall to come faster, but I knew there were other things I needed to be sorted out before I could focus on school. This only brought my thoughts back to Hunter. I groan in frustration. 

My phone buzzes from my pocket, I pull it out quickly. Addy's name pops up on the screen and hit the answer button. 

"Hey, what's up?"

"Uh hey Ellie, do you know what time you'll be home," Addy asks quietly. 

I am confused by her question, especially since she knows I planned to stay on campus for a little while. "Well, I don't know? Is something wrong?" 

"I think maybe you should come back to the house," she states meekly. 

I tell Addison that I would be home shortly, worry taking over in my mind. It didn't sound like anything urgent was going on at the house, but it was obviously something important enough for her to ask me to come home. I get up from my shaded spot and make my way to visitor's parking lot. My mind wanders to the endless possibilities of situations that could be going on at home. Did something happen between Brett and Addy? Or is it Hunter? I speed off the highway and through town, hoping there aren't any cops to catch me speeding. I pull into the driveway and my heart drops as soon as I see what, or I should say who is here.