C O L L I D E

intro

E P I G R A P H

"I knew right away that you
were it for me,
there were no reservations
or second thoughts,
I saw you and in an instant
knew in my bones,
my soul had known your
soul lifetimes ago."

- Beau Taplin || S O U L S

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P R O L O G U E

       "Royce," I groan, my mind still in a dazed state. "It's three in the morning. I told you not to call me unless it's important."

       "It is important," He hisses. I quickly lean up on my elbows, my head clearing and my brain alert. The grogginess from earlier is long gone. "I need you, Nov."

   "Where are you?"

  "Our park."

   "I'm on my way."

       He mumbles an okay before hanging up. Quickly slipping on my house shoes, I open my bedroom door and descend down the stairs. Ivory had excused herself earlier, turning in for a good nights rest.

Closing the front door behind me, I race to the spot Royce and I had first met. Luckily it's only a three minute run from my house.

       Finally reaching the old park gate, I scan the area for my best friend. The park, in size, isn't very big. There is a big staircase that leads to a swirling slide, a monkey bar set, and a swing set. There's also a big rope climbing set in the middle that kids love to climb. Towards the back is where the swings are located and behind that is a path to the woods.

        Following the gravel pathway, my eyes dart all across the park for Royce. I haven't seen him since I left for Crystal Waters and I wasn't on my phone much during the vacation. I needed a break from my past and he just seemed to understand without an explanation. That's one of the great things about Royce; he doesn't need an explanation.

       Getting a feeling he left, I begin to turn back towards the direction of my house. I stop when my eyes catch something in the distance, the hair on the back of my neck standing on edge. He's seated on one of the swings, his legs swinging back and forth. Taking a deep breath, I muster up some courage and make my way to him. As I get closer, he lifts his head to look at me and my heart drops.

He's different; he has changed.

       His once chocolate brown eyes that use to hold so much light and happiness, seem dull and lonely. A beard takes up half of the lower part of his face making him seem almost a bit older. His dark brown hair is shaved on the sides, the top part standing a little like it had been sleeked with gel that morning. He's dressed in a black v-neck, his muscles showing through the thin fabric. Before I left he was small but his body is different. He works out? The Royce I knew would never.

       Snapping out of my daze, I realize he's taking me in like I did him. At one point in time, his eyes would have me blushing and my heart would beat a mile a minute. But I forced myself to shove those feelings into a box and hid them far away. Royce would never see me as anything other than a sister and I knew that. I accepted that.