Untimely Love

Chapter 24-Jade

I'm exhausted...so fucking exhausted from this trip. It was an amazing experience and Professor Darby was impressed with my work.  He even offered me and another student research opportunities this summer before medical school started, if I get in. I'm ready to start classes, though I was excused until Monday. I would be TA again for Professor Darby and Professor Anderson this semester...my final semester, fuck yes! Most of my classes ended up being electives for my major and I'm thrilled to be taking a smaller load.

I open the door to my apartment and it's completely quiet. It's about 6 o'clock and I figure Carlie and Kara are probably at his house. I'm sad they're not here because I've missed my friends so much over break. Kara and Carlie called me a few times and chatted. They both had great holidays with their families and tons of food. Carlie was definitely bummed I didn't go home with her this year, even her mom was sad she said. Pushing the thoughts aside, I completely and utterly feel gross from the trip and All I want to do is shower.

I walk into my bedroom to drop my bag off but sitting on my bed is box with a bow on it. I drop my bag to the ground and slowly sit on the bed and pull the box into my lap. There's no note on it and my first instinct is that it's from Carlie or Kara for a belated Christmas gift. When I open the box, I'm surprised and immediately wrong about who it's from. Inside there is a coffee hut gift card, one of his t-shirts that I always sleep in, a new soccer jersey for me to wear, and a thick letter. I grab the letter and several pages spill out with hand written details on the front and back. I hungrily read the letter while tears run down my cheeks. I can't stop them from falling.

I've never known Leo to be so romantic and honest but he says it all in the letter. He tells me how wrong he was, how we don't have to choose between love and goals, how I need to dig myself out from my intense focus and come back to reality where we exist happily together, and how we can't be without each other any longer. I clutch the letter to my chest and I think about how my mom told me to reach my goals, but she always gave an underlining fact that I need to find love and I'll know what it is when I find it. She was right I found love in the most inconvenient way. I first met him staring at me naked, he stalked and begged me to be his tutor, we lost control of our emotions and felt passion between every touch, he healed me after my attack, and he saved me from myself every time he made love to me. We both made mistakes and both lost track...only he made the first move to disrupt our happiness, but I'll be the one to reunite us.

I run to the shower and let the warm water rush over me. I'm bursting with happiness and feel alive again. The thought of him kissing me and being inside me is too much to bear. I know what I'm going to do and it's going to be epic.

                                        Leo

The game is about to start and I haven't talked or seen Jade. She never texted me on Thursday or even Friday. I didn't want to push my luck so I just waited. I wonder if she opened the box, let alone opened the letter. I meant every word I wrote. I never have been romantic or this honest with anyone before. But Jade was different. I felt alive with her and felt that we could exist together and both obtain our goals. I could do this my whole life with her. The bickering, the ambition and intense goals, and of course the hot sex I'm definitely craving. But I snap into reality and focus on running out onto the field with my teammates.

Gabe and I are unstoppable. We're a force to be wrecking with and everybody knows it. We're both fast, quick on our feet, and have major skills when it comes to dribbling the ball. Its half time and we're leading 2-0. I'm drenched in sweat and completely focused on the game, but I can't help to look up into the cheering crowds and only see Kara and Carlie there. Jade is nowhere to be found and I'm almost about break down when Gabe hits my chest. "Fucking focus, dude! We're almost done. Just this and a few more games and we're in the final." I nod in his direction and wipe the sweat from my head. Coach calls for a change up but Gabe and I both refuse.