The Amazing Technicolor Love

Trouble in Paradise #1

Trouble in Paradise #1

Peyton's POV

I was already sweating as I walked from the orientation building across campus towards my dorm room. The palm trees that lined the street were perfectly manicured. A blue sky without a single cloud hung above me. I felt sweat dripping down my back against the flowy dress I was wearing. Incoming freshmen and their families filled the campus, I sighed. The University of Arizona wasn't supposed to feel this huge and lonely to me. My heart sank but the feeling was interrupted by my mom calling my name. "Peyton!" She jogged over to me. "Sorry sweetie, the parents' meeting ran a little late." She said as we continued walking. "Oh it's okay, I was just heading to my dorm." I informed her. She gave me a sad smile, like a I-know-this-sucks-and-your-heart-broken-but-I'm-leaving-you-here-anyways kind of smile. I managed to give a fake smile in response. She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and we continued through the Arizona heat to my dorm.

~

Later that night, once I was all moved into my room and my mom had left to catch her flight, Grace called me. "I'm gonna go for a walk," I told my roommate, Allie. She smiled, "Okay! Maybe we can watch that movie later or go out for a bit!" she said. "Yeah that sounds fun," I told her even though it really didn't, all I wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep but I appreciated her effort. It was both of our first night at college and thankfully we got along. She had short black hair and green eyes. Allie was from Texas so she had a cute southern accent. We had gotten to know each other when we were moving in earlier in the day. I left the room and walked towards the stairwell at the end of the hall. I pushed open the door and felt the warm night embrace me. Billions of stars sparkled above but the lights fuzzed most of the sky, making the stars hard to see. I leaned against the railing and called Grace back. She answered on the first ring. "I already miss by best friend." She said when she picked up. Grace hadn't left for college yet, she was leaving the next week for University of Michigan. "I miss you so much, Gracie." I whined into the phone. "My roommate is nice and pretty and friendly but she's not my best friend." I complained. Grace laughed on the other end but then she got quiet. "What's wrong Grace?" I asked her. She sighed. "Have you talked to him?" I should've seen it coming, I knew she would ask about him. "No Grace. And I don't plan to." I told her sternly. "Don't you think you're overreacting just a little? I mean don't you think he at least deserves you to speak to him?" Grace continued. I groaned, anger filling me all of sudden. She was my best friend, she should be on my side. "Overreacting? I am not overreacting. Grace, college was supposed to be our new start. The distance was supposed to be over with but he ruined that. He isn't even here." I was fuming, all the emotions I had to keep inside during the day were coming out. "I get that Pey, I really do, but is it fair to make him choose between what he loves and who he loves? I'm sure this has all been tough on him and losing you in the process probably hasn't helped." The more Grace talked the more upset I became. I had tried my best to not think about him but here Grace was shoving it in my face. "You love him, right?" She asked me. "Of course I do, I'll always love him." I responded quietly. "Well then aren't we supposed to stick with the ones we love through the good and the bad? Through whatever is thrown our way?" I didn't answer, I just let silence fill between us. "I'm sorry to bring him up P. It's just, I don't know, I think you should at least talk. I hope you have a good first night away. I love you P. Logan." "I love you too Gracie." I somewhat whispered into the phone before the line clicked off. I slid my phone into my jean short's pocket and stared out into the night. Kids walked all around the campus, heading to parties and other social events. What Grace said was still swarming around in my head. Maybe she had a point. Maybe it wasn't fair to him that I didn't even call. But then again, it wasn't fair what he did to me either. I tried to push the thoughts out of my head and went back inside. "So how about that movie? I know were supposed to be social in college but I'm not really feeling it tonight." I told Allie. She laughed. "I agree 100%. Let's stay in, we can go out tomorrow night."

Jack's POV

I rolled over in bed and stared at the dark ceiling. I had been finding it hard to sleep the past few weeks. It was about 2 am but I figured I wasn't sleeping anytime soon. I got up out of bed and threw on a tshirt and shorts before quietly sneaking downstairs and out the back door. The street was quiet so I walked down the middle, the street lamp lightly illuminating the darkness. The August night was still intensely hot. My mind wandered to Peyton. Tonight was her first night at school and all I wanted was to talk to her. Yet, I knew I was the last person she would want to hear from. What Peyton and I had shared seemed unbreakable, I couldn't believe we had managed to screw it all up. Everything inside me felt empty. It was a new feeling and that's what made me know I had never loved anyone the way I loved Peyton. I couldn't decide if that was a comforting idea or a heartbreaking one. The crickets chirped through the heat as I took a seat on the curb a few blocks from my house. Johnson and I had a week off before we started touring. The week was supposed to be relaxing but it was far from it. It just gave me all the time in the world to think about Peyton and how I lost her. I gazed up at the sky. Even though Peyton and I messed things up, it was comforting to know that we both saw the same sky; that the stars shining above me in Nebraska were also shining above her, hundreds of miles away, in Arizona.