SLOW BURN

26. small world

"Were you with someone while you were away?"
"There was just one."

"Really makes me remember the one time I've been in love...when we parted ways, we decided it was too pure for the real world so we didn't give each other any form of contact...I fell in love with him."

"It was about four years ago in North Carolina which is where I was stationed. We met at a bar..."

"Did you-love her?"
"I think I did? It all happened too fast and ended sudden. We were both in between breaks. She had graduated college and I had just finished my first four years. I think we both needed what we experienced at the time..."

There was just one...

It feels like my head is about to explode as my brain begins to put all the pieces together from the conversations I've had with both Cassie and Josh. There was no way I could have known they were talking about each other but at the same time, I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner.

I want to be wrong. I want it to be my imagination but then Cassie steps up and wraps her arms around Josh. He looks surprised but he puts his arm around his shoulders. I look away suddenly feeling like I'm witnessing an intimate moment.

"Oh my God," Cassie says. "I can't believe it's you."
She pulls away and looks at him. "How did you find me?"

He's not here for you. He's here for me.

I bite my tongue to keep myself from bursting out. Jealousy is burning in the pit of my stomach. It's so easy to forget Cassie is my friend when she is touching Josh and looking at him like he's the only man in the world. Josh looks at me which makes Cassie turn to look at me too. I stand there like an idiot really wishing the earth would swallow me right now.

"Uh-Josh is Brad's older brother." I blurt out.

Cassie's eyes widen. "Your Brad? No way! What a small world!"

I decide to play dumb. "Wait, how do you guys know each other?"

"Remember how I told you a story when we were watching The Notebook a few weeks ago?" She is wiggling her eyebrows with a smile. "Well, that man was Josh. I can't believe you were so close," she says looking at him.

I realize Josh hasn't said a single word. He finally clears his throat. "Right. It really is a small world."

"Do you want to go somewhere and talk?" Cassie asks. "I know it's late but I'm too excited to care."

Josh glances at me but I turn around and walk to my room, not really wanting to be there anymore. "Sure, okay." I hear him say before I close my bedroom door.

I stand against the door for a moment. This can't be happening. What were the chances that my roommate was the first woman that Josh has ever been with? What was she even doing in North Carolina? It occurs to me that maybe that's where she went to school. I haven't really asked her that before so I know it's possible. I keep thinking about the way her eyes twinkled that night when she talked about her experience with real love. That real love was Josh. It is Josh. I can tell that she is very much still in love with him even after all these years.

I don't know if I'm happy that I never told her about Josh or not. On one hand, it's good that I never told her about him but on the other hand, I'm leaving the way clear for her.