Evangeline Lawrence has a secret. A big secret. One involving her birthday, the player, August Griffin, who's (almost) like a brother to her, and a kiss the night before he ran away. No one else knows about it, aside from August, of course, and Evan...
Light coming through the windows wakes me up early in the morning. I roll over in my bed and get up. Today's the big day. I'm practically shaking as I walk over to my suitcase.
Now, what to wear. I packed pretty much everything I could think of from cute little dresses to hoodies and leggings. Yeah, I know, I overpack.
I sit down on the floor and start ruffling through the close. Nothing is going to say hey, I'm surprising my brother's best friend/ my crush by driving to New York to find him and I'm not even sure if he's there so I decide that it's up to me, which it was anyway.
Finally, I decide on an olive green, knee-length dress and a denim jacket. It's my classic I-want-to-dress-up-but-don't-know-what-to-wear outfit.
Then I brush out my slightly wavy auburn hair and put on brown, waterproof mascara. After that I put on a light layer of brown tinted lip gloss. I slip on denim converse and grab my phone. I scroll through my contacts and find Lisa. I check the time; 7:56. Wow I was up early. I never wake up early when I can sleep in. I know not everyone calls almost 8 o'clock early, but I do. And so does Lisa
There is almost no way she will be awake but I text her anyway.
Hi Lisa!! I'm leaving for NYC right now. Kinda freaking out. I'll be fine... I think. Oh, have fun on your date day thing!
Then I pack a small bag of clothes and toiletries. I don't know why but something tells me to so I go with it. I grab my room key, the car keys and the bag and walk out the door.
Yesterday after dinner, Ben had announced that he had some party to go to and won't be back until mid-day the next day. Lisa had therefore decided to sleep at the dorm and as all of our stuff was still in the car, it all work out.
After Lisa took her bags out of the trunk, I drove to the hotel and checked in.
Now here I am, with the car and no worry of Nathan finding out where I'm going.
I hop in the drivers seat and turn on the AC as it is pretty hot for April. The I plug the directions into my phone and start to drive.
Soon enough though, I'm pretty sure this is a bad idea. I mean fairly positive as good ideas don't have the potential to end up giving you a broken heart.
I look around but figure out pretty quickly it's to late to turn back. Even if it wasn't, I wouldn't go back because honestly, if I did, I might spend the rest of my life regretting my decision. Or I might not. Who knows? Oh well, too late anyways.
Unfortunately, the closer I get to New York, the more I regret not turning around but there is no way I want to have wasted at least 2 and a half hours driving for nothing. Maybe if I chicken out I can go sit in the park. I might as well, I mean.
As I am about 20 minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel when I realize exactly what this means. This means that for the first time in 2.5 years, I get a chance to see him. And I'm terrified. 150 percent terrified. And not of him. Well, a bit of him, but mostly of me; of what I will do. I'm scared that I'll mess up and that he'll hate me, I'm scared that he won't be there and I don't know what I will do if that happens. Finally, I'm scared him not remembering me. I know it's stupid but I am. And that hurts.
After driving for at least another hour due to traffic, I park in a garage about 5 blocks away from the café. A sign lets me know that I can park there overnight but they are not responsible if my car gets stolen. Well, for the price I paid to park, the car should be safer than safe and get a car wash too but apparently that's too much to ask for.
I walk around the city, peering into little shops selling all sorts of junk. One store is filled with tiny figurines and some of them are so lifelike it's almost creepy.
After browsing the stores a bit, I slowly walk down the street and arrive at the café at around 12. I know I'm early so I might as well order something there and wait. As soon as I walk in though, I stop.
August. August Griffin. And not any August Griffin, the August Griffin. MY August Griffin.
He looks healthier, stronger too. He cut his hair a bit but it looks good. He looks, though it's hard to tell as he is sitting, taller, if possible. Oh, and he's surrounded by a bunch of... of... female dogs! One of them is even sitting on his lap!
He looks up as the bell above the door rings but I barely hear it. Tears are blocking my vision and it sounds as though the ocean is roaring in my ears. It's the first time I've seen him in 2 and a half years and he's surrounded by his circus clowns who think they know him. They don't, they think he's Austin Jackson. I guess I don't know him either. I thought he was done being a player but apparently he's still the same damn asshole.
I run out of the café, not even caring that people are looking at me.
I run onto a bench in the park. There I sit, sobbing my eyes out and thanking God my mascara is waterproof.
I should stop, I think. I never used to be this emotional. Never. When August broke down my boundaries, be also must have broken down the walls surrounding by emotions, keeping them in check.
August. What am I going to do?
Because he's right about getting your heart broken, it does feel like you are breaking apart and getting stitch back together, only to fall apart again. It feels like this over and over, hundreds of times in every millisecond.
"Ann?" I hear a low, sweet, familiar, slightly shocked voice ask.
That stupid bell rings again. Out of habit, I look up, even though I know I'm not really expecting Ann until 1 and even then, I'm not sure I will see her.
Suddenly, my world freezes. There she is, her brown-red hair a bit longer, herself a bit taller but definitely her. Ann. MY Ann. She's... crying. And not happy tears either. Full on bawling.
She runs out of the café, the door slamming behind her. The woman at the register looks a bit shocked but I don't care. What did I do to make her fuçking run out like that?
I stand up, pushing the girl off my lap, and run/walk out the door. Once I'm outside, I see Ann running into the park. Obviously, I follow her. She slides onto a bench and cries as if her life was over.
I sit down next to her.
"Ann?" I ask.
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