Love Returned

Apples

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Im on the verge of having a panic attack, all because my mom sent me grocery shopping.

I just know that I'm going to run into someone from my past here.

Theres only a handful of grocery stores in this part of town. Everyone I went to high school with used to work here. I'm hoping and praying they've all found themselves better jobs by now.

I just have a gut feeling that I'm going to see someone I really don't want to see. Everything in me is pleading with whoever is upstairs to spare me from it being him.

Maybe that's why I'm dressed in an oversized hoodie in the middle of  a deathly hot Florida summer. Just incase I need to throw on the hood to hide myself from the world.

I don't know how I would even react if I were to casually run into him somewhere.

It's imminent that I will eventually run into him, but I need more time to prepare myself for that.

I get lost in thought walking around the store. Wondering just how good time has most likely been to him.

I bet he's even taller than the last time I saw him. I bet he still wears that casual goofy smile full of straight pearly whites. I bet his wavy, dark chocolate hair is still just as soft to the touch.

Is it selfish of me to hope that when we do finally run into each other his heart beat stutters like I know mine will.

I shake my head and try to lose my train of thought as I round a corner near the fruits and veggies.

I don't get that far because my cart bumps directly into another creating a loud metallic sound.

I look up ready to start profusely apologizing but the words on the tip of my tongue come to a halt. Just like the rest of the world does as I come face to face with him.

Dominic Hollis

I force myself to blink. Once. Twice. A third time, because theres no way I'm seeing him standing in front of me right now.

The look on my face is probably comical. Eyes and mouth wide open. My breathing starts to increase just as my heart rate does. I come to realize that he is in fact really standing in front of me.

And God does he look amazing.

He stands so tall that I have to crane my neck to look at his face. A face that seems to be just as shocked as I am. His neatly done eyebrows are risen high on his forehead.

His face is even more handsome than I remembered. His sharp jaw that can cut your finger if you touch it. Slightly crooked nose that was a result of the one and only fight he's ever been in. Full and plump pink lips that I spent all those days kissing way back when. The few dark freckles he has in random parts of his face.

"Hey Dom, I can't remember what kind of apples you wanted."

That voice snaps me out of the trance I was in. It seems to do the same to him.

I look over and see my old childhood best friend, Ashley, making a beeline for Dominic.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion as scenarios start playing in my head.

They're dating now. Or if not dating, sleeping together.

Dread starts to fill every crevice of my body. I have to get out of here. How could they do the to me?

Then Ashley notices me.

"VIOLET?!" she rushes over to me and engulfs me into one of her hugs. She still smells the same. Like freshly picked strawberries.

She looks just as pretty as she use to. Long straight blonde hair. Long tan legs. Bright green eyes that hold so much kindness.

I forget for a second that I'm mad at her for backstabbing me. I guess she can sense my discomfort, so she pulls away and takes a step back.

She looks to Dom and then to me. I'm sure she can tell the tension between us.

Ashley gasp and then looks panicked.

"Oh my gosh Vi, I can tell how this looks but I promise we're just friends"

My shoulders lose some of their tension at her confession.

I'm pretty sure you can see the relief that washes over me because I can see Ashley subtly grinning to her self.

Crap. She's always known me better than I know myself.

I stand there awkwardly, trying to avoid eye contact with Dominic. However, I don't feel that bad about it since he seems to be doing the same thing.

Ashley can tell and swoops in to save us from another second of this agonizing silence. She's always been good at reading the room and making any situation better.

My heart pangs at the thought. I've been such a shitty friend to her over the past few years, but she never gave up. She even found my address somehow.. Most likely from my mother. And took it upon herself to drive all the way down to lay into me about leaving and changing my number so no one could reach me. Before she left she all but forced me to give her my new number. She was the only exception. I'll always appreciate this fiery girl in front of me.

"So since neither of y'all are going to talk like normal people would, I guess I have to take it upon myself to do all the hard work here." She rolls her eyes but I don't miss her struggling to mask a smile.

I finally steal a glance at Dom and he's already looking at me with that stupid gorgeous smirk of his. I have to urge to be childish and stick my tongue out at him but I hold myself back.

Ashley speaks up again drawing my attention back to her. "We're going to a halloween party down at the beach later tonight. You should come, everyone misses you Vi." She all but pleads with me, giving me her signature puppy dog eyes that could bring a grown man to his knees.

"I don't know Ash, I haven't seen anyone in so long. I'm sure no one would even bat an eye that I'm back in town." I see her throw in her pouty lips.

Ugh. I'm on the verge of declining when another deeper, more rugged voice speaks up.

"You should come Violet. I promise everyone missed you." My eyes snap to his while my cheeks tinge. I know the real meaning behind his words. I know what he really meant to say was, "I missed you."

And by then my mind was made up. Even if it may be awkward, I can't skip the opportunity of spending more time with Dom. Even if the voices in the back of my head are screaming at me in warning. I drown out the voices and do something I wouldn't have seen myself doing in a million years.

"Okay. I'll come."

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Hey ya'll!! Sorry for the long wait, college has been kicking my ass lately ):

On a good note, we got 20 reads!!! I know that doesn't seem like much but it means the world to me!! <3

Thank you guys so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed and please don't forget to leave comments! I'd love to know what you guys think of this so far (: