When I met you

Her - Chapter 7

I slept on the couch, the TV turned off by itself. I looked at the clock on my cell phone - 5:47 am - good, I thought I had missed the hour, right on the first day of work. I got up and went straight to the shower. I had my breakfast, and left the house.

The sun was already shining, so I walked to the school, which was near my house. I arrived early as it was said to me to receive the latest instructions as I would take over the summer classes as training for the next semester.

The students welcomed me and the classes were fun – for being the first ones, they were good. I confess that I was a little uncomfortable with this situation, but in the end it all worked out.

At lunch I went to that restaurant and the waiter who always attended me approached me with that smile. The food was delicious. Since I would not have classes in the afternoon, I decided I would go to the local mall, and maybe go to the movies. I left my classroom stuff at home, and then left.

I reached the mall urgently wanting the cold air from the air conditioner, the heat in the street was unbearable. The mall was not very big, but it had all the stores I liked, so I started my walk through the windows. I went into some stores, bought a few things, and went to the movies to check the films and their sessions - nothing interested me, I decided to go home, so I realized that someone was coming my way:

"Teacher!"

"Hello!"

"You may not have kept my name yet, and you don't even remember me, but I'm one of your students from the school last year."

"This makes it easier for me to remember, but I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

"I'm Ethan," he replies with a huge smile on his face. "What do you do on the street with this strong sun?"

I looked at the bags and said:

"I went to the mall, I ended up buying some things, I wanted to watch a movie, but there was nothing that pleased me, so I'm coming home."

"Shall we have an ice cream?"

"I don't think it'll be a good idea."

"What if you took your bags home, and I stayed here waiting for you?"

I thought for a few seconds, and said:

"Fine, but wait for me here, then."

"I won't leave here for nothing."

I hesitated a bit, but then walked to my house, left the bags inside the doorway, and returned to meet Ethan.

***

Him

In the morning, I went to a meeting with the office staff to show what I had done all night - all the work was approved, but as I still had time, we decided to add some details to the drawings; as one of the drawings was not yet done, I said that by the end of the week all would be finished and delivered.

I left the office and it was time for lunch. I walked to the restaurant. I chose the usual to eat: salad, meat, chips and a soda. I sat by a window, and I watched the movement of people coming and going from their offices, from school students in summer course, and I saw the girl from yesterday leaving one of the schools - what does she do there?

I finished my lunch and went to take the drawings home, I fell asleep, I think for too long; I woke up with the heat it was getting - I'm going out and I'll have some ice cream.

I got the car and went to the only ice cream parlor in town. I thought it would be crowded, but no, some tables were busy, the order desk was empty, I was not going to be there, so I placed my order, the boy was already serving, I grabbed my ice cream, and then I saw her sitting at one of the tables with a boy - who is he? Why am I worrying about who he is? She saw me too, and smiled, and I realized she was going to call me to sit with them, but I looked away. I left the ice cream parlor, got in my car and drove to that place: last week I was driving without knowing exactly where, I just wanted to think of something other than childhood, father, mother, ex-girlfriend, and when I realized I was in a place that looked like a movie set - a green area enclosed by trees that formed a trail which led into a place that ended in a stream with a waterfall, all surrounded by trees and flowers. It seemed no one had been to this place for a long time. When I arrived, I looked for a place to sit. I kept looking at that place, I needed some inspiration for that drawing that would be the most important of all. But nothing came to my mind but her image...

...It was already getting dark when I finished the work. I think they would like it. I returned home.

***

Her

After the ice cream shop, I returned home - why didn't he come talk to me? I know we only spoke once, I do not even know your name, but I thought ... Never mind, I have to concentrate on my life, my work, I have already lost too much time on it.

It was already dusk and I needed to prepare things for tomorrow.

***