Nineteen

Chapter Eight

How long has it been? Three? Four years since I've last seem him?

Just like that; I feel like I'm in high school again, crying over someone who didn't want me.

I was okay with the situation. Or at least I thought I was, until now.

Why is he here? All the way in Florida? At my school.

Just as these thought enter my mind, he sees me.

"Emory?" 

The sound of my name burns a hole in my chest and flushes my cheeks.

He walks over to my desk and sits in the open one beside me.

"Hey, Link. Wh-what are you doing here?"

Why am I nervous? We've had millions of conversations before this.

"How long has it been? Four years?" He reminds me of the time before this.

I'm nervously twisting my long blonde hair in my fingers while staring at him.

He breaks my gaze when he says "I can't believe you're here. We should meet and catch up. We could go out somewhere. How about tonight?"

"I-I.."

I'm shocked by the whole situation, I can't find words to even respond to anything he says.

The teacher interrupts us as she stand in front of the group and begins the hour long lecture, but he manages to get one last thing in before remaining silent.

"We'll talk after class."

I'm sitting here in a lecture for my new college, which is states away from my home and everything I left.. including a high school crush.. who happens to be here as well.

It's just my luck.

I can't focus on anything during the lecture. My chest still hurts from seeing the blue eyes that haunt my dreams almost every night. I can smell the cologne he's wearing and I swear everyone in the room can hear my heart pumping.

Right as the teacher dismisses us, Link stands and turns to face me.

"Do you want to go somewhere and talk? Or I could meet you later?" 

"Clark is coming to get me to go somewhere, but maybe another day?" I say.

His face twists a little. "Clark? Clark Mitchell? He's here too? And you're dating him?"

"What? No. Well, yes he's here, but I'm not dating him."

Just as I say the words, I remember Bailey.

I check my phone to see if he's responded to my text; and of course, he hasn't.

"Oh. Since you're busy tonight, at least promise me that you'll talk to me one day soon." He grins as we walk out of the building.

My cheeks flush red as I say, "Yeah, I believe I can make that promise and keep it." 

He watches me as I walk into the building to my dorm.

As soon as the doors shut behind me, I fall against the wall.