Nineteen

Chapter Seventy-Four

I buy us both a biscuit for breakfast at a truck a few buildings over. It's around nine in the morning, so it's not too hot yet. I get a lemonade to drink on the way back.
I'm sipping on my drink and walking down the sidewalk when someone calls my name. I turn to see Link sitting against a tree. Great.
"Hey, Emory." He says when I reach him. I set my things down in the grass beside of me as I sit down.
"Hi," I say.
"How have you been? I've reached out but haven't gotten much back."
"I'm good. I've been busy." Honestly, I can't remember who I've told what, anymore.
"We should take a walk or something, it's nice and cool this morning."
I make a straight line with my mouth. "I'd love to, but I have to get back to my room."
He looks at the breakfast I've laid beside of me. "Are you hanging out with Clark or something?"
I bite the bullet and go ahead and say it. "Collin spent the night and I went out to get us some breakfast."
He just looks at me. "Emory, that guy is a jerk. You deserve much better than what he does to you."
I know how it looks to other people, but they don't see him trying so hard to be something different.
"I care about you, more than you know," he grabs my hand, "I want to tell you, but it's hard when you have a long past."
I look at him. I've gotten more attention in my first month of college than I got in high school all four years combined.
"Link, I'm sure I understand," I say as I pull my hand away. I don't want to have a heart-to-heart this early in the morning.
"I don't think you do. When I found out you were going here, it drove me crazy. I realized what an idiot I was for treating you how I did in high school."
I just sit and listen.
"You're beautiful. You're here to make something of yourself. I feel the same way I did all those years ago, but now I'm not scared to admit it," he continues, "I was in no way planning on doing this, or doing it at all, but I believe I'll feel better if I tell you."
I'm sitting against the tree, but it feels like I'm back at my high school. I'm sitting on the bench outside of the gym with Clark waiting on the end bell to ring. Link came out of the front door, making my heart skip a few times. He gave me a ride home on his way to baseball practice. Every day.
But today isn't that day. Today is the day he's telling me what I waited for on that bench everyday.
"Emory?" He says to break me out of my thoughts.
I look up at him.
"I said I love you. It may sound crazy, but you're my past and hopefully we'll find our way to a future."
I lean back. Love? What?
He can't love me. We haven't seen each other for years. He's only saying that because I'm interested in someone. I wonder if he knows about Bailey?
"You don't love me," I say.
"I do. I know you don't feel the same way, but I want us to get back how we used to be."
Do I love him? I don't think so. I used to. He still gives me butterflies, but he doesn't cripple me at the thought of him not loving me as I do him.
I may love him. I loved him more than I did Bailey, I think.
My head is filled with thoughts that I can't sort right now. I grab my breakfast and stand from the grass. He stands with me.
"Please don't be upset, I just wanted you to know."
"I'm not upset. I just have to go. We can talk later."
I turn to walk when he grabs my hand and spins me around. He kisses me.
I swear I feel myself go back in time. It's funny how you turn back into a child when you're with a childhood friend.
When he pulls away I can see pain in his eyes. I don't say anything. I turn on my heels and walk away.