All Of You

two || Hey, stranger

M I G U E L

EVERYWHERE, EVERY YEAR at every college it's the same shit on the first weekend before classes start. All the freshman, running around excited for their new university journey while parents sob.

Sitting here in the quad on a bench near the main building watching all the commotion is entertaining and frankly somewhat amusing.

I never stayed on campus so I didn't get to experience the dorm life. My parents bought a house less than ten minutes away from campus so my best friends/teammates and I all stay there.

However that didn't stop my mother from crying and pulling me into a billion tight hugs. She was over the moon happy that I made it to college—an Ivy League one at that—while doing something that I'm passionate about. Even though she'd already been through this before, first with my brother & then my sister—but I'm the baby bird of the family so it hit her the hardest that her last one was leaving the nest.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to see a text from Johnny: WHERE U AT?

I ignore the text instead and push the phone back into my pocket.

We had an early practice this morning but right after I showered I came straight to campus without saying anything to the guys. We've been here a week already since football practice starts a week before classes just to get us a head start.

I'm not secretive with the guys at all but I just didn't feel like answering a million questions this early in the morning.

Two small hands come up from behind me and cover over my eyes.

"Excuse me sir, are you the delinquent accomplice for breaking an entry to my room and filling it with daisies?"

I chuckle softly. "Daisy!"

She moves her hands away from my face and takes the seat next to me on the bench. "Hey stranger," she says lightly bumping her shoulder into mine.

The word stranger shouldn't sting given I did act like one but it does.

"Hey?" I arch a brow. "Get over here!" I stand from the bench and pull her into a big bear hug.

Daisy relaxes in my arms, releasing a big sigh.

"I can't believe you're really here dude!" I say holding her tighter.

"Me either." She says, looking up at me with watery eyes. I release my hold on her and she takes a step back. "And your hair, it's lighter!" I say grabbing a strand of her extremely long hair.

Finally she gives me a smile. "Yeah...I needed a change."

I nod. "Well you look great! Shit, I almost didn't recognize you without your signature ponytails."

   "I hope so. I'm not a child anymore."

   I chuckle at her words. She's right about that—she's a woman now and she's definitely showing it. It breaks my heart that my boy can't see how beautiful she's gotten.

   "You must have a line of guys chasing you huh?"

Daisy's smile slowly fades as we begin to walk through the mob of crazy excited freshman and sobbing parents. "I...I haven't dated anyone else since..."

I can hear the tension building up in her voice and her eyes getting watery again.

"Me either." I shrug.

Her mouth slightly parts in surprise but quickly turns into a smile. "Oh, you big fat liar!" she swats my arm. "Big man on campus celibate? Fat chance!"

"Big man on campus huh?" Wrapping an arm around her neck, I arch a brow, causing her to playfully roll her eyes up at me as we continue to walk.

I'm not one of those guys who's against relationships. But the last one I was in definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. It was hard and painful. So I decided to take a break from them. I want to enjoy my single life. It also doesn't help when you have multiple women coming on to you on a daily basis—and it's not like they want a relationship out of me either, they come looking for one thing only and I'm perfectly content with that.

"Have you heard from her?" Daisy finally speaks up again.

Now it's my smile that fades. But I don't answer, I simply nod, no.

"I actually saw her once during summer. She was cordial, of course, but she's changed so much with her new rich friends and boyfriend. I'm surprised she decided on UVM."

Having Nicole an hour away from me puts me in a state of anxiety. I hate how she still has an affect on me even after this long.

"We've all changed." I manage to say.

"Some worst, others for the best." As we come to a stop, Daisy gives me a sympathetic look with a faint smile. "I have to finish unpacking my room but can we catch up later?"

"Of course! I'm volunteering myself to be your guide. Only the exquisite places for my good friend!"

Daisy laughs. "I'm holding you to that then, stranger."

"I won't disappoint." I reply, pulling her into another hug.

After saying goodbye she leaves to walk in the opposite direction.

I stay out still wondering around campus for a few more minutes. Daisy is a great friend but she also brings back memories—some that I've worked hard to bury down deep.

People weren't joking when they said you never forget your first love. In my experience most of it was good but the ending was shit and that's the part I learned from but also the part I keep wanting to forget.