7 Days - A One Week Love

Sunday (three years later)

"The library is closing in 10 minutes. Please make sure to check out all books before leaving. The Auckland University library wishes you a relaxing Sunday afternoon." 

The announcement over the speakers pulls me out of the trance in which I was writing my latest assignment, on Rawls's principles of justice. Sometimes I am still surprised I chose to study political sciences, but Mom was right when she recommended it to me. I've got the head for standing up for myself and others and am not afraid to argue. I smile a little to myself and go on to collect the books around me and clean up my working space.

Making my way outside, I breathe in the fresh spring air. It's almost summer again and I can't wait for more adventures with Lily and the guys and Morgan, Denise and Sam, my uni friends. I slowly make my way up the road and through the AU campus towards Albert Park. 

The sun is just starting to set and it is colouring the sky pink and orange. On top of the road, I have an especially good view of the sunset and I stop for a moment to admire it. 

The park across the street to my right, the campus on the left and the setting sun behind the skyscrapers in front. I am happy. I am at peace. I've got one more year of uni to go before I graduate, having started a year later than everyone else, but I am glad for the time. I still don't know where I want to work, what exactly I want to do. Maybe I'll travel first, see the world.

I can't help but smile to myself, as I try to find my headphones in my pocket and make my way across the street to the park. 

"Watch out!" Someone yells behind me and at that same moment, I am being pulled back abruptly from the street, just moments before a car passes the spot where I was standing just before. 

My heart beating up to my chest, my life flashing before my eyes, I turn to thank my saviour. 

And freeze. 

Eddie James. 

I can't believe it. 

"Kenzie," he speaks first, his voice still deep as it was in high school. He's grown up though. A shadow of a beard plays around his jaw and he is wearing a dress shirt, light suit pants, and the matching jacket in the hand that didn't just save my life. 

Damn, I should have dressed up, I think, considering the plain blue jeans and simple black sweater I am wearing. 

"Eddie," I look up at him. His eyes, brown and somewhat golden in the sunlight and...warm as ever. Obviously, I recover from the shock of seeing him, him saving my life, first because I continue, while he still looks surprised. 

"Thank you for saving my life," I smile. 

At that moment he grins, that smirk I found so attractive in high school... and somehow is still very attractive? 

"My pleasure, milady, you know," he winks at me, a mischievous glint in his eyes and all, "I am actually a knight." He raises his eyebrows in all mock seriousness and I have to laugh. 

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," I tease him and he is laughing and suddenly it feels like not a day had passed since that last week of school. 

Instead, three years have gone by. 

Three whole years. I get serious again. 

"So, how have you been?" he asks then, going through his hair. But not to show it off, it seems... The way he is playing with a strand of his hair... is he nervous? Oh wow. I am making Eddie fucking James nervous! 

I have to laugh to myself, that would have been something in high school. I compose myself quickly, though, before he can realize I am talking to myself in my head.