Fall For Me

26

EDITED

26

"That's stupid! Do they not even know that he cheated on you?" Dylynn exclaimed after I explained to her what went down at my meeting with the Dean.

"No probably not." I chuckled. Like the school board would care about my relationship life. "I can't dwell on the past, anymore. Whether he cheated on me or not, this school means a lot to him and I don't want him to get kicked out."

Dylynn bit down on her lip. "You're not coming back in the fall, are you?" She asked, catching me by surprise.

I hadn't told anyone, how could she even have guessed that?

"How did you know?" I asked curiously, turning around on my desk chair.

"I don't really know. You've been really distant and it seems like you do nothing for yourself anymore."

"I can't come back, Dyl. It was a good during the first three quarters of the year. Everything I've ever dreamt of really, but after I lost Claire everything went down hill. I can't stay here, being reminded of everything I've lost."

"I understand." She nodded, with a sad sigh.

I could tell she was upset I was leaving because we had only just met. But, just because I was going back home, doesn't mean I would cut strings with everyone here. Josh needed me just like I needed him, so I'd tell him eventually. Plus, Dylynn has done so much for me since the whole Jackson thing went down. I couldn't ever cut strings with her either.

"Aren't you scared to go home, though?" She asked. "Like, running into Michael?" I merely shrugged.

"I never loved Michael the way I do Jackson. If I can continue to face Jackson after he cheated on me, I can face Michael too. It's been years, it's time I get over it." Then I remembered what happened at the library, seeing him there with Jackson. "Besides, I'm pretty sure he lives here now, in California." I added.

My phone rang from a reminder that I had set. I had agreed to tutor Jackson today at 2:30 at the local Starbucks. No way in hell was I going to go back to his dorm room. The one bad memory was enough to wash away all the good ones.

It was 2:15 so I had to head out.

"Tutoring?" Dylynn asked as I slipped on my flip flops. I was wearing black high waisted shorts with a feather pattern on them, matched with a white loose tank top and a three quarter sleeve black cover-up. I looked through my jewelry box for a necklace to wear and decided on the one with my best friend promise ring strung on it.

Claire gave it to me a few months after we became roommates; she was buried wearing hers. I thanked her mom countless times for that one.

"Yea." I confirmed.

"Call me if he's being a dick."

I chuckled and gave her a thumbs up. "Sounds good. Thanks, Dyl."

I took my time walking to Starbucks, really not eager to be there with Jackson. I purposely planned 2:30 because I had come to notice it was their busiest time of the day. I didn't want to be even remotely alone with him.

It's ironically humorous how far we got and then we were shot so far back, further back than the beginning.

I reached the Starbucks parking lot and instantly recognized his pickup truck. As I walked past it, I allowed my hand to drag across the drivers door.

I missed riding in Lucie with him, smiling and having a good time. I missed what we had. But a guy like Jackson Garfield can't change, I should've known it from the start.