Levi & Lucy

5. Levi

For as long as I knew Lucy, she always had the same effect on me- an effect that rendered me speechless, stuck in a moment where time seemed to always slow down. Even after four years, it still felt the same.

I dropped my cigarette the second I locked eyes with her from across the street, and in that split-moment, everything froze. Isaac's loud voice died out to a soft mumble, and the cars passing by the streets became nothing but a buzz ringing in my ear. The people passing by all of a sudden became motionless, and all of Portland seemed to stop.

It was dim outside, but I knew with evert fibre in my body that it was Lucy staring back at me.

When the cigarette finally touched the ground, the hustle and bustle of Portland's nightlife resumed. Isaac's obnoxious laughter echoed the streets, the cars sped by, everybody on the streets continued on with their lives, and Portland once again resumed. But it was Lucy and I who stayed in our places, still perplexed at what we were seeing.

Lucy wasn't even suppose to be here for another few days; I wasn't suppose to see her for a few days.

I was not mentally prepared for this.

"Is that..." Isaac trailed off as he followed my gaze. "Lucy?"

I nodded.

"Well, shit, man. What are you still doing here on this side of the road?" Isaac smacked me across the back but I continued to stand there.

Because the truth was this: I was scared out of my mind.

I was scared because Isaac was right; I came to Portland with the hopes of Lucy running back into my arms and I didn't want anything less. I was scared because if there was a chance that either Lucy or I walked up to the other that it would end exactly it did four years ago... in heartache. 

~

"If you don't ask her out, Levi, somebody else definitely will."

I rolled my eyes as I crumpled a piece of paper and threw it directly at Isaac's face. He was sitting right beside me in Law class, and while we were in the only ones in the room I still felt paranoid that somebody would overhear. The last thing I needed anyway was for Lucy to walk in during our conversation.

"I will ask her out, man. Just give me time-"

"What if you don't have time, huh?" Isaac retorted. "What if the apocalypse happened right this moment? Do you think you'll have all the precious time in the world to ask the girl of your dreams out before you die? No. Time is of the essence! Hurry up before you die!"

I raised my eyebrows in my friend's direction."Okay, that's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

Isaac had a smug look on his face as he shrugged. "Well, how else am I suppose to convince you to do it?"

"To do what?" A soft voice said from behind me

My body froze as I looked directly at Isaac. "You fucking bastard," I muttered to him,

Isaac laughed.

But the voice behind me did not.

"Ugh, what?" She said.

I immediately turned around in my seat as I looked up to meet the eyes of Lucy Caravella. She looked confused, but I half-smiled. "That wasn't targeted at you," I assured her.

Lucy nodded with a smile. "Figured," she said. "You're too nice for that."

Isaac giggled. "Awww!" He squealed.

Lucy laughed as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "So what is Isaac trying to convince you to do anyway, huh?" She asked. "Are you going to join theatre like he is?"

"Hey!" Isaac protested. "There is nothing wrong with theatre- plus, I need the extra credit."

Lucy shrugged. "Never said it was bad," she stated.

"Touche."

"So?" Lucy looked down onto me, her brown eyes wide with curiosity.

I gulped. "He wants me to ask you out."

Lucy's eyes widened even more but just as she opened her mouth to respond, the bell rung. All at once, the class started to fill up.

"Yes."

"I'll go out with you," Lucy stated firmly. 

"But-"

"Don't worry, we can talk after class."

I was left speechless as I watched Lucy walk to front row seat at the class where she sat with her friends. When she sat down, she looked over her shoulders and winked.

~

"Are you going to go over there?" Isaac asked.

"Yes.