you were my best four years

Chapter Ten

The last time Thomas had spoken to Teresa civilly was back in June, almost seventy days ago.

Still, on the morning of their first day of junior year, he waits outside her house in his blue Jeep, ignoring the nerves trembling wildly in his stomach. He checks his phone for the time - 8:35 - while opening up their message stream.

The last text from her had been on his 20th birthday.

Teresa [8/26, 9:38 pm ]: Happy birthday, asshole.

Thomas [8/26, 9:39 pm ]: Can we talk? Please?

Thomas [8/26, 9:59 pm ]: I never meant to hurt you, T. Please call me back.

He hadn't expected her to respond to his text last night, but he sent it anyways.

Thomas [9/3, 7:34 pm ]: Ride up to the Glade together, like old times?

Like with the other thousand texts he'd sent her since the fight, she'd read and ignored them.

His first class starts at 9:30 and the last thing he wants is to be late on the first day, but he can't leave without her.

Five minutes later, he gets out of the car, pretends his fingers aren't cold from anxiety, and makes his way to the doorbell.

Mary Agnes opens the door, her smiling face turning into a frown. "Thomas! I hadn't expected to see you here this morning - Teresa said you couldn't drive her so her father drove her. How was your birthday?"

"Ah, it was fine. How's-"

"I wanted to come over with a cake but Teresa said you had plans with your mother and Thomas, so we didn't want to intrude." Mary says, ushering Thomas into the house, even though he's bordering on late territory. "Here's a gift from us; Teresa picked it out at the store and said you would love it. Happy first day of junior year and happy belated 20th birthday!"

He doesn't open the gift box until he's back in his car, getting ready to start the engine.

It's a sterling silver watch from Macy's, fit perfectly for a women's thin wrist.

It's also the same sterling silver watch from Macy's he bought her last Christmas.

___________________________________________________________________________

Although he ends up being late for his Creative Literature class, Sonya Newton's familiar face in the front left corner of the lecture hall gives him a reason to smile.

She smiles brightly as Thomas slides into the seat next to her. "Hi, Thomas! It feels like just yesterday that I saw you."

"I still miss London. Thank you again for letting us stay."

"It was such a pity Teresa couldn't come. It would have been like spring break all over again!"

Spring break part two was in Orlando and that was a time when Teresa and Thomas were still speaking to each other.

By the time Thomas, Minho, and Harriet had finished pleading their bosses for time off for a week to venture "across the pond", Teresa and Thomas were no longer on speaking terms.

His heart feels heavier and it takes more effort than he likes to keep the smile on his face. "Yeah, she would've loved it. How are you?"

He's not quite sure if it's relief or pity he feels when he recognizes the familiar strain on her face, to keep up a bright front. "Well. It's going, I guess. I didn't end up getting the internship with the designer."