Temporarily Yours

Chapter 6

I awoke to the sunlight streaming through the glass window panes and my eyes slowly fluttered open. Instantly, I smiled, remembering last night and how everything came together perfectly. I rolled over towards Luke... but he wasn't there. Confused, I sat up and took a glance at my surroundings, realizing I wasn't in Luke's room, I was in my own. Suitcases were laid out and clothes were strewn across the end of the bed. I looked down at myself, I wasn't naked as I should be, I was still clothed in the jeans and sweater I wore last night. It had been a dream. No, this couldn't be happening. Luke said he loved me and, and we made love and Kelsie was gone and everything was perfect... But no, I had just been caught living a fantasy that only existed in my dreams. There always had to be something to go wrong, to twist up my emotions into an even tighter, bulging knot in my stomach. I wiped a glistening tear away that had fallen from my eyes. It was so real. I hugged him and he spun me in the air. I saw his face and touched his skin. And then he disappeared and I woke up, realizing it was only just a dream. And that's all it will ever be. Keep away from the man with cowboy boots and a ball cap, he doesn't love you.

After I got ready, I joined everyone downstairs. It was the usual morning scene. It wasn't chaotic, the boys were still just getting rid of that sleepy-head drowsiness and Luke sat at the island drinking a cup of coffee; black with no sugar or cream, just the way he liked it; with the morning paper laid out in front of him. Luke's back was turned towards me so I quickly took a moment to check myself over in the mirror by the front door. I fixed my coral colored, long sleeve shirt and the scarf I wore around my neck. My hair was let down and slightly curled and small little diamond earrings adorned both of my earlobes. Who was I kidding? This was ridiculous. None of this would change anything. Luke was with Kelsie. Luke was my boss. That's how it looks like it will pan out anyhow.

Luke turned and glanced at me as I entered the kitchen, his eyes lingered a little longer on me than normal. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other as I poured myself a cup of steaming hot coffee. Was there something wrong with my outfit? Do I have something on my face? I let the idea slip from my mind and took a sip of my coffee, leaning against the counter.

"Bo," I called out. "Can you come here please."

I heard little feet padding against the floor and in came Bo from the living room. His hair was all messy and I laughed. "You look like you just got outta bed. Your hair is a rat's nest."

He smiled as I fixed his hair, combing my fingers through it to put the misplaced strands of hair back into place.

"Do you think you could go out to my car and grab the box I have in the passenger seat? You're a strong boy so I thought you could handle it." I smiled, handing him my car keys.

Bo put a determined look on his face and took the keys from my hands. "Oh yes ma'am."

I just shook my head at him as he marched out towards my car. When I turned to look at Luke, he was still staring at me intently with a slight smile on his face. I gave him a puzzled look.

"Is there something on my face that I should be worried about. A hole in my shirt?" I said, wearily wiping at my lips.

Luke jolted from his trance and shook his head. "Uh, no you just look really nice this morning."

I looked at him and felt that familiar herd of elephants rumbling in my stomach. I blushed. "Thanks." I said quietly.

Loom cleared his throat and pitched his thumb in the direction of the stairs. "I should, uh, probably go get ready."

"Yah..."

Luke got up quickly and tripped as he did so. He mumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite hear. Just like that, he left, making his way up the stairs.

Just then, I heard the front door click shut and Bo emerged, lugging a cardboard box labeled college. I took it from his hands and set it on the counter before pulling out a dollar bill from my purse which was hanging on the island bar stool. His face lit up.

"Thanks Miss Caroline!" He mused.

"You're welcome." I laughed.

Bo toddled away to join his brother and cousin in the other room. I took a look at the box, a layer of dust covering the flaps on the top. Taking a knife, I cut the tape on the top and forced the flaps open. I coughed as a layer of dust particles sprang up into the air. Inside were many things I still held onto from college. To be quite honest, half of these things haven't been taken out of this box since I graduated.

The first thing I spotted was a ticket to a show in Statesboro, Georgia at a bar. The ticket was becoming yellow and crinkled on the edges from wear. I could remember it vividly, Cady and I had sat way back and couldn't quite see the guy performing but we knew his voice was angelic. The next thing I pulled out was a leather-back journal that I had never let leave my sight. I had it with me all through college. There were many stories of parties, stressful studying, broken hearts, first times. Pulling out a stool, I sat down, remembering I had a very special page bookmarked. I opened the journal to the page marked by a thin, purple bookmark and began to read.

October 30th, 1998

Last night was perfect. Cady and I went to a bonfire with the rest of our sorority sisters and a few Sigma Chi frat boys. I let myself be free, break the rules a little bit and drink alcohol even though I wasn't the legal age. About ten minutes into the party, a guy walked up to me. I could tell he was a senior and I was intimidated a little. He was very popular senior and I was just a freshman, yet he hopped up on the tailgate and sat next to me. He was actually very nice and said we had met before at Dingus Magee's. With this pounding headache and hangover I have now, I don't remember that. Anyways, we kept to ourselves most of the night, ignoring everyone else bidding us to to join the drinking games. Don't let me fool you, we did drink, heavily, but we stayed away from the pack. As the night wore on, I began to fall for this boy whose name I can't remember. Eventually we left and headed back to my dorm. And there's where I had my first time with a guy. Oh it was so magical. He was so gentle and loving.. but then I woke up and he was gone. I decided to write about it which I am doing now. But for the life of me, I can not remember his name. So sad, I had certainly fallen for the guy. Although, he left me his tshirt and also did leave a napkin with his number on it though. Sadly, I tried calling it but it seems that he left out one number on accident...

Caroline

I shot up from my seat and began digging through the box trying to find that napkin. I know I kept it, but there was no luck. Then an idea popped into my head. I flipped the page with that journal entry over and there it was, taped to the back of the page, the number. I traced my fingers over the numbers poorly written in ink on the brown paper napkin. The shirt. It's in the box. Quickly, I located the shirt and pulled it out. As I did so, a picture fell out of it and landed face down on the floor. When I flipped it over, I almost fell backwards. There Luke was, wearing the same tshirt I had in my hands. It was Luke.