The Wish List

It's In The Past, Leave It There

"If you truly love someone, accept their past and leave it there."

~Unknown

Tracking down Michael Baker was a lot harder then expected.

He hadn't exactly been the Harvard type of guy, so when I found his name on their school directory, I couldn't help but stare at my computer in shock.

Not only had he gone to Harvard, but he had graduated two years earlier. I knew it was terrible to judge people by the way they look or act, just like judging a book by it's cover, and it would definitely be the last time I ever do it.

"That's him? That's the guy you had a crush on?" Ty asked, peaking over my shoulder at Mike's Facebook profile. I had sent him a private message, asking if we could meet up somewhere. And he seemed to be in the middle of replying when Ty had decided to pop up behind me.

"Yes. He's still cute, too." I replied, pretending to be offended. Ty narrowed his eyes at me before looking back at the profile picture with a grimace.

"If you say so."

Michael had changed a lot since high school. He had always been the quiet and intelligent guy that I used to be able to hold hour long conversations with without feeling like a complete nerd myself. But he had changed. He had ditched the thick rimmed glasses he wore in high school, and his dark eyes stood out along his perfectly tanned face. By the looks of things, he was taking over his Dad's business.

"He said yes!" I clapped my hands, feeling relief wash over me as he continued to respond.

"Alyssa, sweetie." Ty rested his hand on my shoulder and crouched down like he was talking to Tessie, "Michael here is married. To a man." I frowned, looking away from Mike's profile and glancing sideways at Ty.

"So?" I shrugged.

"So, you aren't surprised?" I snorted, exiting out of my browser and spinning around in my computer chair to face him.

"I knew he was gay in high school." I shrugged again, "He was too sweet, honest, and frankly, too much of a gentleman not to be. Plus, he came outright and told me." Ty ran a hand along the stubble growing along his chin.

"There are other gentleman out there, ones that aren't gay." I stood up, wiping my sweaty hands off on my pants.

"Really? Then please introduce me to them." I replied.

"So are you going to see him? Do you need me to come or-" I turned around, cutting Ty off mid sentence when he saw the surprised look on my face.

"In a few hours. You don't have to come, unless you want to drive me there." I went on with a small smile.

"Of course, I'm your chauffeur, remember?"

*

I could feel my stomach toss and turn with nervousness as we pulled into the parking lot of Starbucks, Ty's face twisting in disgust.

"I hate this place." He grumbled. I nodded in agreement as I pulled an envelope from my purse and handed it to him.

"Here's your first paycheck. Do what you want with it." He took it hesitantly, his lips parting in shock once he pulled the money out.

"This is almost five hundred dollars, Alyssa. You must have made a mistake or-"

"I didn't make a mistake." I cut him off, gathering my stuff so I could get out of the car, "You deserve it." I waved before climbing out of the car and manoeuvrings between the other cars in the lot until I reached the front door.