19| imagine

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"If I could do it all over, maybe I'd do it different." - Dove Cameron

   Unlike when we were teenagers, I did not wake up early to flee to my bedroom so Ian's parents wouldn't see us. I stayed as close to Ian as I could for as long as time allowed. When we did have to wake up and get ready for our day, neither of us talked about the fact we just spent the night in a shared bed for the first time in over four years. It felt natural.

I scurried across the hall to my bedroom and pulled out an outfit to wear for the day. Hayden said he wants to show us around the MIT campus and tell us some of his college stories. I'm not going to lie, I'm intrigued because I want to know when Hayden turned so professional and gave up his party animal ways.

By the time I was done getting ready, including brushing my hair and doing my makeup, Ian was out of the shower. I knew that because he was walking down the hall with nothing but a towel around his waist at the exact same time I exited my room, causing me to bump into it him.

"Whoa there," Ian chuckled, his hand instinctively going out to grab my arm to steady me.

"Sorry." I could feel my cheeks heating up. We were standing too close for one of us to be naked.

"No big deal, Papps." Ian was enjoying watching me squirm due to our close proximity and I could tell by his smug grin. Jerk.

I squeezed past him and went to the kitchen to sit with Ian's parents and wait for Hayden to arrive.

For once, I'm ready before Ian is, I'm definitely going to have to use this against him.

"Where's army man?" Hayden asked as he made his grand entrance to the house, not even bothering to knock.

   "Getting ready still," I playfully rolled my eyes, acting as though it was normal for Ian to take longer than me to get ready. In the decade I've known him, I don't think this has ever happened.

   Ian walked out of his room, fully clothed now. He had a pair of navy blue khaki shorts on and a button up white t-shirt. Don't get me wrong I always think Ian looks incredibly hot in whatever he wears and I can usually hold myself back from gawking, but I couldn't help it right now; he looks sexy.

   "Ready, kids?" Ian and I both rolled our eyes at Hayden.

   Since it's summer, the campus was relatively empty, but there were people walking around from building to building. They all looked to be on missions though, so they are probably here for business.

"You said you still have business here?" I questioned, taking in the campus. I've never visited MIT before, so it was all a new sight for me.

"Yeah, sometimes," he nodded. "The company I work for does business with several universities on the east coast, MIT being one of them."

"Wow," Ian exhaled after a moment of silence. "It's been a while since I've been here, I forgot how beautiful it is." I watched Ian's face as he took in the scenery that could've been his home for the past four years if he hadn't enlisted when he did.

It's crazy to think that Ian was supposed to live here and get a degree before going away. I always wonder what life would be like for us.

Seeing Ian for the first time in 3 months... I'm scared to say the least. College changes people. Not to mention he's away at one of the top universities with smart peers and pretty girls with bright futures. What if he's realized the world is bigger than Miami, Florida and other girls have more to offer than I do?

I'm overwhelmed.

"Hey, Josie," Ian answered the phone. I'm aimlessly walking around a campus I've never been to before with no idea of where to go next.

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