The Prince in White Loafers

High School Reminiscing

Chapter fourteen: High school reminiscing

(3469 words)

I had heard Richard tell Vince to keep an eye on me. I had heard them discuss random things and make polite conversation before Vince took me outside and placed me in the passenger seat. I knew Vince was talking to me but I was replaying Richard's response in my mind.

"I wear them all the time."

Why did it sound so intentional when he said it? Had he meant it to come out that way?

"Nicole?" I could hear my name being called from far away.

"Nicole?" it was being repeated in between the memories of Richards knowing smile.

"NICOLE!" Vince yelled, ripping me from confusion back to the reality.

"What?" I snapped back.

"I'm sorry I yelled, I was just trying to get your attention for a while." Vince's face scrunched up in adorable regret and I felt awful. I faked a smile on my face and forced myself to pay attention.

"I'm sorry Vince, I think I'm just tired."

"I know, your family is already waiting for you at home. Don't worry, they are okay, we checked the entire perimeter and the only traces we found of anything was the broken fence slat where you hurt yourself. We took a report and I have instructed all the officers on that beat to make sure they do extra patrol for the week." Vince gave me a smile that waited for a response of gratitude. He deserved one, but something inside me wanted to be difficult.

"Thanks Vince. I'm sure my family appreciates it."

"And you?" He asked casually.

"Of course, thank you, thank you for everything."

Vince beamed a smile before returning his sight to the road.

The silence inside the car was deafening, the only sound being the background noise of the little black box.

"I was wondering if you remember Richard from high school, it kind of looked like you guys recognized each other and then when he said..."

"Yeah, I remember him." I cut off Vince, not wanting him to divulge more.

"Oh, were you close?"

"You could say that."

"Were you...?"

"He's my ex-boyfriend Vince." I sighed, the day had taken an emotional toll on me and I just wanted to get home.

"Oh." I couldn't figure out if it was disappointment or jealousy that I heard in Vince's simple response.

The car was silent again and I was grateful that Vince had heard the tone in my responses enough to stop asking.

"I was hoping you would do me a favor." Vince broke the silence again, this time giving me a trademark mega watt smile. The smile lifted my mood and I kicked myself for temporarily forgetting how handsome he was.

"Of course, anything."

"I was hoping that you would consider maybe meeting me for coffee Friday. I thought it might make you feel better. I'm off Friday and I figured we could catch up on old times. "

I watched him drive, his uniform fitting him like he was meant to wear it, his caramel colored eyes glancing over at me hopefully as he waited for me to answer. It was the intense attraction I and every other woman felt towards him that made me hesitate at screaming out loud my response.