The Hangout (formerly the Hanger)

Proximity

The morning was blinding pouring in light Tiara roused from her sleep with a grunt.

She shook the morning off dragging herself to the bed as her eyes came to see, she felt cold.

Her apartment was cozy but the black on black was starting to be a reminder that he had left and with him her sense of hope.

A heaviness in her chest drove her to eat a light breakfast of various fruits before closing the door. It was hard to get used to the fancy fuzzy black..wallpaper? Maybe it was suede?

The material felt familiar the more she touched the hallway walls on the way to the elevator but there were only a few days until her cousin's wedding.

The familiar bell of her phone let her know exactly who was calling her stealing her attention.

His name on her lips still felt the same as she said it aloud, "Luke."

"Hey darlin' how's a school lunch sound?"

"Huh, oh lunch?" She stammered as he rushed to speak.

"I really need to talk to you and apologize I'm really hoping you will give me the opportunity to make amends over some delicious food. I'm sure your semester ends today doesn't it."

"Yeah, I get out at around two thirty...let's have lunch."

"Sounds great. Talk to you then girly."

"Alright. " As Tiara hung up the phone she her heart erupted. She tried to quell the anxiety as the elevator opened. Her phone danced in her pocket.

"When it rains it pours."

Hey cousin, I just wanted to let you know in person mom and I are inviting you down for dinner, K. Be there.

Oh, yay. Dinner with the family. She could just about die.

Sounds great see you then.

Tiara thought deeply as she made her way to her last day of school. She would be graduating soon. It was exciting but she lacked the elation she should be experiencing. A fake smile hung high on her face. It distracted her through out the day but once she held her final transcript in her hand, it came to her. A, B, B, A, B, A. She did it.

Somehow the moment felt empty.

Hey I'm at the east entrance on the benches by the fountain.

The campus was a giant circle with few fountains the east side had a large fountain with statues inside of the fountain and sculptures along the walk ways to the sitting area.

"So how are you feeling? You look good."

"I feel good."

"I feel a little down lately but I'm trying not to let it bother me."

"Amina bullying you?

"Well... How did you know?"

"Know it has to be difficult from what William's been saying you guys were like best friends but Amina sees you as a threat. She doesn't want him around you."

"Which isn't fair to me. Will is my friend. He was one of my only friends since..."

"Yeah but you kinda pushed friends away."

"I- I know but I just couldn't. I could barely stand to be around others at the time."

"You kinda seemed anxious all the time and depressed to me."

"I wasn't!" He voice had a hint of anger to it.

"No offense..I'm just saying. In high school you were so much more...vibrant." Luke watched her attentively resting the tip of his jaw in his palm.