Long Distance

Twenty-One-Lexi

"I'LL FOLLOW YOU down in a minute," Syd says as she finishes her hair. We are riding together to work today. "Go get the car started."

I grab my keys and phone and a cup of water, then open the door to go downstairs.

Not at all am I prepared for who is waiting there for me.

Austin McCloud. The boy of my past life. The love who I quickly moved on from. The best friend I've ever had.

He's wearing jeans and a navy New Zealand sweatshirt. His blue eyes widen when they see me. He looks so familiar, as if I know everything about him...I know him so well. Austin, strong, caring, loving, with those deep blue eyes and sandy hair.

The cup clatters to the ground and it's contents form a puddle in the carpet of the hall. I can't form a clear thought. I only stare at him in surprise.

"Austin?"

He runs a hand through his hair and says, "Lexi."

Suddenly I'm throwing myself at him, wrapping my arms around him and hugging him as tightly as I can, the realization of how much I have missed him the only thing I can think of.

"I missed you so much," I say.

"I missed you too."

"What are you doing here?"

"I missed you, and I needed to talk to you."

I scoff. "Trust me, there are some things I need to fill you in on, too."

I finally release him and retrieve my cup from the ground.

"I'm going to go fill this back up...do you want to come inside?" I ask.

Now that we've greeted each other, it's kind of awkward.

Austin shrugs and follows me inside my apartment.

"Syd, we have company," I call into her bedroom. She comes out holding shoes and her purse, and smiles warmly when she sees Austin.

"This is Austin," I say. "Austin, this is my friend Sydney."

A shocked expression crosses her face. "You mean Austin, as in New Zealand Austin?"

I nod, and Austin says, "Right, Sydney, as in the nineteen-year-old you work with, who you now live with because your parents moved to McAlester."

Wait, what?

"Woah, slow down. How the hell do you know all that?"

"Seriously dude, that's kind of creepy," Sydney adds.

Austin smirks and says, "Morgan."

I blink, staring at him in confusion. "Morgan, like my friend, Morgan?"

He nods.

"But how-"

"Sonic Carhop."

"Oh. Now I get it."

Sydney heads back into the bedroom, leaving Austin and I alone. "So...how are you?"

He gives a small smile and runs a hand over his short hair, a habit that I remember well from all those years of my old life. "I'm-I'm good, Lex. How are you?"

I grin. "Good. Great, actually."

"So you like it here? It's been what, a month?"

"Yep. And yes. I do."

I fill up my cup with water and head towards the door again. "I need to get to work...but feel free to tag along."

God, this is so awkward, and I am still so lost.