t w o
“It wasn’t love at first sight. It took a full five minutes.” –Lucille Ball
… So this is goodbye, Tyler. Now that I’ve pretty much bared my soul, you can do whatever you wish. Forgive me, forget me, remember me… it’s really all up to you now. The knowledge rests on your shoulders, for I have done my duty and relieved myself of this burden. Thank you. For everything. Although you might not know why I’m doing this, it is for purely selfish reasons, and it was time to own up. You’ll never see me again- at least, not for a good few years. When you’re married with your own children and wife that you love dearly, then shall I return to your life, if not at all…
Closing up my dorm, and checking multiple times to ensure that I had all my supplies that I would need for the day, I took up my phone and unlocked it, staring at the picture displayed for an unnecessary amount of time. It was a family picture we had taken a few years ago, when we went on one of our rare vacations, to Hawaii no less, all four of us smiling, tan, and looking happy.
I personally thought that was the best picture of us, and had immediately saved it onto my phone, using it as my lock screen and also my background. I opened up all my social media accounts. For the past couple months, I had not dared to touch the apps, watching them longingly as I wondered what my friends had been doing with their last summer.
My finger trembled slightly over the lit up screen, where the red button labeled ‘delete account’ was displayed clearly, a flashing warning cutting through the fog in my head. I inhaled deeply, and then let it all out, pressing the screen firmly. The image disappeared, automatically reverting to the homepage, where suggested accounts to follow were listed.
I dropped my phone.
I had finally done it. I had cut off all my outer connections to all the people I had previously known, and now I would be able to disappear completely off the charts.
Leaning back against the wall, I looked over at the sunny skyline of San Diego, my new home. My friends had been exceedingly upset when I told them that I had been accepted to go to UCSD, one of the best colleges in California, and also in the perfect location. I hadn’t confirmed my choice with them, but I had given them a list of colleges that I was accepted in, and I had made sure that they were spread all over the states, some even in other countries.
This way they couldn’t track me.
I loved them all to death, but if Tyler told them what my final present to him was, then I would never have the strength nor courage to talk to them, much less see them again.
Eventually I would have to, especially when it came to winter break, but that was in a few months, and hopefully I would have moved on from Tyler by then. I walked over to a mint green bike that I’d purchased during the summer, and hopped on, smiling as I did so. I had given myself a bit of a makeover, since I figured that this really was my one opportunity to do all the things I never had the chance to. My light blonde hair had been grown out to waist length, with a few brown lowlights weaving through the strands.
Instead of my customary sneakers, I had traded those in for ankle bracelets and sandals, along with light tank tops and jean shorts. When I first arrived in California, I was astounded by the number of girls running around in crop tops and high-waisted shorts, their tan skin and toned stomachs reflecting the golden sunlight. So I had decided to do the same. Might as well, seeing as I would be here for four years.
The attitude here was infectious, with college and high school students having parties every other night on the beach, and the crazy amount of cute guys on the boardwalk, or just on campus. As I pedaled past pedestrians to get to my class, I looked around, a smile plastered to my face.
There was a small ice cream shop on the corner of the street, with a shiny plaque flashing bright sunlight into my eyes. Slowly, I approached it. Upon the metal slab were small, golden words, spelling out a name. It had rusted, tarnished from the rubbing of fingers upon the engraving, preventing me from reading it. Below, however, the lettering was still comprehensible.
In memory of the boy who loved to live, strived to do good, and gave a smile to everyone he saw.
Beside the words was an ice cream cone, the flavor of what seemed to be strawberry, the said fruit placed delicately on top.
I stepped back slightly, my fingers trembling as they touched the corner of the plaque, tracing the swirls and indents softly, as if they had a mind of their own. I didn’t know this boy, but I could feel tears gathering slowly in the back of my eyes. A couple brushed by me, the woman taking a long glance at the indistinguishable plaque, her face filled with half sadness and half acceptance.
The man beside her tugged gently at her elbow, bending down to whisper something in her ear. She turned away, headed indoors, but not before looking back for one more glimpse.
I mounted my bike again, my ecstatic mood slightly dimmed from the sight I had seen. Making a promise to myself, I decided to visit the shop when I had the time. Classes started soon, and I refused to be late on the first day.
Wasting no time in locking up my bike on the provided rack, I strode determinedly to the science building, chemistry being my first subject. I hated all sciences with a passion, but it was required for me to take, seeing that I was a freshman. Slipping through the heavy metal door quietly, I surveyed the room at a glance, noting the smooth black desks, and the standard blue chairs tucked neatly behind them. Along the side of the walls there were counters, complete with flasks lined up next to them, and matching bar stools underneath.
The teacher’s desk was placed in the corner, with an overhead projector and screen at the front of the room. I nodded in approval. The classrooms weren’t new, per say, but they were clean, and served its purpose.
Picking a seat in the middle, a couple rows behind the front, I unbuckled my satchel and took out my planner, along with a fresh new notebook. Inside my bag were other items that I always carried with me: my writing journal, a few pens, lip balm, a small mirror, my phone, and mints. It paid off to be prepared.
The bell rang, a shrill screech that echoed around the room and stopped everyone in their tracks. They hurried to their seats, sitting down before they could be marked as tardy. I smirked slightly. It was just like high school, only harder. This I could do.
The professor walked up towards the whiteboard. “Hello, hello, and welcome to Chemistry 101,” his voice projected far to the back of the room. “I’m assuming you all are newcomers, correct?” he paused for a moment, to assess us. “Very well then,” he nodded, “I am Professor Markman, and I have taught chemistry here for over ten years.”
A boy from the back spoke up. “You sure don’t look like it,” he jeered.
I rolled my eyes slightly. First day of class, and I had already pegged the troublemaker. Everyone turned around to look for the culprit, and then glanced back to watch for the professor’s reaction. Surprisingly enough, he kept a cool composure, merely staring back evenly at the boy. “I get that a lot,” he shrugged slightly, a small smile playing on his face.
Maybe chemistry wouldn’t be so bad.
-
“And the structure of this steroid has five fused carbon rings, which is unusual among the other substances-” The door opened suddenly, cutting the professor’s lecture short. He turned his head, appraising whoever was standing awkwardly in the doorway. The sun was shining directly into my eyes, rendering me temporarily blind, and all I saw was that the person, whoever they were, was wearing dark wash jeans.
“Come in, come in,” Mr. Markman gestured with his hands, and the person finally stepped into the classroom. I blinked slowly. The boy standing in front of the room was tall, taller than Mr. Markman, and had a lanky frame that somehow seemed familiar.
The boy’s dark hair was slightly ruffled, as if he had run his hands through it in frustration, and the girls sitting around me sighed softly, already love struck. Although I couldn’t exactly blame them, because he was hot. The professor seemed to be scanning through some sort of paperwork of the boy’s, finally looking back up and nodding. “Yes, you’re excused. Here, take that empty middle seat in the fourth row, okay?” he directed the boy to his designated area.
Slowly, the boy turned around, and I stiffened. His grey eyes swept past me, like they did all those times in high school, and landed directly behind me.
No way. There was absolutely no way that this would happen to me, of all people.
Freaking Tyler Ellis just had to be in my class.
And I just had to have jinxed it by saying that I might even enjoy chemistry this year.
[for stanzas, because of my mention of Strawberry Ice Cream, and also, who can guess how old I am? leave your answer below! and to royal_roman and 17Serenity, and all those other people who know, don't reply haha!]