I’m going to see her for the first time in months. She said she was moving back in today. I don’t even know what I’m doing at her dorm. She might not even want to see me. She was really upset when I told her I wanted to be friends only. And that was two months ago. Geez, what am I doing right now?

“David?” My internal chastisement is interrupted by a light voice. I look up from the ground to see Meredith, Mira’s best friend and roommate, watching me with intense curiosity. I swallow loudly and try to smile. I must be failing, because Meredith’s frown deepens and she crosses her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to see Mira,” I reply. Immediately, Meredith’s body tightens and her eyes narrow.

“Why?” Her tone is clipped and icy. I instinctively take a step back, flinching away from her glare.

“I haven’t seen her in months,” I try to explain. Meredith just shakes her head.

“I don’t think she’ll want to see you,” she says. I nod shortly.

“I know, but I thought I would at least try,” I admit. She lets out a harsh laugh.

“David, you broke her heart. She really liked you. And you just tore her to pieces,” she spit back. I frowned. I didn’t know I had hurt her that 

much.

“Really?” 

“She cried herself to sleep for weeks. She wouldn’t talk to anyone...anyone...for a good five days or so. She locked herself in her room and refused to come out. You didn’t just hurt her. You devastated her. You don’t deserve to talk to her. You don’t even deserve to see her face,” Meredith hisses. I wince. 

“I didn’t know,” is all I could say. She forces out another laugh.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now, I think you should go. Before--”

“Mere? David?” Another feminine voice interrupts our conversation and we turn to see who it is.

“Oh. My. God.” I feel all the air leave my body. It can’t be. There’s no way that she would do that...

“Mira! Oh my gosh! You look fantastic! I’ve missed you so much!” Meredith squeals and pushes me aside to go hug her best friend. As they embrace, Mira’s eyes, never leave mine. Not even as Meredith releases her and begins an onslaught of questions.

The quiet, shy, blonde girl I knew from last year is gone. In her place is a girl I don’t even know. Her hair is now a dark brown with the tips dyed a subtle purple. Her bright blue eyes are lined in smudged charcoal, her lashes thick and long. Her red lips are pursed into a frown. I notice a few new studs, hoops and rods in her ears. She also sports a new stud in her nose.

My gaze continues down and I find her wearing a tight tank that shows off the colorful images inked into her skin. The tattoos travel from her right shoulder to her right wrist in an intricate sleeve. Only a a few are on her left arm. Her tank rises to expose a strip of flat, toned stomach with more images inked onto the skin. Her shorts leave little to the imagination as they were cut short and reveal a pair of long, tanned legs. She wears a thin gold anklet on her left ankle and a pair of old, black Chucks. 

“What do you want?” she finally speaks again, the cold words directed towards me. I lift my eyes back to her’s and attempt another smile. 

Meredith purses her lips at us. She whispers something to Mira and Mira shakes her head. Meredith shoots me one last glare before walking into the building. I stuff my hands in the pockets of my khaki shorts and look back down at my shoes.

“What do you want?” she says again, her words fiercer than before. I frown and lift my gaze.

--------------------------------

He still isn’t answering me. My anger burns through me and I try to clear my head. I take in a deep breath and am about to walk into the building when he clears his throat. 

“I’m sorry.” I close my eyes briefly and when I open them he is staring at me in earnest. The liquid hazel I once found so mesmerizing, only 

deepens the hurt. My hands clench into fists and I force the tears away.

“You’re sorry? You’re sorry?” I shoot back, my voice rising on octave. “That’s all you have to say? I hurt over you for two months and all you have to say is ‘I’m sorry’?”

“What else do you want me to say?” he asks. I bite down hard on my bottom lip. I’m silent for a minute, contemplating his question.

“I don’t know,” I finally reply, my voice now a whisper.

“Mira, you have no idea how sorry I am. I didn’t know I’d hurt you that bad,” he murmurs. The tears return and threaten to spill over onto my cheeks.

“Well, you did. I grieved. I lost you. And I don’t even know why. You told me I wasn’t worth your time. That I wasn’t good enough for you. That I really wasn’t good for anybody,” I say, my voice breaking.

“I never said any of that,” he objects. I shake my head.

“You practically did. You told me because of what happened that day at my job, you would never want to date me. You couldn’t handle me at my lowest point. So, you decided I wasn’t good enough for you, since I have low points like that. And then when I jokingly complained that my temper is why I don’t get dates or boyfriends, you never disagreed.”

“I never agreed either,” he interrupts. I purse my lips.

“Not disagreeing is the same thing as confirming it or agreeing with me,” I respond, hurt masking my voice once again. David is quite for a few moments and I look back to him. His brown hair is cut the same way it had been when I saw him last. His eyes are filled with hurt and a bit of anger. A light stubble covers his jaw, making him look a bit older than he really is. He wears a green polo, khaki shorts and a pair of tennis shoes. He hasn’t changed at all in the past few months that I haven’t seen him. 

And here I am, a completely new girl standing in front of him.

“Mira, I don’t know what to say,” he admits. A few tears escape and slide down my cheeks. 

“Then don’t say anything at all,” I whisper, my voice breaking on a sob. I begin to rush towards the door, but David grabs my wrist. He pulls me back around towards him and I fall into his chest. I look up at him and find him staring sadly back down at me. I bite down softly on my lip and watch as he lets out a long breath.

“Okay. I won’t say anything at all,” he mutters and leans down to touch his lips to mine. I gasp and he moves to cup my face in his hands. 

And then he’s really kissing me. His lips move against mine with purpose. Stunned, I let him kiss me, not moving to return anything. He finally leans back  with a satisfied smirk on his face. 

“How was that for not saying anything?” he asks. I push away from him and blink a few times. Then I slap him. He reels back, holding his face. I take a few deep breaths and then straighten. He watches me warily, lowering his hands. His cheek is bright red and you can slightly see a handprint marking it.

“Don’t you ever touch me again,” I warn and turn on my heel, walking into the building and leaving him behind.