I wasn’t sure what she’d seen in me back then. I hadn’t been confident, but she’d believed in me. I hadn’t had all my shit together, yet she’d thought I had…
In a way, I’d often wondered if she’d even known the real me. But now, looking back, I realized she saw the me I always should have been.
Which, in a sappy way, was why I was back here. And without going to meet her first.
It helped that she was at work, of course. If she’d been at home, I’d have hit her up there. Memories be damned.
But I wanted the nostalgia. Wanted to remember those shitty feels I’d once felt around this place, because I wanted to see how far I’d come.
It made me feel better knowing that. Made me feel worthy.
Lauren deserved the earth and I didn’t intend on denying her that. If anything, I intended to give her the universe, even if it meant taking a path I’d never expected to take. One that, ironically enough, had opened up because of her.
It was a spur of the moment decision to get out of my car, but I walked around campus. Stopped off at the library where I’d spent way too many Saturday nights, even shook the librarian, Mr. Peters’ hand and chatted with him about what I’d done with my life.
That man saw thousands of students a year… that he remembered me at all was a miracle. But he had. He hadn’t bullshitted me.
I liked that he hadn’t forgotten me. The library had been a refuge those first two years before I’d met Lauren.
I’d earned my place here on a scholarship, and though I’d needed token grades, it wasn’t in me to do anything half assed.
I’d studied my ass off to show everyone that I deserved to be here. Had denied myself a lot of the social pleasures that came as part and parcel of life on campus.
I didn’t regret it, and was happy that to Mr. Peters, I’d been memorable enough not to forget. I’d even seen his genuine pleasure for me when I’d told him what I was doing, and in what position.
I smiled at the thought and headed to the football ground which was a ten-minute walk away. As I walked, I saw a new building close to the field and as I approached, saw it was called ‘Harrison Hall’.
I rolled my eyes at the name; knowing it was one of the Harrisons a la Jed Harrison, who’d been the year behind me in Lauren’s class.
He’d been a dick. Mouthy and scummier than some of the neighbors I’d left behind in my white trash neighborhoods. Of course, the bastard had had family money so that had protected him from everything.
I wasn’t pleased that by the time I’d walked past, the door had opened and out walked the man himself.
He reared back at the sight of me, then grinned a toothy smirk that set my own teeth on edge. The bastard just deserved to be punched.
“Cooper Daniels. As I live and breathe.”
I rolled my eyes at the greeting, but he was a little too far away to notice. “Hey. What are you doing here, Jed?”
He wafted a hand at the building behind him. “I’ve been in town after officially opening this place.”
He looked proud as punch for his family name to house… hell, I didn’t know what.
When I didn’t take the bait, he frowned, but before he could say a word, I murmured, “Well, I won’t keep you.”
I started walking, then groaned when he approached me. “Not so fast. We should catch up. Talk about the good times.”
I had no doubt that college had been some of the best times of this douche’s life. He was that kind of prick. Whose time in school and college as King of his class would forever define him.
“I just came to see the field.”
“Yeah. We have some good memories of that pitch, don’t we?” he said, his tone loaded with comradery.
“We do,” I said blankly. I’d been a good player, but the sport hadn’t been my be all and end all. Unlike some dicks I could mention.
“I’ll never forget that last final of your year. When we whooped the Penguins thirty-twelve.”
Despite myself, my lips twitched. That had been a fucking great game.