Page 3 of Ask Me To Stay

I accidentally bump into someone’s backpack and I mouth to him, I’m sorry.

She scoffs. “I don’t care if you go to college, I just want you to move closer to me after graduation. Come room with me and work at a coffee shop, or wherever you want. I’m just sick of being fifty miles away from each other. It’s been this way our whole lives.”

“I know. I’m telling you, we need to just run away to someplace far, far away,” I only half joke.

“Moving here isn’t enough distance for you?”

“Nowhere is far enough away from Eloise.”

Scattered noise rumbles on the other end of the phone.

“Let me call you back after classes,” she says quickly and then hangs up.

“Oh—okay then.” I laugh.

My stomach growls, and I know I should get food during lunch, but coffee tends to end up in my hands instead.

I reach the end of the hall and hovering in front of the doors is a group of guys laughing, with a couple of girls standing awkwardly next to them, looking bored.

“Hey!” Sean says with a wide grin spread across his face. He pops his head out from behind the cluster of bodies and backpacks.

I realize that I’m the one he’s talking to when he throws his arm in the air, waving in my direction to come over.

His smile is so big that his eyes are almost completely shut. It’s very child like, which in high school isn’t a quality you’d want to have, but I personally find it cute.

“Hi, Sean.” I wave back.

What I love about Sean is that even though he hangs out with the most obnoxious people to roam the earth, he doesn’t let himself become that. He’s funny and kind. He also has a speaking level that’s actually appropriate. Can’t say the same for the guys that he hangs around.

“Where are you headed? Starbucks, right?” he asks, a grin still plastered across his face.

He knows exactly where I’m going, because it’s where he’s headed too.

“How’d you know?” I ask sarcastically. “Can I walk with you?” I add, quickly glancing over at his friends. I hope they don’t think of it as an invitation for them to join.

Sean lights up and turns himself in the same direction I'm in, nudging my shoulder playfully.

I met Sean in chemistry class our sophomore year when our seats were assigned next to each another. My first impression of him wasn’t exactly a nice one. He had been dating a friend of mine (as much as you can date as a fifteen-year-old) and she had been rambling on about him.

“Sean told me you guys had chemistry with Mr. Dewey together. He said he thinks you're cute, but dumb,” she’d said.

I thought she was just blunt with people, but in reality, she was just rude. Hence, why she isn’t my friend anymore.

But I don’t doubt that’s what he said about me.

He wasn’t exactly wrong—when it comes to chemistry or science in general, I am dumb. The teacher would call on people to answer questions, much to my embarrassment. I’d get them wrong every single time. Sean still pokes fun at me for it. As much as he thought I might be dumb, he wasn’t exactly getting an A in that class either.

When we step outside, the sun is bright and the air is hung with the fresh smell of spring flowers that have just bloomed. I take a deep breath in, relishing the afternoon air.

You can feel it’s the beginning of summer. I love the beginning of things. Spring into summer is wonderful but my favorite is summer into fall—a nice tan bringing you into the holiday season. Plus, pumpkin spice lattes.

As we step off campus, Sean stays close, each of our strides synchronized.

“So, why’d you wanna walk with me today?” he asks.

His brown wavy hair is a mess, the breeze blowing it around in every direction. I can hear his friends behind us making kissing sounds.

I can’t help but stare at him. His arms have filled out this year and I swear he’s grown another inch. He looks so mature. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, his veins popping visibly out of his arms and hands. It makes my heart beat a little bit faster than it should.