Ch. 4

Ashley’s POV: I had gotten my job back as campus guard. I managed to get my boss to keep it quiet about how I suddenly reappeared- showing him forged hospital papers of how someone had admitted me to the hospital and I had been given life saving surgery over a month ago. I sat over at the coffee shop, hoping I’d see Spencer. I didn’t want to be too obvious, but I couldn’t help but be excited. She had feelings for me; me! I guess I was ecstatic since I’ve never had anyone feel that way towards me before. Love. Affection. Tenderness. Those words had never meant anything to me before. What was it like; I wondered, to love someone and to be loved in return. I took a careful sip of my coffee as I scanned the premises for any glimpse of her. Would she be able to figure out it was me if she ever kissed me or touched me right now? Would she figure out that I was the one she had talked to every night? Part of me hoped so and the other feared that she would. She couldn’t though. She couldn’t know it was me, because my secret needed to be safe. I almost fainted from shock when I finally saw her. She brushed by me as she walked up to the cashier, digging frantically in her purse for loose change. I smiled. She was so cute; all clumsy and somewhat disorganized this morning. “Dangit, I know it’s in here somewhere-“she rambled on to the cashier, who looked utterly bored as they waited for her to pay up already. “I pulled out a bill from my wallet and handed it to the cashier. “That should be enough for her.” I said. Spencer turned around to see who had just rescued her from her coffee crisis. She was speechless. “Oh my – wow. I’m seeing things.” She said, grabbing her forehead. “Th-thank you.” She stuttered. “I’m sorry; it’s just- you look a lot like someone I knew.” “What if I am that someone you know…Spencer?” I replied, grinning at her.

        Her eyes widened in surprise, and she screamed, spraying some of her latte out of the cup and onto my face. I sputtered. “Easy there, Tiger.” I said, as she held onto me tightly in the middle of the café. People in line stared at us like we were a bunch of freaks on display, which, we probably were. “I thought you were …” she said, trailing off as we walked out of the café. “So did I.” said, sounding worried. “But I woke up in the hospital after coming out of a coma. They said someone anonymous brought me in.” “Ash, I really thought you were gone, I mean, I saw your body on the sidewalk, and your blood, it just-” she sighed, her voice starting to crack. “I’ve missed you.” She whispered, hugging me again. “I like how we missed one another when we only knew each other for a day.” I stated simply, stroking her blonde strands of hair from her face. Spencer laughed softly. “I know, technically I’ve only known you for a day, but…I feel like I’ve known you longer than that.” That’s because you have, Spence, I thought. “How come there’s not even a scar on your head?” she asked, feeling my forehead. I closed my eyes briefly, enjoying her light touch. I wanted to grab her hand and have her feel the rest of my face, and then kiss her hand. I couldn’t believe that one touch from her was all it took for my pulse to race; for my heart to threaten to burst; and for my emotions to get the best of me. “Because they didn’t shoot me in the head.” I said sweetly. “They shot me someplace else.” I whispered. “Where?” I laughed. “Um, obviously not anywhere that’s showing right now, Spence.” I teased. “Oooohhh…well, don’t you want to go to your house and change? I’m sorry I spilled some of that on you.” She said, blushing slightly. “My place is…kinda far from here.” I lied. The truth was, she couldn’t find out where I lived either. “Oh. Well come over to my place! It’s not too far from here. We can catch up.” She said, beaming at me.