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My red hightop Converse are still damp from my walk to the store earlier. The rain is dropping heavily from the gloomy sky. Im in the warm, dry shelter of my favorite bookstore, Turn The Page, as I watch the rain.
Holding a hefty bag full of books in my left hand, I pull it to my chest and walk out the massive glass doorway.
The strong wind yanks the door from my grasp and slams it violently with a loud thud.
I look around, I noticing that there are only two strangers on the pathway. A young man with red hair, like a blazing sunset, fiery and captivating, has his eyes attached to his phone as he heads in the opposite direction of me. There is also a blonde girl that is considerably taller than me, which is not difficult to accomplish. She turns and enters the tea shop.
Another gust of wind sweeps a candy wrapper directly in front of my face. It drops in a little puddle at my feet. I bend to pick it up.
“Ow!” I shout as I stand back up again, my shirt's front and shoulder are now drenched in a warm, sticky brown liquid.
I check my book bag to ensure that my purchase is not also coated in the liquid. Fortunately, my books are untouched by the sticky mess.
"Oh dear God, I'm so sorry, ma'am." The tone is kind and regretful, yet charming.
I raise my head to look at where the voice is coming from.
The person in front of me brushes his wavy red hair away from his eyes.
I have to take a moment and try to breathe.
But warm honey translucent brown eyes, inviting and comforting, look back at me.
I've never forgotten those eyes.
His cheeks are speckled with gorgeous perfectly placed freckles.
“Eathen?” My own voice escapes my recognition. I say his name like it is a question, but I already know it's him.
My high school sweetheart.
He moves his hand from his hair and his gaze meets mine.
“Aambry.” He states my name with his usual confidence, but his face doesn't match his voice. "I'm so sorry for this," he says.
"Eathen," I say again, a smile spreading across my lips as I study his face, taking in all of his features. Soaking in every freckle I've missed seeing.
"I'm sorry, Aambry, I slipped in that puddle over there." Eathen gestures to an insignificant puddle that is barely an inch deep. He brushes a piece of damp brown hair out of my face and behind my ear before resting his hand on my cheek.
"This is not how I expected to fall into you, pun intended, but I've missed you, my butterfly."
I giggle feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. He tips my chin so our eyes meet once again.
“It’s been so long,” I say leaning into his hand.
“Wait hold on, Aambry, I have an extra shirt you can wear. I don't think you want to be soaked in a caramel latte.”
A caramel latte of course.
I recall our first conversation. In a coffee shop, in the spring of 2014.
I know his order by heart.
I can still imagine that day like it’s a painting in front of me. I was a silly and crazy freshman girl with a bun and sweats.
He was a tall sophomore boy in purple Converse a button-up and jeans, with freckles I fell for every time I saw him.
He thought I was fascinating.
It's been over five years since I've seen the boy of my dreams.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, became his new home. He was the class valedictorian and had a 4.1 GPA, he received a full scholarship to Harvard, his dream school, after his final year of high school.
After finishing my senior year at Princeton High School, I relocated to Michigan to attend Ferris State University.
Life became difficult the first year after I moved and began university.
We were both too preoccupied with starting over in our new schools.
The texts, calls, and "I love you’s" drifted to a halt as we seemed to forget about one another.
Now that I'm back in New Jersey, I've been employed by Medely, and I've succeeded in achieving my goal of becoming an MRI technician.
I have been living my dream for a year and a half now; the only thing missing is the boy who is currently in front of me and holding my face.
I'm not sure why he's here, in front of me. I haven't seen him in years, and I assumed he'd forgotten all about his butterfly.
“No your fine, Eathen, it’s all good I’ll go home and change.”
“Aambry, It's raining do you have a car?”
"It is raining, and I cannot afford a car at the moment, but I have feet and I’m able to walk, plus I don't live that far away, so I'm okay."
“But you will get sick I cannot let you do that, Butterfly.”
"Yes, I can," I answer, the heat on my face increasing with every word.
He takes my hand in his; beautiful yet fragile. He leads me into the bookstore and past a few shelves.
“Eathen-”
“Please, Ambs,” he says reaching into the bag on his shoulder.
He hands me a nicely folded shirt.
I grab it and march into the bathroom. With a loud sigh, I step into the stall.
My Spiderman shirt, tank top, and bra are all soaked in my high school sweetheart’s coffee.
I yank off both the tank top and the shirt and fold them putting them carefully in my purse. With another audible sigh, I pull on Eathens shirt.
It's brown and has an anatomically correct heart on the pocket.
Hmm did he change his major to cardiac? I think to myself. I wonder what else has changed about him.
I take a step outside the stall, my focus is drawn to the girl in the full-length mirror across the restroom from me.
She has sharp crystal blue eyes and long brown hair that drips water down her back, soaking the much too big for her, ex's shirt, which matches her shoes and blue jeans tastefully.
I try to ring my lengthy soft wet hair out in the sink even though I know it will be just as wet again in a moment when I head back out in the rain to go home.
As I look at myself in the mirror, all I see is a woman with ice-cold eyes sharp as daggers.
Maybe he wants me back? I don’t know how to play this. What’s my role? Is it a game? This could be my heaven. Or it could put me in hell. Maybe he wants me to. Maybe he wants up back.
I haven't gone a day without thinking about him in the last five and a half years.
My freckled dream boy.
“Same old feelings,” I say to myself in the mirror. “You idiot.”
As I turn away there's a loud clap of thunder. I jump out of my skin and scream, “Ah!”
Once I exit the bathroom I see the redhead sitting in a chair reading a book.
Without looking over to me he asks “You okay, Butterfly?”
I don't answer right away just take a step closer to him.
“I heard you scream after the thunder.”
“Oh um yeah, I'm fine, mhm,” I look away so he can't see the pink in my cheeks if he looks at me.
“Thank you,” he looks up at me as he says this. Then stands to place his book back on the shelf. Eathen takes off his sweater and wraps it around my shoulders saying, “I’m taking you to lunch.”
“I don't need this,” I answer trying to give the sweater back.
“Aambry.”
“Fine, I’ll wear it.”
I just look at him for a few minutes before saying, “And um sure I don't have any plans.”
“Good,” his voice is stern and confident, yet his eyes welcome mine.
His hand unexpectedly intertwines with mine. A smile tries to come over my face, but I resist it. As we walk, I glance up at his face.
I can't do anything but smile.
My senses are being overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. I miss this, I miss us, and all the feelings are resurfacing; they never left.
Since the first moment I saw him, he has been my person. There is something soothing about his confidence, smile, voice, hand on mine, and the way he embraces me close. He is my everything and cannot leave me again. Why has he come here? I could be destroyed by the end of the day. Is he aware of this? He cannot abandon me again. He cannot be here. I'm uncertain about what is going on. Having him back makes me wanna dance. We could be in heaven.
He looks back at me just for a moment and I feel like he may want us to.
There is tension.
I want him to feel the way I do.
There's something special about this man.
The rain has subsided to a light shower when he pulls into the Blue Jay Burger parking lot.
The young woman who serves us looks like a high school student, and she has vibrant pink hair and hazel eyes. Her voice is firmly British.
I order the Bluejay Classic-Cheese, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Onions, Pickles, Bacon, Blue jay sauce, and jalapenos.
Eathen orders the Bacon and cheese. He tells me he's eaten here twice since he’s been back in new jersey.
Every time he gives me his attention the same feelings I had years ago flood my brain. Of course, the brain surgeon can do this to my brain.
“So what brings so you back home, Eathen?” I ask nervous for the answer.
“Aambry, Respectfully, it's you. Ambs, I've missed you and hoped you had finished school, moved back, and made his place your home, again. I started working at Clara Maass Medical Center as a general surgeon, and I'm still on my way to being a Nero, I came here because I need you, Butterfly, I need you back in my life."
Feeling my eyes double in size well my cheeks are full of burger I cover my mouth, “Really?”
"Yes, Aambry, since you, I've dated one person, but it only lasted approximately two months since she wasn't you." He apologizes, "I'm sorry, Aambry, I really should have reached out more. School got the better of me, then you went to college and I couldn't, and you couldn't call on a daily basis because the distance between us was too much. I had said that I intended to be just friends for a while because we needed a break, but after the past five and a half years of not having you I know that's not true, I need you closer and I want to keep you around because I like you too much for that."
"Oh, I'm truly sorry too. I tried tirelessly to get over you." It was impossible because no one can love me the way you do. I assumed I had done something or that you had come across another. So I stopped trying to connect with you when you explained we should be friends."
We finish our burgers and proceed to discuss the last several years.
The rain is subtle when Eathen drives me home after we finish up.
When we arrive at my residence, he guides me up the stairs while holding my hand in his strong grip. Eventually, he grabs my face and pulls me into him on the final step. Only centimeters separate our lips from each other. I can smell the lovely raspberry mint gum that we were both chewing on his breath.
He also smells like home.
I place one of my hands on his lower back and the other on his shoulder.
Then his lips are on mine as we feel rainfall and a nice breeze settle on us.
There is an immediate rush of sensation through my entire body, a feeling of home, security, calm, and... love.
Everything I've been needing.
His hands find my waist and he draws me closer and grips me as if he'll never let me go this time, my hands wrap around him, one in his hair and the other behind his neck, keeping him close. I can feel his smile spreading across my lips.
The same old feelings are floating about us.
He pulls away, then plants a kiss on my forehead quickly but passionately.
"I'm honored to have you back, my butterfly."
My smile grows.
He says, "I love you dearly, my Aambry," and gives me another simple kiss on the lips.
“I am in love with you, My Eathen.”
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