- He hadn’t expected Sarah to be assigned the
- seat in front of him.
- Listening to her talk to Maddie.
- Breathing in the subtle floral scent that clung
- to her.
- He stayed behind after school.
- Waiting for Sarah to finish studying.
- He knew she’d wake him. Maddie had told her
- about the school locking the gates.
- And she did.
- Unable to help himself, looking at her
- beautiful face so close, he blurted out,
- “Thanks, wifey.”
- Then, catching her stunned expression, he’d
- smirked and walked away, trying to play it
- cool.
- <
- 2.
- Back at his apartment.
- He dreamed of his childhood.
- He was seven. He and his mom came home
- to the sounds of his father’s voice and a
- woman’s giggles coming from inside.
- Then, the woman’s frightened cries, his
- mom’s heartbroken sobs, and his father’s
- angry shouts.
- He’d run in, wanting to protect his mom.
- His father had shoved him into his room and
- locked the door.
- The sounds of smashing glass and yelling
- echoed from outside.
- Then, silence.
- Sarah had opened the door.
- She’d hugged him close as he huddled in the
- corner, terrified.
- She’d brought him a bag of candy, her
- tavorite.
- She didn’t know what had happened, but she
- knew it was something that scared all
- children.
- Later that evening, his parents came back.
- Each holding a small red book and a stack of
- legal documents.
- His mother, her eyes red and swollen, packed
- a bag and bought a one–way ticket overseas.
- His father had sneered and left with his
- secretary.
- Leaving him alone.
- His grandparents picked him up late that
- night.
- Sitting in the car, he desperately tried to
- memorize the route back to his old
- apartment.
- But by the next morning, it was gone.
- He tried to go back again, but his
- grandparents, thinking he was trying to find
- <
- He tried to go back again, but his
- grandparents, thinking he was trying to find his parents, stopped him with a sad sigh.
- He just wanted to find Sarah.
- He knew, even at seven, that his parents had
- abandoned him.
- 3.
- The city was huge.
- So vast that even after years of searching,
- relying on fragmented memories, he couldn’t
- find his way back to their old apartment.
- The city was small.
- Small enough that he found Sarah again.
- A reunion of childhood sweethearts.
- And love at first sight.
- Summer never really fades, and some
- connections are destined to be rediscovered.
