“I’m good, how are you?” I ask him.
“I’m good too. Look I’ll just cut to the chase–” he says. My heart skips a beat. “I miss you. I feel like we didn’t have enough time and I was wondering if you would like to come back. I know it’s a lot to ask but–”
“I’ll come!” I say interrupting him. I clear my throat, “I mean, I’ll look at my schedule first and get back to you, but I’d love to,” I add. I don’t want to sound desperate, that would be embarrassing.
“Wow! That was easier than I thought,” he says. I can practically hear him smiling through the phone and I’m happy I was the one who put that smile there.
“Well, just let me know when you want me to come and I’ll try to be there,” I tell him.
He lets out a shy laugh. “Yeah so I was actually gonna ask if you could come tomorrow. I know it’s late notice, but Derek just told me his dad got in a car accident and has to go down to Louisiana to take care of him for a few days and is leaving tomorrow,” he says. My heart couldn’t be racing any faster as he continues, “I know we just met, but I have a good feeling about you Genevieve, and I want to see it through. I just don’t have the time to take off from work, and I know you have school so I completely understand if you can’t come, but I thought maybe even for the weekend would be nice,” he finishes.
“So Derek won’t be there? It will be just us two?” I ask him.
“Just us two,” he confirms.
Wow. He has no idea that missing school doesn’t bother me, but this is still a big ask. Normally I’d want Lana there, just in case Aspen had any bad intentions I might have misjudged from our first meeting. But something tells me I don’t have to worry. I trust him. I don’t think he’d ever intentionally hurt me. Aspen’s one of the good guys.
I think.
The only thing is school. As much as I don’t want to do it, I have to finish or my mom will cut me off. I need to pass math and the only way to do that is to catch up on the assignments I’ve missed.
“If I’m being honest, I don’t know if I can come. I’m really behind in my math class and I have to pass,” I tell him.
“Well lucky for you, I’m a total math wiz. I can help you finish up some of your assignments, this way you can come,” he says. “I promise, we will actually get stuff done.”
Who knew Aspen was a math wiz? He continues to surprise me.
“I’ll be there,” I tell him.
I don’t need to ponder the thought any longer.
“Great! I’m so excited to see you Genevieve. I’ve really missed you,” he says it like he doesn’t know he’s making my heart burst.
“I’ve missed you too, Aspen,” I tell him back.
“Goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asks.
“Goodnight, see you tomorrow,” I reply.
Lana arrives back at the dorm just as I press end on the phone call and she looks like she’s about to fall asleep standing up. I don’t know how this girl does it.
“Hey, Babe, how was class?” I ask her.
“Good, I’m just exhausted,” she replies, throwing her books on her desk.
“You look it! Look I have some news,” I tell her. By now she’s taken off her backpack full of bricks and plopped herself on her bed. She’s laying there, looking like she’s playing dead.
“I’m going back to Colorado tomorrow, Aspen invited me.”
She shoots back up into a sitting position and her jaw is dropped. Well that revived her.
“I’m sorry, what?! You’re going where? When? Because of him??” She asks.
“Colorado, tomorrow, yes,” I say, answering all of her questions.
She looks like she’s processing what I’m saying.
“Gen, have you not seen a thriller movie before? The girl always dies. It was fun for a weekend, but going back there to stay with him, alone? That’s just asking for problems,” she says like she’s my mother. She’s honestly acting more proactive than my mother would in this situation, but I try to ignore that fact.
