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Yup. That was Evelyn. Able to make me chuckle with only a few words. I was fortunate to have been placed with such a character. We worked together at a language school in the city, and she had been a godsend. She understood my fear of being in such a different place than I was used to, but she refused to let me mooch around all the time. She'd dragged me all over the city, introducing me to her friends, and I loved her for it. When the year was up, I knew she wouldn't become just a distant memory.
"Spill," she said, her brown eyes widening as she waited for me to explain.
I just wasn't sure I wanted to. The truth was horribly pathetic. And while she wasn't judgemental, I didn't know if I wanted to drag this stuff up again.
Please. Who are you even kidding here? Despite your best efforts, you can't get Brayden out of your head.
With a sigh, I placed my laptop down on the coffee table and picked up a cushion to snuggle up to. Evelyn glanced at the screen then back to me.
"Brayden?"
Oh, boy.
I sighed again. "Erm... he's someone from home."
She nodded, tucking her feet up underneath her as if sensing this was going to be a long story. She pushed a stray lock of her long black hair behind her ear. "Boyfriend?"
"Almost." I gave a slightly bitter laugh.
That was the story of us. Me and Brayden. Brayden and me. Never quite a 'we'.
Honestly, it seemed like the universe was trying to tell us something, but that didn't stop us gravitating back towards each other.
When I was done explaining the ups and downs of our non-relationship, Evelyn fixed me with a serious stare. "Okay. I get he's a hottie and all, but how can you be this messed up over a guy you've only met once?"
I wanted to laugh. I'd asked myself that question a million times because it seemed crazy, even to my soppy, romantic heart. Insta-love was a term that used to make me gag. Falling for someone after knowing them a few hours? Nah. It didn’t seem plausible. However, that cynical part vanished after approximately thirty seconds in Brayden’s company.
But it wasn’t just thirty seconds. Not really. We’d had so many hours of spending time talking online, on the phone. I’d already been halfway to falling for him. Meeting him was really just the final piece of the puzzle.
"I don't know, Evelyn." I turned the cushion over in my hands a few times, trying to think of something to tell her that didn't make me sound like a whack job. In the end, I opted for the truth. "I can't explain it. The first time I saw his photo... something happened to my heart. It kind of... tremored. Like it knew something. Like it wanted to leap out of my chest and go to him." I felt my cheeks colour. "I know it sounds stupid, but I just felt... I felt something."
My in
ternal cringe made me want to throw up. I sounded like a swoony heroine from a low-rate movie. That was exactly what I'd become since I'd known Brayden.
A smile twitched at the corners of Evelyn's lips. "Charley, you know how I feel about romantic crap, but you could not be any cuter right now."
I closed my eyes, my cheeks burning, but I couldn't help chuckling, even though I was mostly laughing at myself.
"I know it's silly," I said. "But in spite of every reason this makes no sense..."
"It makes sense?" she finished for me, and I nodded.
"The first time I saw him on a video call, I got butterflies in my stomach. He looks just like a guy I had a crush on when I was at school." I chuckled again. "These big blue eyes, and a mischievous smile. But when I heard his voice... I don't know. It was like I'd heard it before. Like I knew it."
"Deep."
I peered up at her from beneath my eyelids, but I couldn't help laughing. "Don't mock me."
"I'm not mocking you! I actually think it's pretty cool that you've met someone who gives you all the feels. But... you're here for a year."
"Yeah." I blew out a slow breath. "I want to be here, Evelyn. I do. But all the time, I'm thinking about what it would be like if I was still at home."
"Well, maybe now, even though you're far apart, you can get to know each other more. Maybe in twelve months, the excitement will have fizzled out. And if it doesn't, then you know you have something to go back for."
Chapter 5
Brayden
