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“Yes, it was, but it’s kind of more than that. I can’t really explain it. There’s a lot of history between us, and we ended on bad terms.”
“Wait, is this Alex?” she questions, trepidation in her tone.
“Yes… but how do you know his name?”
“Honey, I’ve known you for eight years. In that time, I could give you a list of guys you’ve been with, none of them I believe were anyone special. Except in college, all you would talk about in your sleep was this Alex guy. I knew there was something there, but I never asked. I figured if you wanted to talk about it, you would.”
“I didn’t know I did that,” I whisper, surprised. “It’s weird, I never in a million years expected to run into him. Now that I have, I have so many questions I need answered. I hate that it took me forever to move on, and now this wound has opened up again.
“Sounds to me like you need closure. Did you get his number?”
“No. It took me by surprise. I said some things, not nice things. I need to forget about this, right? In a city with this many people, what are the chances of running into him again?”
“I don’t know, a million to one. Charlie, you obviously have unresolved feelings. You can’t have a future with Julian if you don’t sort out your past.”
I understand what she’s trying to say, but I thought I had let go of the past. Nikki knows me too well.
Placing her arm around me, she reminds me of our fitting tomorrow night, taking my mind off today’s events for like one minute.
It’s so over between Alex and me.
Just like Nikki said—what are the chances of running into him again?
A million to one.
CHARLIE
Nine Years Ago
Damn this stupid car.
I turned my key, the ignition stalling as I attempted to start it. Of all days, it had to happen today. It was pouring outside, and I didn’t want to have to get out of the car in the rain, but it looked like I had no other choice.
It was now or never.
I opened the door as fast as I could, pulling the hood up to inspect the battery. My dad had taught me a bit about engines and cars. I knew enough to know the sound of the car meant the battery was dead. Fuck! And my phone had died because I was too busy texting all day at school. Serves me right for getting caught up in the gossip Adriana kept firing at me.
My car was parked around the back of the school, the parking lot now empty as students had left over an hour ago. I hung out at the library studying for my finals until the librarian had some sort of emergency and she’d asked me if she could close early. I ran back around and sat in the car, placing my head against the steering wheel.
This day totally blew.
There was a tap on the window.
Startled, I looked up and saw Alex. He was still wearing his scrubs and it left me tongue-tied. I never thought anyone could look so hot in medical attire, but then again, he could make a potato sack look good.
“Let me guess, dead battery?”
“I think so. Do you normally drive past the school looking for girls and broken-down cars?” I asked, cautiously, with the window slightly open.
“Geez, Charlotte, lay off America’s Most Wanted. I’m guessing you watched that episode last week with that schoolgirl and the knife-wielding psychopath?”
Dropping his head under the hood, he tinkered with the battery then walked back over to the window. Stretching his arm in, he attempted to start the ignition. It made the same churning sound.
“Okay, dead battery it is. I have jumper cables at my place. We can go get them, so we can at least get your car started and get you home.”
“It’s okay, I can wait here.”
He stared at me, confused by my cautious expression. “But didn
