Chapter two

In those old times, her years in university, she had learned more about herself than ever before. By the end of the first year, she concluded she would never be married or have a significant other, mainly because she was pretty stubborn, would rather read than party, and was wholeheartedly a brat.

All her friends had gone on dates. Some even managed to secure a boyfriend. Her friends had also tried setting her up, something she disliked immensely. But her hopeless romantic side would speak up and say, Try again. Ultimately, it was always the same; she’d never met anyone who could handle her bratty personality. It was honestly her way of flirting. No one seemed to get it, even after explaining it. Some tried, bless their awkward little hearts, but all have failed. That is all except one.

Keaton Hayworth. They met in their sophomore year of college, and he was the first true love of her life, although she had never said a word. They were such good friends, and then, one day, it snuck up on her. They had planned a three-day weekend to indulge in a marathon of their favorite show. The show broadcasted in the UK, so they were up at three am. Clad in pajamas and slippers, she shuffled over to his dorm, half awake but excited. He opened the door, hair array but wide awake.

“Hey, Bunny!” His perkiness irked her slightly, but the nickname always softened her.

“Buster, could you give me a few minutes to wake up? I can’t even remember walking over here.” His nickname came to her the first time they met. He had the same eyes as the Silent Film master.

“What if I said I’ll make waffles?” he beamed. Lulah perked up, grinning widely.

Later, she followed him to his bedroom, patting her happy tummy. Inside, they set up pillows on the bed using the wall as a backrest. She shivered and gathered her legs to her chest. He liked it cold in his room, even during the winter months.

“You should have worn pants.”

“I know. But shorts are more comfortable to sleep in.”

“Well, you’re awake now. And I don’t want you shivering for the next twelve hours.” He got up from his bed to dig through his drawer. “Here, put these on.”

She took the pair of sweats he held out to her, holding them up to herself. She put on the pants and pulled the strings as much as possible, but she was swimming in them.

“Come here.”

“What?”

He huffed, tugging her to him. She squeaked, and he raised an eyebrow at her. He folded the waist of the pants once and then again.

“I can do it,” she panicked.

“Hold still,” he commanded.

And there it hit her. She never even saw it coming.

His fingers gripped her hips and spun her in a circle. Lulah was glad for the dark room with only the TV for light because she was sure her face had gone rosy.

“There you go.” He sat on the bed, but she was frozen. “Well? Come sit down; it's about to start.”

She nodded and crawled to her spot next to him. He stretched a blanket over them both. For the rest of the morning, it became easier to lose herself in the show, but now and then, she caught herself staring at the side of his face. When he laughed, she lost her breath. What the hell was happening?

One particular episode was hard for her to endure. The titular couple had just gone through their first obstacle and now could see each other’s point of view and true character. They were both in frets about their new feelings but gave in to the first kiss. It was beautiful in every sense of the word. A commercial appeared, and Keaton stretched lazily.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom. Need anything?”

She shook her head, realizing she was choked up. Once he left the room, she fell out on the bed. Her heart was torn between telling him today or never speaking of it. She snuggled into the plush pillow and willed tears away.

The next thing she remembered was waking up with her head on his chest and his arms around her. Lulah looked up at his sleeping face and how the light outlined the curvature of his nose and mouth. She reached up and touched his chin before reaching for his lips. Catching herself, she pulled back. She didn’t want to wake him.

Carefully, she got out of bed and gathered her things. Keaton stirred, and she froze. Once he settled again, she stepped forward. She let her eyes roam over his face. This would be the last time she could be with him like this. She had to say it just this once.

“I love you, Keaton,” she whispered. She let her hand cover her eyes. It felt good to say out loud. She could push through until the feelings no longer plagued her.

Lulah shook her head and returned to the email, finally reading the blurb about him. Back then, he was determined to become an inventor. She had often wondered if he ever did.

“Keaton Hayworth was the newest recipient of the John Scott Medal, which is presented to men and women whose inventions have significantly improved humankind's comfort, welfare, and happiness. He earned a double major in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering with a minor in Business Analytics during his time here. We are excited to have him back on campus and hear what great inventions he has in store.”

Lulah wasn't surprised he did. She remembered how brilliant he was, not just smart but intelligent. He was in an entirely different league, hell, an altogether different sport than what she could play. Sometimes, that bothered her, but at others, she knew it drew them to each other in the first place how different they were but still able to be open-minded about the other's interests and dreams. If that wasn’t love, she didn’t know what was. Sadly, it was only one-sided.

Lord help! He had been invading her thoughts since she received the email. She did not want to go. He would be there, and she’d have to see and talk to him. But then again, she wanted to go because he would be there. Moreover, she had no idea how she’d react, which scared her the most.