The Sophomore (College Years 2)

“You’re blind,” she says with a laugh.

“Blind with love,” I amend, making her laughter die.

But her eyes still sparkle. Despite the bruising and the swelling, she’s watching me with those all-knowing brown eyes and I understand in this moment…

I will never find another girl like my Ellie.

Thirty-Two

Ellie

Spring

I can’t take my eyes off of Jackson as he paces back and forth out on the back patio of his apartment, talking on the phone. I wish I was out there, blatantly spying on his conversation, so I could hear every word he’s saying, but I’m not. I gave him privacy because I’m a considerate girlfriend, but damn, I’m dying to know what’s happening right now.

Eli strides into the living room, stopping short when he sees Jackson outside, still pacing. Still talking. I’m pretending to be scrolling on my phone, but I’m bored. Anxious.

“What’s going on out there?” Eli asks me. “He looks serious.”

I want to say, oh you know, our entire future is on the line, and he’s trying to figure out what’s happening next, but I don’t.

“He’s on the phone with Rick,” I say instead.

“Ah. Evergreen Rick.”

I nod. Don’t really say anything else because what else is there to say?

My man ended up taking a record deal with them. He skipped the spring semester on campus, opting to take four classes online, so he could be at the studio down in Hollywood, working on tracks, creating an album long into the night, while catching up with his classes during the day. It’s been intense, his schedule has been heavy with obligations, but he’s fulfilled every one of them.

I’m so proud of him. All of his hard work is paying off.

Originally, he didn’t even want to meet with them yet again. But when Rick called around a month after Jackson ran out of their meeting, confessing that he couldn’t stop thinking about him and his music, Jackson went back to Evergreen Records.

And they came to an agreement.

He wanted me to go with him down to Los Angeles, but I couldn’t. I have a lease at my apartment I can’t break, and a job and school. My friends, and my family. We’ve changed some safety procedures at work so an incident like what happened to me won’t ever occur again. Donna felt so guilty over leaving me behind that night, but I told her it wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know.

That guy was going to do something, it didn’t matter to who. I was just the unlucky one.

I healed nicely. Both inside and out. The bruises are gone, and my nose is a little crooked, but nothing major. I’m okay. Mentally, I feel even stronger. Like I struggled and fought, and came out the other side a better person. Pain is a true learning experience. You can grow from it, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot this year.

I’ve also been considering some things. About my life, and what I want from it. I’m going to make some changes. Do something different this summer, and next year too.

So is Jackson. I can feel it.

The best part?

We’re going to do everything together.

I can tell the conversation is coming to an end. I see the smile on his face. The way he’s nodding again and again, his dark blond hair bobbing across his forehead. A giant smile stretches across his face and I hear him laugh, the sound causing joy to bubble inside of me.

It was good, their conversation. He’s going to give me good news.

He ends the call, reaching for the handle on the sliding glass door and pulling it open so he can enter the apartment.

“Well?” I ask after he closes the door but still hasn’t said anything. “What did Rick say?”

He grins and scoops me up right from the couch, swinging me around and around, making me laugh. “It’s official. Pack your bags. We’re going on tour, baby.”