After touring Northwestern I started to get excited about college again. I ended up really liking it and surprisingly I felt like I would have a lot of fun there.

I was telling Jordan about it while we were at Dunkin before school. I got some coffee that I wouldn't really drink and we headed back to the car.

Once I strapped myself in Jordan looked at me closely.

"Is that my sweatshirt?"

My face got hot. "Maybe."

"It's been missing for like a year."

I scratched my head. "Weird..."

He shoved me. "You creep."

"I'm not a creep. It just smells good and it's big and comfy and it's like the best thing to sleep in."

He shook his head at me. "You like to sleep in it?"

I looked at him lovingly. "Yeah, because it reminds me of you."

"Aww."

"I know. It's really kinda cute if you think about it."

He put the car in drive. "I'm just playing. You're a creep."

***

I was standing at my locker a bit hunched over as I tied my hair. I set my books down and as soon as I lifted my head back up I slammed it into Jordan's back unexpectedly.

"Wow. I come to ask if you want to go to the movies and you hit me?"

My braids fell out of the ponytail and tumbled down my face.

"You are so funny, did you know that?"

"People have said it once or twice."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up. And why are you always behind me?"

He smiled down at me. "Why do you think?"

I put my hand up. "Hey, hey, hey not at school with everyone right here."

"You mean you don't want me to tell everyone how I like-"

I shoved him and laughed. "Shut up Jordan. What the hell do you want anyway?"

"Liam wants to do a double date tonight but I told him I'd ask you."

I shut my locker and leaned against it. "I'm cool with that."

He put his hand above my head and looked down at me. His hands came to the pendant on my necklace as he fiddled with it.

"You can say no if you want."

I smiled. "I think it'll be fun, and we can always hang out before."

"Okay."

I smiled at him. "Are you going to let me go to class?"

"You'd rather go to class than talk to me?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

He pushed off the locker with his hand and dragged me along with him. "You liar."

***

Harper and Liam were there as soon as we arrived. I dapped Liam up over exaggeratedly and he just shoved me playfully.

Harper and I made eye contact before we started jumping up and down in excitement.

"I missed you," I told her while still jumping.

She reached out for a hug and kept jumping up and down with me. "I saw you earlier today," she reminded me.

"I know but I just love you so much," I told her.

"I love you too," she said loudly.

"Do you want to stop jumping now? My boobs hurt." I said.

"Yeah."

Our feet settled on the ground and we settled into an awkward side hug.

I looked at Jordan. "Are we going to get food?"

He just stared at me before turning to Liam who looked very confused.

"Listen man. I know you're new to this whole seeing them two in action but this is what they do. It's always some weird ass shit with them and it's better you learn now then later." Jordan told him.

"Hey, we aren't weird," Harper told Jordan.

Jordan gave her a look. "Two days ago y'all went to Canes and ordered in British accents. And then after that you went on a 15 minute rant about how you thought squirrels were scary."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"You think squirrels are scary?" Liam asked.

"You don't?" She said.

"I don't really think squirrels are scary, but have a butterfly come at me and I'll cry," I told them matter of factly.

Everyone stopped and looked at me.

"You're afraid of butterflies?" Jordan asked.

"Well yeah."

Harper put her hand up to my head like she was checking for a fever.

I slapped her hand away. "I'm not crazy."

"How can you be afraid of them? They're so beautiful." Harper said.

"Aht aht aht, from a distance. Butterflies look like they would bite."

"How? They don't have teeth." Jordan chimed in.

I stomped my foot. "Let's go get food. I'm tired of being judged."

***

After the movie we went our separate ways. Jordan and I went downtown to see the lights for a bit so we could walk.

We passed the Chicago theater when I squeezed his hand. He smiled at me and squeezed back before he spoke.

"You know how I have to move in early cause I'm an athlete?"

My heart sunk at the reminder but I nodded.

"You should come visit me. We won't see each other until thanksgiving so we gotta make it count right?"

I smiled. "Yeah," I said softly.

He studied my face. "You okay?"

I sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way but I'm kind of worried about us."

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to be a college athlete and have girls throwing themselves at you. I won't be able to see you and I mean I trust you but it makes me feel insecure."

"So what does this mean for us?" He asked.

I bit my lip. "I'm not sure."

"Charlie I can't tell the future. Right now how I feel about you means way more than other girls I'll probably meet. We have history and honestly when I look at my future the only constant thing I can see is you."

I squeezed his hand again. "Good. Because you're my future too."