It was another sunny day, with the heat beating down in relentless waves. The kind where one felt bloated with all their senses thrown off in a spiral. This made walking up the numerous university stairs to get to lectures much more difficult. By the time the girl had reached the front of the building at the top of this flight, despite her athletic background, she was desperately panting. She almost missed the group of people who walked out past her.
“Can’t ya just put off that skating thing for once? I mean, this is gonna be the biggest party of the century man!” By appearance, this guy was attractive, even the girl herself could not deny that. By personality impression, this guy was sleazy. She assumed so by how he had an arm wrapped around the shoulder of a clearly uninterested girl.
“Buzz off….there’s n-o way he’s gonna miss practice.” This vixen like girl batted her false eyelashes that had managed to remain unscathed in this weather towards the other guy in their trio. She shrugged off the arm on her shoulder and linked arms with her prey. “Unlike some people…. he’s actually thinking about his a-c-t-u-a-l future.” She snapped her words towards the first guy. He revved up as if he was about to make his comeback, probably something dumb about how he could only imagine his future with her. But he was interrupted by the more vigilant guy.
“Well look man, I’m sorry okay? But ya know I really can’t miss this practice.” By appearance he was also the same, but by personality he seemed different. Apologetic. Sincere. Familiar. The girl could not quite place where she had seen him before. In a previous class? In the dining hall? It felt like something more than a glimpse of a person one would simply pass over.
“Fine. Just whatever man, let’s just get outta here. It’s hot out here Al!”
The girl froze, unsure of what she had just heard. Thinking that perhaps she was hallucinating, that her mind was starting to melt into a puddle. But even in her current state, she felt that there was no reason to doubt. Within the next second, she thawed her pose and immediately spun around.
“Wait!” she called out. The group halted their retreat for shade and turned slightly to glance at the unfamiliar girl who had just shouted at them. “Ah-Al?” she stammered. She knew she was not hallucinating. She saw his face more clearly, the name and the face matched her memory. They shared the same dark auburn hair and the same prominent facial features. It was her Al. The boy who had been called Al just stared at her with a puzzled expression. A few long seconds of unspoken silence ticked by. The girl quickly realized he may have forgotten her face over the years. She quickly thought up an excuse to rid of the awkwardness, but just as quickly rid of this solution. There was no way he would have forgotten her if he was still writing her those letters.
“Yo, ya know this chick?”
“….Sorry, I think –”
“It’s me…. We used to be neighbors during elementary school.” More softly the girl added, “remember?”
While she stated her name the boy drew in a breath. His eyes darted over her face, trying to remember, to match them to his memories. He spoke her name. He called to her with such a delicacy so foreign to his current company of friends. That was when his eyes changed their glint. He remembered her clearly. In truth, there was not really a day where this boy had forgotten her.
