Page 23 of Waiting Forever
Kensington, a.k.a. Cerise
AZURE AND I stroll down the sidewalk to the nearby crosswalk at an intersection that leads to Ryland.
The campus with its Mediterranean-style buildings stands out among the charming boutiques and restaurants of Park Avenue. Stone pillars connected by an iron arch, inscribed withRyland College, marks the entrance to the lush campus. Old oak trees with mossy branches shade brick pathways that border large grassy areas.
“This is lovely.” I gape at the grounds in awe. “There’s a peace about it.”
Azure glances at me with a hint of surprise. “I agree.”
Traffic sounds from the road behind us, but the campus seems quiet. “Is it always like this?” I spy a large blue lake between two buildings on my left. A dock leads to a gazebo that overlooks the rippling water, sun sparkling off the surface.
For the second time today, I think I can get used to this.
Random students wander the campus. No one seems in a hurry. Azure points out the buildings, explaining which classes are held in each, where his are, where the cafeteria is, and the athletic field.
“Well, the campus gets an A plus. How are the professors?”
Azure bobs his head from side to side. “Intelligent. Respectable. But most are strict.”
“Strict? That doesn’t sound fun.”
“It’s the students. Almost all are privileged, with trust funds, fancy cars, and huge entitlement chips on their shoulders. The professors enforce strict rules to keep them in line or else it’d be complete chaos. Sometimes it still is but there are a few really cool instructors. The art professor is chill and totally awesome.”
We stop under the shade of an oak and settle on a bench.
I raise a brow. “Let me guess, you’re an incredibly talented artist, too.”
He laughs and runs a hand over his teased bangs, not that they move from their well-sprayed place. “I took an art history class,” he replies.
“Ah, yes. That sounds correct.” With a long exhale, I lean back and stretch my legs, crossing my feet at the ankles. “Thank you for this.”
He smiles down at me and reclines, too. “You’re welcome. It’s nice to hang out with someone normal, for lack of a better word.”
Azure is friendly, easygoing, but a loner. I can tell by the way he watches the other students, studying them from a safe distance. Although I can’t remember a time when friends did not surround me, I get that now. Here, I’m no different than Azure. An observer, wary of a crowd. Although I don’t believe our reasons are the same. Mine stems from the attack and the betrayal I felt from close friends. Best friends. I suspect Azure’s is more from his upbringing. Moving to new countries and starting over seems similar to being raised as a military child. Thankfully, my parents settled in Dallas when I was three. They shared stories about their many moves, but I never had to experience that kind of life.
“I’m glad I met you.” I peer up at Azure. Even sitting, he’s tall.
“You’ll be even more glad the day after tomorrow.”
“Why’s that?”
He points to a creamy two-story building that resembles a church. “Your first class that day is in there, as is mine. I like to hit Starbucks before. If you want to meet in the hallway, I can bring you your brew of choice.”
“You would do that for me?” Such a small gesture but it seems enormous.
He makes a no-big-deal shrug. “Coffee is important.”
“Yes, it is. But I’m more of a chai tea latte girl,” I say with a sheepish grin.
“I can get on board with that.” He reclines onto his hands and stretches his long legs, too. He gazes at the swaying tree branches across the thick lawn.
Silence like this is new for me. The last six months were filled with voices in my ears and head. Constant arguments between me and friends. I never should have told Isa what had happened. She’d been my best friend since sixth grade, and she betrayed me by telling everyone we hung out with about the attack. That’s when shit got really bad. So-called friends accused me of exaggerating. Some even said I made up the story to get back at Prescott, my ex.
Hurt unfurls in my chest. I push it down, burying it the way I have for months. It’s done, over. I have a new life here. Reliving the past won’t do me any good.
Instead, I focus on Azure and his calmness. Maybe the peace I feel is from him and not the campus. Could be both.
Mimicking Azure, I take in the parklike surroundings, trying to be in the moment.Being in the presentis what Mom calls it. She says it’s how she deals with stress.
