Page 73 of Late Fees

Kevin, it said.

“I’m seeing her tonight, anyway.”

“Well, yeah,” Marley said, looking perplexed. “We both will. She’ll be here in ten minutes.”

Kevin exhaled loudly through his nose. “I meant after work. Never mind. I’ll just—I’ll give it to her, okay?”

An awkward pause filled the room.

I get it, dude. You’re marking your territory.

Good luck with that.

But then I had to wonder why Tilly hadn’t mentioned that she was dating someone the other night.

“Who should we say these are from?” Marley asked with curious eyes.

For a second, I pondered leaving my name or even writing a quick note. But what would be the fun in that?

“That’s all right, she’ll know,” I said, flashing my cockiest smile. I knew it was a dick move, but I didn’t care. When it came to Tilly, I had no intention of following the rules.

All’s fair in love and war, right?

Kevin gritted his teeth as he grabbed the cup and candy. Marley, I could see, was holding back a laugh as she and I said goodbye. And in that one short moment, I had a hunch that Kevin wasn’t on her list of favorite people. Smirking, I left the store and jogged to my class, hoping I’d make it on time but knowing that, even if I didn’t, it would have been worth it. I wanted to bring Tilly back to a time when we were happy, when all we needed was each other. And I hoped that as she sipped that drink and took her first bite of the candy, she’d be holding back a smile just like my own. A smile I couldn’t wipe from my face if I tried.

When I reached my class two minutes early, I saw Dahlia sitting near the back. She waved me over. “Wyatt! I saved you a seat.”

Waving to her with my one free hand, I made my way to the free seat next to her, placing my backpack in the chair beside me and setting up my tiny desk.

“You look awfully chipper today. I thought you hated Daylight Savings Time as much as I did.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel…good today. The sun’s out, and the birds are singing. All that crap.”

“Oooh, Slurpee,” Dahlia said, then she paused. “Wait. We don’t have a 7-Eleven on campus. Where did you get that?”

“I rode a bus. Two actually.”

“You must really like Slurpees.”

I stared at the cup sitting on my desk. “I haven’t had one in almost three years.”

“Wow. Well, I’m a little annoyed you didn’t bring me one, but whatever,” she teased, opening her sketchbook. “You enjoy your frosty drink.”

“Next time,” I said with a smile before picking up the cold, sweaty cup and bringing the plastic straw to my lips. Pausing, I sighed with relief as I looked into the melting swirls of red and brown icy liquid. Just looking at the familiar drink brought me a little bit of happiness and a little bit of peace that I’d been missing since the day I got on that plane to Norway.

Taking a ridiculously large sip, the tart cherry mingled with the ultra-sweet Coke flavor on my tongue. I sat back in my seat and released a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Wow. You, uh…you really like that Slurpee, huh?”

With a satisfied smile, I said, “You have no idea.”

“Now I get why you rode two buses to get it,” she said with a sardonic laugh.

Reaching for the package of Reese’s in my pocket and ripping open the package, I handed one of the cups to Dahlia. “Peace offering.”

“Aww, you’re too kind. Thanks.”

I savored the candy, making it last six distinct bites, the sweet and salty flavors bringing me right back to a simpler time. They say taste and smell are two of the most distinct ways that the human brain connects to memories. I didn’t know the science behind it, but I knew one thing.

They weren’t kidding.

For the first few minutes of class, I sat in my chair, eating my snack and drinking my Slurpee and remembering a time when love was pure and untainted…when Tilly loved me just as much as I loved her. When all we wanted to do on a Sunday afternoon was walk to 7-Eleven and grab a Slurpee and a pack of peanut butter cups.

And I could only hope that as she sipped her Slurpee and ate the peanut butter cups that I’d left for her, her sense of taste and smell was bringing her back to the day we sprung ahead in 1993. Back to a day filled with witty banter, delicious flavor combinations, and an empty bench in the park. One of the happiest days I’d ever experienced. And by far, the best Daylight Savings Time I’d ever experienced.

I just hoped this small gesture might break down the barriers that she placed between us. I hoped that she’d remember how good we were together and crave that feeling as much as I did.

I could only hope it would bring her back.

Back to a happier time. Back to me.

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