Chapter 1
His name was Matthew Wesson. There were about a dozen Matts and Matthews in my graduating class and he was one of the popular ones. But not a dumb jock like how 2000′s movies portrayed popular guys.
He was really smart, I think top ten in our class of almost 1,000 students. He played some football in middle school but I don’t remember what he was into in high school. We were both in the gifted and talented program from elementary through our high school years. So we shared the same classes with the same circle of people for about eight years. I didn’tknowhim know him. But being around someone for that long you kind of do know them, in a way.
Plus, there was that week during freshman year where we talked on the phone every day while I tried to convince him to date my best friend. She had a crush on him for years! They did, in fact, start dating after she came back from spring break vacation with her family. She broke up with him a week later and he gave me the most scorched look the next day. He mouthed the words, “how could you” to me from across the classroom and we were never really friends after that. I mean of course we eventually were friendlywith each other but we never were close again.
I hadn’t thought about Matt and Kara’s short-lived relationship in decades. What a mess.
She turned out to be not-so-nice to me. Typical high school drama. I am so glad I don’t have to deal with that anymore.
Matt went on to study biology after high school. I think he had gotten into medical school when he died, tragically. I had a dream about him a week ago. I can’t remember what it was about but I remember he was alive in it. Dreams are so strange sometimes.
I close my high school yearbook and pack it away with the others. It’s always bittersweet going down memory lane.
The doorbell chimes and I check my watch. The movers are twenty minutes early.
“Babe!” I call out to my boyfriend downstairs, “The movers are here! Can you open the door for them?” I hear Levi shuffling towards the door as I stack a couple of boxes into a pile.
We’re moving out of my first house today and intoourfirst house together. I wanted to take a moment to feel the emotions of leaving my first home I bought by myself. I was only a few years out of college and I was so proud for saving up and finding this little townhome.
I thought I would cry on moving day but my mind is too busy going over everything that needs to be done. I guess I’ll have to make time to cry later.
