"Aubrey?"

"Huh?"

"Umm, I think you were having a nightmare or something."

I open my eyes with my eyebrows furrowed... Who just woke me up? Oh, Erin's back. That's embarrassing.

"Sorry." I sit up and I'm sweating. "What was I saying?" I laugh and rub the sleep from my eyes.

"Harry? Who is that?" She laughs with me.

Oh fuck.

"Uh, my ex..." I rub my eyes with my hands again to make sure I'm not still dreaming. "I promise this isn't a regular occurrence." I laugh again at this awkward situation.

"It's cool. I'm gonna go though."

"Oh, sorry..." I say feeling embarrassed again.

"Oh no, not because of you! My boyfriend goes here, so I usually go to stay at his apartment. Are you okay though? You look a little pale." Erin asks. She does seem pretty nice.

"Yeah, I'll be okay. Thanks." I force a smile and stand up. Crap, it's one in the morning and I have my first day of classes tomorrow. It's gonna be a rough day.

After Erin leaves the dorm, I attempt to fall back asleep, but of course; I'm unsuccessful.

I need air.

I grab a jacket and fix pull my hair back so I don't look like a complete slob.

"Aubrey?"

I'm pulled from thoughts when I hear Logan's voice.

"Hey Logan." I give him a weak smile.

"Can't sleep?" He laughs.

"Nope, you?"

"Nah, I'm an insomniac." He chuckles again, putting his hands in his pockets.

We walk together in silence for a few minutes, but it isn't awkward. I welcome the cool, fresh air as it hits my tired skin.

"Are you okay?" Logan stops and I follow suit. I look at him confused.

"You just look like you've been crying..." He observes.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I lie. "I've just had a lot going on lately." I continue walking and thankfully he follows.

"Is it your boyfriend? Your ex, I mean?"

I had forgotten I mentioned Harry to him earlier.

"Yeah. I'm fine though." I force a smile.

"Come on, let's get back to the dorms."

---

I wake up two minutes before my alarm is supposed to wake me up, and I feel like death. My eyes are dry and sore from crying, and I am the most tired I have ever been. That is the last time I stay up until three in the morning when I have to get up at seven the next day.

I grab my towel and shower things before heading to the bathroom. I have an hour to get ready for my first day of classes. I'm really excited, but also really nervous. I'm worried that the classes will be really hard.

In the shower I take much longer than I need trying to sort everything out in my mind. I'm freaking out about my first class, I can't get Harry off of my mind and I feel all alone here. Logan has been welcoming, but I wish I had Sophie here. I need a friend right now.

When I finally realize I will be late to class if I don't get out of the shower, I turn the water off and wrap a towel around my body after drying my hair a little.

I quickly get dressed and head out of the steamy bathroom back to my room. Erin is back in the room, but she's sleeping so I try my best to do my hair and makeup quietly.

I decide if she's here when I get back from my class, I'll try to get to know her better. Maybe we have some things in common?

I check the clock and it's 8:30... My first class is in a half hour, so I should probably leave soon. I want to make sure to get there early.

After collecting my book, laptop and bag, I grab my phone from the desk and quickly check it. I'm kind of disappointed when I don't see anything from Harry, but what can I expect? There's a few texts from my mom, and a text from Liam.

From: Liam
Hey Aubrey! I hope all is well at Stanford on your first day :)

I smile at his thoughtful message. I'm actually a little surprised though that he still considers me a friend after what I did to Harry... I did talk to Liam about my dilemma, but I never told him I actually broke up with him. I wonder if Harry has even told his friends yet?

I send him a message back thanking him and turn my phone on silent so it doesn't go off during class.

Well here goes nothing!

---

"I'm Professor Connors, welcome to your biology lab." A middle aged man announces to the class. I'm a little intimidated, but he seems pretty nice.

"The person you are sitting next to will be your lab partner for the remainder of the course." He announces and I look to the guy sitting next to me. He shoots me a half smile that I return. Hopefully he's not a slacker, I need a good grade.

Professor Connors asks us to look at some of the slides that he's put on our table through the microscope, and everyone starts talking when he gives us time to work with our partner.

"Aubrey, right?" I turn around and see a familiar boy, blonde hair and pretty tall. I recognize that accent...

"Umm, yeah.." I still don't know who he is, but he obviously knows me.

"I'm Sam, you probably don't remember me. I met you at that gas station one night..." He jogs my memory.


Flashback

It's almost three in the morning when I realize I'm in Stanford, California and I see the university. For the first time since Harry and I talked about going to different colleges, I actually can't wait to be here next fall. Away from all of this madness. Fuck, I need gas.

I pull over at a random gas station to fill up Harry's car. While it's filling up, I go inside to get a cup of coffee. I still have about two more hours until I'm back in Malibu, and I don't know if I can stay awake.

As I take out my wallet from my purse, I drop my credit card.

"Here." The guy behind me picks it up and hands it to me. Oh great, another British accent.

"Thanks." I try to smile, but it's not happening.

I pay and grab the coffee, exiting through the door to get on my way.

"Are you okay?" I hear the man who picked up my credit card behind me after a minute. Great.

"Yeah." I quickly reply as I pull the nozzle out of the car.

"Sorry, you just look a little tired. Where are you going at three in the morning?" He asks me. I finally look at him to see blonde hair, and he's actually pretty attractive. What is it with me and these British guys?

"I'm going home, I was just in Phoenix." I tell him. Why, I have no idea...

"Oh, by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Are you really okay? You look like you've been crying." He asks softly.

"Because I have been. Look, I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you are, and I really just want to get home." I snap and wipe a single tear that has fallen from my eye.

"Sorry, I just... I'm Sam." He looks nervous, and now I feel bad for snapping. He really is just trying to help.

"It's fine. Sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind." I say after taking a deep breath.

"I get it." He smiles sympathetically. "Are you sure you're okay to drive?"

"Yeah, thanks." I try to smile and get into the car.


I close my eyes and try to shake the horrible memory of that night away. Everything with Rachel happened that night, and how could I forgot Ethan showing up in my house? That night was awful. I can't help but feel a sense if relief though... So much drama went on during the months that Harry and I dated. Maybe on this 'break' all of the drama will stay away from me?

"Yeah, sorry about that..." I awkwardly laugh trying to apologize for when I snapped at him.

It's so weird that he's here... In this class? Well I guess I was in Stanford that night. But what a small world.

My lab partner clears his throat, I still haven't learned his name.

"Why don't you go work with Jen?" Sam tells my lab partner and he obliges, leaving our table to join some other girl who's sitting alone.

"Looks like we're lab partners!" Sam smiles and I return the gesture.

I can't help but feel embarrassed by him. I was a mess when I met him weeks ago, so hopefully he doesn't think in crazy or anything.

I pull the microscope closer to me so I can look through the lens, and I feel like Sam is watching me.

"Do you want to look?" I ask him and scoot the microscope over. He smiles and takes a quick look.

"So you're pre-med then? Never would have guessed."

"Just to be clear, I had a lot going on the night I met you... I'm not always like that!" I laugh.

"Sure." He teases.

"Really! I swear." I laugh.

"I'm just messing with you. I can tell you're not really like that." He tells me honestly. "So you're a freshman? I haven't seen you around before."

"Yeah." I take the next slide and observe it under the scope.

---

Before I know it, class is over and I'm headed back to the dorms. I only have that biology lab on Mondays, so the rest of the day, I am free. Maybe I'll Skype Sophie or something.

"Hey Aubrey, how are you?" I'm greeted by Logan as I get back to my room. I had almost forgot about our unusual encounter last night after that terrible nightmare I had.

"I'm better." I answer honestly.

"How was your first class?"

"It was okay!"

"Aubrey?" I hear that British accent again.

"Oh hey Sam!" I turn when I hear the blonde boy.

"You know Aubrey?" Logan asks Sam.

"Yeah, we're lab partners. You two are friends?" He looks at us both.

"She's our neighbor, but you wouldn't know that because you are never here!" Logan tells Sam. Oh, so they must be roommates?

"No way! Well I guess I'll have to stick around more often." He winks at me and walks into their room.

"Well, I should start some homework, I'll see you around." I wave at Logan and retreat back to my room.

This world just keeps getting smaller. When I met Sam a couple months ago, I never thought Id be living across the hall from him at school.

Today has just been strange, first the nightmare and then Sam... If this is any indication of how the next year will be, I'm going to be in for one hell of a ride. I can't keep up with my own life, and I just need a minute to calm down. Thankfully Erin isn't in the room when I get back, so I lay down on my bed and decide to take a nap.

---

"Hello?" I answer my phone that woke me up from my wonderful rest.

"Hey Aubrey!"

"Liam, hey! How are you?" I'm not so mad that I was waken up. Maybe I can vent to him about my struggles.

"I'm good, how are you? How was your first day?"

I explain to him how college is so far, and he, being the great friend that he is, listens intently as I go on and on about every single detail since I got here.

"So you broke up with Harry..." He states after I finish speaking. Harry must've told Liam.

"Yeah." I sigh. "I just couldn't do it. I felt like it wouldn't work if we stayed together. I told you how I felt..." I try to explain.

"No, I understand. How do you feel?"

"Honestly, like shit. I thought it was the best thing for us, but I can't get him off my mind. I feel like I made a terrible decision, Liam."

"Just give it time..." He comforts me.

"I called him last night." I admit. "He didn't answer though, so I'm pretty sure he hates me. I mean how could he not?"

I try to hold in the tears.

"He's just really hurting, Aubrey. He definitely does not hate you! He won't talk to anyone, I'm sure it's not just you."

"How do you know he's not talking to anyone? Did you talk to him?" I'm desperate to know what Harry is thinking.

"Oh, you didn't know? He's here... In England?"

"But he doesn't start school until September?"

"Well he doesn't have anything keeping him back in California anymore..." Liam tells me honestly.

"How is he?" I ask quietly.

I can't believe he's gone. I don't know why, but I felt almost comforted that he was still here, but now that he left, I feel empty. He's really gone.

"I don't really know, like I said, he's not really talking to anyone. He hangs out with us, but doesn't say much."

"Will you just keep an eye on him?" I ask without realizing.

"Of course. But Aubrey, you should focus on school. I know your both hurting right now, but it was for the best, so try to forget about it. He'll understand soon enough."

He's right, Harry's across the world, so I need to focus on me and what I can control. It's a lost cause trying to keep up with him.

Liam and I talk for twenty minutes or so about life before hanging up. He's a good friend, and that was exactly what I needed. I've decided to try to remove Harry from my mind and just be here, in Stanford. Things will get better with time, hopefully.

Notes

Hiiiii
I should probably go to bed because I have to wake up super earlyyyy tomorrow, but i'd rather update :)

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