Miles From Kara by Melissa West Page B

insisted I learn French so I could speak to my grandparents whenever they called.” She flipped her notes and I noticed that she was intentionally avoiding our gazes.
    I took the hint and glanced over at Olivia. “How are your finals looking?”
    â€œPretty good. British Lit is going to kill me, but the rest seem okay. You?”
    I grinned. “Ah, you know. The regular crapload, but whatever. I’ll survive. Are you staying this summer?”
    â€œDefinitely. Preston, too. Are you staying?”
    â€œI haven’t decided. I want to, but my mom’s on me to come home. What about you guys?” I turned to Sarah and Alyssa.
    â€œI’m tutoring a few kids this summer at Sylvan’s, so yeah, I’m here. You?” Sarah eyed Alyssa.
    â€œWell, now that I turned down the summer internship . . .” Alyssa said, her voice wavering a bit.
    â€œWhat?” we all asked together.
    â€œMy mom wants me to spend a year in France with my grandparents. Get to know them better. So, she asked me to study there instead. I just don’t know.”
    Just then a football flew over and landed smack between us. Taylor rushed over to grab it, fighting to keep from laughing. “Sorry about that,” he said, still grinning. “How are you ladies?” he asked, but his stare lingered on Sarah.
    Olivia and I exchanged a knowing grin. “We’re good. Gearing up for finals. You?”
    â€œYeah. I’m thinking of doing a co-op next semester, so I’m planning for that. Applying. The regular shit.”
    Sarah’s head snapped up. “You’re taking a semester off?”
    â€œNo. Just a co-op. A work thing.”
    Their gazes held, and I had to turn away to keep from giggling.
When did that happen?
I mouthed to Olivia, who shook her head for me to stop. I laughed out loud on accident, and Taylor and Sarah both turned to me.
    â€œSorry!” I said. “I was just telling Olivia that I was getting . . . hot. Right, hot. I’m going in for some water. See ya’ll in a minute.” I grinned at each of them, unable to stop myself, and took off for my apartment before I burst out laughing, wrecking Sarah’s careful facade. I closed the door to my apartment, still light from the moment, and then suddenly I realized that even Sarah was moving forward with her romantic life. I had no idea what was happening between her and Taylor, but at least something
was
happening. But me? I was standing still, stuck in a relationship with a guy I no longer loved.
    As soon as the thought hit me, I stopped mid step, replaying the thought.
A guy I no longer loved.
I tried to talk myself out of the thought, reminding myself of all we’d been through, yet still, I couldn’t make the words
I love Ethan
fit in my mind or heart any longer.
    I grabbed a water from our fridge and lay back on my bed, pressing the bottle to my forehead. I no longer loved Ethan.
    Tears pricked at my eyes and then rolled down the sides of my face, soaking into my quilt. My heart and muscles ached, like I’d been running forever from something and could finally stop. Could finally breathe. I cried harder, both out of relief and sadness.
    My phone buzzed from where it lay beside me and I picked it up, expecting a text from Olivia asking to bring her out a water, but instead it read:
    Colt:
I saw this hummingbird outside today. It was just there by some flowers, fluttering around, minding its own business. Focused on its task. It was so beautiful and then it was gone. It made me think of you . . .
    My chest heaved as I read the words again and again. Every fiber in my body screamed to ignore the text. I was a mess. I wasn’t ready for whatever complication this would surely bring, yet . . .
    Me:
I want to see you
.
    I instantly wanted to delete the text, ask for a redo, but I’d never typed out anything so honest in my life. I did want to see him,