Page 61 of Let Me

“This was nice,” he says.

“Yeah, it was.”

“Hopefully, I’ll see you soon.”

“We’ll see.”

“Oh, not the dreadedwe’ll see.Was I that bad?”

“No, you weren’t.You—”

I pause when I see Judah standing next to my car.My heartbeats increase in intensity just at the sight of him – what it’s supposed to do when you catch sight of the man you love.It’s nearly been a month.Now, he’s here, waiting for me.How did he know I was here?How long has he been out here?

“Is that your car?”Tyler asks.

“Uh…yeah.”

“I take it you know him?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you need me to interfere, or—?”

“Oh, no.It’s nothing like that.He’s a friend.”

“Okay, well, I hope to see you around, Autumn.”

“Thanks, Tyler.”

Tyler continues across the parking lot to his vehicle and I continue walking the few steps to mine where Judah is staring me down, watching my every step.I don’t know what to do or what to say.Should I say anything?I didn’t ask him to be here, and he’s the one who ended things between us, so what is there for me to say?

I hit the unlock button on my remote, ignoring him because, no, I’m not going to piece us together and I’m not going to put myself through the trauma of agonizing over a man who doesn’t want me.

I was about to reach for the door handle when he says, “It’s kind of weird to see you with someone else.”

“What are you doing here, Judah?”I ask, finally turning around to face him.

He quietly stares at me for a moment, eyes heavy, troubled and glossy before asking, “Are you with him?”

“What are you doing here, Judah?”

“I wanted to see you.”

“So, you track me down around town to find out where I am?”

“I did what I had to do.”

“Well, you’ve seen me.I have to get home.Goodbye.”

“Wait,” he says, grabbing my right forearm.

I snatch my arm away from him.

“Don’t be this way, Autumn.”

“What way is that, Judah?Tell me how to be when I told you I love you, and you broke up with me over the phone.”

“We were never meant to be in the first place,” he counters.

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