I fiddle with my hands, as him and I breathe in this quiet space. Neither of us knew what to say.

My inner thoughts are screaming at me to end this, and make it quick. Confrontation isn’t my strong suit, and neither is admitting hidden truths.

He shifts sideways in his seat, taking his warm hands to grab my cold ones.

“When are you going to stop acting nervous around me? We’ve worked together for four years. Doesn’t that account for anything?”

I am unable to maintain eye contact as my face feels hotter than a red chili pepper. My heart beats rapidly, but I have to shake this exciting feeling away.

I slowly remove his hand from mine, forcing determination to appear through my face and voice.

“The reason I asked to speak in private is to give my two weeks notice.”

I could feel the atmosphere change as dark clouds formed in the cloud. My eyes tried to sting with burning tears, but I blinked them away.

He scratched the back of his head, optimism leaving his voice.

“This again? Is your reason the same as last time?”

I counted five seconds before responding to his questions.

“The immature side of me took over and clouded my judgement. I was looking at things from a personal perspective instead of keeping matters professional.

After some careful consideration, I chose what was best for me.”

My leg began to uncontrollably bounce, as I began to bite my lower lip.

“In order to pursue my dream as an author, I need to find inspiration. That’s why I’m choosing to live on Campus.”

He playfully shoved me aside as his smile brightened.

“That’s all?! We gotta talk about how you word things.”

A taste of blood befalls my tongue as I bit my lip.

“It’s in Florida.”

I could see his shoulders slouch from my peripheral vision. My neck was beginning to cramp as I kept my head down. From how hard I was squeezing my fingers, they turned a bright pink. My stomach didn’t make matters better as it growled in the silence.

Darn it! I knew skipping breakfast wasn’t the brightest of ideas.

While I’m in the middle of a mental breakdown, my body is pulled forward. My eyes widen as realization settled in.

We’re hugging. His chest pressed against mine. The smell of his cologne lingers on my shirt. His body warmth calms my anxious heart. I close my eyes, basking in this heavenly moment.

He slowly pulls away, taking my face in his hands.

“I am so proud of you. You’re finally listening to yourself by following your dreams. The first step is already complete.”

I looked at him for the first time since sitting in his car. Sadly, this feels like the last we’ll see each other.