After my encounter with Christian Valdez at Friday nights frat party, I left almost immediately. I texted Maddy whenever I got back to my dorm that I had been feeling sick and to not worry and stay as long as she'd like.

She was hesitant but after a picture of me laying in bed comfortably with my pj's, she was okay. I hate the fact that his presence affected me that much.

He still looked somewhat the same from the last time I saw him. His face was chiseled and he had gotten taller, way taller. He also had these huge muscles on him. He was absolutely sexy. Stop it.

My conscious doesn't fail to stop all the thoughts running through my head.

After I got back to the dorms that night, I may or may have not stalked his Insta. Okay, I totally did. Just like I figured, he did attend Oak Hill. His Instagram only had about fifteen posts. Most of them were football related. He looked good in his uniform.

I was so careful to make sure I didn't accidentally like anything. That would've been the end for me.

I had him blocked for so many years, that I didn't know what he was up to. And now I'm attending the same college as him? That's crazy.

I shove my phone into my back pocket after sending a quick good morning text to my parents. Since I moved here a couple of days ago, they haven't failed to text me every single day.

I won't lie, I miss them both already. They're the best people I know and it stung to leave them behind, but I needed to do this for myself. I had always, always put other people before me. It was just the type of person I was. I needed to start doing more things for myself and I was starting off by moving to California. Even if it meant being thousands of miles away from the two people who love me the most.

I walk into Public Speaking extra early. It's my first class of the day and luckily, I only have one other class that isn't until three pm. It's only nine am and this class should be over by around eleven, so I have plenty of time in between.

I walk up the stairs and sit in the middle of the room. The class slowly starts filling up. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't get much sleep last night. I guess my head was running with thoughts. I lay my hand against my palm and my eyes struggle to stay open. I should've taken a detour to the schools café before coming to class.

I close my eyes, but they open a couple seconds later when I feel someone sit down next to me. "Class hasn't even started yet and you're already falling asleep?"

My eyes open almost immediately and my whole body freezes. That stupid, stupid voice. Just when I thought I'd never see him again, I see him twice in a span of less than a week. God, help me.

I remove my hand off my face and turn to face him slowly. I don't know why I had some hope that it wasn't him, but it was. I look at him with a blank expression.

He holds a small smile on his face and I notice him eyeing me. "Stop that." I say. Luckily, I don't stutter my words. His dark brows furrow together. "Stop what?"

I roll my eyes, turning to the front of the class but then back at him. "Looking at me." I finally say and look away again. He snorts. "I missed that pretty face." He says confidently.

Is he serious right now? I can't help but roll my eyes again. I think I'll strain an eye muscle if I'm around this man too long. I'm still very confused as to why he decided to sit next to me. There's about a million other seats and about twelve other rows.

"Seriously though, wake up. The prof always has a stick up her ass." He adds, but I don't necessarily listen to him. I always told myself that I didn't hold grudges, but for some reason I didn't want to talk to Christian. His presence was bothering me so much.

I just prayed he would shut up and class would start. The school gods must have heard me because a couple of seconds later the professor walks in just as Christian was about to speak again.

After class, I grab my things immediately and start walking out the lecture room. I don't bother to look back because I don't want Christian to think he needs to talk to me more.

"Nova, hold on." I hear his familiar voice far behind me. I close my eyes shut as I keep walking and clutch onto one of the haul straps from my backpack. He jogs so that he's next to me now. I feel eyes glaring into the back of my skull and when I turn around, girls are staring at me.

They're staring at me like I'm making out with Harry Styles and they want it to be them making out with him. I turn my head back slowly. "What do you want?" I ask him. "Your girlfriends are murdering me with their eyes." He lets out a small laugh before turning around and winking at the girls.

All of their frowns turn into smiles as they wave at him like a bunch of fan girls. I grimace at him. He shoves his hands into his windbreaker. "What's up? How've you been?" He seems genuinely interested as we walk through the outside of our large university.

"I've been fine, Valdez. Did you need something?" I ask, stopping in my tracks. He stops as well and lets his hands fall out from his pockets. "Why would I need something?" He asks with a small shrug.

I cross my arms over my chest. The sun illuminates off my face. It's damn hot out today. "Because you're talking to me for no reason?" I question. He tilts his head slightly, "yeah, and?"

"Don't." I retort. He furrows his eyebrows again. "Why not?" I groan, lifting my backpack onto my shoulder more when I feel it slipping. "Because, we're not friends. I didn't keep in touch with you for a reason, Valdez." He looks taken aback from my response, but he shrugs it off quickly.

"To be fair, you didn't keep in touch with anyone." He fires back with another shrug. That was true. I didn't know why I did it. I think I wanted a fresh start. I wasn't problematic back in Georgia, but I wanted to go into Louisiana with a clear state of mind.

No one knew me there, so there was no judgements. Except for the initial first day of school ones. I actually fit in better at my school in Louisiana then the one in Georgia. I made two best friends on the first day of school.

McKenna and Tyra. They were best friends and didn't mind taking me under their wing. Even though I loved Louisiana, I was happy with my decision to leave a couple of months ago.

My friends in New Orleans all left for college in different states including McKenna and Tyra. It was kind of disappointing that I was the only one left, but luckily enough, they took all the drama with them.

Although there was one piece of drama left behind. His name being Devon Watson. My ex boyfriend. Tyra's ex boyfriend as well. That story is not fun to talk about at all, so I don't talk about it.

Simple.

I let out a weak chuckle. "Again, may I help you?" I clasp my hands together and he sighs. His hands find their way to his hips. "Alright, look, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, alright? I don't want you to hold a grudge on me for something I did when I was sixteen." He looks at me in a 'I-was-sixteen-you-bitch-why-are-you-still-mad' way.

Fine. I knew exactly why I was mad.

I'm mad because I'm not good at relationships. I haven't had much since him, but I can never keep a guy around long enough for me to actually like him. It takes forever for me to open up and when I do, I grow attached way too fast. It happened with Christian sophomore year of high school and with Devon junior year of high school.

I didn't expect to fall for him as quick as I did but life works in a funny way and he was my first love. It wasn't easy. Even after we broke up, we stayed in touch. We had to actually because we were friends with the same people. So now I'm looking at one of the guys who I've been in a terrible relationship with and I'm pissed.

"Nova?" Christian says, taking me out of my thoughts. As much as I try to force an 'its okay' out, my conscious has other plans.

Who cares how long ago it happened? Screw him!

"Whatever, Christian. I don't care anymore, but that doesn't mean I want to be your friend now." I don't wait for him to talk again before I start walking toward Freeman Hall. He doesn't hesitate to follow behind me like a lost puppy. His long strides don't fail to catch up with mine.

"Can we at least be civil?" This makes me laugh. Why was this guy acting like we were gonna be around each other 24/7? Sadly, we have a class together, but I'm pretty sure that's the only time I'll see him. Maybe also at occasional frat parties Maddy drags me to.

I stop in my tracks again, so does he. His deep, brown eyes grow soft. Why does he have to be attractive and tall? "Fine. This doesn't mean we're friends though, so next time, don't sit next to me in class. You distract me." A smile grows across his face and I don't miss the tiny smirk when I said he distracts me.

"I didn't even talk to you once lecture started. How was I a distraction?" He prompts, crossing his arms over his chest. I swallow some saliva back. His pretty face is so smack-able. "Maybe because we haven't spoken in years and then we bump into each other at a party and then you just randomly decide to sit next to me?" I say in one breath.

He stares at me for a couple of seconds and then laughs. I roll my eyes. "What? Not exactly how you approach someone you haven't spoken to in years, Valdez." He shakes his head as he holds a grin. "You're still exactly the same." I feel my cheeks get hot, but its not from the sun. Luckily, the sun will be my excuse if he notices them flush.

"Not really," I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. I definitely was the same girl Christian knew sophomore year. Sure, I'm more mature now, but my nature had remained in tact despite moving to a whole different state. He didn't have to know that though.

"Are you coming to the game next, next Saturday?"

"No, I don't like football. I'm shocked you still play."

"Of course, I still play and consider it. We're going undefeated this year, you don't want to miss the start of the journey." He winks confidently. It's cute that he's confident in his team, but I'm pretty sure it takes a lot of hard work to go undefeated.

"Uh, I could care less," I point a finger at him and start walking backwards "I'll see you around, maybe? Hopefully not? Who knows?" I shrug before completely turning around. I don't miss the smile on his face and small chuckle as he watches me inch away from him.

A week ago, there was not one thought about Christian Valdez in my head and now? I can't seem to get him out of it.