“Who is this?” Jean-Paul inquired. Alyssa smiled softly.
“That’s my best friend Lynn.” Jean-Paul looked at her.
“You really miss them don’t you?” Alyssa nodded. “Especially Ryan?” Alyssa looked down at her bedspread.
“Why are you here Alyssa?” Alyssa looked at him in confusion.
“To be a journalist.”
“Are you sure? Are you here to be a journalist or to escape from your problems? You can run Alyssa, but your problems will follow.”
“I don’t know.” Jean-Paul sighed.
“There are plenty of American schools where you can study to be a journalist. Why here?”
“I needed to get out of Tampa. My sister is seventeen and pregnant, and I don’t know what I feel for Ryan anymore.”
“I think--” Jean-Paul paused. “Do you want to know what I think?” Alyssa nodded.
“I think that you should go back home Alyssa. You don’t want to be here. You want to be home with your friends.”
“No.” Alyssa stated. “I needed to get out of Tampa. After living there for seventeen years, I needed a change.” Jean-Paul shook his head.
“You need to be around familiar people in a familiar place. You can go to school in America and still be a great journalist. Stop running away from your problems.” Alyssa sighed.
“Easier said than done.”
*******************
Julie stared at her poem, sighing in frustration. he growled and crumpled up the paper.
“I suck at this!” Julie looked at the picture on her desk. It was of her and Josh at her sixteenth birthday party.
“I miss him.” Julie stated. She caught sight of the phone on her desk.
“Just call him.” Julie picked up the phone, dialed his number, then quickly hung up. “I’m such a wuss.” Realization hit Julie like a ton of bricks. I’m in love with Josh. Julie grabbed her keys and headed over to Josh’s house.
“Well hello Julie.” Mrs. Ridgely said. Julie smiled.
”Hey Mrs. R. Is Josh home?” She nodded and stepped aside.
“Of course Julie. He’s out back swimming laps.” Julie headed out back and stopped by the pool. She grabbed a Nerf football and hurled it at Josh’s head. He surfaced, dazed.
“What the--” His eyes focused on her. “Julie,” Julie looked down at the ground.
“Hey Josh.” He pulled himself out of the pool and grabbed a towel. Julie turned her back when she caught sight of Josh’s tan, muscled stomach.
“What are you doing here Julie?” Julie took a deep breath.
“I wanted to talk about us.” Josh crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles rippling in response.
“What about us Julie? You never wanted to be an us.” Julie smiled softly.
“I know. But I do now.” Josh raised one eyebrow skeptically.
“What made you change you mind?”
“You’ve been my best friend for years. No one knows me better than you do and I think we would make a great couple.” Josh grinned.
“You’re finally seeing things my way.” Julie stepped closer and Josh slowly brought his lips down onto hers. He kissed her slowly and sweetly, the first kiss of their brand new relationship.
*********************
(One moth later-mid July)
Alyssa inhaled deeply, stretching into her next yoga move. France was all it had promised to be but it was no fun without her friends. Alyssa was seriously taking Jean-Paul’s advice to heart. Alyssa sighed and gave up on yoga. Sarah McLachlan filled the room.
I'm so tired but I can't sleep
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep
It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word
We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard
Alyssa sighed, knowing just how true this song was.
But I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
Alyssa looked around her dorm, feeling more out of place than ever. And it was then that she realized, after almost two months in Paris, that her home was in Tampa. and in no time flat, she was on a plane back home.
****************
Lynn looked around her apartment, amazed at how small it was. It consisted of a bedroom, living room, kitchenette, and a small bathroom. t least she was on her won. Lynn missed Alyssa, and was mad that Alyssa and Ryan were not on better speaking terms.
“Why don’t they just get back together?” Lynn asked herself. “why can’t Alyssa go to college here?” Lynn plopped down in a reclining chair, her only piece if furniture.
“This sucks.”
****************
The minute Alyssa stepped off the plane and into Orlando’s giant airport, she felt that familiar suffocating feeling.
“What am I doing here?” Alyssa said, sitting down in a chair. A familiar song came on the radio.
I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose
Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night
You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light
She didn’t know how long she sat there, but she did a lot of thinking. She couldn’t stay. She knew couldn’t be with Ryan and she had plenty of money to go back to Paris. Her fear of commitment had won once again.
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