"We all have that one person, whose memories and emotions of,
we keep in archives,
the one we wished we had made stay,
the one, that got away."

***************

Three months later...

Lilly's POV

"Lilly, it's your turn," Louis ushered and I placed my cards down with a very proud smile.

"Oh, come on," he whined, slamming down his cards with a loud huff.

I chuckled, "Don't be a sore loser," I said and his brown eyes shot me a very hard glare.

His phone rang and his gaze drifted to the screen before they went back to me, "This is not over yet, you just declared war, little one," He threatened before he got to his feet and walked away to answer his phone.

Christian chuckled and wrapped an arm around my back and on instinct, I leaned closer into his embrace. It was natural now, to have his skin on mine, to be in his presence and surrounded by him.

It has been three months since our little weekend getaway and Christian and I stuck to our words. Within the walls of our university, he is only my professor and I am his student. As hard and thrilling it was, with just a few teasing looks here and a few winks there, we didn't do anything too illegal.

We were very careful for both his sake and mine.

But once we were outside, at his place or at mine, we couldn't get enough of each other.

It wasn't a relationship...yet, it's purely just sex. There is an attraction here, lust, and chemistry; something I am having so much fun exploring each day.

His presence is comforting in a way I can't comprehend, it's exciting, and with him, I seem to let go and I like that.

He reconnects me with the part of me that once made me...me. The wild and free Lilly, the happy Lilly.

A couple of minutes later and Louis walked back to us, "Guess what," he said with a big smile, addressing Christian, "She's finally here," he added and Christian leaned forward, "You fixed it?" He asked, and sudden excitement rushed to his being.

"Yup, it's finally done," Louis said and Christian was already standing up, ready to head outside, I stared at them in pure confusion before my questioning gaze went to Stacy. She just rolled her eyes, "Guys and their interests," She mumbled, not bothering to elaborate more.

Louis looked at me and winked, "Wanna meet the love of Christian's life?"

Wait...the love of what?

Confused, I wore my shoes and followed them down the stairs. I understood Stacy's unbothered expression when my eyes fell on the big black bike parked by the side of the building. Christian fumbled with the handle as Louis went on explaining what he did and where he did it.

"This is yours?" I asked, coming to a stop beside Christian, gaping at the huge bike ahead of us.

One thing I've deduced after these three months is that Christian can easily pull on two very different personalities. One, a nerdy professional professor, who is so smart and strict. The other, is this outgoing, free-spirited boy, who keeps on surprising me every single day.

He looked at me and nodded, "Yeah it's his, but I was riding it once and kind of had an accident," Louis explained.

"Oh my god, really?"

Louis nodded, "Yeah, the usual, I broke a hip or something," He said with a shrug, addressing the matter so loosely, "Anyway, I fixed it now, so this weekend, we are going back to Motorcross, okay?"

Christian nodded, inspecting his bike from all sides, "Heck yeah, it's been a long while," His eyes went to me, "You should come with us," he said, a small smile forming over his lips, "I have a feeling you'd like it."

"Go where?"

"It's a Motorcross track park," Christian explained, "We all have a subscription there, you can either rent a bike or bring yours, we usually go spend the whole day there on weekends, it's a very big park too, so we bring our breakfast and sometimes prepare lunch there," He inched closer to my side, "Come with us, it will be fun."

I looked up at him and immediately nodded, I already love spending time with them and I've been doing a lot of that lately, "Yeah, sure."

His arm went around my waist, pulling me closer to his side, "I will teach you to ride my bike if you want."

I nodded in excitement, beyond thrilled at the fact. My eyes went from Louis who was busy checking all the bike's parts then back to Christian, "If you do that, I will show you how I can ride another special thing of yours as well," I casually commented, my voice lower, so Louis won't hear.

Christian chuckled, that throaty-from-the-heart one, and he tightened his hand over my waist before he pressed his lips over my cheek in a very sweet kiss. I involuntarily smiled at the warm gesture and looked up at him, "What?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, when he stared at me longer than he should.

He shook his head and his next words defied the whole just-sex-relationship I thought we had going on, "I am just glad I found you, that's all."

I didn't say anything back, I just smiled and took it casually, but couldn't help the weird feeling that tightened my stomach into a hundred different knots. I ignored it as we got back into his apartment and the night went on.

It was getting late, so Louis and the others decided to head back to their houses. When they left, I helped Christian pick up the empty glasses and placed them into the dishwasher, "So, considering you picked me up, you're my ride back home," I said, leaning against the counter as he finished tidying around. He was such a clean-freak, I've noticed that over time, probably the only characteristic he has that differs from mine.

"About that," Christian said and walked closer to me, "I was thinking that maybe," His arms went around my waist and he pulled me closer, "Maybe you could...you know, stay here tonight."

His words had me gulping down, not expecting the invite. True, I've been hanging quite a lot with them lately and Christian and I have had sex on multiple occasions, but never did I sleep at his place again after that supposedly one-night stand.

Usually, when the day ends, I just go back to my place.

I feel like it needs emotions for me to stay and sleep by his side all night long.

Emotions aren't something I've been having toward him.

Yes, he makes me anxious, excited, thrilled...he makes my pulse accelerate but he doesn't make my heart flutter, not the way I know it should.

"Uhh, but tomorrow is Monday, I have a class in the morning," I said, fishing for an excuse.

He nodded, "I have a class too, but...we can go together I mean," He said.

"But I don't have anything with me, not my books, or clothes," I clarified my excuse.

He shrugged, "In the morning, I can drop you at your place a bit earlier," I felt that he sensed my hesitation, "I mean if you want to only, I can take you now, it's just," He pulled into a deep breath and gave me a small nervous smile, "I think I am just getting really used to your presence, that's all."

The little small confession and the genuineness behind it had me involuntarily smiling, it calmed down my inside and somehow the thought of sleeping here didn't feel too bad anymore.

It's just spending the night, it is not that big of a commitment, right?

I nodded my head, "Okay," I said and his smile widened before he leaned closer and pecked my lips, "Cool," He mumbled, "Also, instead of wasting time on the road now, we can do much much more fun activities," He teasingly added.

My eyebrow raised as I played with the neck of his shirt, "Like what exactly?"

"How about I show you?" His palm pressed under my thigh and pulled me up till I was sitting on the counter and I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him even closer. He took my lips in his and kissed me, silencing down every doubt and hesitation.

Hmm yeah, it's just about the sex. Nothing more. Yes, definitely not more.

***************

Next day...

"Well, someone is in a good mood," Sally commented, addressing the big smile over my lips as I took a seat beside her.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I questioned and made her scoot away, making a place for Noah.

"She didn't stop smiling since she got here," Noah commented, as he took the seat beside mine.

I turned to him and raised an eyebrow, "Hey, you're on my side, okay?"

He raised his arms in surrender and I nodded in satisfaction, "Of course she won't stop smiling, considering her boyfriend is gonna give us a lecture in five minutes," Sally mumbled, totally bothered at the fact.

I shot her a glare, "He is not my boyfriend," I hissed at her before my eyes drifted around the class, hoping no one heard her, "And shush!"

"I don't think I'll ever be okay with this," She mumbled annoyed before her eyes drifted to Noah, "Come on you, back me up over here!"

He just shrugged, "I haven't seen anything bad from his side, so why not," He said, sticking to my side, "Let her have some fun."

I nudged his arm with my elbow and gave him a proud smile, "See, that's why you're my favorite person from now on."

He offered me one of his rare smiles and Sally glared at us both. After I spilled my coffee on Noah that day, I never stopped bothering him. Whenever I used to see him eating or sitting alone, I'd intrude and join, forcing him out of his comfort zone and into mine.

I noticed how annoyed he got at first, but time after time, I think he started to warm up to me and the more he hung out with us, the closer we got, till one time recently, where I accidentally spilled the fact that I am sleeping with Christian, who is our professor, in front of him, but I didn't get that drastic of a reaction from his side.

He didn't overreact like Sally and to be honest, I trust Noah enough for him to know about this by now.

He isn't much of a talker and he probably doesn't have any other friends in the university except for me and Sally, considering the fact that I forced him into this friendship.

"Oh, here comes the boyfriend," Sally whispered with a low whistle, and my eyes immediately drifted to the door, where Christian just entered. I pressed my elbows over the desk and placed my cheeks into my palms as I watched him with a big smile on my face.

Last night was really cool, sleeping over wasn't as big of a disaster as I expected it to be.

Christian talked smoothly, going over last week's topics, before he opened the slides and started explaining. He tried his best to avoid eye contact with me, because it will only let go of his professional act. On the other hand, I shamelessly eyed him and every movement he made.

Like when he ran his hand through his hair, letting the sleeves of his shirt pull up a bit and exposing a small portion of his tattoo, or when he explained something that was important and more related to his project, how the grey in his eyes would light up immediately and he'd talk on and on about it with a feverish passion.

He was really something else.

Every class with him leaves me more curious about him and everything he is. I mean come on, who of us doesn't like a smart guy, and add hot looks to that smartness, yup, he's Mr. Perfect.

He gave us a fifteen-minute break and when half of the class cleared out of the room, his eyes finally fell on mine. The smile that didn't leave my face all day long was still there and in return, he gave me a wink, letting that tightness over my stomach only increase.

I took my notebook and ushered Noah to give me some space, "Let me pass," I said and Sally immediately asked, "Where do you think you're going?"

"I am just gonna ask our professor about something I didn't understand," I answered, ever so innocently and her eyes narrowed at me suspiciously.

I walked toward him and placed my notebook on the table ahead of me, "Uh, so, I really didn't get this part," I said, pointing at my empty notebook, "Could you elaborate more please?"

Christian's eyebrow raised, "There is nothing written over there."

I nodded and looked at him, "Yup, you see the problem Dr. Irvine is that my professor is so hot," I shook my head, "That I can't seem to concentrate."

He tried to hide his smile and shook his head, "Don't do this here, Lilly," He warned, his voice low.

"Why?"

He pointed at my empty notebook, pretending that there is something written over it, fooling the other students in the class, "Because as it's written over here," He started, "If you keep teasing me like that, I might have to make you pay for it when we get back to my place."

I placed my hand beside his on the notebook, my fingers barely touching his as I casually said, "And over here it's written that I would pretty much enjoy to pay for it."

This time, he couldn't hide his smile and keep the act up, "Lilly, get back to your place before I lose my mind," He mumbled, more like ordered, ever so slowly losing his control.

I bit down at my lip, and on instinct, Christian's eyes fell onto my mouth. His hand tightened over the table's edge and his gaze drifted to the half-empty classroom, everyone busy on their phones or with their friends, no one paying attention to us, and our little conversation, "Ms. Dolan, why don't you meet me in my office in a minute or two?"

The insinuation behind his words had every nerve in my being fire up, I swallowed down, feeling the tension crackle between us as I stared up at the grey mixed with the hint of blue in his eyes.

I felt the warmness spread over my neck and I nodded my head, unable to form actual words. On anxious steps, I walked back to my place, giving him enough time to exit and head there first.

Once I made sure no one is observing us, except for Sally and Noah of course, I exited the classroom as well and headed toward his office, impatient. I looked at both sides of the corridor, making sure no one saw me as I barged into his office.

I didn't understand what happened after, my eyes met his in a silent conversation, and then my body was acting on its own accord. My hands were on his belt, and his were in my hair, his lips on mine, kissing, biting, sucking, and licking. His hands cupped my cheeks as his tongue invaded my mouth and I am again reminded of how good he tastes, a taste I am getting used to, more than I should. His lips descended to my neck, right under my ear, to the area that makes me weak and my knees buckled, but he held me up before he lifted me into his arms pressing me hard against the door as he locked it.

"Fuck Lilly, you drive me crazy," He whispered in my ear and I tightened my fingers over his hair, showing him how he does the exact same to me.

"I've never been like this with anyone before," He mumbled into my skin before he edged backward a fraction. His nose touching mine, one of his hands went to my cheek and he said, "Promise me one thing," A range of emotions raged in his eyes and I nodded, ushering him to continue.

He shook his head, a plea in his request, "Don't make me fall in love with you."

His words sucked the oxygen from my lungs and a wave of emotions hit me in a place I've locked years ago; a place I don't plan to open anytime soon.

I gulped down, taken aback by each word, "Why not?" I couldn't help myself from wondering. I have my reasons to avoid any type of intimate commitments, but what are his?

He cupped my face, the grey in his eyes darkened and his eyebrows pulled closer, "Because you and I," He heaved a breath into his lungs as his gaze gently caressed my face, "You and I would only end in a disaster."

I nodded, agreeing with him on a certain level. No way that his fire and mine would have a peaceful ending.

We are pure chaos in the process of making.

"Promise me, Lilly."

"I promise," I said over a whisper, and he pressed his lips back on mine, "But I should warn you," I mumbled as a familiar heaviness pressed against my chest, "I have a habit of breaking my promises."

He didn't address my words, instead decided to take the risk anyway. A few seconds in, and his skin was back on mine, and his lips were everywhere, clouding my brain and claiming parts of me I wanted to save for one person only.

After that moment, after that little talk, I realized that this wasn't just-sex anymore.

There were feelings this time. Emotions that I didn't understand, they weren't strong enough yet but not as weak as I thought them to be.

***************

One week later...

Chase's POV

"So, Ryder, how does it feel to finally get your license, eh?" Edward asked, a proud smile pulled up at his lips as he tapped a hand over my shoulder.

"Feels pretty great actually," I said back with a smile of my own as we left the field and headed toward the parking lot.

"Yeah, just a couple of months and you'll graduate," He said, "Gosh, it feels like yesterday when I gave you your first training lesson," His eyebrows pulled closer, "How did time fly by so fast, I think I am getting emotional," He casually threw his arm over my shoulder and faked a sniffle, "I feel like I raised you with my own hands, I am so proud right now."

I chuckled at his tone and words, "Well, it's true, it all happened thanks to you," I said, appreciating the chance I was offered.

Edward was my mentor since day one, he was a man in his mid-thirties, but he never accepted me calling him by his last name. He was one of the airline's pilots to volunteer as a trainer for the summer program I first came here for.

After I passed the exams and the training the program offered, Edward picked me up and he's been training and leading my way since then, making sure I've got enough flight hours by graduating so I can immediately join as his co-pilot at first, till I get enough hours to become a captain myself, just like him.

"Okay, seriously, we should celebrate this," Edward said as he unlocked his car, "I don't have any flight for the next five days and you've finally finished your practice, so it means we can finally consume some alcohol," He got inside into the driver's seat and I joined him, "And I desperately need the alcohol," He started the engine and pulled out into the street, "Call that friend of yours, what was his name, the one who keeps stealing the hat I gave you."

"Conner?" I said with a chuckle, "Yeah, yeah, that one, tell him to join us as well," He added, "You kids make me feel young again."

I called Conner and we headed to a bar nearby the campus. Edward was such a cool person to hang out with. Despite him being fun and all, he was really mature and he had taught me quite a lot, about everything, not just about being a pilot.

We ordered our drinks first and we waited for Conner to arrive. It didn't take him long, "Hey Edward!" Conner said, before he took a seat beside us.

Edward gave him a hard stare, "It's Captain James for you, kid," He pointed at me, "Only he can call me Edward."

Conner's eyes widened a bit, "Uh, yeah, yeah, sure, sorry," He chuckled nervously, "I meant Captain James, of course, why would I call you otherwise."

Edward chuckled and shook his head, "God, I do this to you every time and you never learn your lesson, do you?"

Conner's shoulders relaxed and he scoffed at himself, "It's that look he gives me, I swear," He said to me before he looked at Edward, "You can be scary when you want to."

Edward shrugged and took a sip of his drink, "Comes in handy sometimes."

Conner rolled his eyes before he took my drink and gulped it down. He winced a bit and stared at the half-empty drink in disgust, "Yup, I needed that," He said and I raised an eyebrow before I snatched my drink back.

"Ryder and I have an excuse not to drink on daily occasions," Edward questioned, "What's your excuse, you don't have a plane to fly, do you?"

Conner scoffed, "I am almost an engineer, so I need this brain to always be a hundred percent sober and awake," He pointed at his head, "I really can't remember the last time I had a drink," He sighed tiredly, "This brain is always drunk on caffeine, nothing more, I can assure you."

Edward shook his head and our conversations went on and on till we reached this part somehow, "So, you two aren't too bad to look at, and you're in a big city, why don't I see any girls around, huh?"

"Well, I've had my flings," Conner said before he placed his hand on my shoulder, "While our boy over here decided to become a monk and he swore off girls," he sarcastically added and I shot him a glare.

"Uhuh, something doesn't add up here," Edward said, curiously, "I mean, Ryder, you've got the looks as well as the brains, kind of remind me of myself when I was your age," He added proudly before he rubbed a hand over his chin, "To swear off girls, there must be a story."

"Oh yeah, there is," Conner said, totally invested, "It starts with L-I-L-L-Y," He added, spelling her name, letter by letter, and involuntarily, my fingers tightened over the glass in my hand.

"Lilly?" Edward asked, "And who is Lilly," His eyes narrowed at me a bit, "Let me guess," He said, "She is the one that got away, am I right?"

"That's not it," I started to say but Conner interjected, "That's exactly what she is, how did you know?"

Edward shrugged, "Well, don't we all at some point have a Lilly in our lives?" He said, "Now, let's discuss his Lilly, I am intrigued."

I shook my head, "How about we talk about anything but my love-life right now?"

Conner scoffed, "You mean you're non-existing love life?"

I raked my hand through my hair and stared back at Conner, "What's the matter with you?"

He gave me a knowing look, "I couldn't change your mind, so maybe Edward can," he looked at him, "So, in short, the story is as following, Chase has been in love with her since he was born, and-"

"I was born before her, you stupid."

Conner rolled his eyes, "Okay, sorry, I meant when she was born, our Chasy fell in love."

"That doesn't even make sense," I interjected, hoping he'd just shut up. The last thing I needed is to reminisce about the past right now.

"Ugh, okay," Conner snapped, "So, when little Chase down there started growing," He said, pointing at my pants and Edward laughed at the meaning, "Since then, he was in love with her, but they didn't get together till the last year of high-school, tragic I know," He added and I facepalmed, "Then, Chase came here, she went to the UK, distance separated them and right now, they are not even on talking terms, but our boy over here is pretty much still head over heels with her," He finished his sentence there and I took a mental note to kick him when we go back home.

"What about on your vacations?" Edward asked me, interested in the topic at hand for some reason, "Don't you see her when you go back home?"

I shook my head, "She made sure we're never there at the same time."

Edward's eyebrow raised, taken aback by the information but he didn't comment.

"I am going to the bathroom, till I come back, can you try and kick some sense into his brain?" Conner said, shooting me a glare before he stood up and walked away.

Edward called for a refill and he leaned backward in his seat, "Do you want an advice, based on a personal experience?"

I looked back at him, noticing how his tone has turned somewhat serious now.

I didn't say anything but he sensed my need for any type of advice because he carried on, "They say men never wait around, but let me get you in on new information," He took a sip of his drink, his eyes not on me but focused ahead, "It's the girl who never waits, so unless you wanna be thirty-something, coming back from a tiring flight to drink in a bar all alone," He looked back at me, "Go ahead now and try to move on," He requested, "Because the longer you wait, the harder it'll be to accept it."

"Who knows, maybe the future Mrs. Ryder is around, but you're refusing to see her through your current denial."

I swallowed and traced the edge of my glass before I looked at him and shook my head, "I can't."

"Why?"

"I made a promise," It was as simple as that.

"Did she...make a promise as well?"

I nodded and his eyebrow raised, "Do you think she kept it?"

I paused for a second, refusing to think of the possible different answer his question has, "I am counting on the fact that she did."

He offered me a smile, like he understood what I was feeling more than anyone, "Chase, you are a really good guy," He said, for the very first time ever calling me with my first name, "I would say that I'd really hate to see you get hurt, but something tells me you're already there," He sighed and placed his hand over my arm, "What you reached up till now for your career is pretty big, but keep one thing in your mind, it's not everything," He gave me the advice I really needed, "You need to give a chance to the other parts of your life as well."

*************

"Hey," I said to Conner, as I stood by his room's door. My voice grabbed his attention from the laptop's screen and to me.

"Yeah?" He asked and I pulled the near chair and sat across from him, "I am gonna ask for a favor and you can't say no."

His eyebrows pulled together, "Okay?"

I nodded my head toward his phone, "Take that," I said and he confusingly picked his phone up, "Now, open it," I added and he did that, "Now, call Sally."

His eyes snapped from the phone to me and they widened a bit, "Wait, what? Why? Why would I do that? What do you want? What's wrong?"

My eyebrows pulled closer at his refusal, "Weren't you two close friends, what happened?"

He chuckled nervously, "Me and Sally? Close?" He shook his head, "No, no, we were just normal friends, normal, not close, casual even, I mean more like acquaintances actually," He started rambling, "I mean, a friend is too big of a word sometimes, like yeah you and me, we are friends, but like Sally and me," He waved his hand in the air, "We were definitely not that close and like-"

I sighed, "You slept with her, didn't you?"

His eyes widened, "What? No, no, no, no," He shook his head, "Where would you even, no, come on, of course not," He gulped down and I shot him a glare, "No, we didn't."

"Okay, can you call her, now?"

He gulped down, "Why, exactly?" He asked, "I mean if you are curious about Lilly, I would call her if you want, I am more comfortable talking with Lilly," He continued and I shook my head, "I just called her, and she didn't pick up," I said, "I just want to know if she is okay, that's all, can you call Sally?"

"How about you call Sally yourself?" His eyebrow raised, "Makes more sense."

I shook my head, "Sally and I aren't that close, and if Lilly is beside her, she'll probably just not pick up, so just fucking do what I said, you owe me one after the shit you pulled at the bar earlier."

He swallowed down and looked back at the phone screen, he pulled into a deep breath and opened FaceTime before he dialed her, "You owe me now," He mumbled, his eyes glaring at me.

"Conner," Sally's confused voice came from his phone, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"

He shook his head, "Uh no, no, just wanted to call you," He said and rubbed a nervous hand over his neck, "Uh, Chase is here by the way," he added, indirectly telling her to not say anything about whatever these two went through before.

"Oh, uh, how...how are you?" She asked, taking the conversation into a casual turn.

"Fine," he said, "You?"

"Also fine."

Talk about awkwardness.

"Uh, so what are you doing?" Conner asked, "Trying to solve this homework for the past five hours," She said, a bit of frustration in her voice, it made Conner smile, "Want help?"

"I could actually use some of your brains in this," She said, the awkwardness slowly fading away between them.

"So, where is Lilly, is she beside you?" He asked, turning the conversation to my benefit.

She scoffed, "No, I never see her anymore, do I, all the time she is with Chris..." The widening in Conner's eyes and the shake of his head had Sally pausing in her words, "Uh, I mean with our friend, she is with our friend from class, you know Chris...Christine, you know her, right?"

She tried to cover up what she first said, but I wasn't stupid.

"So, umm, you said Chase is there, how is he? Tell him I say hi," She added nervously and I got to my feet and extended my hand, asking for the phone. Conner looked up at me, "Uh, he wants to talk with you."

When the phone was in my hand, I looked at Sally through the screen and she waved her hand, "Hey," She said, with a smile.

"Hey Sally, can I ask something from you?"

She immediately nodded her head, "Yeah, sure."

"I called Lilly, but she didn't answer, I have a feeling she won't ever answer," My jaw tightened, "So when she gets back, can you tell her to just pick up, I just want to talk, that's all, okay?"

She nodded, "She will call you back, she probably just didn't see the phone, I am sure," She said, in an attempt to defend her friend.

"And Chase," She said, hesitantly, "Please talk with her, I think she needs to hear from you, she is...acting different and it's making me so worried," Her eyebrows pulled together in sadness, "I don't think she is okay, she thinks she is, but...just, just talk with her, okay?"

My heart beat a thousand feeling against my chest at her words, at the thought that Lilly is not okay. I gave her space so she can be, she asked for it in the ugliest way possible but I gave it to her, because I just couldn't handle seeing her sad or in pain anymore.

Because I believed that no matter what, despite everything; distance or time, she'd still keep her promise, just like I've kept mine.

*************

Lilly's POV

I don't know what to feel.

One moment I was sitting with Christian and the rest of the group, the other I come to his room, where I had my phone on the charger, to see a missed call...from Chase.

Why did he call me? What happened? Is he okay? Did he call me by mistake? Is everyone okay?

I don't know what to feel.

I stared at the screen for a long time, trying to understand and grasp the fact that Chase called me, or that he even has my new number. My finger hovered over his name as I debated about what to do next. My pulse sped off as I thought about hearing his voice again after so long.

I sat on the bed's edge for some time, unable to decide, and unable to ignore this. I tried to pull enough oxygen into my lungs as I finally made my decision to call him back. But before I could press my finger over the screen, the phone shook in my hand and my eyes widened when I saw his name once again flash across my screen.

Uneasiness prickled under my skin and I took a second to prepare myself mentally before I pressed the answer button and placed the phone to my ear, but I stayed silent, my brain malfunctioning, forgetting how to form words and make sentences.

I pressed my eyes shut and on a low whisper, I finally managed to mumble, "Hey."

"Hey," He said through the phone, and his voice...his voice had my inside breaking all over again. I pressed a hand to my mouth to stop myself from crying as every feeling I've repressed for the sake of moving on overwhelmed my being.

"Lilly," He said my name so softly and I fought against the tears, "Chase," I mumbled and held back every emotion trying to fight its way from my burning throat.

"How are you?" He asked and I shook my head, unable to answer that without breaking down all over again.

"Why...why did you call me?" I asked, my voice a mere whisper.

"I just...I needed to hear your voice," His words held me by the throat and tightened their hold, suffocating me.

"Now?" I asked, a bit of accusation in my tone.

"You wanted space, Lilly, what was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, maybe fight a little for me," I mumbled, "Show me that not every doubt and insecurity I had was coming true." I couldn't understand how after all this time, now we are talking about this and on the phone.

"You think it was easy on me? Lilly, it sucked like hell to have to hear it from Conner that you don't want to talk to me anymore, that seeing me was hurting you, that you wanted space, that you wanted to move on," He said, frustration and something akin to pain flared within his words, "You think it didn't kill me every time I called you and you won't even smile, that I'd see the tears you were crying before hidden in your eyes, that the girl who I fell in love with was slipping from between my fingers and I couldn't do anything to stop it," I pressed a hand to my chest feeling like it was about to explode, totally unprepared to face him or these facts now.

"Lilly, you thought you were the only one who was in pain, that I wasn't going through the exact same thing you were feeling."

I shook my head, "Why did you call me now, Chase, why?" I asked again, my voice rose.

Just when I thought I could be happy again...

"I am calling to ask one thing from you, one thing only," he said, the plea in his voice ruined me, "Don't do it, Lilly, please, don't."

That's when the first tear slipped down, because I already did it.

"Don't ruin what we once had," He asked, "It's the only thing keeping me going."

"You don't know anything."

"I don't want to know," He said, "But, we still have a chance, don't take that away from us."

"No, Chase, we don't."

"You said in five years."

"What did I know back then, I was naive and stupid."

"Lilly, you promised."

"And I didn't keep my promise!" I shot out, everything about his call bringing me further and further down.

There was a full second of silence from his side before he said, "No, you didn't," He said, so sure, as if to call out my bluff.

I bit at the inside of my cheek and more tears scrolled down, "I did, okay, I did," I mumbled, "Your call is a bit too late."

"Lilly, don't do this," It was like he still thought I was lying to him.

How could he still believe in me?

"Did you really move on?" He asked.

A sob tore up my throat and my body arched forward, real pain surged into my chest when he said the next words, "Because Lilly, I didn't, I never stopped loving you," He said, and the hurt in his voice was something that was going to haunt me forever.

"Lilly?" Christian's voice had me looking up, at the sight of my tears his eyebrows pulled closer and he immediately stepped toward me, "What's wrong?" He asked in worry and shock, "Are you okay?"

I didn't need to say anything back to Chase, not after knowing that for sure he heard Christian's voice.

A second of silence took us in, from both his side and mine. Me, finally coming to sense with what I've done and still doing, and Chase trying to understand all of that.

The second turned into two, into three...

"I was so stupid, wasn't I?" He finally said and I pressed my eyes shut, the tears uncontrollably fell through.

"You didn't trust me, but look who broke us first," There was no anger in his tone anymore, and that scared me even more.

"Chase," I mumbled.

"Bye, Lilly," He said it, for the first time meaning it, "It's about time I wake up."

He hung up and the phone dropped down from my hand as I buried my face in them, letting it all out. I felt Christian's hand over my arm, over my hand and face, "You're scaring me, Lilly, what's wrong?"

I shook my head and pulled away from his touch, "You should stay away from me," I mumbled, brokenly wiping at my cheeks, "I am not good at this."

I grabbed my phone and got to my feet, "I am not, I will just ruin everything," I started to walk away as I furiously wiped at my face, "It's what I always do."

************************************

I know that most of you don't like Lilly and Christian, or their relationship or wherever this is heading. Just let me say one thing, everything happening in Part two is happening for a reason, believe in that and you'll get what I mean later on!

Ahh, also there is a scene that I have already written and I can't wait for the chapter where it comes in (Maybe after five or six chapters), it's the most exciting scene for me in this whole book; it will start like this:
"I did something."
"What did you do?!"

Any thoughts of what it could be? The possibilities are endless!!
Yes, I am teasing you, but this part is worth the tease *wink*

Anyway, can you all imagine what Alex's reaction will be when he figures out that his little bug is dating her professor? xD
Yup, I guess we'll figure that out soon, uhuh xD

Also, I finally gave you Chase's POV, are you satisfied? :(

Love ya all!