I'm running out of money.

I haven't found a job, the city is rife with thousands of students who want one. Every week I fill out numerous applications before I finally hear that I was too late.

Elle insists on paying half of my rent, despite the fact that she's now left to fend for herself in our crappy apartment. I'm not completely broke, but if I don't obtain another source of income I'll run out by the end of February which isn't ideal considering I have another two and a half years to get through!

Loving to keep everything organized in my room extends into real life. The thought of potentially running out of money three months down the line panics me more than I'd like to admit. The reality is that I probably have enough time to find a job, but uncertainty worries me, I need a destination in life, for everything.

It's why I've never been spontaneous, never been one to live in the heat of the moment. I take after my Dad in that respect, him passing the obsessive organisation trait down to me in comparison to my chaotic sister.

In fact, the only time I have ever lived 'on the edge' was when I was with Brett - driving over to Stanford, swimming in a cold lake. Hell, even when he wasn't orchestrating the day, I always found myself dropping everything for him, driving to see him in the middle of the night and damning the consequences. He brought that side out of me, and since then it's retreated back inside me, never to be heard from again.

Haydon is just like me. We make our plans weeks in advance, we arrange our days from start to finish. When he rings me to arrange a date we decide where to go and then structure the day around that. It's comfortable. And safe.

Standing outside the movie theater I shuffle on my feet, anxious for Haydon to arrive. As soon as Becky told him to keep the day free he rang me, curious. I couldn't keep the surprise in and told him where we were going. To say he was excited would be an understatement - I almost feel like we could just have this one day together, and all will be forgiven.

He's already a few minutes late and I hate walking into a movie once it's started. I don't even know if I like the Lord of the Rings franchise, and yet here I am, ready to watch it for my boyfriend. Who, incidentally, hasn't turned up yet.

My phone suddenly springs to life and I dig it out of my pocket, grinning as I notice Haydon's name on the screen.

"Haydon!" I exclaim as I answer, wrapping my coat around myself. "Are you nearly here?" I grin, the excitement causing butterflies to float around my stomach. Being apart from him this much is hard, but the excitement I feel when I finally get to see him makes it worth it.

"Sav..."

"I'm right outside so you'll see me straight away." I continue.

"Sav!"

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry baby." He starts and I immediately feel the smile fall from my face, "My truck won't start."

"Oh." I manage to choke out.

"Dad said I could take his car but he needs it later tonight so I wouldn't be able to stay long away. Rain check?"

"Uh... sure."

"Take Elena with you to the movies okay?" He tries to encourage and I gulp back the lump in my throat and nod, despite the fact he can't see me.

"Okay." I manage out, crossing my spare arm across my chest.

"I'm so sorry!" He exclaims, "I'll make it up to you, okay?"

"Sure." I try, "Speak to you later." I manage to get out before pulling the phone away and hanging up. Biting my lip as I stuff my phone into the pocket I grimace, looking down at the ground and wondering what to do now. There's no way I'll drag Elena to a Lord of the Rings movie when I don't even know if I want to go myself.

Is it bad that I feel mad at him? It's not his fault that his truck didn't start? But then why did he wait so late before he rang me? Edgewater is two hours away, he would have known he couldn't make it before I spent an hour on my hair and choosing my outfit.

Turning away from the movie theater I take a step down the street before my eyes fall on the well dressed boy heading my way, his eyes widening in surprise as he sees me.

"Savannah?"

"Great." I mutter, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm hiding. No one ever finds me here." Brett smirks, shrugging as he stops in front of me.

"Hiding?" I narrow my eyes as I glance around, "You're in the middle of a street." I scoff.

"My parents won't look for me in plain sight." He retorts, and I raise an eyebrow. He's right, his parents would look in his dorm, in the library, in the cafe, but never on this small back street that I spent fifteen minutes walking to.

Why are you hiding from them?" I pry, staring up at him.

"I can never escape my Dad's expectations." He lets out, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. 

"At least your parents are finally taking an interest?" I try softly, shoving my hands into the pockets of my grey coat.

"Yeah, into something I don't want to do." He sighs, turning back towards me. "They just want to keep the business alive. It's always about money."

"If only they could see that life is so much more than that."

"Exactly." He exclaims, "They gave Alice an iPhone for her birthday."

"Wow." I breathe out, a disbelieving smile on my face, "Lucky girl."

"Don't get me wrong, she loved it." He admits, "But she's ten! She just wants their time. Also, what happened to playing outside on go-karts and in the treehouse?"

"Okay." I say, not being able to help the small laugh that erupts from my mouth. "So most kids can't afford the go-karts." I remind him, "But I know what you mean." I continue, "I got my first phone three weeks before my parents died. For my thirteenth birthday." I smile, "I only went on it to play the games."

"Candy crush?"

"Was that even around back then?" I retort, smiling up at him in amusement, "I preferred snake."

"Is that even around anymore?"

"I have no idea. I think I was one of the last people who played it." I giggle before we fall silent once more. "I'm sorry about what Becky said last week..."

"Don't apologize." He cuts me off, "I deserve it."

"I suppose you do." I reply softly before beginning to turn. I guess I'll go back home and take my make-up off, drag Elena into a movie day with me. We could start with Mean Girls, finish with Suicide Squad. I'll grab some popcorn and a carton of Ben & Jerry's to last us the afternoon. It'll be great. I won't even think about my boyfriend bailing on me.

"What are you doing here?" Brett calls out and I slowly turn back towards him. "Did you have tickets for this?" He asks, glancing up at the big banner outside the theater. Alright, here we go. This boy is going to judge me so hard. But why do I care?

"Yes." I admit.

"Then why aren't you going?" He retorts, eyes back on me.

"Haydon couldn't make it." I shrug.

"And you're going to waste them?"

"Here." I dig the tickets out of my pocket and hold them out. "Have them."

"On my own?"

"Why not?"

"Hell no! You paid for them. You're coming with."

"What? No Brett..."

"Come on!" He exclaims, ripping one ticket from my hand. "I saw Elena heading into the library only half hour ago, so what else are you going to do today?" He continues and I shrug, "I'll buy you a large popcorn?" He offers, smiling.

He's got a point. What else am I going to do today?

Reluctantly I nod before following him inside the small theater. Popcorn, here I come!

*~*~*

"This has been fun."

"It has, hasn't it?" He replies as we exit out of the theater and onto the street, out bellies full of popcorn and candy, "Have you made up your mind whether you like Lord of the Rings now?"

"I... I think I like it." I manage and he laughs. "Thanks for coming with me. I should get back."

"How about a trip to that cafe? A brownie?" He asks, gesturing across the street. Very tempting.

"Don't you have college work to do?" I point out, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I'm all caught up." He grins.

"You, Brett Winters, are all caught up?" I scoff and he smirks at my response.

"Is it that unbelievable?"

"Yes." I retort, beginning to walk away from him. I feel him walk beside me and bite my lip, unsure of why he's following me. He always was a stalker. What Brett Winters wants, Brett Winters gets.

"I've changed a lot since high school." He pipes up.

"Whatever you say." I reply, my eyes still focused on the street ahead.

"I'm serious Savannah." He continues, "I've grown up."

"I don't believe you." I comment and he bows his head.

"I didn't think you would." He mutters, looking away. I glance up at him and watch as he narrows his eyes, looking out at the road, the wrinkle in the middle of his forehead visible as he creases his eyebrows, highlighting the angst he is feeling. I can't help but bite my lip as I watch the battle he's having with himself as it appears over his face. The pain, the uncertainty, the regret that his expression holds shows me just how damaged Brett Winters is, how far his life really is from perfect.

He doesn't have his parents support, he's here because they told him to be, he's trying his hardest even though it isn't even what he wants to do. He's had to grow up fast, the weight of the world placed onto his shoulders. It's not fair.

"Cheer up." I mutter, "You horse!"

"Horse?"

"Such a long face." I remark, giggling slightly. He can't help but grin, shaking his head as he watches me. Stepping in front of me he inches closer, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Take that back." He says lowly, amusement laced into his tone.

"Never." I retort softly, still grinning as he shuffles closer once more, stopping inches away from me.

"Take it back." He repeats, his voice lower, his smile growing smaller as he stares into my eyes. My smile slowly slips as my heart begins to quicken, my gaze fixed onto his face, willing it to come closer. My eyes slip down to his red lips as they part slightly as he begins to move towards me. I am frozen in place, unable to pull back, fully under his spell. He moves his hand up to caress my cheek and I instantly react to the warm, comforting contact, leaning into his hand as he moves in closer, our lips only a centimeter apart. I have no idea what I'm doing, no idea how I got into this position, but now I can't think of anything other than needing Brett's lips on mine.

I go to make the final move before a loud ringing cuts us off. Cursing he steps back, fishing his phone out of his pocket before immediately declining it and shoving it back away. I immediately turn and begin to stride down the street once more, the thoughts in my brain flying at a hundred miles per hour. What the hell is wrong with me? Brett is not good for me, he doesn't even deserve my attention, and yet here I am attempting to instigate a kiss.

I have a boyfriend, a kind, caring boyfriend who's back home. The only problem here is that I haven't seen Haydon in so long, I haven't kissed him in so long, I'm just confused. I need to see Haydon, that's all.

I hear Brett's footsteps beside me, my quick departure not enough to throw him off my trail.

"You not going to get that?" I ask, gesturing towards his pocket.

"I wasn't lying about hiding." He says, "I just want some free time to myself. My parents try to drag me to as many meetings as possible."

"How do you have time to finish all your study?"

"A lot of late nights." He answers, "Cutting down on parties have helped."

"Oh, the horror!" I mock.

"I don't enjoy them as much as I used to anyway." He shrugs.

"You don't like the parties, you don't like the meetings..." I list. "Surely there's something in your life that you enjoy?"

"No."

"I don't believe you." I counter and he smirks.

"Well, there's always sex."

"Of course!" I roll my eyes, crossing my arms.

"I used to love football." He admits, looking down at the ground as we walk.

"Why don't you do it here?" I say.

"My Dad thinks I don't have time to do that and focus on my studies." He replies, his expression downcast. "I never got a scholarship either."

"Because you never accepted one. All the colleges wanted you."

"It wasn't my destiny." He shrugs and I shake my head. This boy is in denial. I watched him play football and he was incredible, the best I'd ever seen. When he was on the field you could see the passion on his face, the determination and I know that if anyone deserves to play football at college, it's him.

"You should play if you want to Brett."

"I can't."

"Don't let your parents run your life, or you'll resent them forever." I point out, taking a step up the road towards my dorm building. "And yourself because you never did what you wanted to."

"I forgot how insightful you are."

"Whatever." I scoff, turning my gaze away from him.

"No really Sav." He says softly, "You've always been the one person who understands me. The person I can talk to."

"It's a shame you fucked it up then isn't it." I retort, before whirling away from him. I don't take a second look at him as I begin to walk away, not missing the three words that emerge from his mouth as I leave.

"Yeah it is."

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