English 111-a modern twist on our beloved Elizabeth & Jack.

4:58 a.m.

Numbers on a clock. Staring back at her like a red-faced joker. "Go to sleep!" Elizabeth murmured to herself. She had been awake for awhile. She couldn't turn off her brain. It traveled back to when they met.

It was her first day of college. Nearly seven years ago. He caught her eye right away when he strolled into the classroom. She was pretty sure every girl in the room nearly fell out of their chairs watching him. He had a cowlick in the front, making his hair... perfect. His lips... perfect. He was wearing a blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, good-fitting jeans and a pair of flip-flops... Oh my, her heart had raced. She was pretty sure that everything about him was probably perfect. Not that it mattered. Because a guy like that was never going to notice her. And even if he miraculously did, there was probably a line of girls around the block in front of her. She had tried to put him out of her head.

Much to her surprise, at the next class period, he had switched to a seat closer to hers. They had made eye contact a couple of times and she quickly willed herself to focus on what the instructor was lecturing about. She was there to study after all. To earn a teaching degree. As the semester went on, she found herself running into him a lot, but she was never brave enough to even muster a "hello."

Dr. Jackson had unknowingly done her a huge favor a few weeks later, putting the two in a group together for a project. The five students had introduced themselves to each other, and she learned his name was Jack. Jack Thornton. He was a cadet in the officer training academy.

In her mind, that had settled it-a brave, cool guy like that would never go for a girl like her. He was gorgeous, charming and confident-everything she wasn't.

5:03 a.m.

Jack rolled over to find Sasha taking up almost the entire bed, her feet in his back. He groaned and pushed her over, reclaiming his pillow. She grimaced, but settled back into a peaceful slumber. "How can she sleep like the dead while I'm laying here wide awake?"

His mind drifted back to his first day of college. English 111. The day he saw her for the first time. He had initially taken a seat on the other side of the room, but after seeing her, he had to get closer. To find out who she was. Her curls cascaded down her back, her lips pursed, her blue eyes intensely focused on the lecture. She was mesmerizing. And commanding. He found himself leaving early in the mornings, just for a chance to catch a glimpse of her on their way to classes. But too much of a chicken to talk to her. Soon after, he had felt like his luck was changing when he was assigned to a project with her.

But with their initial introductions, he realized it wasn't luck at all. Quite the opposite.

Her name was Elizabeth. Elizabeth Thatcher.

Her Father owns half of the town-hell, an entire building on campus was named after him. The William Thatcher Commerce Building.

In his mind, he didn't stand a chance with a girl like that. She would never go for a small-town guy like him. And neither would her Father.

5:10 a.m.

Throughout her years at the university, he always managed to end up in one of her classes. During her second semester, they actually struck up quite a friendship. They studied together, often had lunch together and occasionally hung out on the weekends in a large group of shared friends. Their chemistry was palpable. But he was way out of her league.

By her Junior year, they no longer had classes together, but their friendship had grown closer. They teased each other and went to sporting events together. Practically inseparable. She started running with him and they celebrated each other's victories. He was so smart, so driven.

Her hands gripped the bleachers watching his athletic body in the sand. She bit her lip. And she resisted.

Because they were best friends. Nothing more.

5:15 a.m.

He did his best to maintain contact with her despite his busy schedule. She had pretty quickly "friend-zoned" him, but he had accepted it and slid into the role happily. Because that meant he still got to be with her. He got to smell her, watch her, just be near her. Lee had warned him that he should make a move before it was too late. "Jack, a guy is going to come along and sweep her away, while you watch her like a puppy dog. You gotta tell her! Man up!"

His senior year was so crazy. Between sports, fitness exams and classes, he had little time to spend with Elizabeth alone. She saw other guys. He dated a few girls, but none of them lasted for more than a few dates. They were all in Elizabeth's shadow. And they all knew it.

He couldn't deny their chemistry-whenever they were together, it took everything in him not to just sit and stare at her. Imagining what her lips tasted like. Fantasizing about pulling her warm body to his.

But she was his best friend. Only his friend.

And Lee was right.

5:22 a.m.

First semester of her Senior year, she met Charlie. He was a law student from a wealthy family, not unlike her own. She never expected him to fall for her, but he did. Hard. He was very sweet, and very handsome. He asked her out, and she accepted. She had been dating him for a few weeks when she invited him to meet her friends. The whole crew had landed at The Irish Lion, a local pub, after a beach volleyball game. That was the night Jack met Charlie.

They all had sand in every crevice, but were having a fantastic time having some drinks, laughing about the game, about Jack's amazing kills. He and Elizabeth sat in their usual seats next to each other, this time with Charlie to her left. He seemed to fit in with her friends wonderfully. At the end of the night, the checks came and the waiter had mistakenly put Elizabeth's order on Jack's ticket. They all found it amusing, and Charlie ended up just taking care of the whole tab. She realized now that he had felt threatened and wanted to make sure everyone knew that she was his. Especially Jack. As Charlie opened her car door, she and Jack had exchanged glances.

Elizabeth shifted in her bed at the thought. She picked up her phone and remembered that Jack had texted her later that night, teasing her about Charlie. "What a chiseled jaw he has! He looks like he walked out of GQ!" "Did he kiss you goodnight?!" "You're not still with him are you?" She and Jack had texted into the night, about nothing really. Charlie was a handsome, genuine guy. And she had really fallen for him.

5:45 a.m.

Jack sat up in bed, resting against his pillow pushed up against the headboard. He played a game on his phone, trying to make himself sleepy while Sasha drooled all over her pillow. Gross.

Just like the thought of Charlie's hands all over Elizabeth had been. He groaned. The thought of another guy kissing Elizabeth always sent him reeling. He had texted her that night, just making sure he didn't need to go rescue her. He didn't want her to be with him. But what could he do? The guy was Mr. Perfect. He could never do that to her. It could devastate their friendship. And she meant so much to him. He couldn't handle the idea of never seeing her again.

5:51 a.m.

Her mind drifted to her graduation. She remembered the ceremony like it was yesterday. Her robe. Her honor's cords. Her parents were so proud. She had found herself scanning the audience for Jack... when she should have been looking for Charlie.

His face was beaming. His uniform tight against his chest. His strong biceps peeking out from the sleeves. He gave her a nod and a wink. His dimples had sent shivers down her, her cheeks flushed.

She had apparently spoken of him so often that her parents had mistakenly assumed they were together, just like the waiter. She shuddered at how awkward that conversation had been with Charlie standing right there. After they left her ceremony, they all made their way to Jack's Officer Graduation. He was the top cadet in his class. Her parents seemed genuinely impressed with him, even in the presence of her lawyer boyfriend.

5:54 a.m.

Jack was still awake, much to his dismay. Why?! Why can't I sleep? He looked across the room and saw the uniform he had discarded the night before laying on a chair. He had been hired right out of school by a great precinct. As luck would have it, Elizabeth had accepted a job in the city teaching second grade in the same district as his station. He had been so thrilled by the news that he had picked her up and spun her around. He feigned disappointment when she told him Charlie had passed the bar and was hired by a prestigious firm in his hometown, an hour away. That's right, Mr. Perfect Teeth. Ride your white horse right on out of town. He chuckled at how excited he had been.

But they were still together. And she wasn't his.

5:57 a.m.

Though she and Charlie had maintained their relationship long-distance, Jack had been the one around for her to hang out with for the past nearly three years. He seemed thrilled to get to see her more often. She realized just how much she had missed seeing him, being with him. He brought her coffee to her classroom, she cooked him dinner.

She walked over to the window and looked down at Abigail's Cafe. She could see their table even in the darkness. She and Abigail talked constantly, like grown schoolgirls. She loved having such a good friend and confidant. Abigail had recently asked her point blank if she had feelings for Jack. Elizabeth told her that she didn't. "If you say so," Abigail smirked.

She was lying to herself too. Even when she was with Charlie, she thought about Jack. And Charlie had noticed.

They fought. Often. Always about Jack. She dismissed his jealousy, reiterating that she and Jack were just good friends, nothing more. But Charlie knew. No matter how fiercely she tried to suppress it, her feelings flowed in her body language. In the stolen glances.

"He doesn't look at you like an old friend Elizabeth!" he had shouted, jaws clenched.

"You're insane! We are just friends," she retorted. "He watches out for me because he worries about me being alone in the city."

"Then move here! With me. Be with me. Let me protect you!"

The statement had jarred her. Her eyes surveyed the floor. "But... but, my students... my l..."

"Your life? With Jack?" he interrupted. Her eyes shot to his. "Your hesitation tells me everything I need to know."

Last night, after nearly three years, he couldn't take it any more. He had called it off. He was done.

5:59 a.m.

She sat up in her bed, still in disbelief. She had driven back into the city, tears flowing. Heartbroken.

But even in the silence, she could only think of Jack. Abigail and Charlie were right.

What now?