They were supposed to meet tonight.
It would have been the first time in three years. They were trying to stay friends through college. Seth was too busy to talk to them, and Marissa disappeared mysteriously to France without any information to anyone, but they stayed in touch. They e-mailed every two days, talked on the phone three times a week. They made time for each other, more time then they ever spent in high school. They found out more about each other than they ever knew about any of their boyfriends or girlfriends.
He knew that her major was interior design, not fashion, and she knew that he followed in Kirsten's footsteps and majored in architecture. She knew that both of their favorite colors were green, and he knew that she loved country music but listened to it in secret during high school so no one would ever know. She knew that his biggest fear was meeting his dad, not because he didn't want to, but because he was scared he would mess it up. He knew hers was to have kids, because she was scared she would be like her mother and run away.
They both lived in one bedroom apartments, 2,500 miles away, 7 states apart. It took 3 hours to fly there, and almost 20 to drive. But he came once, and they planned to go out to dinner. She bought a new dress, and he bought new shoes. Both were slightly nervous, and anxious to finally see each other after 3 years of college. He was about to graduate early, while she still had a year left.
Both never knew how much they truly felt for the other, and they both were in denial. But while Marissa was stuck in the past, drinking herself into oblivion, and Seth was stuck even further, marrying Anna, they were living one day at a time, dating different people. She never dated someone for more than a month, while he fell in love with each women he dated, and has had at least two year-long relationships. He teased her, calling her a flirt, and she teased back, saying that you weren't supposed to have long-term relationships in college, only when you were old and ready to settle down. She was scared of commitment, while he was ready to jump right in. But still, they connected in a way his and her friends were baffled by. His girlfriends got jealous, saying he spent too much time talking about her and e-mailing her. Her boyfriends always asked when she dumped them, "Is it because of him?" Both laughed and told each other about it, like it would never happen in a million years.
If they were just a bit more trusting in the relationship, they knew they could fall in love and get married. They both wanted the traditional white wedding at the perfect church. They both wanted the white picket fence and 2.5 kids, even though she said she never wanted kids. They both wanted each other, even if they scoffed at the idea.
Two weeks ago, their whole dynamic changed. He asked a simple question, asking if she remembered the first time they met. She did, and he did. He remembered her being crazy drunk and being disgusted at the thought that he was from Chino. He also remembered that he was still attracted to her. She remember that she embarrassed herself in front of him, and that she still wanted to drag him to the nearest bedroom after finding out that he was from Chino. They admitted this to each other two weeks ago, and they blushed. They never imagined that the other would feel the same.
So one week later, she proposed a visit, and they both packed up their bags and flew back to California for the last time.
They agreed to meet at 7:30 in Newport at the Bait Shop, for old times sake. They both forgot that Newport wouldn't be Newport without horrible drivers in the rain. He was used to it, as New Yorkers were used to every time of weather. She was too, being that every day was rainy for her. But even though they were used to it, didn't mean the drivers behind them were. Heels weren't very good to drive in, so the driver in front of her was at a disadvantage. So was the drunk driver behind him.
They agreed to visit the Bait Shop. They were excited. Both drove in the rain to visit each other. Both were supposed to be there at 7:30.
They shouldn't have worried about their fears, because they would never have to face them. She would never have children, and the last time he would ever see his father would be when he was ten. There was no traditional white wedding at the church her dad chose out. There was no house with a white-picket fence that his foster mom handpicked for them. No houses were designed by him, and then decorated by her. No 2.5 children were ever born under the name Atwood-Roberts. There was no kiss between them. The last time they would ever see each other would be at her 18th birthday party. Because that night, one driver in front of her wore heels, the driver behind him was drunk, and they all drove in the rain.