Chapter 19:

Brooke was walking through the mall with a shopping bag on each arm, and her purse perched on her shoulder. It was a Tuesday afternoon, which meant that the mall was fairly empty. This was Brooke's favorite time because she could take all the time she wanted and not have to worry about crowds. She looked down and studied the new shoes she had just bought, and was trying to decide if they went with her outfit. While she was doing this, she didn't notice the person that was directly in front of her until she collided with him.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" Brooke exclaimed. The guy, who had a very nice back view, she had to say, turned around. Brooke's jaw dropped, "Nathan?" she gasped.

"Brooke!" He was just as surprised as she was.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be….somewhere else?"

"Coffee," Nathan nodded his head toward the line he was standing in, "Had a craving."

"Oh. Well, it was good to see you. I'll be going now, I guess. Bye." She turned to leave.

It took Nathan a minute to process what had happened, "Brooke!"

She spun, "Yeah?"

"Can I, uh, buy you a coffee? We can walk around and…talk. I haven't seen much of you lately."

"That would be nice." She said with a slanted smile.

"Great."

Brooke walked back toward Nathan as he was paying for the coffees. He handed her a cup, "Careful, it's hot." Their hands touched, and their eyes locked. They stood there for what felt like a lifetime, then Brooke slid her eyes away.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked as they began to walk together.

"I think I still can't believe that we're graduating soon. I mean, this town…a lot has happened here, and it made me who I am. The good and the bad parts of me."

"I know what you mean. I kind of don't want to leave. Maybe I'll just get our entire class to fail so we can all have another senior year."

Nathan laughed, "I don't think that would sit too well with some people." He turned to face Brooke, "There is one part of it that I would like to do over."

Brooke sipped her coffee, "What's that?"

"I would want to go back and tell myself not to break up with you. Because knowing what I know now, it was the worst mistake of my life."

"Nathan…I…what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I want to be with you, Brooke."