"Thanks, Dr. Hotchner! I'll see you in class tomorrow," one of my students says as they exit my office.

"Dr. Hotchner, huh?" I hear a voice question outside my office. But not just any voice. A voice I haven't heard in over ten years.

"Penelope?" I utter, still unable to say her name without it sounding like a prayer.

"Hi, Aaron," she responds, finally entering my office. If possible, she looks even more beautiful than I remember her being.

"Penelope," I say once again, still looking at her like she's a figment of my imagination.

"I'm really here, Aaron."

"I just-"

"It's been a while."

"Yeah," I swallow the lump in my throat before standing and making my way over to her. Awkwardly and not quite knowing what to do in this situation, I pull her into a quick hug before shutting my office door and having her sit.

"You have a big kid office now, Aaron."

"Y-Yeah," I clear my throat, "they give you one of those when you get your doctorate and become a tenured professor."

"Congratulations," she responds, smiling at me.

"Thank you. How did you-"

"Find you?" I nod in response, still confused about everything, but she continues. "Google. You're a professor at a university. Not exactly the hardest person to find, Aaron. Though, apparently, not for lack of trying."

"I didn't mean it like that, Pen. I just didn't realize that you'd be looking for me."

"I've kept an eye on you this whole time."

"Why? It's been ten years."

"Do you mean why or why now?"

"I guess both," I respond, shrugging.

"Well, Aaron, I wanted to know where you were, what you were up to. Just because you were leaving didn't mean I was ready to say goodbye. I knew you'd do amazing things with your life, and more than that, I knew I'd want to find you again someday. So, I kept track of what you were up to, mostly academically. It's a bit harder to find out personal information. At least, without totally invading your privacy."

"Well, thank you for not doing that. So, why are you here now?"

"I don't really know. I've known you were working here for a while now, but I'm not really sure what made me come. Besides how much I missed you."

I clear my throat again before responding. "So, what are you up to these days?"

"I'm, uh, teaching," she responds, clearly uncomfortable with my lack of verbal reciprocation. "I teach kindergarten about half an hour north of here."

"That's perfect for you."

"Yeah. The kids are wonderful. I really love it."

"Good." We're both quiet for a few moments after that, not really sure what to say or do. I have no idea how to operate in this situation, and no clue how I got myself into this to begin with.

Penelope suddenly stands up amidst the silence and says, "I probably shouldn't have come. I'm sorry, Aaron."

"Pen, no. Please stay. I'm just trying to adjust. It's been ten years and I haven't seen you and now you're here and I just-I just needed a minute. I'm sorry. Please, sit down. Stay for a while." She smiles at me briefly before resuming her seat. "So," I begin again, "tell me everything. What have you been up to?"

"Well, after you left, I spent most of my time studying, cheering, the usual. Then I graduated a year after that, and I started working. I've moved around a little bit, between trying to find work and some other situations, but I really love the school I'm working for now, and it definitely feels like a new permanent home for me."

"That's wonderful, Pen. And, um, how are things with-"

"Derek? We broke up a little after school ended. He moved back to Chicago and I was stupid enough to think that he'd want me there with him, so I moved there too, got a job that I hated, and after a little while, we both started to resent each other so much that we decided to end things."

"Really? I didn't see that coming."

"Neither did I. But it was for the best. Derek and I would have fallen apart at some point. It was really just a matter of time."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, Aaron, I was in love with you the whole time Derek and I were together," she responds quietly, no longer making eye contact with me.

"You-you were?" I question, feeling heat rise to my face.

"Yeah, I still am." I look at her, completely flabbergasted.

"Pen, I-"

"No, please don't say anything," she states, much louder and surer than before. "I just needed to tell you and to ask you for a second chance. I know it's been years, and that they were hard years. At least, they were hard years for me. Being without you, losing you, even though it was my choice, it was the hardest thing I've ever been through. I know I don't deserve a second chance, I mean, you left because of me. Because of what I did to you. But, I can't live without you anymore. I don't want to be without you anymore. Please, just give me another chance to show you how much I love you, how much I want us to be together."

I see tears in her eyes and feel them in my own, but the knock on my office door keeps me from responding.

"Aaron, are you ready for dinner?" Jill asks, entering my office, but stopping quickly when she sees Penelope. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"No, Jill, it's fine. Jill, this is Penelope, Pen, this is Jill, my uh-"

"Girlfriend," Jill states, giving me an odd look before turning to greet Pen. I now look over at Pen and see her mouth hanging open. She pulls herself together quickly before returning Jill's greeting. "Penelope, are you a friend of Aaron's?"

"Yes," she responds quietly. "We're old friends."

"Well, any old friend of Aaron's is a friend of mine. Especially if you have juicy stories about him." Jill is smiling widely, completely unaware of how upset Pen is right now. "Why don't you join me and Aaron for dinner?"

"Oh no," Pen responds quickly, too quickly. "I really should be going. I just dropped by to catch up with Aaron, but I have some things I need to do. Thank you, though."

"Well, some other time, then," Jill responds.

"Sure, I'd love that," Pen responds before heading for the door. "I'm, uh, sorry if I interrupted your day, Aaron. It was nice meeting you, Jill."

"You too!" Jill responds pleasantly as Penelope walks out the door. I just stand there, mouth agape, still not comprehending all that had happened in the past few minutes. Wishing things had turned out differently. Wishing Pen had come back into my life three months sooner.