An Untitled Dream

But there was one face that stuck out to him, stood out amongst the crowd of other students. She was of a slight stature, olive-skinned with dark hair and expressive eyes. Something about the way she carried herself pulled at his memory.1

After they exited the lecture hall, he watched as she waved to a few people, then headed off to her next class. Without realizing what he was doing, he followed her.2

"Excuse me!" he called and she stopped and turned, waiting politely for him to catch up to her. He scratched his head; he couldn't believe he was doing this. "Um, sorry, but do I know you from somewhere?"3

As she looked at him, something in her face changed. He knew it; she remembered him, too. But she remembered more than he did. "John, didn't think I'd ever run into you. We went to high school together."4

The sun glinted on her hair, her untouched, natural color, he remembered. She had been one of the few girls he had known didn't alter their color. Now he was surprised at himself. How did he remember that? "We've been here almost a year, and you knew who I was, and you never said anything, um..."5

She smiled, a gentle smile. "Ann. And, well, back in high school, we weren't exactly friends."6

That had most likely been his fault. Still, he got defensive. "Well, it's not like you ever said anything to me."7

She gave him another smile, this one different, teasing. "And you never said anything to me, either."8

Silence then, and he wondered why he had never spoken to her before. Because he had had better things to do? No, because he had been stupid enough not to realize the one thing about her most people noticed; something about her made you want to know more, and was hard to forget. Especially when she smiled.9

She was the one who broke the moment. "It's been nice seeing you. But I've gotta run. Maybe we'll bump into each other again."10

He nodded as she smiled and walked off. His feet moved, but he was numb and blind to everything around him. All he could see was the girl walking away from him, a girl he realized he wanted to get to know.11

And somehow he knew that, this time, she wouldn't be so easy to forget.