four years later
your pov
"justin!" i giggle.
"what? just having fun with my girl!" justin laughs, continuing to tickle me.
"i need to go out! i have to go to the store still." i say.
"okay, fine." he groans. "but as long as you come back soon." he smirks.
"of course." i smile.
i grab my purse from his kitchen counter and go out of the house to my car.
justin and i have been dating for two years. we met in a diner.
i was sitting at a booth by myself. i had just gotten out of the institute a little under a year earlier. i didn't have any friends or family who wanted to talk to me.
i had my head down when i heard a soft voice.
"hey." he had said.
and from there, we started talking. we exchanged numbers and started to hang out more often. he asked me out a few months later and i've been happy with him ever since.
the drive to the store is short. i walk in and i grab a basket to hold the groceries i need.
eggs
pasta
chicken
water
that's all i need to get, so i should be done quick.
i quickly navigate around the store and find the products i need. i'm here often so i know where everything is.
i take my basket and check out.
as i'm walking out, something, or someone, catches my eye.
it takes me less than 5 seconds to understand what i'm seeing.
"colby!" i yell without thinking.
the boy standing at the car next to mine turns around, obviously confused.
it's him.
i've tried not to think about him because i have justin and i don't like to be reminded of the institute. but the moment i saw his face, my heart dropped to the floor.
"yes?" he asks.
"y-you're c-colby, right?" i stutter out.
he nods his head. "who are you?"
"i'm y/n. do you remember me?"
"did we meet somewhere? i'm sorry. i have a bad memory."
"we used to be best friends. and we dated for a while. don't you remember?" i come closer to him.
he looks at me with confusion in his eyes.
"i'm sorry, i think you have the wrong person." he tells me.
"but it's you. i promise it's you." i whimper, tears burning my eyes.
"hey, don't cry. do you want to talk? we can go somewhere and talk." he offers.
i nod my head and he takes me to the small coffee shop next to the grocery store.
we sit down and he stares at me, waiting for me to talk.
"okay. i'm going to sound crazy." i start.
"i'm fine with crazy." he smiles.
"for two years i was in a mental institution. i was pretty messed up and my family didn't want to deal with me anymore. i must have made you up in my head and i really thought that you were real. i thought that we were best friends and i thought that we dated. i remember thinking i was in love with you. but with all the medication i was on, i didn't even know you weren't real. i guess seeing you today just triggered something, especially since you're exactly how you were in my head." i explain. a tear falls down my cheek.
he looks at me in shock and we sit in silence for a moment.
he reaches his hand over and places it on top of mine. i look at him and see him smile.
the moment is ruined when i feel my phone start to buzz in my pocket.
i quickly answer the phone.
"y/n? where are you? it's been over an hour and you're usually back in 30 minutes." justin exclaims into the phone.
"i just got a little caught up. i saw an old friend. i'll be home soon. i'm sorry." i quickly lie.
he hangs up and i start to stand up.
"hey, are you okay?" colby questions.
"yeah, i just have to go. my boyfriends upset." i explain.
"here," he motions for my phone. i hand it to him and he puts his number in. "text me. i want to continue this conversation at some point."
"yeah, definitely. i'm sorry for freaking out earlier." i apologize.
"don't worry about it." he smiles at me.
"i have to go, i'm sorry. bye." i tell him.
"bye, text me." he smiles as i walk away.
i get into the car and sit at the wheel for a minute.
what just happened?
was that really him?
