It's a Date (Again)

by Jeneva Rose

“Save it,” he interrupts, flicking a hand at me dismissively. “I don’t need to hear this speech again.” “What do you mean again?” He lets out a heavy sigh, looking away for a moment before meeting my gaze. His eyes are clouded with frustration. “You broke it off with me the night before the accident,” he scoffs.

“I came there to win you back, and then when I found out about the amnesia, I figured it was an opportunity for me . . . like fate.” “That’s not fate. That’s lying. That’s taking advantage of someone. That’s being a horrible person,” I yell. I can’t believe he would do something so low. How did I not see it?

A large man stands at the corner, dressed in sweatpants and an old, oversized jacket. He holds a sign torn from a cardboard box that says, DOWN ON MY LUCK. ANYTHING HELPS. His skin is weathered, but his eyes are kind.

“It’s all I have,” I say. “I know, Peyton. You always give all you have.” His grin widens as he accepts the cash.

“Did you ever tell that boy you love him?”

His shoulders rise and fall as he shakes his head. “Oh, you don’t remember me. I don’t blame ya. I’m not all that memorable of a person. Have a good night.” The man nods and turns on his foot. “No, wait. It’s not you. I don’t remember anything,” I explain. “I was in a car accident two weeks ago and all my memories are gone.”

“Well, I can tell you don’t love him,” he says. “Really? How?” “Last time I seen you, you were crying because a guy told you he loved you, and you told him you didn’t love him back. But you clearly did. This time, there’s not even a glimmer of a tear in your eyes.” Hank smiles. “That’s how I know.”

“I remember,” I say. “I remember who I love.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Go. Go tell him.” “Okay, okay. I’m going to tell him. Thank you, Hank.” I wrap my arms around him. Hank hugs me back. “Thank you, Peyton.” We break our embrace and share a smile.

“Don’t get hit by a car this time!” Hank yells out with a chuckle. His words echo through the streets of Chicago.

I slide my phone from my purse and quickly send a text to Maya, telling her who I love, just to be safe. She immediately replies with, I know.

I’m scared I’ll be too late, that he’ll have moved on or had a change of heart after I broke his.

Finally, the door swings open, and there he is standing before me with a look of bewilderment. He’s crystal clear and completely in focus. But all around him is a blur, like Monet himself painted his world. I’ve stared into those blue eyes a million times, and somehow, I didn’t see what was right in front of me. The love of my life, and the reason all the other ones didn’t work out. It’s because they weren’t him. They weren’t Robbie.

“You. You told me you loved me. I remember.” His cheeks flush, and he lowers his head like he’s embarrassed or something. “Yeah, then you also remember you said you didn’t love me back, that we were just friends.”

“I know. But it wasn’t true.”

“But you were the one I was running to when I got hit by the car, Robbie.”

“I remember. It was you, Robbie. It was always you. And I was too scared to love you because I didn’t want to lose you. I’m not scared anymore. I’d rather love you for a minute than love anyone else for a lifetime.”

My heart belongs to Robbie whether he accepts it or not. Even if right now he says it’s too late, and my heart breaks in two, half of it will always be his.

“I love you, Robbie. I’ve loved you since the night we made that pact back in college, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to realize it.”

He slowly unclenches his fist, revealing a penny. It lies in the center of his palm, tails face up. Robbie cracks a grin, and I realize what he wants. I flip the coin over in his hand and smile back at him. “You found this penny on campus our freshman year of college and handed it to me right before I had to take a final exam, one I was sure I was going to fail. You said it was all the luck I needed, and I’ve carried it around ever since. But I don’t need it anymore.” His gaze meets mine. “Because I have you.”

“But you failed that exam,” I say through laughter and tears. “Well, it’s not a magic penny.” He laughs.

Finally, his lips meet mine. It’s where they should have been all along. His kiss is warm and passionate and explosive, like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It makes the world around us fade away, the big bang of our lifetime. It’s electric. No, it’s better than that. It’s magic.

He sold me on following my heart, something I’d never done.

Follow your heart. It’ll never steer you wrong. Robbie is proof of that.