Chapter 4 | Caleb
Caleb
“She remembered, you guys. She remembered what I called her in high school, and she put it as part of her contact in my phone. Sunshine.” I sat across from Jenny and Luke at dinner a few short hours later and told them who I’d run into at the store.
“I knew you liked her!” Jenny hit the table. “You denied it all those years ago, but I knew it!”
“I did, back then, but according to her parents, she's now got a boyfriend.
Plus, so far, she's only visiting.” A wave of disappointment overcame me as I thought about the reality of reconnecting with her.
“We lost touch for a long time, and I bet you when she goes home, it will be the same. She won't contact anyone.”
“Okay, I have a question. If her nickname is Sunshine, shouldn’t yours be Rain Cloud? Because you're being super negative about possibly reconnecting with her.” Luke finally joined in the conversation, giving me a half grin.
I let out a half-hearted chuckle as I ran my hand down my face. He may have been joking, but he was also right. I missed her all those years she was gone.
“Sorry, guys. I really hope this time is different. We all used to be really close, but she was really special to me, and when she moved—”
“You missed her because you love her,” Jenny teased me, but she wasn’t wrong.
“Oh, and Luke, ‘Rae,’ like ‘ray of sunshine.’ Caleb also thought she lit up his life, like sunshine brightens a day.” Her teasing tone made me laugh and I started to open my mouth to say something, but she continued, her voice with an extra edge of teasing to it.
“And Ranger is her nickname for him because his dad gave him that cowboy hat on his eighteenth birthday and he never takes it off, unless he has to.” She shot me a grin, knowing that Luke remembered my nickname, but now was her chance to tease me.
“Oh that’s right! Sorry, it’s been years.” Luke gave Jenny a sly look, picking up on her teasing. “Also, Caleb, this might be your chance, man. I mean, she was the one that got away, after all.” Luke glanced at me and then looked at Jenny as he gave a goofy grin.
I laughed. “Shut up.” But they were not wrong. I fell for her all those years ago, and running into her today reignited those feelings. Feelings I hoped would be easy to push away this time when she left.