Jim dropped me off on campus two hours ago, and a couple of hours weren't nearly enough to see it all.

I lost count of the halls named after the dudes who had something to do with the history of my future college. When my classes start, I might have to draw a map not to get lost on the premises.

The sports facilities are impressive, and the green areas make the place look infinitely better. 

Finding housing is my only concern. I read about some apartments on the internet, but after aimlessly wandering around for hours, I still know very little about where they are and how I can know if any are free.

It's still spring, and the classes won't start till August, but I don't want to postpone looking for a place to live until then. Jim told me I could stay at his condo for as long as I wanted,  but I'd rather not invade his personal space. My brother has his girl now, and they need privacy.

Still thinking about the apartment, I make my way through a cluster of students outside one of the halls and stroll toward the Welcome Center building farther down the street.

When I push the heavy wooden door open, silence greets me. For a split moment, I doubt anyone is there at all. All the doors seem to be closed, and I hear nothing.

I stand in the middle of the deserted reception area, but then, my ears register something similar to a giggle.

My feet carry me toward the source of the sound. I pause at the door and knock.

The giggling stops. Footsteps sound on the other side and the door opens, revealing a dark-haired girl wearing black-rimmed glasses. Nothing about her appearance is unique, at least not to me. Hadn't it been for the too-big accessory perched on her nose, I would have surely missed her in the crowd.

"Yeah?" the brunette says, eyeing me from top to bottom.

"Hey. I was looking for someone who works here. I'm new and-"

"What do you need?"

The girl isn't the one to waste time. "Information about the housing," I say. "I don't know where to go and who to ask."

"It's not here."

I fight the impulse to roll my eyes at her. If they pay her to welcome students to college, they should probably give her job to someone else.

The rude chick is about to close the door in my damn face when I hear a guy's voice in the room. That would explain the giggling.

"Elena, wait. Who's that?"

Miss Helpful huffs and steps aside, revealing a tall guy. His hair is somewhere between blond and brown— not too dark, not too light. The dude is leaning against the desk with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Are you looking for a place for just you, or do you wanna share?" The guy points his chin toward me and looks at me, waiting for my answer.

"It depends," I say.

"On?"

"On the guy and the price."

"Okay, I might have a place for you, but first, answer a couple of questions."

"Ask away."

The guy nods. "Can you clean and cook?"

I shrug. "Sure."

"Do you fuck a lot?"

Hadn't I been so damn tired of my futile attempts to find somewhere to live, I would laugh. Instead, I stare at the dude.

"I guess that's a no. Good." He laughs and looks at the chick who's still standing next to the door, watching our weird exchange. "Forget about those ads, Elena. I already found a roommate."

"I need to see the place first," I say.

The guy rolls his eyes. "You'll love it. Believe me; it's fantastic. My only problem is my ex-roommate, who moved in with his girlfriend and left me hanging. I can't pay the full price. In case you didn't notice, I'm quite desperate here."

"Right. Let's see it, then."

I linger in the doorway and wait for the guy to join me.

"What do I do with these?" the chick asks the guy as she walks to the desk and grabs some pages from it.

"Throw them away. See ya, El."

Not waiting for an answer, my maybe roommate leaves the cramped office, and we exit the building together.

Neither of us speaks at first. I'm not shy, but I don't know what to expect from the guy who's walking by my side. He's bold as fuck, which isn't that common considering he was bold with me within a minute of seeing me.

"Hutches!"

Another guy's voice makes the guy next to me halt on the sidewalk.

"Jackass," he mutters under his breath and then turns toward the dude who'd called him.

"I told you not to call me by my last name, Evans. What do you want?"

The Evans guy, who turns out to be tall and bulky, grins sheepishly. "Sorry. There's a party at the frat house tomorrow. Are you in?"

"Maybe. I'll hit you up."

Evans nods and jogs away to join the group of guys that are waiting for him. I glance at my companion, and then, my eyes widen.

"Wait, he said Hutches. Is detective Hutches—"

"My father," the guy finishes the sentence for me. "Why, did he put your ass or the ass of someone you know in jail?"

"I met him when my friend had an accident," I explain without giving too much detail.

"I see. I hate it when people call me by my surname. Call me Sebastian, Seb, or Bast. Just not Hutches. What's your name, by the way?"

"Brian."

"I guess it's nice to meet you if you told me the truth, and you're not a pig who leaves crumbs on the couch and fucks a lot."

I laugh. "Yeah, Bast. I guess you'll find out."

***

Sebastian didn't lie. His place is, indeed, amazing. It's a two-bedroom apartment in a red-brick building on campus. 

The big windows allow lots of light in. My bedroom is spacious and partly furnished. I only need a desk and a shelf. The bed is already there, and the mattress is new. 

The apartment has an open concept kitchen and living room. A large TV is on one of the walls, and the couch is big enough to sleep on it.

"I'm in," I say to my new roommate, and he sighs, relieved. I guess the guy was, indeed, desperate to find someone who'd share the expenses.

"Awesome. Bring your stuff whenever you want."

"Tomorrow," I say. "I need to see someone today, and I promised my big brother to have dinner with him and his girl."

Sebastian nods. "Alright. I'll give you my number. Call me when you're ready. I have classes tomorrow. I'll be either in the lecture hall or at Elena's office."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Sebastian laughs. "My fuck buddy. I don't do girlfriends."

"Okay. I'll call you. Thanks, man."

We say our goodbyes. I bought myself some time, but now I can't avoid the inevitable.

Shoving my hands in the pockets of my leather jacket, I walk to another brick building—the one where Mackenzie and Annie live now.

Jim got their new address from Annie. She didn't suspect anything. My brother has been helping them for a while, after all.

I don't know if Mac is home. It's late in the afternoon, and as a couple exits the building and I slip inside, I hope to be able to see Mackenzie.

I waited for too long. It's time to face the music. Even if Mac is mad at me, I need to see him and fix my mistake. I want him to know I called doctor Morris daily, and I need to tell him I'm sorry for the accident and for leaving the way I did.

Ditching the elevator, I climb the stairs to the second floor.

My hand is clammy when I knock on the wooden door of Mac's apartment.

I do it over and over again, and I am about to give up when the door finally opens.

Mac is on the other side of it. My jaw trembles when I look at him for the first time in almost ten months.

He's thinner and doesn't have nearly as much muscle. His arms look more inked, and his hair is slightly longer on top.

We stare at each other. Mac is studying me in the same way I am studying him. His stare is unblinking and unnerving.

The silence is unbearable. I open my mouth to speak, but even before a sound leaves it, Mac does something I didn't think he would ever do — he slams the door shut in my face.

"Mac, come on. We need to talk."

Mac doesn't answer. I stay there for almost an hour, pleading with him, and not achieving shit.

It's way worse than I thought it would be. Mac has never been so mad at me. We bickered and made fun of each other like all friends did, but this...this is unlike us, and it hurts.

I drag my feet out of the apartment building and sit on a bench next to it once I'm on the street.

Jim will be home soon. I have to go back, but leaving seems wrong. There should be a way for me to convince Mackenzie to listen to me, but right now, I don't know what I can do.

"Oh, my God. Brian?"

The quiet voice belongs to Annie. She's standing next to the bench with her hands covering her mouth, staring at me as if she's seen a ghost.

I rise to my feet and take a step toward her. I want to cry with relief when she lets me hug her. I don't even know if she lets me or she's just too shocked to push me away.

"I can't believe it." Breaking the hug, Annie takes a step back. "What are you doing here?"

"I came back a few days ago. I went to talk to Mac, but he closed the door in my face."

Annie sighs deeply. Pity fills her gaze. For a moment, she appears hesitant, but then she nods toward a coffee shop across the street, and I follow her there.

We order an espresso each and sit at one of the tables in the back.

"Where the hell have you been?" Annie asks me.

"Indonesia."

Annie groans. "Damn you, you stupid idiot. Why didn't you let us know? Why didn't you call? Mac was waiting and worrying about you, and so was I. What the hell, Brian?"

"You have to at least listen to me, okay? Listen and then get mad if you want to. Just don't walk away from me, too."

Annie bites her lip and stares into her coffee cup. "Alright," she finally says. "You have twenty minutes. Kenzie is waiting for me, and I don't want him to worry."

Not wasting more time, I start speaking. I tell Annie everything, hoping she would at least try to understand.

By the end of my story, she looks just as conflicted. "None of it justifies the silence. You could have simply said you were okay. You left Mac and me behind, and you did the same with Leah."

"How is she?"

I am looking at Annie with hope, and she knows it. She knows it, but I suspect that her loyalty isn't with me this time.

"I can't break the girls' code," Annie says. "If you want to know how she is, you will have to ask her. I will only say that you have to do it fast."

"I was planning to."

Annie nods. "As for Kenzie, give him time. He's mad, but he never stopped caring about you. Let him hear you out when he's ready."

A quiet 'okay' is my only answer. I watch as Annie rises to her feet and grabs her purse from the vacant chair next to me.

She gives me a small smile and leaves. I bury my face in my palms and sit in the cafe for ten more minutes.

When I left, I was thinking about finding myself. Now, all I can do is hope that I haven't lost those I care about in the process.

Thoughts about Brian? Sebastian?

The readers of His Everything and Their Forever might remember detective Hutches.

More soon❤