Free Walking Away by Adriane Boyd Page A

Abi about it, but she just doesn′t understand. She has been in a relationship with Colton since the day we moved into the dorms at the University of Colorado, so I really don′t expect her to understand.
    I′d spent my first four years at U of C completely focused on studying. Abi wasn′t happy about my lack of social interaction during that time, but she also understood how important it was for me to remain focused. I felt like I owed it to our parents. If she wanted to party and fail her courses, then that was on her.
    With all of my focus on school, I graduated ahead of schedule and entered law school in what was supposed to have been my final year of pre–law. All things considered, I was elated. Surprisingly, Abi was on track to graduate on time, so I was even more thrilled. I decided it was time to celebrate, and joined Abi and Colton at a party that evening. We had plenty to be thankful for, so it seemed right.
    That was the night I met Blake.
    Blake was the typical tall, dark, and handsome guy that every woman wants. He was well mannered, smart, and extremely funny. I found myself completely wrapped up in him. We liked the same music, studied the same type of law, liked the same sports… We had so much in common and our relationship was nothing short of perfect. He was kind, gentle, and he never pushed. Before I knew it, Blake and I were half way through law school and sharing an apartment off campus.
    We had talked about marriage and building a family together, but he hadn′t proposed. I should have seen it coming, but I was blinded by my love for Blake, therefore I was taken by complete surprise.
    When I arrived home from work to find the apartment empty of all of Blake′s things, my blood ran cold and my world collapsed. I sank to the floor and cried for hours, going over any possible reason he might have left. He didn′t leave a note, and there were no messages on my phone. He was just gone. Vanished. As though he had never existed.
    It′s been three months since he left. Three months with no one to talk to, no one who could possibly understand. Three months in which I have longed for an explanation or my mother to talk to. Too much time has passed since I last saw his face. I find it hard to remember the curve of his jaw, the exact shape of his eyes that were as blue as the sea, the way he smiled. I miss his voice and the way he would run his hands through his long, dark hair whenever he was frustrated; his infectious laugh. Things are changing and maybe, one day soon, I′ll no longer be waiting on forever.

***
    “Cora!” I jumped at the sound of my name. My twin sister Abigail rushed through the front door, slamming it hard behind her.
    “Abi, what the hell?” I asked her, as I dumped the remains of my coffee into the sink and rinsed the mug.
    “Cora, you won′t believe it! Colton got tickets to the concert on Friday. He refuses to tell me how, but he got them! OMG! This is going to be EPIC!!!” I couldn′t help but laugh at her. We were both twenty–five, college graduates, and finally out on our own, but the girl still acted like a teenager.
    “That′s great, Abi. Really. I′m excited,” I moved out of the kitchen and into the hallway. I needed to change and get a few things from my bedroom so I could get to the office before my boss called and threatened to send me to the subbasement of the courthouse to look up various statutes. As much as I loved being buried up to my neck in statute journals and law books, being down there at eight in the morning wasn′t my idea of a great day.
    “You′re going right? Wait, what am I saying, of course you′re going.” Abi followed me into my room and continued talking nonstop about outfits, dinner plans the night of the concert, you name it. The girl was running full tilt. Of course, I couldn′t blame her. We′d been trying to get tickets to this concert for months! How was I going to tell her that I wouldn′t be going?
    Man up, my