Free Losing You: a prequel to It's Not Over by Melissa M. Marlow

him.”  Our eyes met with challenge. 
    I wanted to know if he’d choose me, or if he had to do more with his life.  His challenge happened to be me or work.
    He gave me the crooked little smile but spoke to Karlie, “No, I can’t.  I have neglected Jess way too much.  I need to have more time to spend with her.”
    It put a smile on my face to hear him say that, because we only had about two weeks and then it would be over again.
    He held out his hand for me to take, “Are you ready?”
    I nodded and took his hand following him out of the room.  We walked to class together, “Jess, I will be waiting right here for you when you are done.”
    “Don’t you have class or something?”
    He raised his eyebrows, “Yeah, something.”
    I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I let go of his hand to walk into class.  He pulled me back, “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
    I raised my eyebrows teasingly, “You think I want to kiss you in public, Paul?  People might get the wrong idea.”
    “That’s the idea.  I am in love with you.”
    I smiled embarrassed as a few people walked pass me into the room.  His hands came to my face and he kissed me passionately.  He took my breath away and he gasped as I pulled away.  Oh, my goodness, I am so in love with him all over again.  I walked in backwards staring at him, “You’ll wait for me?”
    He nodded with the most pitiful face.  Being apart for this hour and a half is going to be torture.
     
    After the school day I went to my dorm.  He was still in class but I put a bag together.  Karlie walked in, “I thought you were lying to me about Paul, and you were fantasying about the guy.”
    I laughed, “We have been together for four years, except this year, but our hearts still belong to each other.”
    “So why did you break it off with him anyway.  I’d never let that one go.”
    “He was too busy for me, and it made me sad all the time, but now I wish I didn’t have to leave.”
    “Iaesha?”
    I nodded.
    “Does he know?”
    I shook my head.  “I gave her my answer when he promised me he’d meet me at the cabin and then he didn’t show up so I said yes.”
    “He looks at you like he is in love with you.”
    “Yeah, I hope so, but he gets busy and I need more attention than what he gave me.  It’s always a competition with his business, his first love.”
    “Are you going to tell him?”
    “Not now.  He won’t let me go and now I have to go.”
    “He is going to be heartbroken.”
    “Me too.  I love him with my whole heart.”
    “Yeah, I noticed.”
    “Please don’t tell him; let me when the time is right.”
    She nodded as he came storming in, “Jess!”
    I held my bag up, “Just getting a few things in case I end up in the shower again.”
    Karlie laughed, “Getting right to it I see.”
    “No!”  Paul said with disgust, “She needed to wake up, that is all.”
    He took my bag and my hand.  My heart thud a little faster.  I’m in heaven.  On our way back to his apartment we stopped to picked up dinner for three, not leaving Matt out.  Paul said if he didn’t make Matt food the guy would never eat.  He doesn’t cook.
    We ate dinner the three of us and I detected a funny grin on Matt’s face all through dinner.  I nudged him with my foot to get him to stop but he kept smiling and would giggle to himself a little now and then.  Paul and I made plans for the whole week and our time together.  I knew that all my free time would be here with him.  Trying to push him away slowly wouldn’t happen; I needed him so badly right now.  We moved to the living room where we did our school work, but I finished first.  Now with my school work done I stood up and put it away.  Reaching over the back of the couch I tickled Paul’s ear.  He shooed me away, but I persisted on attention and whispered in his ear, “I need time.”  He grabbed me and pulled me over the couch to his lap.  When his eyes met mine they were full of