Rosaleigh, NY

Man, Rosaleigh is nothing compared to the city.

I'm looking out this coffee shop window and I have a strong desire to just leave and act like I never came back. Why did I even come back? I'm trying very hard to convince myself that it wasn't partially Jessica's fault, but it's actually mostly her fault.

I haven't even seen her yet.

This coffee is also disgusting. City coffee is much better.

I've only been here since the morning, since the drive only took three hours. My dad was at work and my mom squeezed me half to death before being called into the bakery about a "souffle explosion." She's a baker and one of the best in the state. I'm not biased or anything, since she's my mom, but ever since I was little, every time my brother made me cry, my mom would secretly give me a cupcake or a cookie that she made herself just to make me feel better.

She's actually the best mom in the world and I don't give her enough credit. I should probably buy her something...

My dad, on the other hand, works all the time. He's a businessman, so I guess I don't expect anything less, but I haven't really talked to him since I left. Those weekly phone calls usually consist of my mother asking when I'll come back to visit and every time she'd give him the phone, he'd ask how I'm doing in school and then tell me to keep it up when I tell him that I am doing well, even though I have no idea what I'm doing.

I think my dad knows that, too. But what else do we have to talk about? He and Jonathan talk about football and going into business (because of course, Jonathan's following in his footsteps) and even girls. I studied neural science at NYU because I watched one episode of Grey's Anatomy and thought it would be cool, except that I may deeply regret that now. I played lacrosse in high school and no one gives a shit about lacrosse. And the only girl I liked had so much baggage on her and yet, I still can't stop thinking about her.

It's not that my dad isn't proud of me, it's just that he and I don't get along as well. I don't get along with anyone as well and honestly, I'm okay with that. I like my damn bubble in the city.

People are giving me looks in this coffee shop. I think they recognize me, but they might also think I'm my brother. Apparently, we have an "uncanny resemblance" according to some people (Jessica). I sigh and look up when the door opens again.

Except that I recognize this person.

She looks at me and almost stops. I freeze as well and we stare at each other for a good moment before the door opens again, snapping us out of our thoughts. Just over her shoulder, outside by the window, is someone else I'd rather not see right now and I immediately want to disappear.

"Levi," she says, giving me a small smile.

I nod my head. "Samara."

"I–I didn't know you were back," Samara says, crossing her arms. She looks more surprised than afraid to be seen with me, which is nice, I guess. We are cousins; we have to say something to each other.

"Yeah, I heard about the, uh, the lake," I explain. "So, I thought I'd stop by. I'm probably leaving in a week or so. You're doing well?"

She nods her head. "I'm engaged!"

"I heard! Congratulations! My mom wouldn't stop gushing about it for like, months."

Samara chuckles and says, "Yeah. Hopefully, you'll meet him soon! You're not seeing anyone are you? I mean, I only ask because if you did, my mom would probably gush about it."

I roll my eyes. "No, I'm not seeing anyone," I reply.

"Oh."

I smile. "Yeah." I stand up and say, "It was nice to see you, but I gotta get going."

"Yeah, of course," Samara smiles. "I'll see you around, Levi."

"You, too, Samara."

He hasn't moved from his spot in the window and I'm trying to figure out a way to make him not see me. I give Samara a wave/salute thing–I don't even know–and practically barrel out the door in hopes that I'll escape in time.

"LEVI?!"

Fuck me.

I turn around and I don't even try to be presentable. He stands up from the table he probably sat down at in the time it took me to get from inside to the outside and he has a surprised expression on his face–like Samara's, only more excited.

"Dude!" Ryan exclaims, striding over towards me. "You're back!"

"Yeah," I nod.

He walks over to me and I suddenly see that it's my best friend. I hadn't spoken a single word to him in four years and we've been best friends since preschool. He took one of my mom's homemade cookies that she gave me for lunch, so I punched him in the face. I've been through everything with the guy.

"Are you–" Ryan stops. I raise my eyebrow at him because I know exactly what he's going to ask me. I punched him the face (I seem to do that a lot when it comes to him) the last time I saw him. "Are you still mad at me?" he finally asks.

I thought it would take me awhile to ponder that question, but I had four years to do that. All the times I had a date, I couldn't tell Ryan about it. All the times I had a hot professor, I couldn't tell Ryan about her. All the times the fucking Giants game was on, I couldn't be excited with Ryan.

And it was all over a girl.

"No," I say. "I'm–I'm not."

Ryan grins. "It's been a really long time, man. And–And I get it. I was mad, like the first few months, but I guess I didn't really realize how angry you were until three more years went by without a word. We should hang out sometime! Watch a game! Go to a bar! Whatever!"

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, sure. I won't be here long, though."

Ryan shrugs. "So? We got all week!" He grins this stupid grin that he always does whenever something really great happens–like he got an A on a test, or the Giants won. "Yeah, I'll call you or whatever."

"Sure, man."

And boy was I glad to get out of there. I can only take so much Rosaleigh at a time.

I get into my car and drive home. My mom will probably be there baking something for dessert. My dad will probably be at work. The usual.

I slow down when I suddenly see caution tape around a group of trees. A weird feeling in the pit of my stomach as I see what was the most important aspect of my childhood. The lake. The stupid, fucking lake that ruined my life.

It's getting destroyed soon...

I shake my head. I don't care. I don't care about Rosaleigh. I just want to go home–the city–and as fast as I possibly can. I'm only staying a week just to please my mom and then I'm out of here. It'll be a week tops and hopefully Ryan will forget about that meet up and maybe I'll run into Jessica somewhere in this town and then, I will be gone.

Hopefully.