Stella - The Man Behind the Legend

So, I looked at apartments today. Lexis voice filled the line, but I was only halfway paying attention. Sorting through my mail and successfully climbing the stairs to my dorm room was a feat.

A hum vibrated my lips seconds before I asked, Oh, yeah? Find anything good?

The thought of living together excited me, even though I didnt sound like it at the time.

There was one I really liked, but I want to wait until dinner to tell you about it.

I hiked my bag higher on my shoulder and laughed at her. You always do this, Lex. You bring something up, but instead of telling me about it, you make me wait.

Im teaching you patience. Youll thank me later. I didnt need to see her face to picture the smile I knew spread across her lipsher glossy lips. I could hear it in her voice, in every syllable. Not to mention, I saw it a lot. Lexi was always happy, always smiling. It was probably one of my favorite things about her. Regardless of how her mom had struggled or that Lexi had to fight for everything she had, she always lived inside the silver lining.

It would be far faster to list the things I didnt like about her: Nothing.

Fine. Whatever. Am I picking you up, or are we meeting there?

Ill meet you there. Im like ten minutes away, so it makes more sense for me to drive to Bobbys instead of going home.

Okay. Well, I just walked into my room, so give me a minute to change, and then Ill leave.

See you soon. Love you.

I love you, too. I ended the call and then dropped my cell, along with my keys and the five envelopes, onto the table next to the door. I didnt need to change my clothes, but I couldnt exactly tell her why I needed to stop by my place before dinner.

Shed find out soon enough.

I lived in a single dormwalk in on a roommate banging his girlfriend enough times and you learn to live alone. Lexi shared a small apartment on the other side of town with her best friend, Jasmine. However, in two months, Lexi and I would have our own place, something Id been trying to do for the last year. I mustve asked a hundred times, begged her to find an apartment with me, but she refused, always giving the same excuse: neither of us knew where wed be after graduation.

Id applied for the masters program at DigiTech in Washington state. Considering we were in Georgia, Lexi wanted to wait until we knew if Id have to move across the country before making any plans regarding our future. It was nearly impossible to get accepted, so I hadnt held my breath, but she never gave up hope. Not that she wanted me to leave; she just believed in me more than I believed in myself. She had faith that they wouldnt pass up someone as talented as I washer words, not mine. Yes, I wanted to go, but I didnt want to leave Lexi. Wed been together for three years, and Id known from the beginning that I wanted to spend my life with her.

But now, she didnt have an excuse. DigiTech had waitlisted me, and after months of silence from them, it was safe to assume I hadnt made the cut. In six weeks, Lexi would get her marketing degree while I received mine in computer sciences. About a month ago, we discussed our plans for after graduation, and shed finally agreed to move in together. The next day, Id gone out and made the single most important purchase of my life using a large chunk of my grad school savings.

With that thought in my head and a smile on my face, I took the black box from my dresser drawer. I didnt need to open the lid to know what was in itId looked at it every day since buying italthough that didnt stop me from flipping it open and admiring the glittering diamond ring set snuggly in the white cushion. It wasnt anything big or fancy, but the second I saw it, I knew it was perfect. It was made for Lexi, made for me to put on her finger.

And tonight was the night.

I closed the lid and stuffed it in my pocket. My heart raced with each step I took toward the front door, but not out of fear. No. Each beat was packed with excitement, hope, unbelievable elation at what I was about to do. In less than an hour, wed be seated in a booth at Bobbysit was actually called Robertos Pizza, but wed been referring to it as Bobbys since the first time we ate there. I couldnt imagine a better place in the world to ask Lexi to be my wife than where we had our first date.

Bobbys was not only where we had our first date, but its also where we officially became a couple. It was our place. Every milestone was celebrated with a beefalo and artichoke pizza. And this one would be no different.

As I reached down to grab my phone and keys, the header on the top envelope caught my attention. Institute of Technology peeked out from beneath my cell. I told myself it was the rejection letter I anticipated, but the size of the envelope indicated something different. With my heart in my throat, the ring box in my pocket feeling larger than its actual size, I carefully opened it. My dream had always been to attend DigiTech, no matter the cost of the tuition. It was why Id been so frugal since I was fifteen, saving every penny. But now, on the cusp of starting my adult life, I wasnt so sure this was what I wanted.

I didnt need to read beyond the first sentence, but I did anyway. I skimmed the entire letter and then flipped through the pages of financial aid forms, campus housing information, and class schedules. I hadnt realized Id held my breath until I became lightheaded, my brain lacking the oxygen it needed to function. Then the world tilted. All the pieces Id put into place began to shift and fall out of order.

This changed everything.

Ormaybe not.

Time stood still during the drive to Bobbys. It didnt budge as I sat in the booth, waiting for Lexi to show up. It remained on pause while I stared at the menu, not paying a single bit of attention to anything on it. My entire world sat frozen until the most beautiful girl in the world slid into the booth across from me.

Are you planning on changing it up tonight? Her infectious grin made her exotic eyes impossibly brighter. I couldnt look away from them. They were this unusual slate-grey color with striations of green that make them appear blue. But sometimes, like tonight, they almost looked aqua. Id come to learn that was the color of happiness. Like a mood ring, her eyes always gave her away.

Huh?

Youre looking at the menu. I dont think weve ever looked at one here. Are you interested in something different? Trying to mix it up?

Oh, no. I shook my head to clear my mind and put the folded piece of paper behind the shaker of red pepper flakes. I was just killing time before you got here.