I know it might seem like I was a horrible person for kissing Emilio, but I swear, it was only a kiss. We didn’t see each other very much after that night, his real job prevented him from stopping by my grandparents’ house as often, and since I was there to help them out he wasn’t needed as much. A few weeks later I was saying goodbye to my grandparents and heading back to school.

Apparently the summer had been really good for Kelli. Her art and writing was exceptional, like she had a surge of creative energy. I think it was due to the inner peace that came with sorting out things with Damion.



Speaking of which, the two of them had reunited over the summer and had started dating again. They were trying the long distance thing too.

We settled back into our campus apartment with Shawna and prepared for the new semester. I was most excited about the anatomy class I had signed up for.

On the first day of class I arrived to the classroom a little bit early and had to wait in the hallway for the class in progress to end. I must have been lost in my thoughts because the next thing I knew I heard someone saying my name and looked up to see… Emilio.



“Kat … hello? Uh, you awake in there?”

“Emilio? What are you doing here?” I asked, snapping out of my reverie.

“Um… going to class,” he said. “I go to school here remember?”

Of course I remembered. I just never expected to run into him on the large campus. He was an Accounting major, so it wasn’t like we’d ever have classes together.

“What class are you headed to,” I asked, courteously.

“Anatomy 101.”

“Really? I’m waiting for an anatomy class too, but with Dr. Burke.”

“You’re kidding me! We’re in the same class then,” he laughed.

Oh yeah, Accounting majors had to take the required science classes too. I flashed him what I hoped was a convincing grin. I couldn’t believe I was going to have to see him every other day for the rest of the semester. I sighed and walked into the classroom, Emilio on my heels.



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I signed up for a study group for extra credit. I was smart, but my classes were getting tougher and I wanted to make sure I maintained a high GPA. The first meeting was a few weeks into the semester. Emilio and another guy from my class were in the group, along with a girl from Dr. Burke’s other anatomy class.



We reviewed the material for the upcoming test, exchanged phone numbers and called it a night. As I was stuffing my notes into my backpack, Emilio asked me to wait for him. I watched as he put away the library books we’d borrowed for our study session. Did he get a haircut? It looked really good on him. Had he been working out? … Not that I cared.



He walked back over to me when he was done. “Ready to go?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

We headed out the door.

“Hey Kat,” he stopped me outside, “I know that I was out of place to kiss you this summer, but I think there was something between us that night. You’re an incredible woman and I’d really like the chance to take you on a real date sometime.”



“I’m can’t Emilio,” I frowned. “I’m still with Sean.” He had to understand that what happened this summer was a mistake.

“Oh… I’m sorry. It’s just that you haven’t mentioned him lately, and I thought… well, never mind. Of course I’ll respect that you’re taken. Hey, at least let me walk you home.”

I agreed and we walked back to my apartment in silence.

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Several weeks later I was checking my voicemails after getting home from class. There was a new one from Sean. I smiled thinking about him.

‘Hey Kat… it’s me. Listen, can you call me when you get this? I was hoping we could talk. I know you’ve been busy, but I really miss you. I don’t know why you haven’t returned my calls…’ BEEP

Oh my gosh! That’s right! I meant to call him back last week. I can’t believe I forgot.

I scrambled to disconnect my voicemail so I could call him immediately, but before I could do that my phone started vibrating in my hand. I had an incoming call, but the number didn’t show up because I was still in the voicemail screen. Thinking it was Sean I answered it frantically.

“I’m SO sorry for not calling you sooner! I missed you, baby… Why are you laughing? ... Who is this? … Oh, hi Emilio … No, I thought you were Sean … Oh, stop it! Why’d you call?”

“Well, you always seem to understand the material in our study groups,” he started, “and I’m having a little trouble with it. Do you think... ah, if you have any free time that is… could you help me study for tomorrow’s test?”

“Oh, well I guess that’s okay. I was going to spend the night studying anyway, so sure. Come on over.”



I hung up the phone and started cleaning up the living room. We’d let dishes and empty pizza boxes pile up on us this week and I didn’t want to be a bad hostess. I stacked my books and notes on the couch and started making some coffee when Emilio knocked on the front door.

We spent most of the evening going over the study guide. Three hours and two snack breaks later I asked him if he was getting any of it.



“Not entirely, but I think I’ll be okay on the test tomorrow,” Emilio said, closing his book. “Thanks again, Kat.”



I walked him to the door and said goodnight, yawning.

“You know that boy has straight A’s, don’t you?” Kelli said, startling me. She was cleaning up in the kitchen and I hadn’t noticed her.



“What?” I asked, puzzled.

“My friend Cassandra has Lit class with him and says he’s the top student and has a 4.0 GPA,” she explained.

“Then why does he want a tutor?”

“Exactly – he doesn’t. What he wants is you.”

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That fall I was able to make the trip to Sim State to see Sean. I met him at the student center.



We grabbed some food and then found a spot to sit and talk. We hadn’t seen each other since the summer and desperately needed to talk and have some time alone. Having a long distance relationship was turning out to be a lot harder than either of us ever imagined.



We watched the sunset and then I had to head home. When Sean kissed me goodbye I had a strange sensation come over me. It felt like a last kiss. You know, the kind in movies that is overdramatic as a couple says goodbye and never sees each other again. I tried to shake the feeling, and when I couldn’t I figured I was just being weird since the last person I had kissed was Emilio. Anyway, I memorized that kiss with Sean. It was full of emotions and sort of territorial, as if he were trying to merge the two of us together.



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The holidays were rough. Both Sean and I were at home, but things were different. His parents knew that he had proposed and that I turned him down. They got all protective of him, warning him that I was too flaky and was going to break his heart. I constantly felt like they were trying to break us up. And it wasn’t just problems with his family, the romance was gone. It was like we’d used it all up too quickly, and now we were left with only a mere fizzle of what had once been.

In the spring I returned to school a little downhearted. I was starting my nursing classes that semester and was so glad to finally be working on my chosen degree. Those boring required classes were finally behind me!

Sean’s phone calls had almost diminished completely Since neither of us were doing so great at returning calls, we had a ‘rule’ that we’d make time once a week to have an internet date where we’d chat online for an hour. Kelli was concerned about me and kept telling me I was overworking myself and ignoring a sinking relationship. She thought that these were the best years of my life and I should be out there living it instead of relying on an internet relationship.

Then one day, on our regular trip to the gym, we walked in and saw Emilio was there working out too. As we walked past him, he winked at me.



“Kat, why don’t you go over there and talk to him,” Kelli said as she started her treadmill workout.

“Nah, I don’t want to bother him,” I replied

“I doubt he’d mind at all, he’s been staring at you since we walked in.” She smiled a wide grin and crinkled her nose at me with a look that said ‘I know you like him.’

I continued my workout. “He can come say hello if he wants to.”

“Why would he want to after all the times you’ve turned him down? You’ve scared the poor boy off. Such a shame, he’s cuter than Sean, and that accent! Oh my gosh, can I have him?”

I knew she was joking about that last part, but it still made me laugh. We giggled and went back to our workout.



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A few weekends later Shawna and Kelli had begged me to go out with them. I usually didn’t go to bars, but I liked dancing. We were dancing to our favorite song when I noticed a guy staring at us. It was Emilio! I swear he was stalking me or something. I waved at him mid dance and motioned for him to come over.





As we danced together, we talked and flirted. I was having such a good time that I invited him to go grab some food with us when we left. Unfortunately, he declined. Squeezing my hands, he said goodnight and left me with my friends.

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The next morning I woke up, feeling really groggy. After a large cup of coffee I sat down to check my e-mail.



I was not prepared for what I found…..