Special Ted
Avery Sam
Special Ted
by Avery Sam
Copyright Info
Special Ted
by Avery Sam
© 2025 Avery Sam
All rights reserved.
Author: Avery Sam
Contact details: averysam.parachute371@passinbox.com
Book cover, illustration: Avery Sam
Editing, proofreading: Avery Sam
This e-book, including its portions, is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced, resold, or redistributed without the permission of the author.
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Table of Contents
Copyright Info
Table of Contents
Drop Off
Special Ted
Psych 101
Congealed
Milk and Honey
Thanksgiving Break
Perfect Girlfriend
Celestial Navigation
Favor
Reconciliation
Standup
Betrayal
It’s a Day
The Transit of Venus
First Contact
A Better Place
Over the Moon
Survivor’s Guilt
Aglow
Drop Off
"Yeah, um, I think it should be up ahead somewhere," said Meadow, consulting the piece of paper she'd printed off at home.
"Wow, this place looks nice," said her mother, coming up behind her. "In my day, dorm rooms were, shall we say, more primitive."
"Times have changed, Linda," said her father, grunting as he readjusted his grip on the stack of boxes he was carrying.
"Ah, here it is," said Meadow, stepping through the doorway. "Room 412."
"Ah, just like the photos you showed me!" said her mother, clapping her hands together as she surveyed the small but neatly appointed space, two single beds laid out at 90-degree angles from one another as well as two desks.
"That one's taken," said Meadow, pointing at the bed near the window, which was covered in an assortment of items, most of which were pink. "So I guess I'm this one."
"Whew," said her father with a groan as he gently placed the boxes onto the floor.
"I think with some curtains and a few accent lamps, this place will look nice and cozy," said her mother. "Since your roommate seems to be into pink, maybe something with an aquatic motif?"
"Mom, come on," said Meadow. "You're embarrassing me."
"Honey, it's just her interior design instincts kicking in," said her father, placing one hand around her shoulder. "Just let her get it out of her system."
"Fine," said Meadow, her shoulders slumping.
"Ah, you must be my roommate," said a young woman, a big grin on her face as she stepped into the room.
With long blonde hair and sporting a stylishly chic outfit, Meadow immediately felt outclassed, but she forced herself to hold out her hand anyway.
"Meadow," said Meadow.
"Nice to meet you," said the blonde, giving her hand a dainty shake. "I'm Cassidy. So nice to meet you!"
"Same here," said Meadow's mother, elbowing her daughter out of the way. "So, the information packet said you're from California?"
"That's right," said Cassidy with a breezy chuckle. "Born and raised in San Diego. But before you ask, no, I'm not a surfer chick."
"Ah," said Meadow's mother, looking slightly confused.
"I hear they grow a lot of pistachios out that way," said Meadow's father, making her cringe inside.
"Do they? I don't know, maybe," said Cassidy, her eyes flashing with merriment.
"Excuse my husband," said Meadow's mother. "He's a big fan of snacking nuts. Just pay him no mind. I always bring a little bag of them with me to parties so he won't put his foot in his mouth like he did just now."
"Oh god," moaned Meadow.
"Right, okay," said Cassidy, her grin widening. "Well, welcome to Crestwood. You're a freshman, right?"
"Yep," said Meadow, nodding.
"Cool, me too. My older sister went here, so stick with me," said Cassidy. "I'll show you all the ropes."
"Okay, thanks," said Meadow, feeling her cheeks grow warm.
"Wow, see?" said Meadow's mother. "It's not gonna be so bad, not with the lovely Cassidy here to guide you. All that fuss and bother for nothing."
"Mom..." said Meadow, mortified.
"Gerald, why don't you go out to the car and bring in the rest of Meadow's things?" said Meadow's mother, her sharp look sending her husband scurrying out of the room.
"I saw on the Discord that there's going to be a mixer tonight for us," said Cassidy, her eyes sparkling. "It's a great way to meet people."
"Um, sure," said Meadow.
"Discord?" said Meadow's mother, raising one eyebrow.
"Yeah, it's, like... well, an internet thing," said Cassidy with a little laugh. "Every dorm has their own channel so we can, like, plan stuff."
"Ah," said Meadow's mother with a nod. "Well, Meadow here would be delighted to attend, isn't that right?"
"Mom, come on," said Meadow.
"What?" said Meadow's mother, scowling. "All summer you've been moping around. If you ask me, going to a party is just what the doctor ordered for you, young lady."
"Mom!" hissed Meadow.
"Yeah, it'll be a lot of fun," said Cassidy. "There'll be a DJ and snacks. I mean, yeah, there'll probably be some dorks there, but so what? Those are the best people to make fun of."
"I don't know..." said Meadow, hanging her head.
"Don't listen to her," said Meadow's mother. "She's just been going through a rough patch. Once she's settled in, you'll find that she's a very lively and capable young woman."
"Rough patch?" retorted Meadow. "Is that what we're calling it?"
But before her mother could respond, Meadow's father returned, dragging two large suitcases behind him. Taking advantage of the interruption, Meadow kept herself busy for the next few minutes by unpacking a few of her things.
"I hate to drop you off and run, honey," said Meadow's father. "But I'm double-parked outside, and this nice young fellow came by and said we needed to move the car."
"Sure, no problem," said Meadow. "You guys have a safe trip home."
"Oh, my sweet baby," said Meadow's mother, being theatrical as always as she wrapped her in a passionate embrace. "All grown up and going off to college. I can barely believe it!"
"She'll be fine, Linda," said Meadow's father, tapping his wife on her back. "She's one tough cookie, ain't you, kiddo?"
"Yeah," said Meadow, fighting to hold back tears of her own.
"All right, well, be good now," said Meadow's mother, straightening her purse strap. "And stick close to Cassidy. She seems like a bright young lady."
"That's me," said Cassidy, a look of amusement on her face.
"And Meadow, honey, if things get too overwhelming, don't forget you've got Ted, okay?" said Meadow's mother.
"Mom! Jesus!" said Meadow, her face crimson.
"Come along now," said Meadow's father, shepherding his wife out of the room. "We'll see you at Thanksgiving, okay, honey?"
"Okay, Dad," said Meadow, barely managing to keep her composure as her parents disappeared out of sight. As embarrassing as they could be at times, she already missed the comfort of their presence, especially now that she was all alone in a strange place.
"Wow, parents, am I right?" said Cassidy with a laugh.
"Yeah," said Meadow, dabbing at her eye with the back of her hand.
"My mom was a wreck for a week after my sister went off to college," said Cassidy. "You would've thought she was going off to war or something."
"Right," said Meadow, surprised to find herself grinning.
"Well hey, I'm gonna let you finish unpacking," said Cassidy. "I'm going to get a snack from the vending machine down the hall. You want something?"
"Um, no thanks," said Meadow.
"Cool," said Cassidy. "Well, see ya in a bit then."
"Bye," said Meadow, chiding herself for saying such a stupid thing.
Once Cassidy was gone, Meadow took a few deep breaths to steady herself. All summer, she'd been vacillating between giddy enthusiasm and forlorn sadness, torn between the excitement of starting the next phase of her life and the profound ache of having to say goodbye to everything she had ever known.
Peering around to make sure no one was in sight, Meadow unzipped the special compartment in her suitcase and took out Ted. Nearly half as tall as she was, with slightly frayed fur and two beady black eyes, the bear was her closest remaining link to Lincoln.
Meadow wrapped her arms around Ted, savoring his familiar scent as her mind flashed back to that balmy night when he'd come into her life. She and Lincoln had just started dating, the carnival being their first real opportunity to explore what it meant to be a couple.
The carnival was one of those traveling operations that set up shop for a week or two and then moved on, a heady mix of deep fried foods and rickety rides that looked dangerously unsafe but were a blast to go on.
Lincoln had dared her to keep her arms up as they plummeted down the track on the rollercoaster, and she'd done so, her screams morphing into laughter by the time they rolled around the final curve.
The whole night had been a magical blur, holding hands for the first time and sneaking a kiss behind the ticket kiosk for the haunted mansion.
They'd been strolling down the main thoroughfare when she'd spotted Ted hanging from the roof of a carny's booth, standing out from all the other prizes with his impish grin.
Lincoln had protested at first, saying everyone knew the games at carnivals were rigged, but she'd insisted. Looking back, she couldn't be sure if it was Ted's big dark eyes that were calling to her or a need for Lincoln to prove his love to her, or both, but she'd pestered Lincoln until he reluctantly forked over the cash for some balls to toss at metal jugs.
It'd taken him almost two dozen tries, interspersed with more than a few spicy epithets, before he'd finally won enough points to exchange for Ted.
Meadow could clearly remember the rotting grin on the carny's face as he used a hook to bring Ted down, and then he had been in her arms for the first time, smelling like old popcorn and teenage crushes.
"Oh wow, you brought a stuffed animal," said Cassidy, popping up out of nowhere and jolting Meadow out of her reverie.
"Um, no. I mean, yeah," said Meadow, hurriedly setting Ted down on the bed next to her pillow. "Just something from home, you know?"
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," said Cassidy with a laugh as she plopped down on Meadow's bed, fishing out a pretzel from her bag and tossing it nonchalantly into her mouth.
Special Ted
"Oh, um, is that what you're going to wear?" said Cassidy, wrinkling her nose.
Meadow looked down at her dress, confused. Sure, it was a simple blue number with a sweetheart top, but Lincoln had always really liked it.
"Um, yeah," said Meadow, feeling self-conscious.
"Well, just so you know, you can always borrow something of mine if you want," said Cassidy, favoring her roommate with a simpering smile. "I'm kind of known for my good taste in fashion."
"Right," said Meadow, discreetly looking over at Ted, wishing she could just stay home and cuddle with him.
"All right, let's head out," said Cassidy, jingling her keys. "We want to be late but not too late, you know what I'm saying? That way people take note when we arrive."
"Sure," said Meadow, trailing behind Cassidy as they made their way down the hall.
The freshman mixer was being held in the sub-level of their dorm building. When the elevator doors opened, Meadow could hear music pumping, but she didn't recognize the song.
She followed Cassidy down a short corridor and into a large space which someone had gone to the trouble of decorating with balloons and ribbons of crepe. There was a long table covered in a blue tablecloth on one side, on which sat a large crystal bowl filled with bright liquid.
"Here for the freshman mixer?" said a portly woman standing near the entrance. "Student IDs, please."
Cassidy barely gave the woman time to inspect her ID before slipping it back into her bra. Meadow, however, had her ID on a lanyard around her neck as was recommended in the orientation guide, so it was a little awkward bending over while the woman confirmed that she was, indeed, a freshman.
"Jeez, what a bunch of dorks," chortled Cassidy, pulling Meadow by the hand deeper into the space.
Students were clustered in little knots, almost all of them looking awkward as they sipped on their plastic cups of punch. The DJ was smiling and bopping his head to the music, but nobody was dancing.
Meadow had no idea why she had agreed to come to this thing. She'd come to school to get an education, not go to parties.
Anyway, she was barely in a state to talk to anyone, much less engage in casual chit chat. But once again, her mother had pressured her into doing something she didn't want to do.
"Oh my god, there's Lacey and Blair!" shouted Cassidy, rushing away from Meadow to go join her friends.
With nothing else to do, Meadow shuffled over to the table and ladled herself a glass of punch. The drink was sickly sweet, but there was no bitter undertaste of alcohol, which was a relief. She'd seen too many movies where students thought it was a hilarious prank to spike the punch at a school party.
Unfortunately, standing around by herself made her a target. Some of the girls nearby kept shooting her pitying glances, making her feel even more self-conscious. One guy in a shiny button-up shirt looked at her and smiled, but Meadow immediately turned her head away.
There was just no space in her heart for guys right now, not after the love of her life had been ripped from her in a tragic car crash.
One minute, she and Lincoln had been making big plans about what they wanted to major in and where they wanted to go on spring break, and the next, he was gone, dead in a tangle of tubes on a hospital operating table.
"Hey there," said a masculine voice behind her, tapping her on the shoulder.
Meadow whirled around to discover that it was the guy in the shiny shirt.
"I was, uh, wondering if you'd like to dance," said the young man, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
"Me?" said Meadow, taken aback.
"Yeah, you," said the young man, giving her a nervous smile. "I saw you standing over here by yourself. And I thought, hey, maybe she'd like to dance."
"No, I, uh, I can't," stammered Meadow. "I have a boyfriend."
"You do?" said the young man, casting his gaze around.
"I mean, uh, he's not here," said Meadow, her pulse racing.
"What? Is he, like, invisible?" said the young man with a grin, causing a few people standing nearby to laugh.
Meadow turned and fled, the remaining punch from her cup splashing out and staining her dress. But she didn't care. All she wanted was the sanctuary of her room and to be in Ted's arms.
With her anxiety threatening to overwhelm her, she jabbed at the elevator button until the doors finally opened. As the car rose to her floor, she tried taking some deep breaths to calm herself, but it was no use.
She'd known this was going to happen, but it still hurt, the pain still raw and sharp in her chest. Sooner or later, people were going to find out that her boyfriend, the love of her life, was dead.
For so many years, she'd been happy, basking in the comfort of being in a loving relationship, but now she was out in the world all alone, vulnerable to every guy who came along.
Slamming the door closed behind her, Meadow threw herself onto her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She grabbed Ted and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his soft fur.
"What's wrong, Stella?" whispered Ted, calling her by her secret nickname.
"Nothing," said Meadow, even as she continued to sob.
"You can tell me," whispered her bear. "I'm your special Ted, remember? I know all your secrets. And I'll always love you."
"Oh, Ted," moaned Meadow. "You just don't know how hard it is. It's bad enough I've got a popular girl for a roommate. But tonight, some guy tried to hit on me. He wanted to dance with me, can you believe it?"
"And what's wrong with that?" murmured Ted. "I don't mind. You've got great legs. I've always enjoyed watching you dance."
"Ted!" said Meadow, a grin surfacing through the tears. "Come on, now. You know I could never betray you."
"Because you're my shining star..." whispered Ted.
"That's right," said Meadow with a long sigh. "I just miss you so much, you know? This all feels like a bad dream, and I just keep hoping someone will come along and pinch me to wake me up."
"Oh, I can pinch you if you want," murmured Ted with a throaty chuckle. "I know just where you like it."
"Ted! Come on. I'm in college now," protested Meadow. "We promised we weren't going to do that kind of thing anymore."
"No, you promised that, not me," said Ted with a grin. "Anyway, what's the problem? I can tell you're stressed out. What you need to do is relax. Let me help you."
"Ted... no. I don't think it's a good idea," said Meadow, although she could feel her resolve crumbling. "I mean, my roommate could come in at any minute. What if she sees me? I'll be a laughingstock."
"No problem," murmured Ted. "Let's just get under the sheets. But first, take off that awful dress. I want to feel your skin against me."
Feeling too miserable to protest further, Meadow did as she was told and slipped off her dress and the rest of her clothes. She then put on her favorite sleeping T-shirt, a soft cotton number that she'd worn on the night she went to the carnival with Lincoln.
"Now, that's better, isn't it?" whispered Ted as his furry paw began to gently stroke her.
"Yes, it is," said Meadow, instantly feeling much better as she let herself sink into his embrace.
"Just close your eyes, and let me work my magic," murmured Ted as he began slowly moving down past her waist, his little button nose against her bare skin making her tremble with anticipation.
By the time Cassidy stumbled back to their room, the hour was late, and Meadow was fast asleep.
Cassidy shook her head when she saw her roommate lying there, clutching her stupid teddy bear. Stumbling over to her bed, Cassidy kicked off her shoes and then dove into her bed headfirst, clothes still on, and was asleep less than five seconds later.
Psych 101
Meadow sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror.
The weather was certainly warm enough to be wearing a sundress, but she felt kind of dowdy in the simple white garment with a faded flower print.
From what she'd seen, girls on campus were more into shorts and crop tops that showed off their midriffs than simple sundresses.
Meadow wanted to make a good impression on her first day of class, but she just didn't know what else to wear. Lincoln had always liked her sundress, saying she looked like a village maiden, wandering off to a meadow to gather flowers. But then again, he sometimes had surprisingly old-fashioned opinions about things.
Cassidy, thank goodness, had already left when Meadow returned from the bathroom. The last thing she needed was an eye roll from her roommate to further destabilize her already wobbly sense of self-confidence.
According to the directions she'd printed out, her first class of the day, Psychology 101, was located in the Adams Building. All the buildings on campus kind of looked the same with their red brick exterior and imposing archways, but she managed to find the right place after briefly getting turned around.
Glancing down at her phone, she saw she was running just a couple of minutes late, so she scurried down the hallway and ran into the room just as the buzzer sounded.
A couple of students looked over at her, one girl raising her eyebrow, but Meadow had no time to worry about that as the professor cleared his throat and walked over to the chalkboard.
Everything was going all right for a while, but then Meadow turned to get a different pen out of her backpack after the first one stopped working. In doing so, she accidentally knocked her backpack onto the ground, causing the contents to spill onto the floor.
Her cheeks flushing pink, Meadow got on her knees to start scooping up items and shoving them back into her backpack. But it was only when she heard some of the students start to laugh that she realized she'd popped the seam on the side of her dress, revealing a portion of her stomach.
"Nice dress, Grandma," chortled one student.
"Looks like someone shops at Goodwill," another student snickered.
"All right, that's enough," said the professor. "Settle down, people."
Mortified, Meadow returned to her seat. But it was too late. All the other students were casting her sidelong glances, clearly amused by her embarrassing faux pas.
She couldn't believe it was her first day of school, and already she'd become a laughingstock. Combine that with her humiliating performance at the freshman mixer the night before, it looked as though she was never going to make any friends.
"Okay, raise your hand if you've heard of the Five Stages of Grief," said the professor, writing on the chalkboard.
Meadow let out a little moan. Not this again. Against her better judgment, she'd let her mother convince her to speak to a psychologist after Lincoln's death, and the woman had been obsessed about tracking Meadow's "progress" through the grieving process.
"Invented by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross," chimed in one girl sitting up front.
"Yes, that's right," said the professor, beaming. "Now, I know all of you are young and just beginning your lives, so you probably haven't had much experience with grief before. But it's something we all go through, eventually."
Meadow slumped in her chair, a stabbing pain in her chest. Losing Lincoln had been bad enough, but sometimes, it felt like having to constantly reassure everyone around you that you were alright was even worse.
"Now, who here has a personal example of grieving that you can share with us?" said the professor, his eyes scanning the room. "Yes, you."
"Um, when I was seven, my grandma died," said a boy sitting near the back. "She used to bake me chocolate chip cookies every time we came to visit, so it was really difficult for me when she passed. My mom told me she was resting in heaven with Jesus, and for a long time, I thought that meant she was taking a nap up in the sky on a cloud."
Some of the students laughed, but Meadow scowled. What kind of stupid story was that? Losing your grandma when you were little was nothing. Try having your boyfriend of four years die in a car accident a week before prom and then sitting at home, tears soaking the dress you were never going to get to wear.
"Anyone else?" said the professor. "Yes, go ahead."
"My dog Jibbers died last year. He was 20, and he was like a part of our family," said a girl sitting a few seats over from Meadow. "My dad had to bury him in the back yard, and my mom cried for a week."
Seriously? A dog? Try losing the man you gave your virginity to and whom you were going to marry and spend the rest of your life with.
"Hmm, it seems like you have something to contribute," said the professor, looking straight at Meadow.
"Me?" said Meadow, taken aback.
"Yes," said the professor. "Do you have any personal experience with grief?"
"Okay, you really want to know?" said Meadow, continuing after the professor nodded. "Fine. My boyfriend Lincoln was killed in a car crash on his way to visit me. His car overturned and caught on fire, and his body was burned to a crisp. There was nothing left to bury but a handful of teeth."
Several students in the class gasped, and Meadow saw several people give her intense looks. She also heard one person mutter, "That explains a lot."
"Wow," said the professor. "That is, uh.... Well, that's something. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Yeah, that's what everyone says, don't they?" said Meadow, her anger rising. "As if any of you give a damn. He was my best friend, and I miss him every day."
"Oh my," said the professor, walking up to the chalkboard and tapping at stage #2, Anger. "You see, class? Grieving is much more than just being sad when you lose someone..."
Meadow zoned out as the professor continued to drone on about all the clinical aspects of grief. Images and sounds whirled in her mind, brief flashes of Lincoln smiling when he pulled up to her house for the first time in his car, that old rusty piece of crap he'd bought after working at his father's factory.
She could hear the sound of him laughing after he tucked a six-pack of beer under his jacket, the two of them racing out of the store as the clerk yelled at them to stop.
Looking around, Meadow realized that she had nothing in common with the other people in her class. Sure, they might be the same age, but she'd gone through a lifetime of pain and agony while they remained innocent and naive of the horrors that life could bring.
Let them laugh at her dress or her inability to forget Lincoln's hand in hers as he pulled her around the ice skating rink, her hair rippling in the breeze. She didn't need them or their approval.
Besides, she hadn't even wanted to go to Crestwood. But now that she was here, she was going to concentrate on her grades and nothing else. Let those idiots enjoy their stupid parties and never-ending quest to stay on the right side of what is currently in fashion.
Still, though, it hurt. As much as she missed Lincoln, a part of her was still angry at him for abandoning her. In a way, he was responsible for this mess.
If he hadn't been so dumb as to down a bottle of whiskey and then get behind the wheel, he'd still be here by her side, and she'd be a normal girl enjoying her freshman year at college.
Congealed
After the incident in psych class, Meadow fell into a tailspin.
Just getting up every day and getting dressed became a chore. At first, it was the students who gave her funny looks which hurt the most. But then it was all the students who ignored her which became the greatest source of pain.
At Crestwood, she was either the object of pity or no one at all, a nonentity with boring, forgettable clothes and no friends. Her roommate Cassidy continued to be polite to her, but she'd skip off most nights to go to parties or other fun events, no longer bothering to invite Meadow.
Pretty soon, Meadow found herself staying in bed most of the day. Except for going to the bathroom or occasionally attending a lecture, she was in her pajamas, Ted her only source of comfort. At least he cared if she lived or died and didn't think she was a weirdo loser.
"Forget about them," murmured Ted. "You've got me. I'm all you need."
"I know," moaned Meadow, giving him a squeeze. "But sometimes, you know, I wish I had more."
"Really?" said Ted, his beady black eyes glinting with anger. "After all I've done for you, you're going to say this ungrateful shit right to my face?"
"Ted, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it," said Meadow, turning her face away.
"Who is the one who held you the night you caught Lincoln making out with Kaylyn?" demanded Ted. "Who soothed your broken heart? It was me!"
"I know, and I'm sorry," said Meadow. "I've just been having a rough couple of days, okay?"
"Fine," said Ted, but she could tell he was still angry.
"Look, I think maybe it's because my blood sugar is low," said Meadow, cautiously climbing out of bed. "I'm gonna run to the cafeteria, okay?"
"Sure," muttered Ted, turning his face to the wall. "I guess I'll be here when you get back. It's not like I've got anywhere else to go."
"I promise, it won't take long," said Meadow. "And then when I come back, we can do that special thing you like, okay? I just need to get some food in me."
But there was no response from Ted. Tiptoeing past the bed, Meadow quickly changed into some baggy sweats and a tank top and then quietly let herself out of her dorm room.
Knowing that she looked a frightful mess, Meadow had been hoping that the lunch rush had already finished. But when she arrived at the cafeteria, she was dismayed to see that the place was still mostly packed.
Feeling incredibly self-conscious, Meadow got a tray and shuffled her way through the serving line, choosing a basket of French fries and a couple of tacos. After putting the charges on her student ID, she scanned the room, looking for an empty table.
There was one over in the far corner, so she made a beeline over to it and then sat down. But just as she was reaching to grab her first French fry, a guy with wavy hair, wearing a loose button up shirt with an odd print pattern, came walking over to her table, carrying a tray laden with food.
"Howdy," said the guy, sitting down across from her without asking permission.
Meadow was just about to open her mouth and protest when she saw him gesture at his backpack, which had been resting on an unoccupied chair the whole time.
"Wow, I guess we're table buddies now, eh?" said the guy, giving her a big grin.
Still somewhat in shock, Meadow was surprised to discover that the guy was actually kind of cute, in a dorky sort of way. There was just something about the earnestness of his smile that melted all of her incipient anger.
"Hey, you want a cookie?" said the guy. "I think they gave me a few extra."
Meadow nodded, too stunned to know how to process what was happening. Not wanting to be rude, she took a small bite, her tongue launching into a happy song when it realized it was chocolate chip, her favorite.
"Um, thanks," said Meadow, now more confused than ever.
"I'm Eliot, by the way," said the guy, extending his hand.
"Oh, uh, Meadow," said Meadow, limply shaking his hand, which felt surprisingly warm and soft.
"So, you come here often?" said Eliot, giving her a playful smirk.
"You're... quite a character," said Meadow, continuing to nibble on the cookie he'd given her.
"Yeah, yeah, that's what my mom always says," said Eliot, and for a moment, Meadow thought she detected a pinkish hue in his cheeks. "Anyway, sorry to intrude on you like that. It's just that my backpack is so darn heavy, you know?"
"Oh, it's okay," said Meadow with a dismissive wave.
"It's all these textbooks, whew!" said Eliot. "I thought we'd be living in a digital era by now, information zooming wirelessly through the air. And yet they still insist on us buying all these physical books."
"And they're so darn expensive," said Meadow, shaking her head.
"I know, right?" said Eliot, giving her a shy smile. "Like, for the price of my astronomy textbook, I could buy a whole video game about exploring space. Crazy."
"Oh, you're into astronomy?" said Meadow, her pulse quickening.
"Yeah, don't laugh," said Eliot, hanging his head for a second. "I know it's nerdy, but I've always been fascinated by the stars."
"No, I'm not laughing," said Meadow. "I've always been into the stars, too."
"Oh, really?" said Eliot, his face instantly brightening. "Wow, that's really cool. In my high school, the astronomy club was composed exclusively of guys. Girls thought it was a waste of time, when they weren't getting it confused with astrology, that is."
"Well, I guess that's why it's good that we're in college now," said Meadow. "To get past the limitations we were under in high school."
"Hey..." said Eliot, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "That's pretty profound. I'm gonna have to write that one down."
"Thanks," said Meadow, surprised to find that her cheeks had grown warm.
"So, you really like astronomy, huh? I gotta say, that's pretty cool," said Eliot in between bites, cookie crumbs spilling onto his shirt, which Meadow thought was kind of adorable in a weird sort of way.
"Yeah, my dad got me my first telescope when I was 7," said Meadow with a soft sigh. "But then I kinda... lost interest in it when I got older."
But she hadn't lost interest in it, though, not really. It was Lincoln who had made her forget about her telescope.
She'd tried taking him out stargazing a few times, but he declared that the whole thing was boring. "What's the point?" he'd ask, saying that if he wanted to see twinkling lights, he'd go down to the hardware store and buy some Christmas decorations.
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Eliot. "There have been some exciting discoveries in the last few years. You never know what you might discover when you look up into the heavens."
"Yeah," said Meadow, her depression returning with a vengeance. Somehow, for a few minutes, she'd been able to forget about the agony of losing Lincoln.
"Look, I know this may sound a bit forward since we just met and all, but I'd kick myself if I didn't ask," said Eliot, twin spots of color on his cheeks. "There's this open mic night at this coffee tomorrow night, and it should be pretty cool. Would you like to come?"
"To a coffee shop?" said Meadow, confused.
"Yeah, they have this open mic night where they do all kinds of stuff," said Eliot. "Read poetry, stand-up comedy, play music. Just whatever. So, care to come along?"
"Wait, are you asking me out, like, on a date?" said Meadow, her blood turning to ice in her veins.
"Sure, if you want to call it that," said Eliot. "But hey, no pressure. I mean, I know pretty girls like you always seem to have a boyfriend or whatever but..."
Meadow didn't wait for him to finish. Instead, she got up and fled, running across the cafeteria as fast as her legs could carry her. It was only when she was out in the bright sunshine that she paused to bend over and catch her breath.
Rationally, she knew it was going to happen one day, but she just hadn't expected it to happen so soon, especially when she was wearing baggy sweatpants and her hair was a mess.
It wasn't poor Eliot's fault that she was still in love with a dead guy, one who would never be coming back. But there was just no way she could even think about going on a date with someone, even if he was kinda cute and into astronomy.
No! Even thinking about something like that made her feel tremendously guilty. Lincoln was her one and only, the man she had given her heart to, and just talking to another guy was a betrayal of that love.
She was a miserable, rotten, and faithless human being, and it was no wonder that Lincoln had chosen to leave her behind.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Meadow made her way across campus, completely uncaring about the occasional odd looks from people as she passed by.
It was only once she was in the safety of her room that she realized she'd left her lunch largely uneaten, her fries growing cold and congealed by the minute.