Once Was Ours

The senior hallway always smelled like cheap cologne and anxiety. Bell leaned against the row of lockers by the science wing, Alessandro's jacket draped over her shoulders like it belonged there. Like he belonged there.

Because he did. He always had.

Alessandro was still inside, arguing with their chemistry teacher about an extension on an assignment Bell wasn't able to complete because she was out sick. Their teacher was going to give her a zero. Alessandro didn't even care about the grade, but he still went in there because she did. He'd muttered "unbelievable" under his breath when he saw that email on her computer screen. She'd worked too hard this year for that to be real.

She smiled to herself, the corners of her lips tugging upward. And just like that, she remembered…

 FLASHBACK — AGE 15

They were sitting on Bell's bedroom floor, surrounded by open textbooks and empty chip bags.

"I swear I'm failing algebra because of you," Alessandro mumbled, flopping onto his back dramatically.

Bell rolled her eyes. "You're failing because you never pay attention."

" I pay attention," he said, smirking. "Just not to the numbers."

She tossed a pencil at him. "Idiot."

He caught it. "Your idiot."

It was the first time he'd said something like that. The words hung there for a moment, fragile and electric. She didn't answer, but she didn't need to. Her cheeks said enough.

 FLASHBACK — AGE 16

Rain blurred the world outside the window pane's. They had stayed after school to study when it started to pour. Bell had been quiet all afternoon, like she had something on her mind but she didn't know how to say it.

"Do you think we'll still be together next year?" Bell asked suddenly.

Alessandro looked over, brow furrowing. "Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know," she said, tracing patterns on the foggy glass. "People change."

"Bell we've been together basically our whole lives, we've already done a lot of changing." He reached for her hand. "Plus, if you feel like we're changing, then we'll change together."

And for the first time, she believed that might be true.

 BACK TO PRESENT— AGE 17

He came striding down the hallway now, voice low and annoyed from the argument, but his eyes softened when they landed on her. Always, always her.

"He's giving you two days. That's all I could get."

"You didn't have to fight him—"

"You get worked up enough for both of us," he said, bumping her shoulder gently with his. "Someone has to calm you down."

She laughed, leaning into him, and for a second, it was like the past four years layered themselves on top of each other — 13-year-old Bell under the oak tree, 14-year-old Bell kissing him in the snow, 15-year-old Bell blushing on her bedroom floor, 16-year-old Bell wondering if they'd last.

And now here she was, 17 years old. Still his. Still unsure sometimes. Still in love.

"So what are we gonna do today?" She asked.

"What do you want to do?" He replied with a mischievous grin.

She covered his face with her hand. "Nasty." She said biting back a grin and then walked ahead of him.

She heard him chuckling low behind her, and then his arms wrapping around her waist.

"No really, really, what do you want to do?" He asked, still laughing

She rolled her eyes, and though he couldn't see it, he could practically feel it. "Well it's starting to get nice out, so maybe we could go on a walk, or we could visit that bookstore, you know the one I like down on the corner?"

She felt him nod on her shoulder.

"Yeah that's the one with the cafe right."

"Mmhmm."

He let go of her and came around to her side clasping her hand in his. "Well then let's go there, you can show me all the joys of antique books and the smell of old paper."

Bell smirked and raised a brow at him. "Wow. What an honor. I'll prepare a lecture for you on the history of ink smudges and the cultural relevance of book dust."

He laughed, bumping his shoulder into hers.

"Sounds riveting," he said. "Think I'll survive it?"

"Only if you take notes."

"I'll need a tutor," he said, leaning closer. "Preferably one who gets distracted when I look at her."

"Sounds like someone wants to fail."

"Only if it means you'll keep teaching me."

She rolled her eyes, but the smile she tried to hide gave her away.

She slapped his arm and he laughed out loud, all traces of earlier frustration gone.

"You're such a goofball."

He leaned his head down. "And you still love me."

Bell laughed. "True."

It was moments like these that made it feel like they would last forever. At least they thought they would.