Eyes For You (Chasing Tomorrow Book 1)

by Abby-Rose Macchio

  Like I said, blazing fires really do burn blue.

  "Really Anastasia?" He looked at me shocked and excitedly.

  "Of course Travis." I told him as equally as excited. "But, you won't live on campus anymore... so you would live here?" I asked him in a frown.

  "Well, Yes." He said sympathetically. "But, you are my number one priority! Since you are only two hours away, that's not a long drive and I will do that drive even if it's just to see you for an hour."

  "Okay! I support you in everything. And I've been meaning to tell you something that I wasn't going to mention but I have to say it at some point."

  "I have anxiety too Anastasia. You can't just say that because I start to overthink too." He said smiling nervously. We both laughed.

  "Right. Sorry." I laughed nervously. "Okay well…thank you." I told him really meaning it.

  "Thank you for what Anastasia?" He asked confused.

  "For protecting me... and for keeping Liam away from me. He hasn't contacted me and I haven't seen him since he was in the back of the ambulance that night." I stated nervously.

  "Don't thank me. Trust me, he will never even come ten feet within your perimeter otherwise I will do worse than what I did before." He spoke deep and sternly. I looked away so he wouldn't see my frightened look. "I'm sorry... I'm working on that, on my anger. Don't be scared I'm sorry." He pleaded.

  "I'm not scared." I told him while nodding my head and smiling at him. I think I meant that. I'm not scared of him, I don't think? I mean, I know he'd never hurt me physically but I hate seeing him fight like that but I'm really hoping with him boxing, it will slow down his anger and hopefully he will only fight in the ring.

  Chapter 18

  We spent the last few hours horseback riding and now we arrived at campus and he is getting all his stuff together in his dorm room, I'm helping.

  "How ironic is it that I just got back and you're just leaving?" I faked a laugh while folding his shirts in a suitcase.

  "Hey listen," he walked over and put the shirt I was folding into the suitcase and sat on the bed, pulling me onto his lap. "Just because I'm living off campus now and not going to school doesn't change anything. I will still see you just as much and I'm just a car ride away." He told me while getting a loose strand of my hair and putting it behind my ear.

  "I know I know. I'm sorry. I'm just really really nervous for you doing something new and for us in a long distance relationship, it's a lot to take in all at once." I half smiled.

  "I know you are nervous and I am too, but that's why we have each other." He told me while rubbing my cheek. "We've been through ups and downs, we spent three months apart and look where we are now. Long distance relationships have nothing on us." He laughed lightening up the mood.

  I just smiled in return.

  He pulled me in for a kiss and of course I kissed him back.

  I'm nervous about what this will do to our relationship but if there's one thing I have learned to trust, it's him. Me in school, him boxing, two hours away from each other, a new relationship. It's a lot to take in, especially in a few days.

  "Well, this is it." I told him while getting up and zipping closed his last suitcase as I saw Paul walk into the room.

  "I will take those for you two." Paul told us while taking two suitcases from Travis's bed and bringing them to the Escalade.

  "Thank you" Travis told him nicely. We both walked hand and hand down to the car.

  On the way down, I couldn't help but think if this was over. Will this be the last time I see him? Will we last? Will this work out? I'm scared at what's to come next. I didn't realize how short of a walk it was from his dorm to the car.

  "Stop overthinking." He told me while facing me when getting to the car.

  "I'm not overthinking-ish" I shyly smiled.

  "I know you too well. Think positive please. Everything will be okay. We are perfect and you need to think positive, I am. I'm already missing you and I'm already looking forward to seeing you in a few days. I will come at least twice a week, Anastasia." He sincerely told me while holding both of my hands.

  "You promise Travis?" I asked him squeezing his hands and looking down at my feet.

  "Yes I promise Anastasia." He removed my hands from his and touched my chin and brought my face to meet his. He looked down at me and leaned in for a kiss. "Mr. Coleman, if you want to be at the hospital by 1pm, we would need to leave in two minutes." Paul said from the driver’s side with the back door open.

  "Thank you Paul." Travis said nicely while never taking his eyes off me. "I'm always right here Anastasia." He touched my chest. "Always in your heart... and in that smart brain of yours." He tapped my forehead and laughed.

  "Kiss me." I told him and he didn't wait a second before he crashed his lips to mine. Knowing this kiss will be the last kiss for at least a few days, maybe even a week, kills me. We kissed each other harder. It felt like it was going to be the last kiss but he told me to think positive. As he pulled away, he looked at me.

  "Remember, be positive and I will see you in a few days." He hugged me and rested his chin on the top of my head.

  "I'm trying." I told him quietly while hugging him back.

  "One minute Mr. Coleman. I'm sorry Anastasia." Paul told me sincerely while giving me a half smile.

  "Okay, well you have to go now." I smiled pulling away and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

  "I will see you soon." He told me while sitting in the car and rolling down the window, he shut the door and looked at me. "I love you Anastasia." He smiled.

  "I love you too Travis." I smiled while giving him a little wave and walking to the girl’s side of the building.

  By the time I looked back, Paul had already driven off with my Travis in the backseat and that was when I let my tears fall.

  January 10, 2019 9:16pm

  When I look at him, I see a thousand stories carved into his eyes. Memories, laughter. I see the person he once was, the person he has been, and the person I can't wait to discover.

  I've been through so much that he knows of. I've left the guy that was in my life before him. I left him because he wasn't Travis. Liam treated me like shit and I knew that I needed to get away. I knew that if I stayed, it would get worse and worse. So I left, and it was the best damn feeling leaving his house for the last time and not looking back... until the fight. I'm grateful for the fight. I don't like seeing Travis like that and I think it's bad what he did... but was it honestly that really bad? He helped me in a way that no one else could. He got Liam away from me, for good and no matter how mad I was at Travis for it, I will thank him every single day because my anxiety list has one less bullet.

  After Liam, I convinced myself that I would stay single because I hated the way men treated women. Then, he came along and I felt like I was just writing him down in this journal and not actually living this. Then I woke up and I believed that he wasn't just a fairytale but, he was him. I wish for his body constantly next to mine so I can look over at him and touch him, and tell myself that he really is here.

  Meeting Travis for the first time was... interesting. I swear I can still feel the football hitting my head and the drinks spilt all over one of my favorite shirts. But, I'm here now, we are here now... and now is the best feeling I've had in a while. I feel like me again... and I feel something that I never thought I'd feel again after Liam.... I feel free and I feel alive and I feel safe. And let me tell you that those, are the best damn feelings in the world. For that, I have to thank Travis.

  "Are you ready for class?" Emma asked me while I shut my journal and put it under my pillow.

  "Definitely!" I smiled while grabbing my bag off the floor, putting it on my shoulder and walking out the door with her.

  "It's going to be weird not seeing Travis here anymore." She stated sadly.

  "It is, especially sad. I already miss him but that's my luck right? Finally being in a good place and then something happens." I told her with a frown.

&nbs
p; "No no no. You aren't going to slouch over here, I won't let it. Nothing bad happened between you two Ana. He is going to do what he wanted to do for a while and you are right by his side." She told me proud of her speech.

  "But I'm not right by his side Em." I gestured to the side of me that she wasn't on.

  "But he's here." She told me touching her chest.

  "I'm just afraid that it won't work out."

  "Hey hey... you guys were apart for a while and you weren't even together then so trust me, it will absolutely work out." She told me nodding her head smiling at me.

  Travis POV

  "Hey boys!" I yelled as my brothers jumped out of the car and onto my driveway.

  "Trav!" Tyler yelled while shutting the car door.

  "What's going on dude?" Tate asked me while picking up one of his suitcases.

  "How you been?" Trevor asked me as he was shutting the car door on the other side.

  "What's going on guys? I'm doing great!" I told them while shaking their hands and pulling them in for hugs.

  I asked them to come live with me since I was home again and I didn't want to be by myself. My brother Tate is going to be my personal trainer and nutritionist since he is certified because he works at a boxing gym. Trevor and Tyler kind of just came along. It is going to be great having us under the same roof again since it's been a while.

  "Have you talked to Anastasia yet, or is she still shutting you out?" Trevor asked me while walking to the kitchen and grabbing a beer. "You guys want one?"

  "Yes"

  "Yeah"

  "I'll take one too and no she is not shutting me out anymore. We are finally on good terms, great terms actually." I couldn't help but smile at the mention of her name.

  "Ouuu look at our little bro." Tate cooed while popping open a bottle.

  "Leave him alone guys." Tyler yelled at them while grabbing a beer from Trevor's hand. He looked at me and smiled. "They're just jealous because their little bros are doing a much better job with the ladies than they are." He smirked at them and I laughed.

  Tyler is the second youngest and he's had a girlfriend for about two years now.

  "Mhm" I told him while taking a sip of my beer. "How is Olivia?" I asked him smiling.

  His face instantly lit up when I mentioned her.

  "She’s amazing man, she's with her parents right now in Georgia and then she'll be back. I can't wait for her to come home." He told me taking a swig of his beer.

  "Is she coming here too?" I asked him.

  "Well, since I have my own suite, I was going to ask if she could..."

  "Don't ask man, my home is your home." I smiled at him.

  "Alright you lovebirds, the real men are going to put their shit away in their suites while you guys are drooling over some women." Tate yelled and Trevor just nodded his head.

  Chapter 19

  Anastasia POV

  After classes, Emma and I decided to go to the library to do some homework.

  "I have homework in microbiology and genetics." I told her with a 'be happy you aren't me look'.

  "I'm microbiology and cellular." Emma said while putting her books down on the table next to mine.

  As we sat down to take our books out, she looked over at me.

  "Have you talked to Travis today?"

  "I talked to him before I got in the shower this morning and we've been texting all day. He has his brothers moving in with him today so he's really busy." I said nodding my head and pulling a bag of chips out for us to share.

  There was a girl next to our table who was doing some work on her computer.

  "Shh." The girl said to us as I started to open the bag of chips.

  Emma rolled her eyes at the girl as I grabbed a chip from the bag and put it in my mouth trying to be as quiet as possible. Neither of us has eaten all day and a bag of chips was all we had.

  "Shh!" The girl now looked at us and put her index finger to her mouth.

  "Oh you shh. Be quiet, we are trying to work over here for god’s sake." Emma whispered yelled to her. I put another chip in my mouth to suppress the laugh I had building inside of me.

  The girl grabbed her stuff, put it all in her bag, got up and walked out of the library.

  "She does that a lot…" we turned around to see another girl, "except the difference is, she's always walking out because of me. But, it's nice to see that someone else does the same things I do." She holds up the bag of chips and waves it in the air.

  Emma and I started laughing.

  "Mhm ditto." Emma told her while eating a chip.

  "What are you guys studying?" The girl asked while getting up and bringing her stuff to our table.

  "We are biology majors." I told her whiling moving my book closer to me to make room for her stuff.

  "You?" Em asked her.

  "Fashion." Ah I see. That explains the perfectly curled hair, not a piece out of place and her outfit with the hot pink heels she's wearing... in the middle of January.

  "Oh. Nice." Emma looked at me and then back at the girl.

  "I'm Darcy." She stated smiling.

  "Well hello Darcy." I smiled at her.

  "So if you are studying fashion, than why are you in the library?" Emma asked coldly.

  Ooookay?

  "Oh I'm just reading some magazines." She told her a little too happily while lifting up her magazines and smiling at Emma.

  "Cosmo, really?" Emma asked her while shoving chips in her mouth and I elbowed her in the side to try to get her to shut up and be nice.

  "Yes Cosmo. It's like you studying for biology." She told Emma coldly.

  Okay so here I am in the middle of Emma and... Darcy. Looking back and forth at them trying to figure out how to pick up my shit and get the hell out of here. The tension on both sides of me couldn't even be cut with a steak knife right now. If it could, I'd be the knife.

  "Not really" Emma laughed, "I don't think microorganisms are like Cosmo readings on the newest pair of shoes for this month." Oh boy.

  "Micro what?" Darcy asked confused.

  Oh geez.

  "Exactly." Emma laughed. "Come on." She told me while pulling me up. She grabbed her things and started walking towards the door.

  "I'm so sorry for her. Don't take her too personally, it's just her personality." I told her smiling while throwing my stuff in my bag and putting it on my shoulder. "Well, I'll see you around Darcy!" I tried to give her the sweetest smile as an apology.

  "More than you know." She stated while I was walking away.

  I stopped for a few seconds with my back facing her trying to process what she said. More than I know?

  Oookay…weird?

  When I walked out of the library, I saw Emma sitting on the bench outside waiting for me.

  "Hey are you okay? What was that all about?" I asked her confusingly.

  "That little bitch 'I’m Darcy'" she told me while trying to impersonate her using her high pitch voice and air quotes.

  "Is Darcy not a good name to you?" I asked her with my brows furrowed giving her a half smile.

  "Oh no no. Darcy's a good name, just not the bitch that took it." Emma told me while getting up from the bench and we started to walk towards our dorm.

  "So I'm taking it that you know her?"

  "Oh yeah… Darcy, cute little hot pink fashion Darcy here, was always the bully of my high school and I was number one on her top five of targets. She knew exactly who I was, she just wasn't aware of the fact that I still fucking hate her and so does everyone else on her target list." She was out of breath since she spoke so fast that she couldn't inhale any air.

  "Maybe she just wanted to start over you know?

  Maybe start fres-" I was cut off before I could finish.

  "No. Absolutely not. She could kiss my toes and pay me money and I STILL wouldn't even consider ever forgiving her, never mind actually befriending that disgusting human being... actually no. She's not even a human being, she's the fucking devils spawn." She stated proudly while
nodding her head. "Yup." She smiled again.

  "Okay then." I told her while just nodding my head and dropping the subject.

  Not going to mention it anymo-

  "I mean come on! Who does she think she is? 'Oh I'm sorry. Let's start fresh.'" She busted out laughing.

  Just minding my own business and letting her rant.

  "How dare she just think she can just clickety-clack and walk her way back into my life. That bitch is crazy. She has problems Ana. Stay away from her. She has problems."

  Now she's talking about it to herself.

  "Okay. Just relax, relax and breathe."

  "Okay I'm breathing. I wish she weren't breathing." She stopped and looked at me and I raised my eyebrows.

  "Okay I'm stopping now I'm good."

  "Alright well, how about we throw these chips out and go grab actual food, you in?" I asked her.

  "Yes please. 'I'm Dar-'" She started but I looked at her.

  "Alright, sorry. I'm done now. I promise."

  I nodded and we walked inside a pizza place on campus that was a few buildings down from ours. When we walked inside, the smell of pizza filled our nostrils. "I'll go order, you go find us a seat." I told her while walking to an empty table that I see fits two. I hurry to put my bag down and sit since school just got out so this place will be crawling with college students like little fire ants any second now.

  Travis POV

  I went on the loud speaker that goes through my house. I only connected it to Tate's room since he was the only one who wasn't up yet.

  "Ugh I'm up! You're like mom. I feel like I'm back in high school with this fucking speaker shit. You renovated this whole house so you’d think that you would change the one thing that annoyed all four of us." He said through the phone. He hung up after he was done talking.

  "Get ready for Tate guys." I told my brothers who were at the dining table eating breakfast. We all know how Tate can be when you try to wake him up. They just laughed.

  "So what's the agenda for today?" Trevor asked me.