11 Germany

One year later

"Hey! It's Harvey."

"Harvey! Oh my God, you came!"

"Hi Allie, Seth. Hey, Rosie."

"When did you get here?"

"Landed a half hour ago. I didn't want to miss her graduation."

"She'll be glad to see you."

"Harvey!" I run up to all my friends.

"Congratulations!" Everyone yells in unison and I hug them.

It's not really a graduation per se. I've only completed my bachelor's. I'm taking a year off before I complete my master's degree. But our college knows a large number of kids won't do their master's, so they held a graduation ceremony for us all.

"Matt." Allie hands me her phone.

I take the phone and walk a little ways off.

"Congratulations, Vanessa!"

I can't help the smile that takes over my face. "Matt! Thank you!"

"I can tell you miss me. I'm glad."

"Jerk. Of course I miss you."

The weather's not too great recently and once again, the sky rumbles with thunder.

"... then come visit me."

I don't manage to catch it, "What?"

"Come to Germany!"

"What?" I laugh

"I'm serious! Come here for a while. You're taking a year off too, right? Some foreign experience could benefit you."

"...I don't care about that. I'll come for you. But, are you sure? Is that okay?"

I hear him 'woohoo!' in the background, so I laugh abs take it as a yes.

I find my friends and sister and take them out to a diner.

"Matt asked me to come over to Germany for a short visit." I tell my sister as everyone places their orders.

Her eyes light up, "That's great!"

"Can I go? You'll be okay?"

She rolls her eyes. "I'm the adult, here. Go."

"Who'd have thought we'd be eating with Sarah Ashton on your graduation day!" Seth hollers as Sarah runs in late, after dropping her parents off. She punches his arm.

"Well, I am coaching Vanessa to be captain. It's my right to get to eat with her on her graduation."

I laugh.

She winks at me, taking off her coat and sitting down.

"Who's coaching who?" Seth whispers, but Sarah twists his ear.

"Ow! Ow! Sorry, Your Wickedness!"

Everyone laughs and I quietly send a positive text to Matt.

After lunch, we wait for an hour for the rain to stop, but it shows no sign of stilling. Harvey proposes the wild idea of having a race back, which ended up being a bad idea since once we all started, we realized we're all in different directions.

Seth and I made it back with Rosie and Allie on our heels, and no sign of Harvey.

That night, Rosie and I sat up and booked my tickets to Germany. When I insisted on paying though, Rosie and I fought and she walked out, only to come back later with a printed out ticket in her hand.

I send Matt a selfie with my ticket and he's over the moon. As I settle into bed, I feel the same remorse I always feel when I remember I'll never see Jesse again. I sigh and tuck myself in tight. At least, I'll get to see my best friend soon.

"Vanessa!"

I walk over to Matt and hug him tight, laughing for no apparent reason.

"I've missed you." He tells me and I squeeze tighter.

We chat away the entire cab drive home as though to make up for the year apart.

"This is it!" He says, showing off his very own apartment.

"Wow!" I splutter

"This is the guest room, but it's yours now." He shows me to a spacious room with a lovely view.

I nod, putting my bags in.

"Rest, freshen up or whatever you want to do. We'll catch up in the evening." He smiles, hugging me again.

"I think I'll have a nap. Thanks, Matt." I shut the door and close the blinds and after a brisk shower, drift off to sleep.

I wake up to jazz music playing quietly from outside.

I find my way to the sound at the kitchen where Matt is humming along and cooking.

"Oops, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He asks, turning down the music. I shake my head.

"It's been so long since I heard some new jazz," I smile, "What are you making?" I ask, clearing my raspy voice and sitting on a bar stool.

Wait. He has bar stools?!

"How much are you getting at this internship?" I screech

He looks alarmed at my tone, "Not much. Why?"

I gesture wildly to the place.

"Oh," he says, looking around too, "My uncle's place." He smirks

"Ooh! This part--" he puts his spatula down and rushes to me to pull me up. I laugh as he twirls me in what is supposed to be a serious, sophisticated dance number, but for us ends in me draped on the sofa, cry-laughing, while he cleans up the sauce he spilled while waving his hands around.

"I'm so glad you're better now." He says as we eat cannelloni.

I pick at my food, "Remember those dreams I told you about? That that was the reason I couldn't sleep?" He nods, "He left. I don't get those dreams anymore. I haven't dreamt of him for over a year." My voice trembles and eyes tear up.

Matt stops his movements and gives me his serious concentration, even though he doesn't understand what's happening here.

"I fell in love with him." I say after a minute.

He doesn't respond and I don't want to look up. I'm trying my hardest not to let my tears spill over.

"I told him. And he, he turned me down. Said we're dream buds and nothing more. And then he never showed up again." My tears fall onto my knees and Matt crawls over to hug me, kissing my hair and rubbing my back. I don't break down though. It wad a momentary weakness, but in a few seconds, I manage to curb my emotions, and I pat his knee. He moves back awkwardly and says, "I don't think I can ever understand what these dreams mean to you, but I'm sorry they hurt you so badly." And they're not just words. He really means it.

I wipe away my tears and smile, "Anyway, I'm on the track team! Can you believe it? Well, was. Now that I graduated and all."

He smiles quietly.

The days I spent with Matt in Germany were lovely. A month later, my sister called with big news.

"I'm engaged!"

What.

"Oh my gosh! When? Who?" I'm so confused.

"You can meet each other once you guys come back. I just wanted you to be the first person to know." She sounds so thrilled so I smile too, "Congratulations, Ro."

"You're my bridesmaid, okay?" She informs sternly

I roll my eyes, "Who else?"

"Gimme! Gimme!" I hear Allie in the background.

"Can you believe it, Nessie?" I cringe, "I am her best friend, and not only did she not tell me until I eavesdropped and heard her on the line, but she's also not making me her bridesmaid!" Her voice has gone ultrasonic. I laugh out loud, and Matt raises his brows. "Rosie's engaged!" I whisper

His mouth falls open, making me laugh some more.

"Who said I couldn't have two bridesmaids?" Rosie says irritably from afar and we can both tell that isn't what she wants.

"Rosie McCarthy!" Allie screams into the phone. Wincing, I hang up.

Later that week, we all decide on a date for us to get back home. Matt is almost done too so we can both return. Like last time, we're take a selfie with our tickets and send it to our folks back home and everyone's excited about everything. Life is looking up.