You've Found Oliver (You've Reached Sam, #2)(18)
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After work, I hang in the library and start on my assignments. I have a few chapters to read for American History. I’m supposed to be taking notes, but the textbook is putting me into a coma. The only thing keeping me awake are texts from Ben. He finished his lab early today. Now he’s packing to go home to Bellevue for the weekend.
How long are you going home for?
Staying until Sunday
That’s the thing about living close to home. Parents expect me to visit all the time
No need to tell me. My mom practically lives down the street
We do Thursday night dinners. I’m not allowed to miss it
That’s honestly sweet
What are your plans for the weekend?
Still figuring them out
Should we meet up?
The question catches me by surprise. I’m not sure if he’s serious. We’ve only been talking for a few weeks.
As in this weekend?
Yeah
Bellevue isn’t too far from you right? We could meet somewhere in the middle
If you’re not busy
I can’t believe he actually wants to see me. I was hoping we would meet eventually. But I wasn’t expecting it to be this soon.
That could be fun
Where should we meet?
Have you been to North Bend?
I think it’s halfway between us. I actually know a great diner there. Best smash burgers in Washington
I look it up on my phone. It’s about an hour drive from Ellensburg.
That’s not too far
And love a smash burger. But I’ll have to judge that for myself
What about tomorrow?
This is happening so fast. I only have Professor Clarke’s class in the afternoon. I could hop on the bus afterwards. Ben texts me the name of the diner. I can’t believe we’re actually going to meet in person. The thought sends butterflies to my stomach. It’s impossible to focus on anything else. But I force myself to finish the rest of the chapter before leaving the library.
I drop my things off at the dorm before heading home for dinner. We’re having turkey meatloaf tonight. I help Mom bring in the groceries and start on the vegetables. I overcook the broccoli a little, but it’s still good. Mom saved some galaktoboureko from her shift at the restaurant yesterday. It’s this Greek dessert that’s made of custard and baked in filo dough. We put on another episode of her period drama and eat in the living room. As usual, she wraps up the leftovers for me to take back.
I can barely fall asleep that night, but morning comes before I know it. I shave my face thoroughly and spend some extra time on my hair.
I can barely pay attention in Professor Clarke’s class. She has us do another activity around The Poetics of Space. The quote on the board reads, “We are never real historians, but always near poets, and our emotion is perhaps nothing but an expression of a poetry that was lost.” —Gaston Bachelard. We spend the class drawing our interpretations of it with colored pencils. Professor Clarke walks the room and says, “When we think of a space, we think of our experiences in it. The rooms we walk though, the lives we live there. Are those memories not woven into the walls themselves? What happens to them after we leave?”
For some reason, this makes me think of the lake. The one Sam and I used to escape to all the time. I still find him there in some of my dreams. I remember the picture Sam drew of me, lying out in the grass, surrounded by flowers. For our activity, I try to recreate it with him instead.
The moment class ends, I race out the door, heading straight to the bus station. Ben sends a text to confirm the location. His parents are letting him borrow their car. I send him an ETA as soon as I step on the bus.
Text me when you’re close
I’ll see you soon
It’s an hour-and-a-half journey to North Bend. I take in the views of evergreen trees along the road. I’m a little nervous about meeting him. I steamed my favorite white T-shirt and threw on a jacket. I thought about going with a navy button-up, but I didn’t want to be overdressed.
I’m listening to the Velvet Underground album on the way there. Ben seems like a really big fan of them. It’s funny that he has that in common with Sam. He still sends me videos of some of their performances every now and then. I should probably be more familiar with their music, but I can only get through a few songs before switching to my pop playlist.
Eventually, the pale gray buildings of North Bend come into view. Somehow, this town seems even smaller than Ellensburg. The bus drops me off at the corner of 2nd Street, right next to the movie theater. The diner should be a short walk from here. The place feels like its stuck in the past, framed by a single mountainside that’s swathed in mist. I check the time. Then I cross the street and find the glowing sign of Twede’s Cafe. There’s something familiar about this place. Maybe it’s just the vibe that all diners share.
Ben should already be waiting inside. It’s a shorter trip for him, especially since he drove here. I pause at the entrance and take a breath to calm my nerves. Then I grab the door handle. For some reason, it’s locked. I try it again, but it doesn’t open. This must not be the right entrance. I walk around the building, but there doesn’t seem to be another way to get inside.