Give Sarah a campus tour

After we’d spent some time in the dorm, I suggested showing Sarah around campus.

She immediately brightened. “I’d love that. I feel like I know this place from everything you’ve told me, but I’ve barely actually seen it.”

We stepped outside and started walking.

Sarah stayed close beside me, looking around at the buildings and familiar spots I’d mentioned during our calls. She seemed genuinely happy just to have me next to her.

As we passed the student center, she looked me up and down and smiled. “Okay, I have to say it. You’ve gotten noticeably more muscular since I last saw you.”

I laughed. “Have I?”

“Definitely. Your shoulders look bigger, and your arms…” She shook her head with a grin. “I can tell you’ve been taking the gym seriously.”

“I’ve been going pretty consistently.”

“I’m glad,” she said. “You look really good.”

I smiled and continued walking with her.

We passed the library, the quad, and the building where I spent most of my time for classes. I pointed things out as we went, explaining where I’d gotten food, where I liked to study, and where I’d discovered the gym.

Sarah listened to everything, asking questions and occasionally stopping to look around.

She was so happy to finally be here with me that it was hard not to enjoy showing her everything.

But underneath the conversation, my mind kept drifting.

The gym.

Mia.

The Halloween party.

Lily.

Rachel.

Jenna.

Each memory surfaced briefly as we walked past another familiar place on campus. Faces, conversations, nights I’d never told Sarah about.

Then I’d look over at Sarah smiling beside me, completely unaware.

She slipped her hand into mine.

“This is nice,” she said.

“Yeah,” I replied.

We kept walking.

I listened to her talk about how much she’d missed me while the memories I’d spent months keeping separate from her followed quietly behind us.