Fast forward a couple of days and you'd find me in my car, the engine off, and sheets of rain pattering against the windows. I was soaked--the walk to the cafeteria had been longer than I thought when it had started pouring.

I glanced down at the cellphone I had tossed onto the passenger's seat, beside my worn-out baseball cap. I had to do it... I don't know why, but I felt compelled to.

I dialed Ash's dorm number.

It rang twice before I lost my nerve and hung up. I felt like such a woose.

"Come on, Robbie, COME ON!" I could almost hear Sheehan say. I even heard myself saying it out loud the way I thought he would. I chuckled and shook my head. I felt like such a moron. But a moron beats a woose, right? So, I flipped open my cell again and re-dialed her number.

It's ringing...

"Hello?"

"Hey... is Ashlee there?.. By any chance?"

Ah... good. Good start, Robbie. Usually when I get this nervous I'll blurt something out in Spanish. I think that if I'd done that in this situation, she'd think I was a Hispanic telemarketer and hang up. Luckily this was simply not the case.

"This is Ash. Who may I ask is this?"

How polite of her. She didn't sound busy or stressed, and so I continued on. "Hi, Ash... It's Robbie."

"Robbie... as in Robert Burris? Hey! Long time, no see, eh?"

Crap.

Mierda.

"Uh... actually, no. It's Robbie Karver. I literally ran into you about a week or two ago...?"

Silence. She was thinking. Oh no, oh no, oh no... She doesn't remember me! Does she? I thought she was smart. She should have the memory of an elephant!

Un elefante!

Fifty-two years later, she said, "Ahh... sorry, I'm having a little trouble placing you. Did we go to school together or something? Or have we met at a party?"

I snapped my fingers. "Yes! I went to Loyola with you. And I go here, at UWI."

"Oh! Well, let me look you up... just give me a sec."

I nodded, even though I knew she couldn't see me, and heaved a sigh. She would know about my existence in a matter of seconds. I slouched in the driver's seat, relieved, and waited.

"Robbie!" I heard her exclaim into the receiver. "So you're Robbie! The one I had pizza with!... And you were the one who knocked me down?"

I laughed out loud. She knew who I was! At long last, she did! "Yeah, I was. Sorry about that."

"No problem--no permanent damage done." She paused and said, "So what are you majoring in, Robbie?"

"I'm actually double majoring... In international business and real estate."

"That's great!" I heard distant mumblings in the background, and Ashlee saying something back. There was a bit of laughter before--

"Oh, Robbie, it was real nice talking to you, but--"

"Ashlee, doyouwannadosomethingtogether sometimeporfavor?" I blurted out. I mentally kicked myself before adding calmly, "I mean, I had a great time at.. Pizza Hut."

Ash laughed on the other end. "Yeah, sure--just give me a call, and I guess I can see if I'm busy that day or not."

"Really? Great! Well, uh... you had to go, so um, I'll talk to you later?"

"Sure looks like it!" she chirped back. "Whoops, gottagobye!"

I flipped the phone shut and sat there. "YES!!" I shouted, and started up the engine.