you had been planning this day for over a week. a whole afternoon just for you and leighton with no assignments, distractions, or mental noise. just you and leighton. two years strong now. she was in her sophomore year and you were a junior. somehow in the middle of chaos, stress, and college life youd made this thing work

you picked the perfect restaurant that wasnt too crowded bit it was cute with a sunny outdoor patio that leighton always said reminded her of summers in the hamptons

you were supposed to be there first but of course your brain had other plans. you got distracted again. adhd was like that. one moment you were grabbing your keys and the next you were reorganizing a drawer for some reason then you were looking for your wallet then texting back a friend about a totally unrelated thing. time slipped through your fingers like water

by the time you were in the car leighton had already texted

leightonbaby: i just got her. ubered over

shit

now you were driving fast. not reckless but definitely that anxious kind of fast where every red light felt like a personal attack. your mind was buzzing with a mix of guilt, panic, and frustration. you wanted this to be perfect. you needed it to be perfect.