Fall from Love

“This is ridiculous,” I say, shaking my head.
    My eyes scan over the trash in the seat next to me and a wadded up piece of something catches my eye. When I remember what it is and who gave it to me, it sends a sharp pain to my heart. Balancing the phone between my ear and shoulder, I take the wad and spread it across my knee.
    Call if you need anything is written across the napkin. Carter’s name and number are written below it.
    “Hi, this is Peggy, how can I help you?” a human voice comes on the line and relief washes through me.
    “Oh, yeah, hi. I have a flat tire and I’d like some help with it.”
    “Sure, we can help you with that. Let me just pull up your account.”
    I give her all of my information, my location, and she tells me that someone will be here to assist me within the next three hours. Three hours? Three freaking hours? Three freaking hours of sitting here, stuck on the side of the road in the middle of a freaking snow storm? Great. Perfect.
    I bang the back of my head against my headrest and then glance back down at the napkin that is spread out across my knee. As I stare at the words, I can’t help realizing how much I’ve changed since that night he gave this to me. It’s only been a few months, but I am no longer that sad and lonely girl. Sure, there are still dark days here and there, but for the most part, my days are filled with happiness... and I owe a lot of that to Carter. He has become someone that I trust and consider a close friend.
    Glancing out my window, I see the dark grey sky and snow falling outside my window. I glance back down at the napkin and try to remember if he has class on Friday afternoon. I’m pretty sure he does, but for the life of me, I can’t recall what time he gets out.
    Against my better judgment, I call him anyway. It rings five times and then goes to voicemail. Even though I don’t plan on leaving him a message, I listen to his voicemail anyway, just to hear his voice. You’ve got it pretty bad, Holly, I tell myself . A few seconds later my phone chimes.
    Carter: In class. Saw u called. What’s up?
    Me: Wanted 2 talk. Flat tire. Waiting on roadside assistance.
    Carter: Where r u?
    Me: On the corner of 18th and Columbia.
    Carter: Be there in a few.
    Me: No! I’m fine. I didn’t mean to bother you.
    I stare at my phone, waiting for his response, but it never comes. A part of me hopes that when he got my text he decided to stay in class. There’s another part—the selfish and lonely part—that would love some company right now.
    Eight minutes down... two hours and fifty two minutes left , I say to myself, looking at the clock on my dash. Of course that is the worst case scenario. There’s a chance the road side assistance could arrive sooner than that, but I guess with the storm, there is also the possibility that it could be even longer. Sighing loudly, I turn up the music and let the words drown out my thoughts.
    Through the snow falling out my back window, I see Carter’s FJ pull up behind me not even ten minutes after I got his last text. My stomach flutters and my body buzzes just knowing that I’m going to see him soon. I open my door and step out when he comes jogging up.
    “Hey, you really didn’t have to come. I have help on the way.” The snow is really coming down now. I can hardly see the trees across the street from me.
    “Don’t feel bad. Now, let’s get this tire changed.” He starts to walk to my trunk and I lean back in my car to pop it open. A few seconds later he’s coming back towards me and he’s holding the tire iron and a jack.
    “Really, you don’t have to do this. I feel horrible that you left class.”
    “I told you, don’t feel bad. Class was boring anyway and I was practically falling asleep.” He smiles.
    “What can I do to help?” I ask.
    “There’s not a lot you can do. Why don’t you go sit in my car and get out of the cold?”
    “I’m not just going to leave you out here while you change my tire,” I scoff.
    “It’s just a little snow, Holly. I’ll be fine. Please, you’re just gonna distract me.” He smiles adorably at me. I’m not sure why, but seeing him standing there with a tire iron in his hands is totally hot. “Don’t you have a tow truck or some roadside assistance to cancel anyways?”
    Shit. “Yeah, let me go call them and I’ll come right back.”
    “Really, I’ll be finished in just a few minutes. Just stay in my car.” This time it’s not a request, it’s