Twenty Years Too Late: She Begs Me Now

That July, we were filling out college applications.

My childhood sweetheart threw away the plan we'd made together and went off to a community college to be with the poor kid instead.

"Jude's family doesn't have much," she said. "He's always been a little insecure about it. I can't stand the thought of him going somewhere strange all on his own."

I looked at her for a long time. Then I nodded and said nothing.

That same day, I accepted my offer from a university abroad and walked into the airport alone.