Page 75 of Finding My Forever

“I’m sorry. I know it was the worst timing. I hope you didn’t think I was doing it on purpose.”

Oh no. That thought never crossed my mind…. only every other second.

“Maybe a little bit.”

“April, I’m so sorry. I swear I would never do that to you.”

“Well, I called Sophia and she said she hadn’t heard from Eli either, so…”

“So you assumed we both were ignoring you?”

“Yeah.”

He let out a sigh. “I’m an idiot. I should have fought for a few seconds to send out a message to you and my parents.”

One day, in the far future, we would look back on this and laugh. Now was not the time.

“It’s okay. Just, maybe, don’t do it again?”

“I promise.”

His voice and reassurance were all I needed to forget this past week. He missed me just as much as I missed him. We were talking again like no time had passed. If only we weren’t so far away from each other.

“Tell me about your week. Anything exciting happen?”

I could tell him about snapping during cheer practice but that would one, make me look like an obsessed loon, and two, make him feel bad again.

“School’s the same as always. One of our delivery drivers quit, so my mom is covering right now. That means I’ve been alone in the back room making arrangements by myself.”

“That sucks. I’m sorry for your mom, though. I’m sure she’d rather be at the store.”

“Definitely.” Wow. My life was really this boring. “What about you? How was a week off the grid? I’m impressed you survived.”

“Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I just wanted to be able to talk to you, though.”

Ugh. Why did he have to say all the right things? A small part of me wanted him to say or do something so offensive that I’d never want to see him again, and I could move on. But then I would forever be known as the one that broke the necklace. Either way, I was doomed.

“I found the video that we saw being filmed in Tompkins Square park.”

It took me a moment to remember what he was talking about. “The trash guy?”

“Yeah. I’ll send you the link.”

“Is it bad?” I could only imagine what it was about.

He chuckled. “Not as bad as I was expecting. The trash man was a representation of earth and how we don’t take care of it anymore.”

“How interesting.”

“A little overdone, but always a topic that needs reminding.” He spoke in a pretentious voice.

“I see.” I tried to keep up the act but broke into laughter.

We talked for a few more minutes before calling it a night. After hanging up I texted Sophia to tell her I finally heard from Liam, and she replied that she had just talked to Eli. I smiled at the thought of them missing each other just as much as Liam and I had.

If that irritating static buzz of the megaphone behind me didn’t stop, I couldn’t be held liable for my actions.

“If you move any slower, April, we’ll have to change your name to July because that’s when this routine will be done!”