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“I can appreciate your priorities,” she said.
She fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist. She held her arm up and I bumped her bracelet with mine.
“Second chances,” she said.
“Second chances,” I agreed.
Natalie hugged me again, as if she hadn’t gotten enough the first time. She sighed into me and I held her as we swayed just a little side to side. As if we were dancing. When we were kids, we’d practiced slow-dancing together like this. Back then, we’d been hoping the boys we liked would ask us to slow dance. In hindsight, my crush had been manufactured out of pressure. She’d gotten asked by the boy she liked. I hadn’t.
At the time, that had seemed like the most important thing in our lives.
“I should go in,” she said, but didn’t move to stop hugging me.
“I need to get my groceries home,” I said.
“Right,” she said, and finally pulled away.
I wanted to pull her back. I wanted to hold her for a long time. I didn’t want her to go inside. I didn’t want to go back to my cabin alone.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. We’ll go to the beach,” she said. Tomorrow. I’d see her tomorrow.
“Okay,” I said, even though everything in me was screaming not to let her go.
Natalie stepped away from me and inhaled.
“Okay, going inside.”
“Goodnight,” I said.
“See you tomorrow, Em,” she said, and she finally turned her back on me. I watched her walk to the front door and go inside.
I got into my car and drove home with tears in my eyes.
