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“I’m almost packed, so tomorrow.”
This punch in the gut was much worse than the one she’d delivered back at the bar. “Wow. That soon?” There was a boiling deep down inside me and a plethora of emotions filled me. Was I mad? Was I sad? Was I just… done?
“I didn’t see any reason to wait.”
“You waited until today to tell me, then justpoof? You’re gone, just like that? Wow.”
“It was hard enough to get you to meet me today. I guess I’ve been putting it off because I was afraid of your reaction.”
“You knew what my reaction would be.” My tone was level, despite the turmoil I felt inside. Remi knew me better than anyone else on the planet and I thought it would always be that way.
“I’ve been struggling with this, and I knew telling you would be hard. And you’re right, I also knew what your reaction would be, so why put us both through it for longer than necessary?”
It hurt that she could keep it from me, and that she didn’t include me in the decision, but she was right. It wouldn’t have mattered if she’d told me sooner, except I would have had more time to try and talk her out of it. But would that have been right for her, or just me?
I sighed heavily. “Are you spending the evening with your friends?”
“I planned on having dinner with you. I’ve already said goodbye to everyone else.”
The words felt like a knife in my heart. I wanted every second I could get with her, but I knew each one would hurt. “Okay, let’s eat then. Does Mario’s sound good?” I nodded at a restaurant coming up on the left. It was one of her favorites and we ate there five times the first week we were in town.
Remi nodded and pulled in and parked. We both sat in silence for a moment, then we unbuckled our seat belts at the same time. I held out my hand and she put her smaller one into it. My fingers wrapped around hers, and I pulled it up to kiss the top of it.
When she glanced up at me her eyes were full of tears.
As we climbed out of the car together and I walked around to take her hand again. “I’ll come by in the morning to help you load your car, okay?” I just didn’t want tonight to be goodbye. I wanted a few more hours with my best friend so I could get used to the idea of her leaving. “Tonight, let’s just have fun. Maybe go to the arcade or the bowling alley later?”
I knew the coming months and years would be hard, the distance between us might get harder to overcome, and that many things would change between us.
Despite being hurt and upset, I pushed it aside. I wanted one more night with Remi. One more night with my damsel.
Remi
The crowd was on their feet, screaming at the top of their lungs.
The entire stadium was enthralled as we cheered on the two final teams in the NCAA College Cup Championship. I was personally invested; my eyes never leaving one particular player.
Positioned in the middle of my large extended family; we all cheered for the entire team, but specifically, my best friend, Dylan. He was the Clemson soccer star who, ironically, followed in my father’s footsteps, right down to being the star forward for the same university and being drafted by the United States Men’s National Team.
My mother was squeezing my hand so hard I thought the circulation would be cut off. My dad, and Dylan’s, were to my left both screaming at the top of their lungs like a couple of kids.
“That’s my boy!” Jensen bellowed. “Do you see him? Look at him go! He’s amazing!”
“To the left! Shoot, Dylan! You’ve got an opening!” My father yelled. First and always Dylan’s coach, his tutelage had assured Dylan’s success.
I rolled my eyes and laughed at the two of them. As if Dylan could hear them from the stands and above the uproarious din of the crowd. I could see the pride that puffed out both men’s chests and it wasn’t less than I felt myself. I felt something more. A lot more.
My eyes followed the lean, lithe figure with the sandy blond hair as he moved swiftly down the field, wielding the ball with the precision he’d practiced for years, then blasting it into his opponent’s net as if he’d heard every word my dad had shouted at him.
The group of us all started screaming and jumping up and down in unison with the thousands of others in the packed stadium. My dad and Jensey both put their hands to their mouths, using their fingers to let out almost obnoxious whistles in unison!
Happiness made me laugh and smile so much my cheeks hurt.
“Oh my God!” Missy, Dylan’s mom screamed and waved a Clemson flag above her head. “Yeah, Dyllllaaaannnnn! Whooooooooo!”
My own mother clasped my arm with both hands, her expression excited. She knew what I hadn’t shared with others. “There’s our boy! Right, Remi?”
He was pretty spectacular, I admitted to myself. In the massive eruption, I was sort of speechless. I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel and all I could do was nod my head; my eyes riveted on Dylan.
