No matter how much she runs, Laura is stuck in an endless loop of her past. With a transfer of school and a curly-haired boy who seems to be wherever she goes, it's a matter of time she realizes that her universe ceases at the sight of him-and runni...
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"SHE'LL BE HERE ANY SECOND. I should leave."
I drummed the table anxiously. Jayden stared.
In all honesty, having him around, even when he wasn't doing anything, eased my nerves. The lingering familiarity of our childhood was enough. He'd known both Elizabeth and Sebastian, and deserved to know what had happened.
I nodded, but it wasn't approving in the slightest. He smiled. "You got this," he repeated the words he'd said five minutes prior. "You've known her longest. It'll take some time, but you'll adjust. Are you sure this café is the right kind of environment, though?"
I rose my eyes from the table. "Why not?"
He pursed his lips. "Well, uh," he gestured vaguely. "If things go south. . ."
My eyebrows shot up. He rattled, "I mean, like, if either of you get emotional. You'd be conscious, crying in a café."
"I don't think I have any tears left in me," I shrugged, despite my fingers' steady cadence. "I'll be okay." I hoped.
I was barely here. My mind was in another realm altogether.
"Think a little more for her sake." He sighed. "She's coming on such a short notice, too."
I stayed silent, though I knew her and I—we'd both been preparing for it, and for long enough.
Because I didn't respond, he fell silent, eyes peering outside the window. I glanced at his side profile, at the light stubble on his jaw, and blurted out the question on my mind without a second thought.
"What sort of relationship do you have with her?"
"A friendly one?" His answer did not miss any beats. "I don't know what you're getting at, Laura."
Suddenly I was beyond embarrassed. "Sorry. It's not my business," I looked away. Why did I think this was necessary? "It's just...I saw you two together that day at the arcade. . ."
"She invited me once she found out I lived here," he spoke. "It was awkward, though, and I know it's been many years, but I was never close to her to begin with."
I flattened my hands on the table. Muttered a small, oh, and pretended to act like I hadn't totally misread their relation.
It was fruitless. He heaved a sigh, covered his eyes, and spoke in a sort of a grimace, "Honestly, I don't know what to tell you." He met my eyes briefly, and his face turned pink. "I thought you knew this."
My lips upturned clumsily, worried I'd said everything wrong. "What exactly?"
Silence pursued.
It was interrupted quite shortly after.
"That I like you!" He exclaimed softly. His head turned all directions to see if he'd gathered attention, then fixated his eyes on mine. "Sorry. Today is not about that. I really should leave."
