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“Darcy?” He asked. Callum was next to me, and I couldn’t stop myself from turning to face off against him.
“Please don’t pretend you were interested in me back then. You can’t just make up whatever version of events works for you now.”
“What are you talking about?” He seemed taken aback, but I didn’t have time to analyze his feelings.
“I already told you in the text. You abandoned me then without a word, so I shouldn’t be surprised you were about to do exactly the same thing now. So don’t pretend that date was some fairy tale where you got to take out the girl of your dreams. It’s just not true!”
“Abandoned you?” Callum looked shocked, as if I had just slapped him across the face.
“You don’t remember?” I felt tears prick at my eyes, and I thought about pushing past him and rushing to my car. It was bad enough what had happened all those years ago, but the thought that Callum didn’t even remember was even more painful. Especially when I had carried the memory around for so long.
“You left me!” I cried out. “I was so excited when you came to pick me up. And then we were at the concert with your friends and everything seemed to be going so well. I thought we were actually having a good time!”
My voice was too loud, and I felt too dramatic as I talked about this. It was like my teenage self was back in this field, confronting Callum after years of silence.
“We were having a good time,” Callum responded, but once again I felt frustration build inside of me as I took in his interpretation of events.
“Clearly not!” I called out, still too loud. “Because next thing I knew you simply disappeared. I went off to the bathroom, and when I came back you were gone. I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
I glared at him then, practically begging him to give me an explanation. That feeling of confusion and hurt when I realized Callum was gone was something I had never been able to let go. I could still remember fighting my way through the crowds with a big smile on my face. I could remember thinking of all the things I wanted to say to Callum after our great conversation all night and how excited I was as I wondered if he would hold my hand or offer me his jacket once it got darker outside.
But when I found our blanket, spread out on the hill, Callum and his friends were gone. His jacket wasn’t there anymore, and the small cooler he had packed with drinks and snacks was missing too. In fact, everything was gone except for the blanket itself. I remember standing there, trying to understand what was happening. And I remember looking around and wondering if the people sitting around me had seen it all. Did they know I had been left?
Now, as all those emotions rushed back, I forced myself to stand tall in front of him. I forced myself to stare into his eyes and wait for an explanation. I scanned his face for any sign of remorse, but I only saw confusion and a brief sense of outrage. Was he upset I was confronting him about this after all these years? I gave it another moment, but when he didn’t speak, I turned on my heel and walked away from him.
“Darcy!”
Too late, I thought. I kept walking, rushing my way up the hill even though it made my legs burn with the effort.
“Wait! Let me explain!”
I ignored him, setting my sights on the car. I could only think of getting home and slamming the door behind me. I could only think of letting myself fall apart.
“Darcy, please!”
His hand slipped into mine, and he stopped me. I could have pulled away. In fact, I thought about it. But when I looked back at him, I saw there were tears in his eyes. It surprised me, and it was the opening he needed.
“I thought you ran away,” he said.
I stared at him, unable to do anything except blink. What was he saying? After so many years of obsessing over that night at the concert, it was nearly impossible to imagine a different scenario. Was it all some big misunderstanding? Or was Callum simply telling me what I wanted to hear?
“Just wait,” he begged. “Let me explain.”
He still held my hand, and I felt him squeeze it slightly, asking me to trust him.
“Alright,” I sighed. “Let’s talk.”
I saw Callum smile as relief flooded his face.
“Okay,” he said, his voice light and bouncy. I saw his eyes slide up to his car and then he glanced back at me. “Wait here, okay?”
I felt my eyebrows lift in shock as he asked me to wait. I had just agreed to stay here and talk, and now he was disappearing?
“I know, I know,” he said, as if reading my mind. “But just give me a second.”
I rolled my eyes, but it seemed to be enough of a “yes” for Callum. He took off at a run toward his car, and I watched as he fished his keys out of his pocket and opened his trunk. I saw a plaid piece of fabric come out before he slammed the trunk closed and rushed back to me. I couldn’t help but smile as I realized he was bringing a picnic blanket for us to sit on.
“What’s this?” I asked, though of course I knew what it was. Callum stood back and opened the blanket into the air, letting it billow out as he held the corners. He rested it on the grass and invited me to sit down.
