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Our luggage gets thrown into the trunk and we hop in, setting our sights on those bright yellow lights.
***
My hash browns arepiled onto my plate, a mess of smothered, covered, and chunked. Tara is picking at a waffle.
She clears her throat. “So.”
“So. Something’s up,” I say playfully.
“Silas matched.”
My eyes meet hers. Silas didn’t know where he was going to match, and he was worried about uprooting his and Tara’s life. But she’s been the positive support in his corner, ready to jump into whatever adventure is next for the two of them. We knewthere would be a change, but it’s a much different animal when it’s happening in real time. When I’m halfway through bitter coffee and a plate of greasy hash browns awaiting news.
“Where?” I almost don’t want to ask.
“Arizona,” she mutters.
“You did sound defensive,” I joke. “That’s great, Tara.” I give a smile, but it might look forced. My hand shakes a little as I drink my coffee. Caffeine was a bad idea this late at night. “When?”
She takes a breath. “Twelve weeks.”
“Shit.”
“I know, I know.” She winces. “I found out over the weekend, but I didn’t want to tell you until we got back home.”
I don’t know what else to say. Why does this feel like a breakup? Not that Tara and I ever dated, but our partnership has spanned six years. We’ve always kept things professional between us, but she’s also my closest friend.
“So, what happens now?” I ask.
She looks down at her cup. “Gonna finish up my master’s.”
“That’s awesome.” My smile isn’t forced this time. I’m genuinely excited for this new chapter of her life.
She shrugs, taking another bite of waffle.
“Knock it off. This is great news.”
“I know,” she murmurs.
“Are you sad about leaving?”
“Of course, I am.” She doesn’t look at me when she says it.
“But?”
“But I think it’s time.”
I just nod and let out a deep, almost achy, breath. “I might be getting there,” I tell her, putting words to a strange feeling I’ve been harboring.
“Don’t say that,” she argues, her eyes sad.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know,” she sighs. “I don’t want you to abandon dancing.”
“Like you’re abandoning me?” I joke.
She pins me with a look and purses her lips to keep from laughing. I give her a smile in return. I’m mostly just fucking with her at this point. She knows that, but it doesn’t change the fact that her news is almost setting me adrift into one big, unsure ocean.
