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I just shrug. “I’m trying to be less of a homebody these days.”
She nods and I’m relieved that’s that.
“I'm glad to hear it. It’s so good to run into you! You look…” It takes her a second of hesitation to land on a word. “Well.”
“So do you.” It’s an understatement. There are plenty of other adjectives I’d use to describe her, but it’s in my best interest to stop thinking through them. I wouldn’t want one to accidentally slip out.
She gestures toward her shopping cart. It contains nothing but snack foods and hard seltzer. Combining that with how she’s dressed up, it looks like she’s going to have a more exciting night than I’ve had in a long time.
“I’m in a hurry at the moment, but we should really catch up soon. Maybe grab dinner?”
My heart leaps, liking that idea a little too much. “Definitely. That sounds nice.”
I pull out my phone and open it to a new contact before handing it over.
She puts her number in and I tell her I’ll text her. I’m more excited than I should be about this little run in, but it’s been a while since I’ve seenanyof my old friends, and even longer since I’d seen her. She was my friend at one point, as complicated as it had been.
She apologizes, something about melting ice cream, before waving goodbye and heading away from me.
The interaction is way too short, and I know I’m going to make sure we do have that chance to catch up. Although, as I’m unable to keep myself from watching her walk away, I’m aware it’s not my brightest idea.
2
Autumn
I’m not sure I’m breathing as I rush away from Miles. He’s the last person I was expecting to run into on this last minute shopping trip. He’s the last person I was expecting to seeever.
I’m grateful for the timing of it. That it was tonight while I’m all done up, and not yesterday morning when I was in this exact store wearing my sweatpants. Pretty sure the anti-gas medication I’d been picking up would have made our conversation a little more uncomfortable.
I don’t think he’ll text me. I’m almost positive he won’t, but it was sweet of him to make the gesture. He was always one to try and cheer me up, make a bad day a better one. I guess he never got rid of that habit.
It worked for a minute. The way his small kindness made my heart feel like it was going to pound out of my chest. A side effect I wishIhad gotten rid of. It makes me feel like a train wreck of a teenager all over again.
I sigh and try to shake it off. The moment has passed, and now we’ll go back to forgetting the other exists. I’m sure he will at least, even though I’ve never been able to. Not a week has passed over the last six years without some reminder of him. Granted, some of those were reminders of his brother, but I chose to think of Miles instead. The sweet, helpful brother. The one I wish I could have met first.
It didn’t help matters on that front when I wrote an entire book inspired by my little crush on him. Something I never would have done if I’d known I’d see him again, because just the idea of being confronted about it makes me feel nauseous. I really thought he was gone for good.
It’s strange, how he’s still been here all this time without me knowing. In a small town like this, it’s inevitable that you’ll run into everyone you know at least a couple times a year. I’ve seen glimpses of his family more than I’d have liked, usually attempting to hide or head the opposite direction to avoid any awkward encounters.
I wonder if this is his grocery store as much as it is mine. If we’ve always just missed each other, or if we’ll bump into each other again.
Oh, I meant to text you!And some pathetic attempt on my end to appear casual, as if I didn’t think about it for a second. I hold back on rolling my eyes at myself as I go through the self checkout.
Trying to distract myself, I make a mental checklist of what I need for this weekend’s get together. If I missed anything that’s currently in this store, it’s forfeit. I won’t be turning back, knowing he’s still here somewhere. As far as things I brought from home… I can’t remember if I grabbed a swimsuit, but I’ll dive into the hot tub in my underwear if I have to.
I practically sprint out to the parking lot, only stopping to pull the bags out of my cart so I can drop it off in the designated area.
Except I’m horribly unsuccessful, and time seems to slow as I feel the bottom of one overstuffed plastic bag start to rip open. There’s no chance for me to stop the six pack of glass bottles from crashing to the ground with my hands full. Other items dramatically fall to the ground, following the sound of glass shattering. At least none of the rest of it is breakable, I guess that’s a positive.
I freeze for a minute and take a deep, but shaky breath. My anxiety can hardly handle the grocery store on my own, let alone embarrassing myself in a way that would have all eyes on me. I avoid looking up or around as I slowly bend down to see what can be saved from the mess.
I don’t get a chance before a familiar, tattooed arm is before me, carefully picking it up.
Ofcoursehe was nearby.
Where’s somewhere to run and hide when a girl needs it?
“Looks like you only lost the one,” Miles says, pulling the remaining glass out of the dripping cardboard.
