“Good.” He shoves his hand in his pockets, staring down at how close our feet are since moving further down the sidewalk. “I was uh . . . coming here to meet someone.”
“Oh . . . Come here a lot?” All this small talk is killing me but what else are we supposed to say to each other?
“No.” He looks away, his expression tensing. “This is my first time. It was his idea. You?” His dark eyes lock back on mine, and man, I missed being the center of their attention.
“I randomly decided to try somewhere new after a long day of work.”
“Cool. I didn’t think I’d see you on this side of town. Then again, I don’t usually come this way myself.” He chuckles nervously. “You look good . . . I mean . . . well.” He clenches his jaw, leaning forward on his toes. “You know, from when I last saw you. Yeah, I’m not so good at running into people I haven’t seen in a while.” His eyes dart around me.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” I smirk and he laughs.
“It’s really good to see you. I—”
“Hey, you managed to beat me somewhere for a change.” A deep voice comes from behind us.
Elijah’s attention shifts over to the man walking closer. “Yeah. I left work early and figured I’d change things up a bit.” He smiles. It’s easygoing, the way it used to be with me. Someone else gets it now. My stomach knots.
“You haven’t been inside yet, have you?”
“Nope. I uh . . . actually ran into a friend before I could. Eddie, this is Silas. Silas, this is Eddie.” Elijah’s gaze drifts between us.
“Nice to meet you, Silas.” Eddie sticks his hand out to me and I shake it.
“You too.” Our fingers part seconds later and I study the way his hand falls on Elijah’s shoulder, like it’s been there many times before. I take two steps back, my stomach plummeting at their friendly interaction and the way Elijah laughs when Eddie whispers in his ear.
“I should get going,” I blurt. “I’m supposed to pick something up from my mom’s house. You two have fun.” I turn around, my steps moving so quickly across the parking lot I don’t notice the car coming toward me at fast speed. The loud honk causes meto jump before I keep moving faster to my car. Slipping inside, I lean against the seat, my breaths unable to steady as my heart feels like it’s being ripped open.
The trees swaying around me turn into twisted, ugly faces mocking my pain and I slump over the steering wheel. My eyes shut as I press my forehead to the cool leather. He’s with someone else. He moved on while I remained trapped where we last left off, dancing together in the rain. I’m the one who said goodbye first. I walked away first. Only because if I’d waited until he did, I didn’t think I’d survive the rejection. I’m barely holding on as it is, picturing his hand slipping inside another’s and his mouth touching lips not belonging to me.
My eyes burn from the suppressed tears, a heavy pressure building in my head. A loud buzzing noise has my eyes flashing open and my back jolting against the seat. I reach for my phone and get a weird whooshing feeling in my stomach when I see Elijah’s name light up on the screen.
Elijah: It was nice seeing you tonight.
Me: It was good to see you too.
Elijah: Come back and have a drink with me?
Me: Your friend won’t mind?
Elijah: No, and he’s not my friend.
My stomach clamps up.
Me: I really need to get home.
Elijah: I thought you had to swing by your mom’s?
Me: I really did like seeing you. You looked happy.
Elijah: Looks can be deceiving. I see you’re still here and sitting in your car. Come inside.
Me: Have a good night, Elijah.
I drop the phone onto the passenger seat and bury my face in my hands, sitting here, waiting for my phone to go off again. I don’t know why but I need him to ask me to join him for a drink again. I need him to really want me to stay. A knock onmy window has me jumping back. At first I struggle to make out the face looking back at me through the foggy glass in the dark parking lot. When I roll down the window, my heart gallops in my chest.
“Elijah? What are you . . . shouldn’t you be inside with your . . . the man you’re here with?”
“I asked if I could have a rain check. He doesn’t live far from here anyway.”
