After a year and a half of trying to move on from the what-ifs, the tides have pulled Alexandra Rivera and Zachariah Kim back together again.
*****
In the h...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Pablo and I walk along the line of trees, looking out at the clusters of families hanging out at the park. Children's laughter skips in the air and mixes with the sweet warmth of the sun rising early in the morning sky. The air is crisp and clean against our skin.
Spontaneity doesn't always grant enough time to truly soak in an experience, so our time together feels entirely too short for the years of friendship. Regardless of that fact, I've still enjoyed our time together. More importantly, he's done what he always does best taking my mind off things that make my heart ache.
"You never told me where you two wandered off to the other night," he says.
"Just some much-needed time to talk," I answer. Steam rises from the cup of coffee in my hand. "I really needed this."
The cup of coffee. The talks. The short trip to Seattle. Even though it flew past in a flash, it's already been more than enough, and now I know exactly what I'm going to do once we go home.
"I'm sorry you couldn't stay longer," he says. "Next time you're staying for two whole weeks. Or better yet, Darren and I are coming to see you."
The edge of the park comes into view. As the air warms with the rising sun, our days in Seattle are quickly reaching their end with only a few hours left ahead of us.
Pablo steps closer as he moves out of the way of a couple pushing a stroller. "What are you going to do when you get back?"
The flickering images in my head of how I imagine my plans coming to life appear like a movie, and Pablo would be great to test the screener and make sure I'm not doing something I'll regret later on. But another part of me thinks, maybe, this is something I need to keep to myself.
"I'll tell you all about it when I get back," I tell him instead. The reward will feel so much sweeter if I don't let anyone else's opinions affect my decisions, and I know Pablo won't mind. "I promise."
Pablo peeks at me from the side. On the edge of the horizon, the sun rises, and I know we'll have more of these moments again. "You always do."
When we run out of park to keep us entertained, we go to his car so he can drop me back off at the hotel. While we make our way over, I soak up the last bits of Seattle I have left before we leave. The Pacific Northwest is a beauty all of its own, and even though my time here has been limited, I already find myself agreeing with Emmie this is the best of it there is.
Pablo pulls the car up along the curb and puts it into the park, letting the engine idle. We stare at each other over the console for a few moments, waiting for the other to go first.
"Is this the part where one of us says something cheesy about goodbyes and the other person is obligated to repeat that Winnie the Pooh line?" I ask.
"No, this is where we tell the other person to not cry like a bitch."
