Moments

Moments III: Post Office

 

Lily was standing in line at the post office behind an elderly woman with a pink and white striped sweater, holding the most important envelope she had ever held when she heard the soft tinkle of the bell and felt the breeze at her back as the door swung open and someone stepped inside. She read the text on the envelope for the thousandth time, contemplating her decision, but never doubting it. She knew what she had to do, but she had no idea how to go about it. She was so lost in thought that she did not hear the very familiar clearing of a throat from three feet behind her.

 

Only when she felt a tap on her shoulder did she turn around, expecting to see the face of someone asking to use a pen or to move over so they could reach the shipping boxes. But instead of a face, she saw a broad expanse of dark gray. Looking up, she saw the familiar neck, jaw, cheekbones and blue eyes of Jake Harrison, the boy who had stomped on her heart time and time again without even knowing it was there, before his feet, waiting to be picked up and carried away.

 

"Yes? Can I help you?" Lily was appropriately curt. Inwardly, she knew she had forgiven him for everything he had done to her as soon as he reached out and tapped her shoulder. One proactive movement was all it took for her to feel a rush of happiness instead of dread when she recognized him. But far be it from her to open herself so vulnerably again. Or, at least, to let him know that she had.

 

"Lily, look. I need to talk to you. Can we talk?" He had the look on his face that she had always imagined: pleading, smiling, and more than a little regretful. Lily wanted nothing more than to talk to him, to fix things, but she had resolved to allow him to do all of the talking this time, to make him say how he truly felt before she showed him.

 

"I need to send this. It's kind of important- my college forms? So can it wait?"

 

"Oh...which college?" Jake knew the decision that had faced her in terms of where she would go- it was either with him, on the same campus, or across the country, where her family would then move, taking her away from him forever.

 

"I don't think that's any of your concern. We aren't anything to each other any more, just the way you wanted it, remember?"

 

"But Lily, I need to know. And there's something I need you to know too. And it can't wait until you send that envelope." With that, Jake grabbed her elbow and used his far superior strength to drag her to the back of the store as the three other people in line watched with wide eyes and intently curious looks.

 

"Jake, let go." Lily had been determined to be relaxed and mature about the situation, but tears had sprung to her eyes and she had slipped into a cold fury at his audacity, his assumption that he did not need to apologize for what he had done. Or, as the case was, what he had not done.

"Look, I just need to talk to you. Just give me five minutes, I-"

 

"No, Jake. You've had more than five minutes. You've had an entire year, and nothing. So excuse me if I have more important things to do than listen to you." She turned away from him so he could not see her wiping her tears furiously and got back in line, biting back a remark about him making her lose her place and waste her time.

 

"Lily, I'm sorry." It was a whisper, as nervous as she had ever heard him, and it was all she needed to hear. Turning around, she stared him straight in the face, squaring her shoulders to face him.