I'll Be Seeing You

Six.

I remember when I was younger and had just been dumped by my boyfriend. My mind went into overdrive. I had so many conflicting thoughts racing through my head that I couldn't think straight. I honestly believed I couldn't live without him. I told myself that if he didn't take me back, I'd be better off dead.

I was just a teenager back then, but pain doesn't discriminate by age. The mind can be a scary place—no matter how old you are. I never wanted Kasey to feel that way. And I definitely didn't want her to feel alone.

I threw on a hoodie and my UGGs, then jumped in the car. After waiting a few minutes for the windows to defrost, I made my way across town. Kasey was already standing in the doorway when I pulled up. I helped her carry her things out to the car, and we hurried to get out of the cold. I'd left the engine running with the seat warmers on, so it was nice and toasty as we drove back home.

Mark was sound asleep when we got back, so we quietly carried her things to my room. While Kasey looked for something to watch, I made us both a cup of hot chocolate. By the time I joined her on the couch, she was scrolling through the romance category. I couldn't help but laugh.

"I see you judging me," she whispered.

"Never judging," I chuckled. "I just think it's funny how you never liked romance movies—until I got you hooked on a couple of my favorites."

"Is it weird that they're comforting for me right now?"

"Not at all. Sad music and sappy love stories are always my go-to."

"You'd think at a time like this, I'd want something happy and uplifting. But here we are."

"Romance is happy and uplifting. Love is beautiful when you find the right person to share it with."

She landed on Forever My Girl, another favorite of mine. I didn't think I could ever choose just one romance as my all-time favorite, but this one was way up there. Just like with all those Nicholas Sparks movies, I'd read the book too, which made me love it even more. 

As we watched, I caught her smiling at every sweet little moment. It felt like I was watching a little glimmer of hope sneak its way back into her heart.

"Okay, that was so sweet," Kasey said once the movie ended.

"Right? I can't even tell you how many times I've watched this."

"Down for something scary now?"

"Sure," I laughed. "But just know I'm afraid of my own shadow."

"Yeah, me too. We might have to wake Mark up to scare away the monsters."

"And he wouldn't even complain," I said with a smile. "He'd probably just laugh at us, but he wouldn't be mad. Do you want to watch it in my room in case we get sleepy?"

"Sure. I can sleep on the couch tonight, though. I don't want to take over your room."

"Don't be silly. Unless you're uncomfortable, there's no reason for you to sleep in there. You're more than welcome to sleep with me—I don't mind at all."

"Okay, I just didn't want to overstep."

"Never. It's like having a sleepover," I teased.

Kasey shut the TV off while I folded the blankets and turned off all the lights. I grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge and closed the bedroom door just as Kasey came out of the bathroom, so we wouldn't wake Mark.

"Crap, I should've changed into my PJs while I was in there."

"Just change in here," I said. "I think I'm going to put something warmer on anyway."