her shoulder bumped into mine as we stumbled down the dark, narrow sidewalk laughing the only way we know how, like madmen.
but her laughs echoed up and down the street. she had the kind of laugh that your ears could never get tired of, the kind of laugh that was hearty but sweet.
my laugh was the kind that involved clapping, doubling over. it was the kind of laugh that stood out from crowds, the kind you try to hide but it's too wild.
"you idiot," i blurted between laughs.
she pushed me to the side playfully, trying to suppress her laughter. i stumbled off of the curb but quickly hopped back up.
"you're the idiot... idiot," she retorted.
i slung my arm over her shoulder.
"let's agree we're both idiots."
"let's agree to disagree," she shot back.
we broke into more laughter.
when we finally made it to the car, i unlocked the door, and we both slid in.
the laughter spell was starting to wear off.
she stared out the window into the night.
i struggled to buckle my seat-belt.
her smile was replaced by a look of worry.
"hey, what's wrong?"
"i'm going to miss you," i raised by eyebrow, but she continued to look outside.
"what are you talking about?"
"we've been friends for so long..."
"and we'll be friends for even longer."
she turned her head towards me, "promise?"
i held out my pinky finger.
"at your wedding, i will wear a unicorn onesie to your reception. our kids will wear matching outfits until they are old enough to complain. when you're old and wrinkly, we'll race in our wheelchairs down the halls of the retirement home while nurses chase after us. and if you die before me, i will sit your headstone and put glitter stickers all over it and sit there until i die. then when we are ghosts, we can scare people by making their socks float. it'll be great, i promise."
she broke into a small smile, "for real?"
"ab-so-frickin-loot-lee."
she laughed and hooked her pinky with mine for a few seconds.
i slid my keys into the ignition and the car hummed to life.
she looked back out the window and rested her chin on her fist.
her smiled faded again into a tight frown.
i looked to her, "hey."
"what?" she said looking at me with her eyes on the brink of tears.
"i love you... idiot."
♥
