It was the day of graduation. In a few weeks, I would be beginning to build my life in a new town and this small group of people that I have called my best friends for so many years would be scattered all over the world.
Nina would be going to Paris for a few years, Zephyr still didn't know quite what he wanted to do, and Blue would be going into the military. Back when we were all sophomores, Blue and I had dated for a while. Even though it had been years since we broke up, I was still in love with him and I spent all of my free time trying to convince him to not go into the military. But it's what he wanted more than anything.
"Blue, I am going to miss you," I told him right after graduation. All four of us were sitting on the concrete wall next to the library.
"Hey what about me?" Zephyr asked while faking being upset.
I laughed, and this time it was a real laugh.
"I'll miss all of you."
"Yeah well, I have to go and pack. I am leaving in the morning," Blue responded after a few moments. I sighed and got up to hug him. He held me tight for a few minutes. We haven't hugged like this for a really long time. I closed my eyes and held back my tears. I had to be strong. I always had to be strong.
It was a few months later. I want you to picture tall beautiful pine trees, and breathtaking bright wild flowers. The deep blue lake and the light blue and purple sky. This place is Harrison, Idaho.
I was working as a waitress in one of the small local restaurants. I was now used to being screamed at from eight in the morning to five in the evening. I heard the bell, which signaled that a new customer had came in.
I grabbed my notepad and a few menus and headed over to the table. Sat in the booth was a beautiful brown haired woman around my age, and an angry looking guy, around my age also. Anger looked well on his face, but it made me wonder how gorgeous his smile would be. He had fluffy dark brown hair and brown eyes to match. He was wearing a band shirt and blue jeans. He had a chain hanging down from his neck with nothing on it. He looked like he was focusing on something, so I coughed to get his attention.
"Hello!" I said in my fake cheery voice with my best fake smile as well.
"Hi."
So he speaks...
"Oh dear she wasn't talking to you, she was talking to the only person at the table that really matters. Honey we will both have cheeseburgers medium rare with a side of fries, and I will also have a nice salad to go with that," the woman blurted out while handing me back the menus.
And now I know why he had anger settled into his face. I wonder if she realizes how rude she is to him.
After they finished their meal, she left him behind to pay. I grabbed the bill for him on the way out, and took in a deep shaky breath to calm myself. Why was I so nervous? He was just a guy.
"Your bill, sir," I said in a calm and polite voice as I handed it to him. He coughed lightly and handed me back the bill along with a $20 tip. I kept my head down and eyes to the floor as I retreated back towards the kitchen.
Once he was out of my sight, I looked down at the $20 that was crushed in my hand and noticed a little scrap of paper that had a number written down and a " call me :)" scrawled next to the phone number. Wow. Such a classic move.
Later that night I was sitting near the fire at my Grandparents house. I had my legs folded underneath me as I recalled the events of the day to my Grandma as she tossed a pancake into the air. She always believed that breakfast was better at night, and after sinking my teeth into the chocolate chip pancakes at ten in the evening, I had to agree with her.
"I think you should call that nice young man. I know him quite well, he grew up down the street. Don't you remember playing with him? You were young, but you two were inseparable," my grandma rambled on about him," When you were around five years old, you told him you were going to marry him. It was so cute. But then you stopped coming here every summer."
I just sighed in response.
"But what about Blue?" I asked after some time.
"Honey, it has been years since he stopped loving you. Don't you think it's time to move on?"
Yes. Grandma was right, just as always.
