parallel lines | ✓

22

ANOTHER YEAR LATER

COFFEE IS ALL well and good, but I would rather wake up to the sound of nature and fresh breeze, and it happens every twice a week; the weekend. A glow in the sky before sunrise greeted me good morning and I subsequently checked my phone as a portion of my morning routine, part of me hoping there would be a notification that could change my life, an invite to a luxurious party perhaps, and there it was, a text from Marven. It was nothing close to a fancy invite but it did feel fancy, as I assumed our friendship was long forsaken especially with him leaving social media.

Marven and I haven't exchanged a single conversation from the moment I stepped foot in Los Angeles. Correction, actually since I started dating Wallace, so it was peculiar to hear from him especially two weeks before my return to Ironbury. I, being the straight - forward girl, voiced my annoyance of him never checking up on me but a single 'I will never forget you' text was sufficient to help us retrieve our old connection. I asked him what he had been up to, and he spoke about every glory detail from the moment we stopped speaking to this very moment.

He shared with me the bittersweet memories of his latest relationship. He spoke about her betrayal, his forgiveness and their arguments. I was instantly overwhelmed with a rush of déjà vu. I was reminded of our conversations two years ago when he'd share his sorrows, and I'd be his comfort. I remember saying to him "one day you'll find someone that truly loves you." As I thought about our past, I find myself typing this statement again. I wonder how long it would be before he realizes I was referring to myself. 

Some days when I lay at night, a rush of regret run over me as thoughts of what we could have been invades my mind. I know if one of us had fought to be together, we'd risk ruining our friendship, but perhaps the outcome of our fight would be worth the risk? If only there was a time traveling was possible to put my theory to action, if only we could do it all over again, if only I was given a second chance. But I stopped my thoughts before they turned into feelings.

I was genuinely happy we were becoming a part of each other's lives again. The craziest part was that he has changed, and so have I, yet the connection between us remained the same. We are still the Marven and Laurette we were, years ago. We still make fun of each other's romantic choices and we still have that unspoken tension between us.

We talked for hours, my notifications rapidly blowing up like the sound of fireworks on the fourth of July. I could feel our friendship was beginning to bloom again like tulips on a spring day and I was ready. I thought his disappearance from my life made me forget everything I've ever felt for him but turns out, his absence only made me grow my endearment for him.

I never believed in signs. I never believed that the universe would drop subtle hints to help me make a decision. I never believed in what they refer to as the grand plan. But when the boy, the boy who slipped away from my life texted me after two years of nothing but silence between us, I was beginning to question whether I was wrong all along.