Strawberry Ice Cream

Day One Hundred and Seventy Two

I know we parted ways with the word "friends" resting on our lips, but your absence made this aching feeling settle in the pit of my stomach that I can only describe as loneliness. Because we may have said we would be best friends still, but we both knew those words weren't true. How can you be friends with someone you had loved for so long?

It was hard, but I did it. I saw you often and said hi, and did that weird thing that adults call "small talk". I'd ask you about your sister and you'd ask about my dog, and we'd part ways. But by day one hundred and seventy two, we had become friends again. We weren't best friends and I doubt we could have ever called ourselves that again, but we were as close as we could be.

"You know, you could like, drink your coffee," you said, teasing.

I looked across the table to where you sat with your drink, smiling at me. My heart fluttered because honey, I hadn't gotten over you, and I took a sip of my beverage which by then had gone cold. I could feel the warm heat of a blush on my cheeks.

There was a large clattering sound and I looked to my right at where the barista was, coffee spilt on her shirt and all over the floor where she was lying. A red color was splattered across her cheeks and she looked on the verge of tears and I was going to go help her. And then in an instant, I saw you helping her instead.

You were crouched beside her and you grabbed the top of her arm, pulling her up so gently that I could see your care across the room. As you helped her up she looked at you and a smile formed on her lips, a smile that had kindness laced through it.

You had a grin on your face and I could see the words "are you alright" come from the place I once kissed. She smiled back at you and gave you a response that I couldn't read, but you laughed.

You went behind the counter with her and emerged again, carrying paper towels with her by your side. The two of you began cleaning up her mess, and then you looked at me.

"Go home," you mouthed, your eyes pleading and a smile on your lips.

I did.