In slow motion, the ground becomes closer and closer and I let out a loud shriek as I fall down, hitting the grass. I look over at Henry and we both burst out laughing.
"That was really fun," I laugh.
"Sorry for crashing, are you okay?" He asks, grabbing my hand and pulling me up off the ground.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Is your bike alright?" I ask, helping him pick it up off its side and stand it up.
"This thing is sturdy," he laughs, patting the back of the bike to make a clanging noise.
Surprisingly, he's been acting really fun today, and I'm reminded of how he was when we were younger.
"I can't believe you and your Dad actually built the whole thing, it's so cool," I say, brushing off my jeans.
"He showed me how to do most of it," he says, scratching the back of his neck. His cheeks turn light pink and I hesitate for a minute.
It's like he's completely different today.
And then I realize.
He's not different, I am. Not that he was completely right, especially with kissing me against my will, but maybe because I'm finally giving him the time of day.
Suddenly I feel bad that I kind of blew him off all these years. Thinking back, once Andrew and I's relationship started and I became friends with the girls, I didn't really hang out with him anymore. I recall going to a few of his birthday parties and seeing him occasionally, but that's about it.
As if he read my mind, he speaks up.
"Hey Lottie? I know I should have said this a long time, but I'm really sorry about what happened at the post office that night," he says, his eyes looking anywhere but mine.
"Oh?" I say, too surprised to say anything else.
"Yeah, I kind of drank some scotch with my Dad before we got to your house and I guess I can't handle alcohol very well," he says. "That's a crappy excuse, but I really am sorry."
"You're forgiven," I say. I would just rather forget about it. "So your Dad lets you drink?"
"Just that one time," he chuckles. "I was nervous about going to the dinner."
I start to question why he was nervous, but his eyes glance at me quickly and his cheeks darken. Oh yeah.
"Henry, I'm sorry for ditching you for Andrew and the girls for so many years," I breath, surprised at myself that I said it.
I guess today is just a surprising day. Actually, this whole weekend has been surprising.
"We used to be pretty good friends, didn't we?" He asks.
"Yeah, we were pretty good friends," I say, laughing to myself when I'm hit with a memory. "Remember when we built that raft and tested it out in the pond?"
"And it fell apart right as we got to the middle of the water," he finishes. "I don't think I've ever heard someone scream that loud."
"Hey, go easy on yourself, you were only eight," I laugh.
"I was talking about you," he says and I shake my head.
"No, that was you!"
We both begin laughing and I pull him into a hug.
