Childhood Memories

23

Mae

"I love you".

His words slosh around in my head all day, how in the world do I feel about this?!

"Ready to go?" Carson says, pulling me out of my thinking.

"Huh?" I dumbly state.

"Mae, I know it's early, but usually your more awake than this." Carson laughs.

I giggle, "sorry. I'm just . . . thinking."

He fake gasps, "whoa there! Are you okay?!"

"Oh shut up!" I slap his arm, "I'm just thinking over last night."

"About how amazing we were pulling that prank?" He smugly mentions.

"No, about Hunter."

"Oh, cause honestly that prank was the best."

I roll my eyes and smile, "quit it with the prank. You got me! You win!"

"YES!" He pumps his fist in the air in victory, "I have been waiting years for you to say that!"

I laugh, "alright then, let's see if you can beat me in a race!"

I'm about to push off when Carson stretches out his hand to stop me.

"Everything okay with Hunter?"

I nod my head, "yeah, of course!"

"You're lying." He says in a monotone voice.

"I hate that you know me so well." I whine.

He smirks, "I'm just that good. But seriously, what happened, you're a little off this morning."

"It's just, he told me that he loved me but then thought he made a mistake and said to forget about it. I had to fake it and agree to shrug it off." I explain, collapsing to the side of the sidewalk.

In the distance I see the basketball courts, two guys, tall and lanky, play one on one against each other. I pick the cuter dude and root for him.

"Well, for starters, do you love him?" Carson wonders, setting himself beside me.

My dude on the court shoots the ball and makes it, but I direct my attention back to Carson and the conversation.

"I don't know, love is scary to me."

Carson sighs but hides a bit of amused chuckle in it, "Mae, Hunter and you obviously have something. Y'all are just meant to be obviously, God blessed you two with an amazing relationship. Be proud of that."

"Thank you, but you're a guy, do you think he meant it?" I ask him seriously, satisfied with the way my guy is killing it on the court.

Carson shrugs, "most likely. But we're guys, we're stupid so I mean, he may have freaked out, thinking you weren't ready to hear such a phrase so hecovered it up."

Things slowly fall into place, "oh. That makes more sense."

"Yeah, but I could be totally wrong."

I half laugh, "yeah, well as much as it pains me to say it, you're usually always right when it comes to advice."

He mock gasps and throws his hand to his heart, "wow! That must've hurt you!"

I hit his arm again, "whatever! Hope it doesn't hurt you when I beat you!"

"Keep talking Carter."

"Fine, prove me wrong Dagger."

And soon enough we're speeding down the cement with grins on our half awake, half asleep faces.

It's nice to have my best friend back.