Almost Friends

Epilogue- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

October, 2014

An autumn wind whips through the front lawn's oak trees and I glance down at a squirrel as it scurries right in front our feet and hurries towards one of the trees.

Kyle, at my side, is too engrossed in what she's saying to notice the brazen squirrel.

"You should just get a tutor. You don't want to let one math class ruin your GPA," she says before biting into the chocolate chip cookie I've given her.

Last night, after cheer practice, I came home ready to bake something and I made a crap-ton of chocolate chip cookies. I used one of my grandma's old recipes and they turned out perfectly. Even Kyle, who hardly ever eats anything, has already devoured two of them.

Nodding my agreement, I take a bite of my turkey sandwich and quietly revel in the homemade spicy mustard and fried egg I've added to give it a little kick.

"Yeah," I agree, glancing down at my sandwich and wishing I had more than one bite left. "But asking for help with my tenth grade math class is hella embarrassing."

"And it'd be even more embarrassing if you failed the tenth grade math class," Kyle says with a chuckle. She brushes cookie crumbs from her hands and turns to me. "You just gotta suck it up and get a tutor."

I nod, quietly considering this.

Kyle's right ... I have to think about my future. A low GPA means no scholarship and no scholarship means no leaving Swamp Rose.

"Hey, look." Kyle nudges me. "Is it just me or do those two finally seem happier?"

I take the final bite of my turkey sandwich and follow her gaze to where Mia and Ran occupy a bench beneath the shade of their favorite oak. Mia talks and gestures while Ran simply listens. I watch her toy with her hair and look up as she continues to speak; Ran, meanwhile, surreptitiously checks his phone.

"Never mind," Kyle says, apparently also having spotted Ran's little maneuver. "It's just me. My God, why don't they break up already?"

I watch Ran, my thoughts returning to that rainy night at Aldoph Towers ... it's been weeks since my Unseen encounter and now everything that happened that night feels unrealistic, like it was just a dream.

But it wasn't a dream; every bit of it was real. I know for sure that Unseen is a woman who works with a male partner. Is Randall Hawke her partner? That, I can't say. If he is, he sure hasn't treated me any differently since that night. He's still as goofy as ever ... but there is a part of me that's almost sure it was Ran.

Decidedly turning away from Mia and Ran, I ball up the saran wrap I'd used for my sandwich and throw it into my lunch bag.

"So, I have a secret," I say and Kyle arches an eyebrow at me.

"Is it that you put crack in those cookies? Because I'm already jonesing for another one." She glances at my lunch bag hopefully.

"Nah, they're crack free. Here." Pleased, I hand over my third and final cookie. I'd been saving it for myself, but I have more at home and to be honest, there's something deeply satisfying about watching someone else eat my food. It's even better than eating it myself.

"Thanks," Kyle says, taking an exceptionally slow bite of the cookie. She's so funny with food; she eats everything really slowly like that. Kyle covers her mouth with her hand as she chews. She turns to me and asks, "So, what's your secret?"

"Remember that poetry contest Ms. Mallory told us about?"

Kyle's eyes widen. "Yeah. Did you enter?"

"Yep." My heart skips a beat as I recall Ms. Mallory's excitement when she approached me after class yesterday. I grin. "And I'm one of ten finalists."

Kyle emits a tiny screech. I laugh as she shoves me. "Shut up! Seriously?"

I nod, my cheeks burning. "It's not like I've won or anything, but I'm definitely a contender."

"E, that's incredible!" Kyle gives me another shove, her dark eyes wide, and a huge grin on her face. "You have to show me the poem."

"OK." I grab my phone from the pocket of my jacket. "But you can't tell anyone else about it or about the contest or anything."

"I won't, I promise," she eagerly agrees.

I find the poem and hand her my phone. I actually know it by heart, but it's much easier to let her read it for herself than me suffering through reciting it.

Kyle reads the title out loud: "Wendy and the Lost Boy." She turns to me and asks, "So, it's loosely based on Peter Pan I'm guessing."

"Kinda."

"Sweet." She clears her throat and begins the poem:

"He's got a child's eyes

He's got a wanderer's soul

He's got my heart in his palm

Like soup in a bowl

He's got a childish need

To play.

And that's why I'm afraid.

With my heart in his palm

Like soup in a bowl,

He jumps, runs, jigs, even flies

While I slosh, spill and nearly go splat

He's got my heart in his palm

Like soup in a bowl

Because his very essence,

Is akin to my own

Because his very shadow

Is the sun and shade to my soul,

He's got me

Waiting at my window

Waiting to fly

He's got me."

Kyle grins as she hands me my phone. "Cute. I like it. And, obviously, it's about a guy... right?"

I blush, but hold my head high. "Maybe."

"So, who's the guy?" She nudges me with her elbow.

I shut my mouth and shake my head.

No way am I telling anyone that I have a crush on Mia's cousin. Not that I don't trust Kyle, but I don't want to risk it getting back to Mark that I like him. As nice as Mark is, he's got a long way to go before I'll even consider the possibility of doing something about my feelings for him.

"E, come on," Kyle urges. "Tell me."

I give her shoulder a gentle pat. "Everyone has secrets, and this one's mine."

Kyle's playful expression grows serious. "I understand." She nods.

With this, I cross my arms and enjoy another cool breeze as it makes its way through SLH's front lawn. If there's one thing I've learned since this school year began, it's that everyone has secrets.