"Aubrey?" Mom poked her head through my slightly opened door and smiled. "Are you free?"
I looked up from the applications and put them down, nodding. "Yeah. Why?"
She checked her watch and then looked at me. "Well, I need you to run down to the supermarket and get me some things. I need to prepare dinner and I'm thinking of whipping up a dish for tomorrow."
I frowned. "What's so special about tomorrow?"
Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand across her forehead. "Oh! I almost forgot! Molly invited us over for a barbecue tomorrow. Isn't that sweet? Why don't you invite Amber and Tymon, too? I heard that a girl around your age is also coming as well. I believe she's—"
"—Dylan's girlfriend, Catherine," I finished off my mother's sentence. I gave her a curt nod, pursed my lips, and looked at my hands. It gave me pangs in my heart to know that he was dating someone now. But I shouldn't complain. I would be selfish. I always expected Dylan and Catherine to get back together. Didn't I? I always teased him about it and I always knew that a part of him was still in love with her.
It hurt me. It really did. But if it meant that Dylan was finally going to be happy then I was happy. All I wanted was for him to smile. I missed his smile.
I hope she'd treat him well.
"Aubrey? Are you okay?" Mom asked. With a worried expression, she walked over and kneeled down, putting her hands over mine. "Why do you look so sad?"
I swallowed and shook my head, forcing a smile. "I'm okay. Don't worry."
She pursed her lips, unconvinced. "Is this about Dylan?"
I didn't reply.
"Aubrey, I am your mother," she softly said, cupping my chin. "You know you can tell me anything. But if you don't feel comfortable then you're not obliged to. I just want you to know that your dad and I are always here."
This time my smile wasn't forced. It was genuine. I was grateful for my parents and Amber and Tymon. Even if I wasn't able to be with Dylan the way I wanted to, I was grateful for him, too.
"Thanks, Mom," I said. "Let me put on some shoes and I'll head to the market."
She nodded and left the room. I sighed and pressed the palms of my hands to my eyes. Dylan and Catherine were bound to be in love the way they were before. I pictured them together, doing cute things any happy couple would do. I pictured them on picnics. I pictured Catherine talking about something with that cheery voice of hers, and her eyes would be wide with excitement, and Dylan wouldn't be listening to her. He'd have a smile on his face and he'd be lost in her voice or maybe her eyes. Just like that couple I saw in New York. I pictured them lying down together, her head on his chest, his arms around her.
I snapped out of it, inhaling a gulp of air. It felt like I couldn't breathe. Why was it suddenly so hot? Shaking my head, I got up and put on a pair of my converses. I descended the stairs, took the list my mother made, and took off walking to the nearest supermarket.
It was a cool day and I was happy for that. It had been quite hot for the past couple of days. It was Georgia. I could hear the chatter and laughter of my neighbors lounging out on the porch or in their backyards. I closed my eyes for a brief moment. So I was going to a barbecue tomorrow. Dylan was obviously going to be there. Catherine, too. Thank goodness for Amber and Tymon. I made a mental reminder to tell them.
With a sigh of relief, I made my way into the supermarket and began to walk through aisles, grabbing things and placing them in the red basket I picked up.
"Eggs, flour, butter..." I muttered, checking the list in my hand.
"Aubrey?" a voice called out.
I looked up from my list and turned around, stopping dead in my tracks.
"Abby," I said after a few minutes of awkward silence. I slightly frowned. "Hi."
She tucked a curl behind her hair and looked down at her shoes for just a moment. She fiddled with her fingers. Was she nervous? Was Abby nervous? She looked back up and sighed. "I...I didn't expect to see you here. I was...I was thinking of going to your house."
"Oh," I replied. "Why?"
"I wanted to apologize," she stammered. My eyes slightly widened in surprise and she bit down on her lip. "I've had time to think. I thought things over and I realized how cruel and selfish I have been acting. Believe me, it really unpleasantly affected me to know how much of a bad person I was—am. I don't know." She stopped and let out a small, bitter laugh. "But I'm trying to fix that. I'm trying to change. I wanted to start this out by apologizing to you because I don't think I've ever hurt someone the way I hurt you. So, I'm sorry. I really am."
"You're not a bad person, Abby," I said. "What you did was cruel and uncalled for but I do believe that people can change for the better."
She nodded. "Thanks. I know that this isn't enough but it's a start." She gave me a confident and genuine smile.
I smiled back. I don't think I could ever forget what happened but I could forgive. If Abby was really intent on changing her old ways then where was I to stop her and make her feel bad? What she did was a big mistake but a mistake nonetheless. It was something she could use as a lesson to guide her.
"So," she began, giving me a teasing smile. "Are you and Dylan together?"
My eyes widened. "What?" I sputtered. "No! Why...why would you think that? That's just...woo, that's just insane!"
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "We all know he kissed you. Why aren't you guys together yet?"
"It's not like that," I softly replied. "He...he actually got back together with his ex-girlfriend. There's nothing going on between us. Really."
Abby frowned. "Well Crap. That sucks."
"Why?"
She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Because it's quite obvious you guys like each other."
"No, no, no!"
She cut me off and laughed. "Well anyway, I'm still rooting for your guys."
"Well, you're going to be disappointed in the end," I said, shrugging.
"It'll happen!" she yelled, backing away. She grinned and pointed a finger at me. "It's going to happen!"
I frantically looked at the strangers giving her disapproving looks. Abby turned around and disappeared.
"I promise it's going to happen!" I heard her yell.
Somehow, I found myself rolling my eyes but smiling nonetheless. So, Abby really was on a new path. She really did seem like a different person. She was so live and cheery today.
Good for you, Abby.
I quickly got all what my mom needed, paid, and took off walking back home. The conversation I had with Abby wasn't bad at all. Though thinking about what they did to me made me cringe, I was happy for Abby.
"Mom, I'm back," I yelled, closing the front door with my foot. I walked into the living room, only to stop and lock eyes with a familiar pair of blue ones. "Catherine, hey!"
She beamed at me and walked over, enveloping me into a hug. "Hey!"
"How are you?" I asked. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect," she replied, still beaming at me. Her teeth were very straight. "How are you?"
"Oh, me? I'm okay," I answered. "Fine. Just lounging around. I'm just working on college applications. Uh, just let me hand these to my mother and I'll be with you in a second."
I scurried into the kitchen and dropped the paper bags onto the counter. Mom looked up from the cookbook, her glasses sliding down her nose. She pulled them up and smiled. "So, that's Catherine."
"Yeah," I said.
"She's quite beautiful," Mom said, beginning to unpack the groceries.
"I know."
I turned away and walked back into the living room. Catherine was sitting back down, now, so I sat across her and fiddled with my fingers.
"So, what brings you to my humble abode?" I asked, giving her a smile.
She chuckled. "I'm here to ask you a question. See tonight Dylan and I are going out for dinner and I was wondering if you'd like to join us!" I opened my mouth to say something, obviously to decline, but she beat me to it. "Also, one of my friends will be joining us, too. She's from New York but she moved to Georgia when she was a kid. I haven't seen her in a long time and she said she'd join us for dinner. I'm hoping that you will, too."
"Oh, I don't know..."
"Please? I just want to thank you for everything you've ever done for me. You're the reason Dylan and I are...well, we're starting off slow, but you're still the reason why he and I are talking now. My friend's name is Nicole and she's a really nice person. You can call it a date or you can call it an outing with an acquaintance. The point is I really want you to accept."
I bit down on my lip and thought. So I would technically be 'double-dating' with Dylan and Catherine with a stranger as my 'date'. I was leaning towards the latter of what Catherine suggested. I didn't want to jump into a relationship with someone I didn't even meet yet. Besides, did I really want to go out with someone else? All I could think about was Dylan and it sucked. I decided that I wasn't going to beat myself up for not being with him anymore, though. I wasn't. Yes, I liked him, but that was where it had to end. Sure, I'd fantasize here and there, but I wasn't going to be angry.
"Yeah," I said. "I'll join you guys."
"Great!" Catherine beamed, standing up. I stood up, too. "Since you live right next to Dylan, we decided that we're going to pick you and Nicole up."
"Got it," I said.
With one last smile, she floated out of the room. I realized that nighttime wasn't long now. Sighing, I trudged up the stairs and hopped into the shower.
I hoped the dinner would go well.
