Randy hopped in her car. She did not have time to go home, shower, change and get to Emma's before the party started. She had brought her things, just in case that happened. She was headed straight to Emma's.
She was done! No more high school! She was a college freshman now! Woah, wait. She was a college freshman now. How did that happen? The past year had gone by so fast. So many things had happened in such a short time.
Randy turned on the radio. "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles was playing. She belted the song out in the car, wishing Emma was there to sing it with her. One of their favorite pastimes was changing the words to the songs. Randy laughed at their version of this song as she drove down the road.
Life was pretty good right now. If only she could stop thinking about James. His face was there every time she closed her eyes. She thought about the moments she had spent with him after the graduation ceremony had ended. He said he was proud of her. Randy smiled. It made her heart swell to think that he cared enough to feel pride.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Emma! People are arriving. Mom and Dad said to get downstairs!" James got no answer from Emma's room. He knocked on the closed door. James pulled off his polo shirt and headed to his room to grab a t-shirt. "Emma, come on. Why does it take you so long to get ready?" James rapped on the door again, and then swung it open. "Emma, come on, will you..."
James inhaled sharply as he looked in and saw Randy standing a few feet from him wrapped in a bath towel. HIS bath towel. He couldn't move. His right hand was strangling his fresh t-shirt while his left held on to the door for dear life.
"James." Randy felt less concerned with the fact that she was standing there in just a towel than the fact that James wasn't wearing a shirt. She drew her gaze away from his bare chest to his staring blue eyes.
James couldn't help but recognize that the only thing between himself and Randy was about 3 feet of empty space and a thin towel. Randy bit her lower lip slightly, then looked up and said his name again, quiet and pleading.
"James."
"Randy, I..." James cannot help but notice the shape of her neck, wanting to trace it with his fingers and his lips. "I thought Emma was in here." He couldn't pull his eyes from her. "I'm sorry."
He didn't turn to leave. "No. I'm the one who's sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about." Randy had to say it before he ran off. She was so sorry for messing this up. For not even having him as a friend anymore.
"Other than standing here staring at you..." he swallowed. "In nothing but my towel." James had to stop himself from thinking about that any longer.
Randy couldn't help but think of where they might be if she had never mentioned meeting Josh for lunch that night in the car. What if she had gone inside with James, and stayed in Emma's room? Such a simple decision, and carelessly spoken words, may have changed her entire life. How could she fix it? She couldn't go back. Was there anything she could say or do now that would make James reconsider? To believe her, to trust her? To not love Shannon and to love her instead?
Their gazes broke when they heard Emma yell from downstairs. "Randy, come on! It's time for music selection!"
James looked at Randy one more time. It was all he could do to not close and lock the door behind him and go gather her into his arms. Months away from her hadn't changed anything. He needed her just as much as he had before he'd gone back to school. He thought of the image of the two of them, pinned to his cabinet door. Would that be the last time he held her like that?
"I'll see you outside." James' eyes swept over Randy one more time before he closed the door. He stood for a minute to gain his composure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
