Calliope's ex-boyfriend, her high school sweetheart, crash-landed back into her life like a rom-com sequel she never ordered, ready to rewrite the script of her existence once again.
***
"You...
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"To Marlow. Forever Marlow. Every single day."
I lift my glass, gracefully tucking a strand of my sleek hair behind my ear. "Can you believe that we've been celebrating her death for a decade now?" I ask, my thoughts drifting to my beloved first cousin.
Without fail, on the anniversary of her death, we gather at Noir, an elegant lounge nestled within the heart of the city, to honor her memory over a dinner and fancy cocktails.
She never made it to college. She'll never be able to get married or start a family of her own. Instead, she died from a hit-and-run right after our graduation party. I'll never forget that night. In fact, it haunts me every single day because I didn't just lose her. I lost everything.
As my girlfriends raise their glasses in a celebratory toast, my gaze lingers on the ring on my finger. Travis and I only talked for a few minutes during the car ride to the airport this morning. He's off to Texas for a marketing meeting, but we really need to talk and figure this out. I had hoped that a night's sleep would bring clarity and ease to my thoughts, but it has only intensified my awareness of the situation.
"I still can't believe she's gone. She was the crazy, free-spirited one that balanced us," Margot says, sitting up in the booth. "Check it out. You have Goodie Two-Shoes Cal, Mean-Ass Noelle, and then there's me, the soft, dreamy one, lost in my own thoughts."
I chuckle softly. "Goodie Two-Shoes? I'm not that good, am I?"
Margot interrupts, her fork twirling pasta. "Oh please, you don't even have a parking ticket. You're practically a saint."
Who needs parking tickets anyway? I think to myself.
Noelle interjects, her lips forming a straight line. "And let's not forget how you agreed to marry someone you don't even want to marry just to spare his feelings."
Here she goes again.
I roll my eyes, trying to steer the conversation away. "Come on, not now. This isn't the time or place, Noelle. But let's be real, I'm far from being the goody two-shoes. Remember when I stole my dad's car to take us to that concert because you all were too chickenshit to do it?"
Noelle bursts into laughter. "To be fair, Marlow was the one who swiped the keys. You just happened to be the designated driver."
"I was an accomplice!" I exclaim, joining in the laughter. "And let's also not forget I got grounded for a whole month."
Margot gazes down with a nostalgic smile. "I miss her. Marlow always had these insane ideas and was such a bad influence, but that's why we loved her so much."
"You're not wrong," I say, nodding my head. "I just wish I can see her huge smile again, or hear her laugh. Actually, I just miss her hugs. I can use one right about now."
"No," Margot says repeatedly. "So, she can try to touch my ass? She gave me a bruise once. And I bruise easily."
"I wonder what she would be up to if she were still with us. We'd definitely need a four-bedroom for the whole squad," Noelle ponders, finishing her drink.
