Page 79 of Friends That Heal Us
The soft crunch of fallen leaves echoes beneath our feet. The trees are shifting into shades of amber, gold, and deep crimson. I reach over and intertwine her hand with mine, her fingers fitting perfectly between mine. She glances up at me with a small smile.
It feels like we’ve stepped back in time—two people lost in nature with no care in the world.
The soothing sound of the river flows over the rocks and gets louder as we make our way closer. I lay the blanket down on the dirt and we both sit. Her shoulder brushes against mine.
We’re silent for a moment, listening to the nature around us.
“This is the very spot I knew I would love you,” I tell her.
She glances my way, and our eyes meet. The setting sun casts a golden light across her face, making her eyes shimmer and glow.
“How would you have known that?”
“Because I did.”
She turns away, grabbing a smooth rock. She throws it in, and the rock skips through the water, making ripples appear on the surface. “This is the spot we would always catch skeeter bugs.”
“Yeah, and it’s the first spot I first laid eyes on you.”
Her gaze snaps to mine. A small smile forming. “You remember?”
“Of course. How could I forget?”
“But we were so young. How could you remember?”
I lean back on my hands, looking towards the water. “You never forget your first.”
“You’re crazy.”
“For you.”
She snaps her gaze towards me again, then she looks back over the water.
“How do you feel about us?” I ask. Every nerve in my body is awake. I can’t stop my heart from hammering against my ribs as I look at her, trying to steady my voice.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean us.” I take a deep breath, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Have you thought more about giving us a chance?”
She looks at me, her face blank. It’s making my stomach twist. She looks back towards the water.
“Vi,” I say softly, terrified and hopeful all at once.
“I want to. I really do.” She pauses, glancing over at me. “I still feel like such a hypocrite for saying this because I’ve taken our relationship further than it ever has. But what if it doesn’t work out and we ruin our friendship? I can’t handle losing someone else. Do you ever get scared that might happen?”
I lean back up. “No. We’re both mature enough not to let our failed relationship ruin our friendship.”
“Are we?”
“I believe we are.”
“Look what happened to us, though,” she says, her brows drawn together.
“You can’t compare us to those idiots.”
“I know, and I hate that I do, but sometimes it’s hard not to.”
“I would never let anything get in the way of us. If we don’t work out, I know I can continue as friends.” I pause. “I did it for so long. I can do it again. We both did it. We both can do it.”
