I felt his heartbeat against my chest. It beat in sync with the earth’s rotation. My head dug closer into his torso as I tried to bury myself in his arms. My body shook with tears.
”You don’t have to get all emotionally on me. It’s not like you’re going to die.”
I pulled away from him. With the back of my hand I swiped away the remainder of my tears, the rest of which were left on his t-shirt. The cloth mask strapped on my face started to slip down. I pulled it back over my nose.
”I hate that it had to end like this. COVID-19 ruined everything.” I sputtered out through broken breaths.
“It’s a good thing they invented cell phones though right? That’s how we’ve stayed in touch these past few months anyway.”
I felt his hospital blue mask rub against my hair as he pulled me in for another hug.
I knew the truth. You were moving to California, and I was staying on the East Coast. High school friends defying destiny by always finding a way back to each other. I fooled myself with that lie for years. All it took was a pandemic to see through the veil of false truths the universe loved to throw at me.
You would find someone else; someone much cooler, prettier, or interesting than me. My name would fade from your brain like chalk in the rain. I would be nothing more than a distant memory of your glory days. I hope the West Coast treats you well, it deserves you.
We stood in silence. My bare feet sizzled on the sun baked pavement of my driveway. I looked up into his eyes, he laughed at my pitiful face.
”This isn’t goodbye, you know.”
But it was. I knew it would be. I basked one his presence for a few moments longer before it was gone.
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