Something Different, 100: Forever is over.
“Moving?” I cannot believe this.
“Yes,” Dash said, not being able to look into my eyes, “Moving.”
I stayed silent for what felt like hours. Then, “But, why?”
Dash sighed, frustrated, “Because of the business. Dad got a mega huge job promotion that he was dying to get since forever.” He paused, “And now, finally, he got it.”
“But, where are you going?”
“Melbourne, Australia.”
Australia. Well, by all means, he’s moving to the other side of the world.
“I’m so sorry, Ivy.” He said, holding my hands, “You don’t know how sorry.”
I was upset, but mainly not because he’s moving… but all my efforts of trying to make the relationship work… are useless.
“What about us?” I asked.
Silence. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, “I honestly don’t know.”
Silence.
“I guess…” He started to say, “We can work it out.”
“How?” I asked, trying to keep my voice stable. “It’s going to be different and you know that. Everything’s going to change.”
“I know.”
I sighed, “Am I ever going to see you again?”
“Of course.” He smiled a sad smile and took both my hands and squeezed it. “I’ll visit as much as I can.”
“Promise?”
He nodded and kissed my forehead. “Promise.”
***
A year passed. A year has gone by. A year full of changes.
Dash kept to his promise, after he left for Australia, he visited Jersey again during Thanksgiving and stayed over for a week.
One day after having dinner with his family, Dash and I were sitting outside in the starry dark and cold night.
And then, “Ivy.”
“Mmm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
Uh-oh. “Fire away…”
“Do you—”
“Do I?”
“—still have feelings for me?”
I stopped and looked at him. I looked into those deep, blue eyes, already knowing my answer for this particular question; the question that I have been asking myself everyday ever since Dash left.
“I do still care about you.” I said.
Dash smiled, a familiar smile. The smile that I remember that made me fall for him the first time we met. “That’s not answering my question.” He chuckled.
I took a deep breath and said, “I’m so sorry.”
He nodded, his face expressionless. After a few seconds, he looked at me and smiled again. “It’s alright.” He said, “Feelings change. People change.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything.
“It was fine while it lasted, right?” He said.
I nodded again.
“Hey,” he said and lifted my chin up. “Friends?” Then he opened his arms.
I smiled now, and said, “Friends.” And hugged him back.
He kissed my forehead, a sign for goodbye, for the last time, and then we broke away.
***
I told Finn and Nat straight away after my break up with Dash. Nat said sorry and she said she’ll be back home soon. She was in Paris, sadly, and my other girlfriends were busy hanging out at their boyfriends’ place to celebrate Thanksgiving with their family.
A month has passed after Dash’s visit.
“You did the right thing.” Was what Finn told me when we met.
I nodded, not saying anything.
“Hey, you okay?” He asked.
I looked up to face Finn. My best friend. He wore his hoodie over dirty blonde hair messily, I could see his blue eyes and a few freckles on his face.
“Yeah.” I nodded then smiled, “Actually, I am.”
He smiled then gave me a hug, I hugged him back. “I know.”
“You know?” I asked as we broke away.
“Yeah. I do.” He smirked and I noticed that he was… really good looking. Not like catch-me-I’m-swooning, but more like, DAMN, SA-WOOOOOOOOOON!
I shook my head.
Finn giggled, as if he could read my mind. “What are you thinking?”
“Uh… I—”
But before I could answer, I felt Finn holding both my hands, leaned down and gave me a kiss on the lips.
Okay, definitely a SA-WOOOOOOOOOOOOON! moment.
When we broke away, I blinked stupidly. “Did that really happened?”
Finn laughed and gave me a quick kiss on the lips, “Yup.”
I laughed and felt my cheeks grow hotter. “Took you 15 years, loser.”
He smiled and held my hand, “How about, from now on, it’ll take another 15 years? And another 15 years, and another 15 years… And— oh you get the idea.”
I smiled, “Yeah, I do.” He smiled back and kissed my forehead.
Note to self: I’m gonna try at least something different for once in my life. Although, falling in love with my best friend wasn’t in my list, but, hey, expect the unexpected, right?
End.
