Between You & Me - By Marisa Calin Page 0,16
you coming toward me through the square of glass in the door. I look back at my book and only hear the door swing open.
YOU
For a minute there I almost couldn’t find you.
I look up from pretending to read and make a face at your sarcasm. You sit down beside me, more cheerful than I feel like being.
YOU
I’m glad I found you. There’s something I’ve been meaning to give you for ages now. It’s just never seemed like the right moment recently, with you being …
A bird in the tree outside catches my eye, landing on a branch that bounces under its weight. The shifting leaves intermittently expose the sun, blinding me every few seconds. You’ve stopped talking and are hunting in your bag. The bough is still swinging, the sun in my eyes again, and again. The branch settles, a shadow across my face. The bird tilts its head, watching something, which reminds me of Mia, of the way she watches us in class. Now I’m really losing it—everything reminds me of her! I look back to see you frowning at me.
YOU
Phy? You’re not listening.
ME
Sorry, I’m distracted. There’s a lot going on, that’s all.
I look at the book in my lap that I haven’t really been reading and for some reason I can’t shake the feeling that everything is terrible and I can’t see how you’re going to make it any better. The breeze shifts the leaves again, more fleeting sun.
ME
Anyway, I was kind of in the middle of something.
YOU
Oh. I just figured that if you were hiding you might need cheering up.
ME
Maybe I was hiding because I didn’t want to be found.
Even as I say it I don’t mean it how it sounds. And you’re right. Mostly if I hide, it’s to wait for someone to come and find me so I know that they care. I’m glad you’re here. You stand up, taking me at my word, and shrug as you turn away.
YOU
Okay. See you later.
The door bangs sharply behind you and I sigh into the pages of my book.
THEATER. MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE NEXT WEEK.
We haven’t seen each other for a couple of days. We haven’t even spoken since Friday and you didn’t wait for me at the gate this morning, so I get the impression you’ve finally lost your patience with me. We agree there. Feeling depressed about Mia is one thing but not seeing you has made for a crappy weekend. Maybe I should just get over myself and tell you how I feel. I’ve been too embarrassed but I’ve always told you everything so maybe I can count on you, to help me see sense. Mia’s class is up next so I head into the theater hoping to find you. There you are—leaning forward to chat to Kate in the row in front of you. I head straight over, happy to see you, and settle myself down to wait for you to finish talking. When you finally pause, you look at me—as though I’m interrupting—in a way that I’ve never seen from you. It throws me. Plus, you’re wearing yellow. Never in my life have I seen you wear yellow. I don’t see you for a weekend and suddenly you’re all sunshine. I hesitate, feeling uncomfortably like you’re expecting me to earn this valuable moment of your time.
ME
Hi. Haven’t seen you for a few days. Thought we could catch up.
Your expression is mixed.
ME
I’ve been meaning to talk to you, since …
Angry eyes. Still cross about the reading room. I get it but I persevere.
I could use your advice.
YOU
Yeah?
I swallow. You’re not giving me the warmest sharing vibe.
ME
Well … it’s complicated.
I look at Kate. She can sense she’s in the middle of something here and semi-turns away, biting her lower lip. You smile at her, as if sharing some kind of joke.
YOU
Go ahead, Phy. Tell me your deepest secrets.
On a normal day I would smack you but this isn’t playful. I came to make peace with you, so I rise above it and try not to tell you to forget it as that’s not how I really feel.
ME
Can I talk to you or not?
You’re considering it in an animated way, for Kate’s benefit maybe, and I’m getting angry. With the ultimate worst timing ever, Tony appears beside me:
TONY
Hey Phyre!
He puts his hand on my shoulder. I notice he looks a bit more put together today and he’s wearing a new pair of jeans. I try to smile.
ME
Hey!
Awkward pause.
TONY
I wanted to see if you wanted to