Promises We Meant to Make

The unfamiliar white door was already slightly open when Henry arrived at Alina’s dorm. Just a small tap let it swing completely open. Henry took a half step into the unoccupied room of the unusually spacious college residence. “Uh-leen-uh!” He shouted, not wanting to venture any further without anyone home.

Just after deciding to visit Alina at her own place, Henry stopped at the florist, hoping to find something that screamed “Hey, sorry I’m an ass. You should forgive me and be my friend again!” A small bouquet of white lilies seemed like it would be appropriate, if only just because Henry thought they were really pretty.

Alina appeared from behind Henry, holding her toothbrush. She’d obviously been in the bathroom. Alina pouted as she spotted the flowers in Henry’s hand. “What are you doing here?”

Henry’s confident smile receded. This was supposed to be easy. “I just thought I’d come by and apologize for what happened yesterday, since you won’t answer any of my texts.”

Alina crossed her arms across her chest and looked away. “Usually when someone doesn’t talk to you, it means they’re avoiding you, not that they want you to show up in their dorm uninvited.”

Henry took a step toward her. “Come on, Alina. I missed you.” Henry smiled and tried to force Alina to look at him.

Alina gave in and smiled too when Henry lifted her chin. She never could resist his boyish grin. “You know Henry Thomas, I hate you sometimes. Now give me the flowers, they need to be put in a vase.”

“You’re such a Liar. You love me and the flowers.” He responded, handing the lilies over. Alina snatched them from his hand and put them in a vase she sometimes used to hold fake flowers. “See, now wasn’t that easy. I didn’t like going a day without my best bud.”

Alina smirked. “You’re so self-centered. I don’t know how you live with yourself.”

“I am not self-centered! I'm a good and charitable person. I even helped you study for your literature exam! ” Henry lethargically defended himself while turning on the television.

“Do you mean the one that I probably failed because I was too mad at you to concentrate?” she shot back, “Yeah, I have a feeling I didn’t do all that well.”

“Well if you failed and it’s my fault, you have my deepest apologies.” He flipped through the channels until he found the History channel. “I was thinking I’d make it up to you though. You can drag me to any ridiculous night club you’d like to tonight.”

Alina pouted as she sat on the chair opposite of him. “I already made plans with Naomi. We were just planning on hanging out here and ordering some Chinese.”

“Who’s Naomi?” Henry inquired.

Alina looked at Henry quizzically. “Are you kidding me? She's one of my best friends. I talk about Naomi all the time." Still no look of enlightenment appeared on Henry's face as he continued to stare blankly. "She’s the girl I went to the concert with last week.”

“Are you sure?” Henry asked, “I swear you said you were going with your freaky roommate girl.”

Alina shook her head. “No, I was definitely with Naomi; you always just assume I’m with Cassie.”

“You mean you have friends that I don’t know?” Henry gasped sarcastically.

“Dear, you don’t know anyone. You’re too involved with work to meet anyone that doesn’t have to do with the local news.”

Henry chucked a pillow at Alina. “You’re mean.”

Alina giggled. “No, I’m honest. But if it bothers you that much, you can spend girls’ night with Naomi and me.”

“Only if you promise to do my makeup!” Henry squealed as Alina threw the pillow back at him. Alina stuck her tongue out and he rolled his eyes. “I think I’ll pass, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s more than fine with me,” Alina agreed.

Henry took another look around the large dorm, wondering why he’d never visited before. Atop a shelf on the entertainment stand was a picture of Alina and Eric outside their house in Ohio. It had been a while since Henry thought about Eric. He was married now. Something Henry would never have seen coming when they were kids.

There were more pictures throughout the rest of the room. More of Alina’s than Cassie’s. Henry had no pictures from back home at his apartment. How could Alina still be so attached to the ridiculous place that tortured him so?

Alina noticed him staring at the pictures. “Do you miss it?” she asked, “Home, I mean.”
Henry shook his head. “No. Not at all.”

Alina pouted, and went to the entertainment stand to pick up the first picture Henry noticed. “You know, Eric asks about you sometimes. I still can’t believe you guys went from best friends to practically strangers.”

“Yeah.” Henry shrugged. This wasn’t a conversation he really wanted to have with her. “I think I’m going to get going, Alina. I’ve got a deadline for a story coming up. Max is getting pushier with those horrid things.”

Alina smiled. “You get paid to do what you love. I wouldn’t be complaining. But call me tomorrow. Rain check on going out.”

“You got it,” Henry winked and headed home.

As soon as he got outside, Henry realized how beautiful the day was. He’d been too preoccupied earlier to notice. He’d been honest when he told Alina that he had a deadline to meet, but the warm air made him forget about it completely.

Henry decided to go out of his way to walk through the park on his way home. The park was Henry’s place to think. It’s where he came up with his most brilliant ideas. He wrote there a lot, but today he hadn’t brought his laptop or a notebook. Instead, he found a bench and just observed.

There were kids playing everywhere. Moms ran around, trying to keep up with them. Henry spotted a young couple sitting on the edge of the fountain.

The fountain was one of Henry’s favorite places in town. When Alina first moved to North Carolina, Henry used to drag her to the park all the time. They came here late at night once. They were both at least a little buzzed, if Henry recalled correctly. Alina decided it would be a good idea to swim in the large, round fountain.

Henry cracked up, begging her to get out of the water. It was chilly out and he knew she’d get sick. Being the childish girl that Alina had always been, she crossed her arms over her chest and stood directly in the center by the flowing water.

“I’m not going anywhere. You’d have to drag me out alive!” she declared, now spinning
around.

“I would never!” Henry shouted as he backed away from the fountain.

“Then I guess I’ll stay here forever, waiting for you to come get me!”

Henry chuckled and started to remove his shoes and socks. “Fine, I’m coming!” He put one
foot in the water and quickly removed it. “It’s fucking freezing! Alina, are you insane?”

Alina sat down in the fountain and smiled devilishly. “Maybe a little.”

Henry let out a sigh and jumped into the fountain, trudging through the ice cold water. He held out his hand to Help Alina up, but she had other plans. Alina grabbed hold of Henry’s hand and pulled him down into the water with a splash that made them both yelp.

Alina threw her head back in laughter. Henry splashed her, which only made her splash back.

“You told me you’d get out if I came in to get you!” Henry recalled as he took her hand and tried to get her out of the fountain once more.

They stood up and stared into each other’s eyes. Chills ran down Henry’s spine, but he credited the cold water. Alina took advantage of their already entwined hands and pulled Henry toward her. Henry towered over her, but he felt like putty in Alina’s hands. In that moment alone, he knew he would do anything for her. Alina clutched his hand harder. “Kiss me.”

He did.

Henry remembered the night clearly, and rose from the park bench with a smile. It was one of the rare nights when he wondered why he and Alina weren’t together. But he knew there was no point on labeling or limiting his and Alina’s relationship. Things were fine the way they were. They were both happy.