Then and Now

Lilah peeled off her coat and kicked off her shoes. She sighed loudly and headed straight for her wine bottles. She poured herself a glass and headed to the bedroom to change out of her dress. She was set up on a blind date tonight that did not go well. When she returned to the living room in an oversized University of Michigan t-shirt, her best friend was on the couch with a plate of left over lasagna.

“You need to tell me when you’re coming over, Carr! I need to know when to put pants on! Or I could’ve taken my date home!” Lilah scolded him.

“Yet you’re still here, pants less, with a large glass of wine…wow.” Carl said with a straight face.

“You’re kind of an ass after a loss.” She took a sip. “It’s okay, my date was horrible. I have never met anyone as big headed and shallow as he was! Shows me to agree to go on a date with a plastic surgeon.”

“Why do you do that, Liles? Why do you put yourself through bad date after bad date, week after week? I don’t understand!” Carl suddenly got very defensive.

“Okay, calm down. No need to get chirpy. It’s my life, Carl.” Lilah put her wine down.

“Your life that I have to hear about all the damn time! Every time one of these guys screws you over or you have a bad date, I have to hear about it.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know sharing things with someone that’s apparently your best friend was such a hassle!”

“Well when the things you share with your best friend are all your failed dates, it gets kind of pathetic and you seem desperate!” Carl said harshly.

Lilah’s mouth hung open. She was shocked by Carl’s sudden outburst and tears began to pool up in her brown eyes. “ I think it’s time for you to leave.” Carl realized what he said and tried to open his mouth to speak but Lilah shook her head and pointed to the door.

Lilah and Carl stopped speaking to each other for a whole month. Both were too stubborn to give in. Lilah missed her best friend like crazy and Carl wanted to hang out with her after his games like they always do, but neither of them caved in.

Lilah was sitting by herself in the living room on a Friday night in her sweats and her hair up with one of those sappy chick flicks on. She denied any plans her friends had invited her to, she just wanted a night to herself. When she least expected it, a knock came at her door. She got off of her couch and sulked to her door. She opened it to find Michael Del Zotto on the other side.

“DZ, can I help you?” Lilah asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Why haven’t you talked to Hags? He’s literally watching his phone for you to text him or call him or something!” Mike threw his hands up. “He’s like a lost puppy without you, Liles.”

“Well he should have thought about the consequences before he called me desperate.” Lilah walked away from the door.

“Wait, he what?!” Michael followed her inside and shut the door.

“He said I was pathetic and desperate because I went on all of these dates!” Lilah shook her head.

“I am so sick of this.” Michael said out loud as he rubbed his head.

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t care if Hags gets pissed at me…” he said to himself.

“Pissed at you for what?” Lilah yelled, confused.

“He likes you Liles! Scratch that, that boy may love you!”

“What? Are we talking about the same person? Carl Hagelin? About this tall, long blonde hair?” Lilah ruffled her eyes as her hands went flying. Talking with her hands was one of her most colorful characteristics. “My best friend since college.”

“Yes. He probably got that way because he wants to be the one taking you on dates, Lilah. He’s being pissy because he’s jealous. Think about it.” Michael opened his arms to hug the small brunette. “We’ll all be at Staal’s house for a team cookout tomorrow. Come, talk things out.”

Lilah fell into Michael’s hug and nodded. “Okay, I guess.”

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The next day, Lilah pulled up to the familiar brick house and climbed out of her car. She stared at the backyard gate for quite sometime before someone caught her.

“Lilah?” Marc called her name.

“Hey Marco.” She put on a smile and gave him a one armed hug.

“Come on, DZ said you’d be coming!” Marc threw the trash bag into the garbage and led her to the backyard.

“Lilah!” the crowd yelled half drunkenly.

“Hey boys!” She smiled and waved.

“So, glad you made it!” Michael winked when she sat down next to him.

“I’m making a booze run. Who needs more?” Carl got up as soon as she sat down.

“Uh, I’ll come with.” Lilah stood up again. They walked to the coolers in silence. When they were away from the voices and laughter Lilah broke the silence. “So DZ came to visit me last night.”

“Did he?”

“Mhm, he said some things that might have explained why you blew up at me.” Lilah leaned against the cooler.

“Look, Lilah, I didn’t mean what I said…I just thought with all the past…”

“Stop, Carr, just stop talking.” Lilah laughed. “I refuse to let what happened to me make me bitter. I still completely believe in love and I'm open to anything that will happen to me.”

“So…what if I were to happen to you?” Carl set the beers down and grabbed her face in his hands.

“Carl…”

“Stop talking.” He used her words to shut her up then kissed her. Their worlds stopped when their lips touched but were brought back to reality when the whole backyard started hollering. Lilah blushed and looked at the crowd. From his seat, Michael winked. She made a mental note to thank him later.