The Boy From Hot Ice

Jeremy and I remained friends, of course. There were times I wondered if I should take him up on his offer, but bringing it up again seemed futile at a certain point. Besides, he ended up going to college after all, and he met all sorts of beautiful young women who filled the gap that he said I left.
Amanda and I ended up arranging to be each other's roommates after the freshman year, and I continued to grow closer to the one true friend beside Jeremy that I had ever had. And being closer to her family had its advantages.
Steve graduated college, then came to Cali to live with Amanda. And that's when we started dating again. He had grown so much over those four years. He became so wise, so accomplished, so handsome, and when he asked me to marry him, I would have been a fool to say no.
I talked to Jeremy periodically throughout our entire college years, and when he told me he was going to be an actor, I congratulated him on his choice. He said a lot of his friends didn't take him seriously, but I did. Of course I did.
"You should do your dancing thing," he told me.
"I'm going to be a businesswoman," I said.
"You can't give up on your dreams," he answered. "Or else all you'll have are nightmares."
I laughed when he tried to be philosophical like that, but I realized he actually believed in me. He believed in me when no one else did. And it was the same with me toward his profession.
I had no idea what a big deal he'd become. I mean, I believed he could do anything he wanted, but for him to become as big a deal as he was - I never expected that. I couldn't have imagined it in my wildest dreams.
So I started a dance school last year.
The last time I saw him was at a red carpet charity even he hosted. It was several years ago, and it was then that I gave up the remainder of my fortune to the event. We made eye contact, and I think he was trying to place me, but maybe the fact that I'm blonde now or that I have a few wrinkles now or that I've probably gained about 20 pounds since high school threw him off. In any event, we smiled at each other, and he looked away. Maybe he knew it was me and maybe he didn't. But it didn't matter. I saw him, and he was happy, and I was happy, and that was all that ever mattered to either of us.
People sometimes grow apart, you know? Sometimes you have a friend you can't imagine losing, but you do end up losing them. It sucks. But it happens because sometimes you need that kind of thing to learn about life and growth and maturity.
Would I have run away with him if I'd had a chance to answer him? I don't know... I mean, the words he said about my father were mean, but he didn't mean them. We'd both had a little too much to drink. He didn't mean it the way he said it, and I overreacted. And maybe he didn't mean it when he asked me to run away with him.
But I still think about it. I can't stop thinking about it.
Whatever the future holds for us, I know we're better off now than we've ever been. Being with him taught me to enjoy every day, and his being with me taught him the importance of priorities. At least that's what he told me.
I can only ever wish him happiness. That's all he'd ever wish for me.