Don't Forget
“Uh?”
“Are you just going to stand there?”
Mia’s mouth was dry. What day is it? Had he gotten taller? He asked you a question!
“Uh?” Mia Price ladies and gentlemen.
“Eloquent as always.” Eric smiled. How long had it been since she’d seen that smile?
“Do you guys plan on doing this the whole time Eric’s here because I could stay at Rebekah’s.” Beatrice said walking past Mia to the door to open it.
“Jeez B just ten minutes without your chatter.” Eric huffed following Beatrice to the door.
He hadn't touched Mia. He just walked right past her as if they were less than friends, acquaintances. She felt a pain in her chest. This is what you always wanted. What are you doing? But these thoughts didn't ring all the way true. She wasn't sure what she had expected of their reunion, but she was expecting more than this. She quietly followed them to her flat elevator. He promised to come for me. Her mind whispered to her as she followed them. But he never did. He never called. Sometimes he liked one or two of her pictures from one of her shows on Facebook…but...but…
“I got a hotel room by the way.” Eric said to Mia bringing her into the room, “Don’t feel bad about it. I just don’t want to make things weird for you guys here.”
“It’s not too expensive, is it?” Beatrice asked grimacing.
“Nothing I can’t afford.” Eric shrugged, “The shops are doing really well lately.”
“Shops?” Mia asked.
“I didn't tell you?” Eric asked.
“No you told me because you guys decided to stop talking when Miabia and I moved out here.” Beatrice said pulling her mug of hot water out of the microwave in the kitchen area.
“What? I didn't”-
“Why do you always have to make everything awkward?” Eric said to Beatrice over Mia.
Mia snorted. They hadn't been the three of them in so long. She forgot how funny Eric and Beatrice’s arguments were.
“What’s so funny?” Eric said.
“You guys arguing,” Mia said, “It’s nostalgic.”
Eric smiled. It hurt Mia, “Yeah it is.”
“Ugh,” Beatrice made a loud gagging noise. She hopped off of her bar stool and went for the door.
“Where are you going?” Mia called after her. Don’t leave me with him!
“Out.” Beatrice called back before slamming the door of their elevator.
Oh, no… Mia’s mouth went dry again. Beatrice had left her chamomile tea sitting on the table. Mia picked it up and took a sip.
“So how are things going with cosmetology?” Eric asked, “From Facebook it looks like you’re doing big things.”
“Did you even miss me?” Mia said. It was a thought that wasn't filtered. Shit! Eric’s eyes got wide. She wished her brain-filter wouldn't fail her like that, “I mean,” She ran her finger down the side of the mug. She resisted the urge to stick her finger in to feel the scalding sting, “Cosmetology’s great. I own my own shop now, and it’s kind of turned into an impromptu academy with all the apprentices we take on. You’re less busy now that you have two shops?”
“It’s more than two shops now.” Eric said, “And of course I missed you.”
“Then why didn't you call or anything?”
“A lot of my high-school career was spent chasing after you.” Eric said, “I did call once, but your number changed. I decided maybe it was a sign. Like you've said before, we've already been down this road and it didn't end well. We used to be friends once”-
“Yeah for a few months in high-school.” Mia snorted, “I can’t just…”pretend we never happened. “I...I…”
“You what Mia,” Eric said. He was irritated with her, “I just want to move past this. What do you want from me?”
“I guess…” Mia said in a low voice, “I dunno…”
“That’s right,” Eric said, “You don’t know. You never knew, yet it was all about you…” Eric didn't look at her as he spoke. Mia couldn't stand to be across the table from him anymore. It hurt too much. She stood and went to her room and slammed the door shut.
Mia’s mouth was dry. What day is it? Had he gotten taller? He asked you a question!
“Uh?” Mia Price ladies and gentlemen.
“Eloquent as always.” Eric smiled. How long had it been since she’d seen that smile?
“Do you guys plan on doing this the whole time Eric’s here because I could stay at Rebekah’s.” Beatrice said walking past Mia to the door to open it.
“Jeez B just ten minutes without your chatter.” Eric huffed following Beatrice to the door.
He hadn't touched Mia. He just walked right past her as if they were less than friends, acquaintances. She felt a pain in her chest. This is what you always wanted. What are you doing? But these thoughts didn't ring all the way true. She wasn't sure what she had expected of their reunion, but she was expecting more than this. She quietly followed them to her flat elevator. He promised to come for me. Her mind whispered to her as she followed them. But he never did. He never called. Sometimes he liked one or two of her pictures from one of her shows on Facebook…but...but…
“I got a hotel room by the way.” Eric said to Mia bringing her into the room, “Don’t feel bad about it. I just don’t want to make things weird for you guys here.”
“It’s not too expensive, is it?” Beatrice asked grimacing.
“Nothing I can’t afford.” Eric shrugged, “The shops are doing really well lately.”
“Shops?” Mia asked.
“I didn't tell you?” Eric asked.
“No you told me because you guys decided to stop talking when Miabia and I moved out here.” Beatrice said pulling her mug of hot water out of the microwave in the kitchen area.
“What? I didn't”-
“Why do you always have to make everything awkward?” Eric said to Beatrice over Mia.
Mia snorted. They hadn't been the three of them in so long. She forgot how funny Eric and Beatrice’s arguments were.
“What’s so funny?” Eric said.
“You guys arguing,” Mia said, “It’s nostalgic.”
Eric smiled. It hurt Mia, “Yeah it is.”
“Ugh,” Beatrice made a loud gagging noise. She hopped off of her bar stool and went for the door.
“Where are you going?” Mia called after her. Don’t leave me with him!
“Out.” Beatrice called back before slamming the door of their elevator.
Oh, no… Mia’s mouth went dry again. Beatrice had left her chamomile tea sitting on the table. Mia picked it up and took a sip.
“So how are things going with cosmetology?” Eric asked, “From Facebook it looks like you’re doing big things.”
“Did you even miss me?” Mia said. It was a thought that wasn't filtered. Shit! Eric’s eyes got wide. She wished her brain-filter wouldn't fail her like that, “I mean,” She ran her finger down the side of the mug. She resisted the urge to stick her finger in to feel the scalding sting, “Cosmetology’s great. I own my own shop now, and it’s kind of turned into an impromptu academy with all the apprentices we take on. You’re less busy now that you have two shops?”
“It’s more than two shops now.” Eric said, “And of course I missed you.”
“Then why didn't you call or anything?”
“A lot of my high-school career was spent chasing after you.” Eric said, “I did call once, but your number changed. I decided maybe it was a sign. Like you've said before, we've already been down this road and it didn't end well. We used to be friends once”-
“Yeah for a few months in high-school.” Mia snorted, “I can’t just…”pretend we never happened. “I...I…”
“You what Mia,” Eric said. He was irritated with her, “I just want to move past this. What do you want from me?”
“I guess…” Mia said in a low voice, “I dunno…”
“That’s right,” Eric said, “You don’t know. You never knew, yet it was all about you…” Eric didn't look at her as he spoke. Mia couldn't stand to be across the table from him anymore. It hurt too much. She stood and went to her room and slammed the door shut.