For the Rest of Our Lives
Twenty Five (2009)
Sally has moved back finally. Her aunt's purchased the house only a few houses down from mine. I'm helping her settle into her new room when she turns to me.
"I think I'm bi," she says. Her gaze is still on the box she's sorting through, but her body is turned toward me. My eyes widen; my heart beats harder.
"O-oh?" is all I can manage. It's taking everything to stop myself from telling her my big secret. Her expression softens; from furrowed brows and deep frown to relaxed with a small smile.
"Yeah, I think so," she says quietly. She pulls out a snow globe then; one with a black bear that matches the one I have in my room. She sets it on the center shelf above her bed. "I kissed a girl while I was gone. And it wasn't bad. Nothing really came out of it though." I feel my heart twist a little. She looks at me then- actually looks, her gaze soft when our eyes meet.
"Oh," I say. Why can't I say anything else? There are so many things I could be saying. I could be telling her. I could be telling her that it doesn't bother me; I could be telling her that-
"That's okay, right?" she says. I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Of course, Sally," I say once I'm breathing again. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Just checking," she says with a short laugh. She's back over by the box again, looking for something else now. "So, I got us something, too. I hope you like them- when I find them."
I walk over to her, hovering over her shoulder, watching her hands pass over and through the items in the box. Finally she grasps hold of a small, red box. I hear her breath catch briefly, and then she lets it out again slowly. She glances up at me and then back to the box. She lifts the lid.
What's within the box is something so, so simple, but I can feel my heart floating anyway. They're matching bracelets, each with half a heart charm on them. One also has a rainbow, while the other has a cloud with a lightning bolt in it. She lifts one and turns toward me again, though her gaze is locked on the bracelet.
"It says 'forever', on them," she says quietly. Her gaze finally meets mine. She holds the one with the rainbow out to me. "Cause I... want to be friends forever."
I let her slip the bracelet over my wrist, watch as she slips her own bracelet on. She grasps my hand in both of hers and settles her gaze on our hands.
"What do the rainbow and storm cloud mean?" I ask quietly.
"There's always a rainbow after the storm," she says. I feel her squeeze my hand. Her eyes well up, and I reach my free hand out to touch her cheek. "You're my rainbow."
"I think I'm bi," she says. Her gaze is still on the box she's sorting through, but her body is turned toward me. My eyes widen; my heart beats harder.
"O-oh?" is all I can manage. It's taking everything to stop myself from telling her my big secret. Her expression softens; from furrowed brows and deep frown to relaxed with a small smile.
"Yeah, I think so," she says quietly. She pulls out a snow globe then; one with a black bear that matches the one I have in my room. She sets it on the center shelf above her bed. "I kissed a girl while I was gone. And it wasn't bad. Nothing really came out of it though." I feel my heart twist a little. She looks at me then- actually looks, her gaze soft when our eyes meet.
"Oh," I say. Why can't I say anything else? There are so many things I could be saying. I could be telling her. I could be telling her that it doesn't bother me; I could be telling her that-
"That's okay, right?" she says. I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Of course, Sally," I say once I'm breathing again. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Just checking," she says with a short laugh. She's back over by the box again, looking for something else now. "So, I got us something, too. I hope you like them- when I find them."
I walk over to her, hovering over her shoulder, watching her hands pass over and through the items in the box. Finally she grasps hold of a small, red box. I hear her breath catch briefly, and then she lets it out again slowly. She glances up at me and then back to the box. She lifts the lid.
What's within the box is something so, so simple, but I can feel my heart floating anyway. They're matching bracelets, each with half a heart charm on them. One also has a rainbow, while the other has a cloud with a lightning bolt in it. She lifts one and turns toward me again, though her gaze is locked on the bracelet.
"It says 'forever', on them," she says quietly. Her gaze finally meets mine. She holds the one with the rainbow out to me. "Cause I... want to be friends forever."
I let her slip the bracelet over my wrist, watch as she slips her own bracelet on. She grasps my hand in both of hers and settles her gaze on our hands.
"What do the rainbow and storm cloud mean?" I ask quietly.
"There's always a rainbow after the storm," she says. I feel her squeeze my hand. Her eyes well up, and I reach my free hand out to touch her cheek. "You're my rainbow."