Epilogue
Autumn- Two days later
Kory’s arm is linked with mine as I drag her through Newark Liberty International Airport.
“So, these are the air trains you have to get on to get to each part of the airport.” I point to the map on the wall.
“This looks like what I envision a space center would look like.” She says, analyzing the diagram.
“I know, crazy, right? Confused the shit out of me when I first came here.”
Still attached, I pull her in the direction we need to go, almost completely forgetting that Tyler is right behind us, pulling our bags. I glance back at him, to which he smiles, and I turn back around, resting my head on her shoulder.
“Thank you for coming,” I say into her ear.
She scoffs. “Are you kidding? Thank you. I’ve never needed a break from Scottville more than I do now.”
“Well, that’s not hard when you’ve literally never left. Except to visit me wherever I am.”
We both laugh. “Exactly, and look where that’s gotten me?”
Her playful jab refers to the fact that she is habitually single; no relationship has ever really gotten serious.
She claims this most recent one was, but also seems to have made it out of the break-up completely unscathed, so I can’t imagine how serious she really was.
It was just a couple of weeks ago, and I expected to play her role of the supportive, comforting best friend during this visit, but she barely even mentioned him.
Actually, she hasn’t mentioned him at all.
I brought him up, and she shrugged her shoulders like it was nothing.
Oftentimes, I do really feel bad because she is the best when it comes to my ever-revolving door of relationship drama.
One of these days, I hope she does actually let me return the favor.
However, I find that unlikely anytime soon because aside from our physical distance, she hardly lets anyone close enough to do any real damage. In that sense, I envy her.
Once Tyler drops us off at my apartment, she immediately drops her stuff on the floor.
“So, where do we start?”
I know she’s referring to packing up my stuff, but instead, we spend the next two hours doing absolutely nothing but talking and draining a bottle of wine.
The next morning, Tyler shows up as promised, at 9 a.m. sharp, with coffee and way too many boxes. Thankfully, thanks to my two years of traveling, I don’t really have much, and I warned him of such, but he’s the ‘better safe than sorry’ type.
Hours of packing and splitting a large pizza on my empty living room floor—everything I own is in boxes—once again.
It’s sobering for a moment that I always seem to end up here.
But then Tyler’s blue eyes catch mine, and suddenly the boxes don’t matter anymore.
I throw my arms around his wide shoulders and give him a kiss.
“I’ll start loading the truck.” He says with a smile.
“Thanks, babe,” I say as he starts stacking boxes and lifting three at a time like they weigh nothing.
When the door clicks shut, Kory starts talking while taping a box labeled “Kitchen."
“So you think this is finally it for you?”
Her statement catches me off guard a bit, causing a nervous laugh to bubble out of me. “Well, yeah, I think so. Obviously. Why?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I just want you to be like really sure, ya know?”
I look at her through tight eyes. Maybe she has the right to question my decision-making when it comes to relationships, but why start asking me these questions now? When everything is already packed?
“This isn’t a rebound, Kory. Jimmy was three years ago. I’m good, I swear.”
Before she can respond, Tyler saunters back inside, once again effortlessly stacking four boxes and swooping them up in his arms.
“Is that what you’re worried about?” I resume once the coast is clear. She doesn’t respond—distracted by her phone. She’s obviously reading something interesting as I watch a smirk crawl across her lips.
“Hello?” I snap my fingers. She immediately returns her face to neutral and fumbles to put her phone back in her pocket. “That who I think it is?”
She shakes her head, but doesn’t look up at me, obviously about to bullshit me. “I don’t know, but it was just Olivia.”
It’s definitely bullshit, but I don’t say anything as Tyler walks back in the room again.
It’s a long three days, but at this point, Tyler’s house is officially mine too.
My shoes sit by his at the front door. My toothbrush sits in the stand next to his.
My favorite coffee mugs hang on his hooks.
My clothes are in his closet, and the pictures that used to hang on my wall are now sitting on his TV stand. This is it.
Kory didn’t bring up her obvious apprehension again, but it’s lingered on my mind.
And it wasn’t until about five minutes ago, as I was making note of all of these things, that the question finally crossed my mind.
Is this too fast? My judgment may have always been clouded by infatuation before, but as I watch him, once again dragging all of Kory’s bags behind him like a golf caddy, I know this isn’t that.
He loves me and I love him. For real this time.
What also hasn’t left my mind—Kory’s constant distraction by her phone. Even now, while we’re at the airport about to send her back home, her eyes roll at the screen—the way they do when she flirts—before she quickly types something and returns her phone to her pocket.
“What’s Liv up to?”
“Oh, not her that time. Just El being stupid.”
Elliot? Her brother? I struggle to stifle my laugh. I believe that less than I believed the other day was Olivia. Before I can call her out, the call comes through the speakers for her to board her flight.
“I love you.” She says and squeezes me into a hug.
“I love you too.” I squeeze her right back, savoring this moment—to last me until we see each other again. “Text me when you land.”
“I will. Thanks, Tyler.” She waves toward him before finally turning away.
I watch her walk, dark brown tendrils of hair bouncing with each step, intrigue settling heavy in my stomach.
Part of me hopes that her phone will slip out of her pocket and I’ll be able to beat her to it, so I can find out who she’s been talking to.
The chances of that scenario playing out are slim to none, but God, I wish I had her phone in my hand.
I’m probably going to have to visit soon because this is going to gnaw away at me.
For the first time in twenty years, my best friend is flat-out lying to me.
I didn’t push her this time, but next time I see her—I will find out everything.
The smirk gave her away. It wasn’t the one she wears when she talks to her brother or one of our old friends.
It wasn’t just amusement. It was something else.
Something she hoped I wouldn’t see. Whoever is the cause of that smirk clearly makes her feel something, which means she’ll pretend they don’t.
The worst part of her being so secretive, though?
I’m pretty sure I already know exactly who she’s talking to.
Even though we’ve shared everything—every secret, every fear—one of Kory’s greatest/worst skills has always been building walls.
Walls, she doesn’t let anyone break through.
Sometimes, like now, that even includes me.
If I’m right… If it is him… then these walls are either to protect my feelings, or to protect hers in order to protect mine.
Kory is the type of best friend who would choose our friendship over her own happiness.
What she doesn’t see is that if she’d ever finally break those walls down completely, she’d know she doesn’t have to choose. She might tell you that those were built to protect me, but they’re not. They’ve always been there to protect herself.
I just hope she doesn’t take too long to finally realize it.