Page 289 of Fragments
“Yea, when’d you pop the question??” Reno asks.
“Only a few days ago.” I focus on making food and supplies in the game to avoid how much heat is rushing to my face.
“Congratulations,” Leah sings. “Who’s the lucky creature?”
My face breaks in two, and I whisper to Cyrus, “Love her.”
“She’s seriously the best,” he hums.
“His name isRen,” Tony answers the question for me.
“Yes, and he’s quite fetching,” Reno adds.
“Ahh, I see,” Leah says. “So this Ren, is he like us…? Or is he, ya know… Cool?”
Cyrus snorts.
“He’s so stinkin’ cool,” I sigh, and they cheer.
“Oh yea! Luthor bagged a jock!” Reno exclaims.
“He’s not a jock.” I frown. “Even though, heisreally good at basketball. But he’s more like a… rich socialite.”
“Living for it.” Leah chuckles.
“But he doesn’t act that way,” I tell them. “He’s more… Oh man, what’s the word I’m looking for?”
“Sweet?”
“Genuine?”
“Dangerous?”
“Yes! All of those,” I hum, and Leah cackles. “You can’t describe Ren with words… He’s just Ren.”
“And youlovehim?” Leah asks.
I have to bite back my grin. “Yea… I do. Like,toomuch.”
“So I guess you do know how to feel it then… huh?” I can hear the smile in her voice.
And a giant grin covers my face to mirror it. “I guess so.”
“Well, we fully expect to be invited to the wedding,” Tony says.
And now I can’t stop thinking about this crazy wedding that’ll probably never happen. With all of our friends and family… It’s a nice thought.
I can dream, right?
“Okay, anyway, enough about Luthor’s Prince Charming,” Reno rumbles. “Back to this Batman list.”
“Oh, Jesus…” Leah sighs, and we laugh while the two of them continue their six-year-long debate.
We’re joking around and talking shit more than we’re actually playing, and it feels just like old times. The sun begins to set, and we eventually say goodbye for now to our crew to set up for dinner.
I can see Ren, Colson, and Tauren walking back up from the beach, laughing. And it fills my heart with joy. And not that I want to think about it, but even if it all came crashing down right now, at least I’d have these memories.
The thing is, you have to stop and recognize when you’re in the good times. Force yourself not to take moments of bliss for granted. Because the memories are great, but they don’t hold a candle to the real thing, and you’ll always wish you could get this back.
