Page 89 of Between Love and War
Kate is there, a little out of breath, hair slipping out of her ponytail. “What are you doing?” she says like I’ve just committed a felony.
“Uh… going home?”
She blinks at me like I’m an idiot, which, to be fair, I sort of am. Then her face softens.
“Michael. Come on.” She nudges me with her elbow. “I’ll introduce you.”
There’s that same spark in her eyes—the one I saw when she was smiling at her cousin earlier. Like she lights up around people she cares about.
So I follow her.
When we get to Lily’s, the place is buzzing. Everyone is gathered there. Haley, Richard, Bon, and Ryan are laughing over a tub of fries. But there are two new faces. The ones from the video call. The long distance friends.
“Hey, big fan,” the guy says as he comes over, grinning. He’s got tattoos trailing down one arm, ending in a rose on the back of his hand. He’s a little bit shorter than me but somehow feels taller. Like confidence just radiates off him.
I pull the hood of my jacket down and shake his hand. “Michael.”
“Joshua,” he says, gripping my hand firmly. “I know who you are, man.” He chuckles. Then the lady comes up behind him, and his demeanor instantly changes. “This is Emily,” he says, suddenly gentler.
Emily gives me a friendly nod and a handshake, then her eyes are already on Joshua. She leans toward him like it’s second nature.
“Nice to meet you,” she tells me as they both invite me to the center of the lounge.
“Hey, Mike,” Richard sits beside me. “How’s the trip? That family isloud,” he says. I look at him as he takes a handful of fries.
“Have you been on their trips?” I ask.
“Sometimes,” he replies.
“Sometimes, when he wants free food and lodging,” Haley interjects. Then she turns toward Richard. “My cousin says he practiced Uno because of you,” she adds.
“I would’ve gone, but I told you I had an interview thing,” Richard replies, and Haley just rolls her eyes.
Laughter fills the room—Bon’s voice rising above the rest, Ryan’s low chuckle, the scrape of a chair being pulled out. I glance around at all of them, realizing I’m already in the middle of it. It’s a nice feeling, being part of something outside of sports.
Then Kate slips beside me without a word and nudges a soda into my hand. She doesn’t say anything at first. Just sits close enough for our shoulders to touch. And somehow, it feels natural.
“So, what’s the deal with you two?” Emily asks. “I heard you’re a secret girlfriend, Kate.” She chuckles as I recount the day I posted that blurry photo of Kate for the internet to see.
I expect Kate to deny it like she always does, but this time she just shrugs. “It’ll die down like most gossip does,” she says.
I smile and add, “Or not.” She glares at me and I laugh, opening my soda can.
“You’re coaching the Little League?” Emily adds, looking at me. Even when she’s talking to other people, her hand is laced in Joshua’s rose-tattooed hand. And even when he’s doing something else, he never once lets go of her. It’s oddly grounding to see.
“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m supposed to leave town after the final game on Saturday, but I figured I can’t miss Kate’s prom-themed year-ender.”
Kate nudges me with her elbow and says, “It’s notmyyear-ender. You helped with the idea.”
“Yeah, but you’re the one who put it in stone.” I smile. “You were very convincing. I think Richard cried.”
“I yawned, that’s different,” Richard says.
They all laugh, and I glance at Kate again. She’s laughing too, her eyes crinkling in that way I’ve seen a thousand times—but it feels different now. Like I’m finally part of the reason why. Of course, there’s a possibility that I’m imagining all this. That I’m the only one whose mind was rattled by that Tagaytay trip.
“I’m so excited,” Bon says. “I finally get to go to prom with you!” She pulls Ryan up, and he hesitantly stands up. “We’re gonna dance and eat and party, and I won’t have to worry aboutlooking good for the rest of the evening ‘cos you’ll come home with me either way!”
Ryan just smiles as he watches her twirl around him and jump at excited suggestions.
