“I’m glad you asked me to move in with you, Ara.”

“Me too.”

“And I’m glad you didn’t go back to Perth.”

I breathed out through my nose. “Me too.”

“Do you...do you think we’ll ever see Mike again?”

I rolled onto my side and looked at Emily. “I’m sure of it. So, when’s Spencer coming over?”

She shrugged. “He’ll be here in an hour.”

“When are you—” The ringing phone interrupted my sentence. “Hang on a sec.” I jumped off the bed and ran out to the phone-stand near the archway. “All right, all right, I’m coming,” I said under my breath then picked up the receiver. “Hello?” I chimed, regretting it instantly.

“Ara?” Mike sounded surprised that I actually answered.

“Uh. Mike, hi.”

He laughed down the line. “Forget to check the number, huh?”

I huffed loudly. “You know me too well.”

“Why are you avoiding me, baby? I’m not stupid. I caught on to it the first day you were ‘out at the shops’.”

I smiled; we both knew I was actually standing right by the phone, waving my hands around. “I just don’t know what to say, Mike.”

“Nothing, Ara. You don’t need to say anything at all. I’m still your friend. I still love you—like always. No matter what, okay?”

“I know. I’m sorry, Mike.” I sighed.

“Okay,” he said, laughing the word out. “Take my calls from now on, then.”

“Okay, I promise.”

“Good. Now, how did the move go?”

And just like that, life moved on. I landed a job at a music store, teaching unenthusiastic kids to play piano, and Emily counted down the days until she started college. But despite the constant ache in my heart for the boy I loved and missed so terribly, we were actually kind of happy, Emily and I, which made the months move on without the hands of time paying any attention. Only my soul knew the truth of the passing days, and it grew weaker and more disconnected from the world with each sunrise. “Ara!” Emily bounded toward me as I stepped out of my bedroom.

“Oh, Em.” I rubbed my eyes, unable to see properly yet. “It’s too early in the morning for all this enthusiasm.”

“I know, but...I’ve got you a date for the dinner tonight.”

“What? Em, I don’t want—”

“I think you’ll like him? His hair is blonde, but he looks a bit like David?” She offered.

“Em, that’s sick.”

“Oh, come on, Ara. It’s one date.”

“Emily.” I dropped my hands onto my hips and snarled internally at how the rising sun, shining through the French windows in the music room, made her hair look strawberry blonde and way too perfect for seven in the morning. “Just like the last guy you tried to set me up with...I’m not interested.”

“Ara, you’re still a virgin, you need to—”

“Ah.” I held my finger out. “Stop right there. Em.” With a sigh, I shook my head then put the kettle on to boil. “I don’t want a relationship. I just want to live my life.”

“Who said anything about a relationship? It’s just se—”

“Hey! I said enough. I’m not going to get into a discussion about my personal life.”

“You mean your sex life.”

I folded my arms and glowered at her.

“Ara. It’s just a guy. He won’t hurt you, I promise.”

“No, he just wants to have a one night stand. How damaging can that be?”

“I never said that.” Emily dropped her arms to her sides and came to stand beside me against the sink, thankfully leaving the golden tones of the sun that made her look perfect behind. “Ara, please, just humour me? This guy is really nice and—”

“Hang on.” I frowned as I looked at her. “You hassle me about virginity, but you’re still a virgin.”

“That’s different. I have a boyfriend, so it’s by choice.”

I rolled my eyes. “Who says mine’s not?”

Her brow formed an arch above her eye. “You can’t be alone forever, Ara.”

“Yes. I can,” I scoffed. “It’s my life.”

“Well, I already told Spence you’d come, and his friend’s excited about meeting you.”

“Great.” I tightened the fold of my arms.

“Come on,” she whined. “I feel really sorry for him. He can’t seem to get a girl interested in him. I mean, he’s only had one girlfriend, and he’s starting to think he might have something wrong with him.”

Maybe there is. “Fine.” I left Emily by the sink and slumped into a chair at the dining table. “I’ll go if you make me a coffee.”

“Deal.” She clapped, then skipped over to the kettle.

I glared at her with absolutely no tolerance for all her bouncing. If I could borrow even ten percent of her spirit, I’d be a completely different person.

“So what time is dinner tonight?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Oh, crud—I didn’t get Spence a birthday present.” I dropped my head into my hands. I’m so forgetful lately.

“That’s okay. You can just gift him with your presence.”

“Ha-ha.” I rolled my eyes and looked at my watch. Looks like I’m gonna be late for work again.

The jingle of the doorbell announced my tardiness. Geoff doused his cigarette and waved the smoke around—as if that would rid the store of his stench—then dramatically extended his hand and lifted his sleeve to look at his watch. “Late again.”

“Sorry, Geoff.” I quietly closed the door behind me. “I’m not sure how time’s escaping from me lately.” I stood in front of him and pinched the edges of my pleated skirt. “I know that’s no excuse and I’m really sorry, I—”

“You know, if I tell my dad...” his tone rose in suggestion, making me more mad than concerned.

“Well, what if I tell him you smoke in the store and—”

“Student’s waiting for you.” He turned away and stalked off into the staff room behind the counter, which is where he’d stay for the remainder of the day. And despite the fact that I was supposed to be teaching, he still made me answer the phones, take stock, and inform customers about instruments I’d never even heard of. Jerk.