Except Time

Chapter 5: Transitions and Reversal

"And that's not fair for you if we keep this up. I'm so sorry Pari, I just don't feel like the person I should be right now."

I took a breath and waited.

Pari and I were sitting in the park on a bench. I had asked her to come on a walk, and had begun talking. Finally we had ended up here on a bench, near the spot where we had our first kiss.

Pari hadn't spoken a word as I rambled. Her hair was loosely tied, and I saw her eyes beginning to water. My heart began to ache. I knew that despite however I worded it, I was going to hurt Pari. There was nothing I could do about that.

She took a deep and shaky breath, then stared directly at me.

"I understand."

That completely floored me. It was completely unlike any way I had expected her to respond.

"What...what do you mean?"

"I think a part of me has known for a while."

"Know what?"

"That your love isn't for me."

I gave her a blank stare. I didn't really understand what she meant.

She gave me a watery smile, before laying a hand on my arm.

"It's gonna be really hard to let you go William...but thank you. Thank you for everything."

All I could do was stare as Pari stood up and started walking. Away from me. Out of my life.

***

Pari's words were still on my mind as I got ready for the night. I put on a pair of comfortable shorts and my favorite red t-shirt, before Holly walked in wearing a black flowery top. She snorted, saying "Change."

With a scowl I watched as she picked out a white button down that I'd completely forgotten about in the back of my dresser.

Holly and I went downstairs, just as I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to see Jenna standing there. She was wearing a purplish crop top with fabric that tied around her stomach and khaki shorts. It was very atypical to her usual style of comfy clothes or flowing dresses.

"You look great!", I said with a smile.

She looked me up and down, a little surprised, "I could say the same to you. How'd you manage to put that on?"

"He had help", piped up Holly from beside me.

I gave her the stink eye as I pulled Jenna inside, 'Come on, Posy is waiting for us in the kitchen. Mom and Dad are gonna be gone until later tonight so we have time."

When we walked into the kitchen, Posy was waiting for us as with four glasses. Inside was a lemonade looking drink with crystals all around the rim of the glass.

"It's a margarita.", Posy explained, "I thought it would be good as your first drink."

Holly, Jenna, and I cautiously grabbed a glass each, and then gathered around the square table.