The Tree Remembers

Concoctions

"What's wrong?" I asked. He shook his head.

"We're just...this is the way to my place," he said awkwardly. I furrowed my brows.

"Really?"

"Maybe it's just a coincidence," he insisted. I looked ahead and told him to turn, and he laughed. "Okay, are you messing with me?"

"No!" I insisted. He laughed nervously, and after he turned onto the road, he drove down the street. He pulled in front of a trailer that was well-loved and parked. I was confused as I looked at him. He gestured at the trailer.

"This is my place, remember? Is the party in this trailer park?"

My jaw dropped as I looked around the park, suddenly remembering all of the times I drove here after school, desperate for Eddie to want to do something more than just talk about English homework. I felt that discomfort I felt when I was Ellie – how awkward I was in my body, how I was desperate for any kind of approval from people I wanted to be friends with. I felt Eddie's hand wrap around the back of my neck, and he squeezed it gently, as if he was reading my mind. I turned and awkwardly smiled at him.

"Good thing we aren't those kids from high school anymore," he quipped. He winked at me. "I was an asshole back then."

This broke the tension and I smiled at him, making his grin grow.

"I think the party is in that trailer," I said, pointing across a field to a lit-up home with people streaming in and out of it. Eddie squeezed my neck again.

"You okay to walk over? I can leave my van here," he offered. I nodded and he shut the van off, prompting me to get out. I started across the field. "Woah, woah, woah!"

I stopped, looking at Eddie, confused. He trotted over to me, wrapping an around my waist and yanking me close to him.

"Can't let you walk alone in the dark like that, sweet pea," he explained, getting close to my face. I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"It's, like, a two second walk," I shot back. He shook his head.

"There's not time limit on a gentleman's actions," he quipped. I smirked at him.

"Where's the gentleman?" I teased. He grinned and kissed my forehead.

"You're lucky I love it when you're mean," he replied. I felt my stomach flip. I needed a drink.

---

I kept my hand on the small of Elle's back as we walked into the party together. I knew she would soon remove my touch from her, so I wanted to get as much as I could from them.

"There she is!" a voice screeched from across the room.

I looked over and a tall man with dark hair and green eyeshadow was barreling towards Elle, crashing into her for a hug. Elle squealed with delight and hugged him back. I smiled at their excitement to see each other, trying (but failing) to keep up with their conversation.

"Why don't you ever hang out with me anymore?" he whined, taking her hands and squeezing them.

"Why don't you ever invite me to hang out with you?" she quipped. He laughed.

"My boyfriend is possessive of you! I think he would die if we became friends without him," the man teased. Elle laughed.

"Well, Nick tortures me, so you are a step up," she replied. I was putting together who this was now, and I wanted to make the right impression. The man looked at me, smiling coyly.

"And who is this?" he asked, leaning into Elle. "Is this who you've been having all of those sleepovers with?"

Elle turned red but I grinned, thrilled at the thought she was talking about me.