Maybe Too Late

Part 3: Maybe Too Late

He'd turned it over in his mind over and over all throughout the summer, before he'd finally made his decision. What could it hurt, anyway? He was leaving.

He'd stood aside for almost two years now, waiting, waiting – and he was damned if he was going to wait any longer.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he started dialling.

She picked up after two rings. "Dietrich?"

"Iola," he said. "I need a favour."

---

"So," Kara said, lifting the cup to her lips and taking a sip of her iced latte, "what's up? Not that we need a reason to hang out, but it sounded pretty urgent when you called."

"Oh, nothing much," said Iola airily, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. "It's just been a while since we met up after graduation."

Kara threw her an odd glance. "Graduation was two weeks ago."

Iola threw up her hands. "And you're going out of state for college! We don't have much time left together." The corners of her mouth turned downward and Kara groaned inwardly. Iola's puppy-dog look was not one to be trifled with.

She reached over to pat Iola on the hand even as she laughed. "I'm going to Vancouver, not Venezuela!"

Iola squinted, distracted for a moment. "Where is Venezuela?"

Kara just shook her head and chuckled. "Point is, we won't be that far apart. Just don't get so caught up in college life that you forget to reply my texts."

"You're one to talk!" Iola huffed. "You've never replied any of my texts."

Kara rolled her eyes. "That's because I see you at school every day! And stop sending me those chain mails, they're annoying as heck."

Iola pursed her lips. "I don't want my mother to die."

Kara cast an exasperated glance upward, as if seeking divine intervention. Then they looked at each other and laughed, the air of camaraderie enveloping them like a warm hug.

Then Iola jerked as if she'd suddenly remembered something very important.

"What's wrong?" Kara asked, noticing the way Iola's eyes brightened.

"Nothing." Iola sat back in her seat, clearing her throat. She looked so self-conscious that Kara narrowed her eyes. "So," Iola said, striving to sound casual but failing completely, "did you know Dietrich's going to England?"

Kara couldn't quite hide the jolt that this information brought. It was her turn to clear her throat. After a little while, she said in a strained voice, "Oh? That's really cool." Behind her impassive face, her mind was working furiously to consider what it meant that Iola and Dietrich were apparently still in close contact.

She hadn't heard from Dietrich in all of the two weeks since they'd last seen each other.

"He received a full scholarship to do Architecture at the University College London," Iola said wistfully, a hint of envy in her voice. She shook her head, "Surprising, isn't it? Architecture. I'd never have thought."

Kara smiled. He was another step closer to achieving his dream of becoming an architect. "It suits him," she said softly, so caught up in those late-night memories that she missed the calculating glance that Iola shot her.

"So..." Iola chose this moment to pounce. "What do you think of Dietrich?"

The question took Kara by surprise. "What are you talking about?" she laughed uncomfortably, after a pause. "He's your crush."