The Boiling of the Bones

12. Secret Phone

Over the next couple weeks, we texted daily. I'd say something funny to brighten her day and she'd reply with something funny. It really lifted my spirits to hear from her more than once a week. After a few days, she started to reply twice a day and then more often. She must have been carrying the phone around with her. Especially at school. I was glad, but also hoped she wasn't getting careless or complacent with it. I didn't want her to get caught or she'd have to get rid of the phone. It was supposed to be primarily for emergencies. We even met a few times. Once we caught a movie together and sat in the back and secretly held hands. Another time we went for a long drive together. We skipped school and I took her to Niagara Falls.

It was a few days before Christmas. The decorations were up, and the holiday bustle and festive spirit were everywhere. The ground was covered in snow, so we set up a rendezvous at a bookstore. She texted she was hiding, and I had to try to find her. She was in a back corner in the kid's section. They had a treehouse up a little staircase. She was lying in a beanbag chair. I crawled in the small opening and plopped down on her lap.

"Found you."

She gazed into my eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

I guess she was finally ready to hear it.

"You've been so good to me. You've been so patient and understanding. Most guys would have given up on me by now."

"It's been worth the wait. You're the most amazing person I've ever met. Gorgeous, talented, funny. I fell in love with you the first day I met you. Remember that night at Starlight Coffee Shop?"

She laughed.

"How could I forget? Me and my friends thought it was pretty cocky the way you swaggered right up to our table. But as soon as I heard you pick up the guitar my heart melted."

"Then why did you leave without even saying goodbye?"

"I wasn't going to give you the satisfaction of knowing your act had the slightest effect on me. I figured a million girls throw themselves at you, after they hear you play the guitar and sing, but not me. I'm not like that. If a guy wants me, he's got to do some chasing."

I figured Brad had something to do with it as well. But it was a good sign she didn't mention him.

"You could have at least given me some clues—like maybe your name. I went back to Starlight fifty times hoping to run into you by chance. One week I dropped by every night looking for you, but you were never there."

She was stunned.

"You did not."

"Yeah. I did. Eventually I gave up. If we hadn't run into each at Mendon Ponds, I would have never found you."

"I'm glad you did. I think it was meant to be."

"Yeah, I think so too. It had to be fate; I mean what are the odds? Like a million to one. We were definitely meant to be together. I think we have a guardian angel watching over us who not only steered us back together but sent me with my guitar to cheer you up that day."

She threw her arms around me and tightly hugged me.

"Can I kiss you?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"You just said you love me."

"I do. I'm crazy about you. But you're still officially with Brad. Until you break up, it feels wrong. When the time is right everything will come together, and it will all work out perfectly. Be patient. It will happen and it will be a beautiful moment worth waiting for. Until then, let's just maintain our amazing friendship. If we rush into things or don't do it the right way, not only will we ruin a chance at love, but we'll screw up a really great friendship too and I couldn't bear that."