We Grew Back Together

7: Cards Against Lettie

Harper's phone vibrated next to her on her bed. She picked up the call.

"I'm here," Alice told her.

"I'll be down in a sec," Harper quickly told her and ended the call. She got up and sped out of the house, carrying her shoes with her down the driveway.

Alice greeted her as she sat in the car, "Hey!"

"Hi," Harper answered as she put her seatbelt on. She started to get her shoes on when Alice started pulling out of the driveway. "How was work today?"

"Not bad. It wasn't too busy, the usual for a Wednesday."

"That's nice."

"Yeah," Alice shrugged. She drove down the street, and asked, "So, what's up with you and Nic?"

Harper frowned, confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean whatever you want it to mean," Alice told her with a sly tone. She smiled and raised a brow at Harper.

"We used to be friends, so we were just catching up," Harper shrugged, "it's been a long time so it was nice to catch up a bit. We've both changed so much."

"That's nice," Alice seemed satisfied with the answer.

That definitely relieved Harper, since she didn't think there was anything between her and Nic. They just used to be friends, and they wanted to catch up.

Since they talked Harper hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. She wanted to spend more time with her, get to know her as she is now. She knew Lettie, now she wants to know Nic.

Alice kept driving, she nodded her head along with the music playing.

Harper watched the houses pass by. She knew this road. Watching as the houses drew past she saw it coming up and said, "That's Sycamore! That's where I went to school when I lived here."

Alice glanced over and chuckled, "Where you and Nic went together."

"Yeah," Harper watched it go by, "we met in Kindergarten, in Ms. G's class."

"Aw that's cute," Alice replied, "did you two meet on the first day?"

"No, I was too shy to talk to her. She was pretty much friends with everyone the first day but I was too scared to talk to her. I was too scared to talk to anyone."

Harper chuckled at the memory. Previously she didn't remember any of that, if someone had asked her to recall that a month ago, she would say she couldn't tell them because she had no idea.

She said more as she remembered more, "I don't remember when it was but eventually I finally talked to her. I think she came to me first though. She was always outgoing so she probably came to me."

"Nic outgoing?" Alice scoffed in surprise. She shook her head, "I guess I could picture it but still."

"What do you mean?" Harper snorted, shaking her head at Alice's surprise. She wasn't lying, Nic really was friends with everyone. Nic was always the kind of kid to instantly go up to any new kid and just talk their ear off. Harper couldn't imagine her any other way.

Even the other night when she hung out with the group for the first time, Nic came in like a storm.

"In middle school when I met her, Nic was kinda closed off at first. She warms up quickly though, but otherwise she can be pretty quiet."

Harper nodded, trying to picture it. It sounded like Alice was talking about a cat. Nic wasn't a cat. If she was anything, she would be a dog. Not a golden retriever. Maybe a border collie. Or maybe an Aussie.

"Has she really changed that much?" Alice asked, pulling Harper from her thoughts.

She glanced over at Alice and answered, "I guess so. We all did, it's been so long and when you're all young like that everyone's the exact same."

"I guess You're right."

Alice pulled into the driveway of Liam's house, parking right in the driveway behind a car. It had the same decal on the back as Alice's car.

Harper followed Alice out of the car and to the backyard.

"Hey!" Alice waved as she rounded the corner and spotted the boys. They were all sat around half the table playing some kind of game involving cards.

"We're playing cards against humanity," Jay told the two as they arrived at the table, he held two black cards in his hand. Glancing down at them he said, "We could use some more players..."