New Romantics

Chapter 22

I returned home to find Dani and Sasha sprawled out on the couch with two tubs of popcorn. They were in the middle of a slasher marathon when I walked through the door, the creak of the old handle mixing with a dramatic clap of thunder and high-pitched squeal that had both girls shrieking.

"Aria Shah!" Sasha screamed when her sudden movement sent the popcorn tumbling onto the floor. "Are you trying to give us a heart attack?"

Doubling over with laughter, I clutched my chest. "I—didn't—mean—to—" Tears streamed down my face. "I'm so sorry! But holy shit! The looks on your faces!"

"Do you blame us? We thought you were Micahel Myers!"

"Michel Myers?" I asked with feigned shock. I checked my reflection in the mirror above the shoe rack. "I'm brown. Unless something changed in this movie, the last time I checked, he was white as fuck. And like, seven feet tall or something."

Sasha waved dismissively. "Semantics."

Crossing into the living room, I grabbed a handful of popcorn and tossed it at her. "Semantics," I mocked. Her warm, almond-colored eyes widened with surprise, and she gasped, utterly offended. Before she could react, I grabbed another handful of popcorn and sprinkled it over her like snowflakes or glitter, earning another shocked gasp, and then a threat,

"Oh! You'll regret that!"

Sasha grabbed the second tub of popcorn out of Dani's hands and tossed it all over me.

"Sasha! I was eating that!" Dani laughed. Shoving her mountain of blankets aside, Dani scrambled off the couch before Sasha retaliated against her. A mistake, of course. Just because she chose not to participate didn't mean she was safe. The floor was littered with popcorn and unpopped kernels. I rolled onto the carpet to take cover behind the ottoman, the screams of Michel Myer's latest victim filling the apartment as Sasha. I went silent, contemplating each other's next move.

"Seriously! We won't be able to get the butter stains out of the carpet!" Dani continued.

"It'll be fine!" I shouted.

Out of the corner of my eye, I sensed movement. Sasha might have been an elite athlete, but I had the sense of a cat. I caught her creeping closer. I saw the newly replenished bowl of popcorn in her hands. I dodged the first attack easily. The second almost sent me falling back into the TV. By the end of it, we were two salty, buttery messes in the kitchen, laughing so hard our ribs hurt.

"We should do this more often," I said, pulling stray kernels out of my hair.

"Have a popcorn fight?" Sasha asked from her spot at the dining table. Dani hunched over her to get the popcorn out of her hair.

"No, no, no," Dani warned, waggling her fingers. "I am trying to get my security deposit back at the end of the year."

"I just mean that we should hang out more," I clarified. Thank goodness for the mini carpet cleaner I bought freshman year. I don't know why I thought I would be steam-cleaning the little blue rug in my first dorm. If I was being honest, I barely vacuumed it. "I feel like you're always away at some event. Or Dani is one step away from ruling the world. It's me, too. I practically live at the library when I'm not working."

"We're leveling up," Sasha said softly. "We have one more year until the big bad world."

The truth stung my chest. Yes, my ambitions meant I'd have years of schooling left, but it would never compare to undergrad. There was still a sense of wonderment and security within the brick walls of OU. In medical school, the stakes were higher. The real world stared at you every day from every angle, with nowhere to run and hide if you made a mistake. Dani and Sasha would not be there. Sure, I hoped beyond all hope that this friendship continued until we were old ladies knitting in a retirement home together. That we would be standing by each other through weddings, families, and tragedy. But there would never be another time like this: in our apartment, the future and the world waiting, while we had popcorn fights and talked about frat boys and internships and saw each other every single day.

"I'll be even busier next year," I murmured. If I could freeze time at any moment, this might have been it. "And then..."

Dani held out her hand. "We'll figure it out when the time comes. Even if we're on opposite sides of the country, we'll figure it out." When I took her hand, she squeezed it, a promise shining in her eyes. "I choose to relish in the present, not mourn it. You, my sentimental, gorgeous, wonderful roomies, need to do the same."

"Always with the wise words," Sasha said, her voice shaking. "God. The fall semester isn't even halfway over and I'm already crying like a baby."

"We have midterms next week, Sasha."

"Oh, right." She wiped the tears off her cheeks. "That's still next week. My comment stands. I love you guys so much."

Dani wrapped her arms around Sasha. "Me, too."

I wrapped my arms around Dani. "Me, three."

And she stood there, smiling, and relished in the moment, promises made, and promises, I knew, would be kept forever. 

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