Broken Arrows

15 | a harsh reality

"Sometimes it feels like there are so many things in this world we can't control. Earthquakes, floods, reality shows... But it's important to remember the things that we can. Like forgiveness, second chances, fresh starts... Because the one thing that turns the world from the longing place to a beautiful place... is love. Love and any of its forms. Love gives us hope... Hope for the New Year. That's what New Year's Eve is to me. Hope and a great party!"

—New Year's Eve (2011)

☁☁☁☁

Hunter had ended up taking the news of their relationship better than Erin had. It wasn't to say she'd flipped tables or started cursing them out in her anger. She merely pursed her lips and hummed her approval. While Sachi had wanted to reach out, to explain, Elliot had urged her to take it slowly. And so she did, waiting for Erin to come to her when she was ready.

She hadn't gone on her run this morning, because as soon as she woke, Lola was begging her to head back to the grocery store with a completely different list than yesterday's. Elliot had been fast asleep, and so was Hunter, which led to her asking Erin to accompany her.

Erin was quick to accept, and that was how the two girls found themselves in the quaint shop at eight in the morning. They'd just picked out a shopping cart and started down one of the aisles when Erin started reading from the list.

"She wants fruit," she murmured, eyes never leaving the paper. "Apples, bananas, grapes."

Sachi brought the cart down another aisle to where the fruits were stationed at various stands, piled upon each other for easy picking. The grapes were closest to them, so she pushed them there first. "Here," she said, picking up the first bag of red ones she found. She set them down in the cart. "Where're the apples?"

"Over there." Erin pointed in their general direction, and she followed her instructions.

"So..." Sachi mused, snatching a plastic bag and handing it over. "How are you and Clare? Anything new? Spill the juicy details."

At the sound of the girl's name, Erin's lip curved upward into an involuntary smile. "Just fine," she said, sounding a little breathless as she bagged a few ripe apples. "There's not much to tell."

"Oh, come on." She braced her forearms on the cart handle, leaning forward slightly. "You text her constantly. There's got to be something you can tell me."

"Yeah. Well. There's not much." Erin dropped the neatly tied bag into the basket before motioning for them to continue. "I mean, it's not going to last anyway."

"What?" This was new to her; as far as she knew, the two girls were very serious about each other, and she was starting to think they were well on the way to declaring their relationship status. "Why?"

"Because." Erin shrugged and picked a bunch of bananas from a stand as they passed. "It's nothing more than a summer relationship. Everything that happens this season isn't meant to last. It ends. Always. And it would be too messy to keep going—what with school and all."

"Oh." She saw where she was coming from, but the disappointment still settled at the pit of her stomach. "I get that. I just thought you really liked her."

"I do." Erin's gaze cut to hers, showcasing all of her waging emotions in one look. "I like her a lot. But..." She rubbed at her wrist. "I don't think I can let it continue for much longer. It'll just hurt more in the end."

Sachi's arm came around hers, her hand rubbing her shoulder in assurance. "All right. If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to. I understand."