When I Leave, and Other Broken Promises

Mass Confusion and Other Forms of Clarification

Candice lay in bed that night, thinking. What a conundrum. Why couldn't things just be simple? Why couldn't she just love Curt and be happy that she was with him? Why did Will have to make everything so complicated? The sad thing was, she didn't even know if she really liked Will. She just liked the chemistry they shared, the way she felt when they were together. Wasn't it enough to love someone? Why did there have to be chemistry? Why did such an inconsequential thing matter? After all, passion died, but love remained... didn't it?

Candice awoke to the sound of her phone going off. It was a text message. She rolled over sleepily to glance at the clock. It was just after eight in the morning.

"God, Curt. Why can't you be a normal teenage guy and sleep til noon?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

Curt: So, how was Amy Himmel's party?

It wasn't exactly an accusation. It was just his way of letting her know that he knew where she'd been the night before. She'd expected as much. After all, half the football team had been there.

Candice: It was alright. There was a six foot plasma screen in the basement. Phil and Jillian had fun playing COD. I just watched.

Curt: Yeah, her parents have money.

Candice: You should have seen the place. Huge.

Curt: That's what I hear.

Then, he sent another text a moment later.

Curt: What are you doing today?

Candice: Sleeping.

Curt: Did I wake you?

Candice: You always wake me. You're like a rooster. Go back to sleep, little bird!

Curt: It's rainy. I was thinking we could go to the mall. I gotta rent a tux, remember?

Candice: Okay. What time?

Curt: Noon? We can grab lunch while we're out.

Candice: It's a date.

"What color's your dress?" Curt asked, looking at the book the salesman at the tuxedo rental store had handed him, "I wanna be sure we match."

"I wanted to get something in blue so you could wear something that would make your eyes pop, but I ended up getting this one in coral. It just looked better on me."

"I'm sure you'll look great. Besides, blue and coral go together. I could get something that matches. Like, something like this," he pointed.

"Yeah," she smiled, "I like that one."

"Or, wait for it," he chuckled, "I can go all out and do something like this!"

"I can't picture you in a top hat," she teased.

"Really? I think I could pull that off. It'd look rather debonair, don't you think?"

They laughed again before flipping the page.

Candice felt good. It was like old times. The two of them leaned over the book laughing together, poking fun. They were planning for Prom but they might just as well have been planning for a junior high dance. Their friendship hadn't aged a bit.

Candice marveled at how easily they fell into step with one another; the quiet compatibility of old friends. Sometimes they stood together looking at the same thing and burst into laughter at some private joke. Other times they argued about the latest news stories, their political viewpoints already well defined and understood.