Taga Long

Our Place

Caleb put his car in park and then turned towards me. He gave me a moment before saying something.

"Remember this place?" He said quietly.

How could I forget it. This pond was my heaven at one point. No metter how bad Iwas feeling, this place never failed to soothe me.

A small tear slipped down my cheek. "How'd you remeber?"

He squeezed my knee, a soft smile playing across his lips. "How could I forget?"

I laughed shakily. I really didn't deserve someone like him as a best friend. I realized then that Caleb was my everything, and he always had been. He knew me like no one else did and vice versa. Bringing me here, this simple gesture, told me clealry, that no matter the distance put between us, Caleb had, and always would be my best friend.

I'd only told him about this pond once when we were like eleven. It was my hiding spot, a place that people, not even Caleb, was suppose to know about. But of course I'd told him. And even still, that was years ago. And now here we sat. Who'd brought me here? He did.

I couldn't stop myself from reaching over and hugging him. I made sure that he was close as he could possibly be in the little space that we had.

The fact that he remebered, even after all these years, it just...it feeled me with emotions I couldn't even explain.

Appearantly, we were thinking alike. He pulled me on to him, burying his face in my hair.

I began to sob into his chest. "I miss her Caleb."

He rubbed my back in soothing circles. "I know Tab, I miss her to." His voice quivered in the slighest.

We stayed like this for what felt like ever. I was content with him. It made me wander why I was so catious around him, this was my best friend, the one person who I could be a complete idiot around and he'd still love me all the same.

When I finally sat forward to thank him, he had this look on his face that I'd never seen before. It was a mix of hurt and want. It was strange, one moment it was there, and the next, nonexistent.

He replaced it with a sad smile as he wiped at my tears. One hand was wrapped firmly around my waist.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin our day."

He shrugged. "Who said it was ruined?"

I cut my eyes. "When I became a drama queen and then started blubbering like a baby?"

I waived it away. "Who cares? You're my best friend."

I paused a moment, taking in his everything. His jawline, his nose, his eyes, everything. Absentmindedly, I felt his cheek with the back of my hand, memorizing the feel of his soft skin. He watched me quietly the entire time.

I finally nodded. "Yeah, you are my best friend."

A crocked grin broke out across his lips. My heart fluttered at the sight of it. "So you finally believe me huh?"

I shrugged, a smile invading my own face. "Maybe. I'm still thinking about it."

We laughed together before a hushed silence fell upon us. It was then that I became aware of how close we were. I was in his car, on top of his lap, with his arm around me. Me, whobwasn't his girlfriend.

I cleared my throat nervously. "Wanna skip rocks?"

He was completely oblivious to what I'd just taken note of. "Do you really think you can beat me?" He smirked.

I climbed out. "Guess we'll just have to see." I extended a hand and he took it.

"I guess we will."

*****

"Ok, you got that one. I'll give it to you." Caleb and I were laid out on a blanket watching the sun set. The sky was painted pinks and orangesas the few remaing clouds went about their buissness.

"Well, I had to do something to occupy my self."

He turned his head towards me. My eyes were closed, but I could feel his on me. "What do you mean?"

I felt my self shrugg. "When I was here by myself, I'd skip rocks to make time go by faster."

"Well, why were you by yourself?"

I peeped one eye at him. He was watching me intently. I sighed. "When you would leave me to hang out with your other friends, I would come here and skip rocks or draw."

He proped himself up on his elbow. "Tabitha-"

"No Caleb, it's fine. I get it, I wasn't your only friend, and I was okay with that."

"No. Tab, you were my only friend. I only went out with other kids because I felt like I had too. With you...I didn't mind being with just you. Ever. But-"

"Life halpens. I get it Caleb, you don't owe me an explanation." I smiled as if to reassure him.

For a moment, he only stared at me. He took my hands in his and kissed them. "You always have, and always will be my best friend. No one on this big blue planet will ever come before you."

What was I suppose to say to that? I could only smile and nod. I honestly had no words. Who knew that a person could make another person so happy.

We laid there with our hands behind our heads until it was completely dark. And then we watched the stars.

When I was beyond content with life, we got in the car and went home.

Caleb spent the night again, and this time, I didn't feel weird about sleeping in the bed with him. It was like he said before; it was just like old times.