Us, In Another Ending

Hall, Rosewo

d, champagne glasses clinked, and everyone looked like they had somewh

It was a portrait charcoal and pastel the outline of a girl's face in profile,

ould recognize

e submitting that one," her

int on her lips that made it very hard to look away. But it was the look

," he said. "But then

the piece. "You dr

've drawn you a hund

od there, arms crossed, biting the inside of

mes I wonder if we're just bad at timing..

r than anything s

re. Not with professors circling, friends laughing, and

r a soft, crooked smile.

d. "Thought yo

reenhouse,

alf-cracked windows, vines creeping through the gaps like natu

ing bench, knees touching, the

olate bar from her ba

ays carr

venings," she replie

hen asked, "What did you m

an... we keep circling. Almost something. Then w

"You don't think w

ad. "Mikey, friends don't

his hands. "S

spered. "Something. But

her

"I got offered

up. "Tha

Lond

like bricks. Hi

long?"

yea

he lump in his throat

"I don't know. I haven't tol

at her carefu

inion matters mo

this time wa

devas

d finally, even though every

glistened

don't. And I don't want t

slowly. "Even

, voice thick. "

t touch. D

ween them screamed

orning – D

. There was laughter, celebration, last-minute ir

room, holding a note in his ha

hat wasn't qui

de it under her doo

-done, holding her cap awkwa

nto his pocket. "Yeah. Just came to see

ut hesitation. "Yes, plea

Slowly. Carefully. Her perf

face him again, t

too

ll. "After today... ev

. "It alr

e that, the

ot fo

fore

g big wa

didn't k