December 31st, 2017, the day after my body tried to kill itself, I got an email from you saying that you wanted to see me that day.
We met at the Nervous Dog in Fairlawn. The moment we saw each other, we embraced, each of us enthusiastically telling the other how much they missed them. I took a gift card off your hands in exchange for funds, so you could survive and keep gas in your car. You bought our drinks, and while doing so, you started dropping coins. I jokingly asked if that were an accident, and you said “no, I drop money all the time!”
“Really?”
“Haha, no! It’s not like I drop money all the time,” and then you accidentally dropped all the money onto the floor. “I can’t believe I just did that...”
I had brought the first 21 pages of my screenplay, and I watched how you read it with excitement. You loved every moment, especially when I said that the lead female was inspired by you. After an embrace, I said that I was letting you keep the copy. You were so happy that you kept embracing me, each embrace tighter than the last.
After coffee, you took me to Allardale to show me the “friendship tree.” During the drive, we saw a deer. You stopped the car, rolled down the window, and shouted “you’re so awesome!!! Woooo!!!” We then reached Allardale. However, it was so cold that we never made it, so we turned around and headed back to your car. The entire way back, we siphoned the heat from each other slightly worried we were going to die out there.
We then went back to Fairlawn, stopped at Acme to get some drinks and cheese sticks, and retreated back to your car where we had a deep conversation about life.
Towards the end, you gave me the silver string wrapped around your wrist. You said it was something to always remember you by. The way you said it was like a person handing their crush something significant to say “I really like you.” As time went on, I would see how much you really liked me.
We retreated back to the Nervous Dog parking lot, where you revealed how much you cared about me. I took your hand affectionately, and said how much I platonically loved you. “Do what you gotta do...” you said smiling. “Say what you gotta say...” You were hoping for more, but I didn’t deliver.
Once our night was over, I asked if I were too much. You responded that I was “perfect,” and that we would see each other so many times for what seemed like you saying “forever.” I could tell you were super excited, and we blew kisses to each other as you drove away.
- Jaclyn