Last Tuesday I didn't leave work until 4:30 and when I got to the elevator I was reminded of why I always tried to leave earlier, because Allison was waiting on the next one with Terry, another woman from my old department. Terry, struck up a conversation with me.
"So...have you heard from the school, yet?"
"No, my appointment with financial aid is on Thursday. That's when I'll know if I can attend in March."
"Wait, you don't know if you're going yet? Isn't your last day on Friday?"
"Haha, yeah."
"What are you going to do if it falls through?"
"I'm moving to Chattanooga."
"What's in Chattanooga?"
This is when the elevator arrived and the doors opened. The three of us walked inside and stood in place. As the doors were shutting I answered her question. "My best friend, who also happens to be the love of my life."
Allison immediately stared at the ground. I didn't say it so eagerly to upset her; the thought of being with Ana just makes me so excited I can barely contain myself sometimes.
"What about school?"
"I had decided there were two things I want in life: to be with her and going to film school. This way I get to work on us first and then go to school in September."
We arrive on the first floor and the doors open again to release us.
"Well, good luck." Terry told me before we exited.
"Thanks." Then I turned to face Allison, "Can we talk?"
"Yeah...sure." She was caught off guard, but her response also contained an echo of happiness. I can't even remember the last time the thought of conversing with me gave her voice that inflection.
She walked beside me as we made our way through the lobby, staring at me the entire time. I kept my gaze straight ahead and didn't say a word until I held the door for her and we were both outside.
"Ok. So, Friday is going to be my last day."
"Oh..." She trailed off, again taken aback. Then she looked down, blinked once and said, "Wow."
"Yeah. I just wanted to tell you that even though things between you and I ended badly, I'm happy for every second we ever spent together. They shaped me into the person I've become and for that I'm thankful. I also want you to know that I have no regrets and I hope you don't either."
The entire time I was speaking she had this sadness to her eyes and she'd bring both of her arms up slightly as if considering a hug, hesitate and then place them back down by her sides.
"I don't have any regrets. I just wish we could've stayed friends."
"I don't, that would've been a terrible idea. Sometimes, we just have to learn to appreciate the times we had, instead of focusing on those we didn't."
She nodded, then looked at me quizzically. "Wait...where are you going?"
"Well, right now is still kinda up in the air, but ultimately I'm going to film school in California."
"So you're going for your dream." She said through a melancholy smile.
"Yeah."
"Good for you."
"Thank you. Goodbye, Allison. I'm glad to have known you when I did."
Her lip quivered and she threw her arms around my shoulders. "Goodbye." She whispered in my ear.
"Take care of yourself." I whispered back into hers.
Then I broke the embrace and pulled out my phone to check the text from Ana which had been burning a hole in my pocket since right before I got onto the elevator. I didn't look back once as I marked the end of this chapter and the beginning of the next.
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