"I guess we're two losers, aren't we?"
We both laugh, but not loud enough to be heard over the white noise of the traffic.
"Kind of sad, huh?" I ask her.
"Yeah, I never thought I'd be back here. It's literally like high school. I'm going to have to borrow my dad's car. Or he can drop me off at Roasted like old times."
"Our reunion is next weekend, ya know?"
"Gosh, don't remind me. I'm not going to mine. How about you?"
"I'm still thinking about it."
"You have to stay strong and not go. If you go, I'll feel like I have to go to mine."
"Why? Don't go regardless. It's that simple."
"Because if you go when we're in the same place at the same time, I'll feel like I'm being a baby about all this. Granted you got hotter and I got…a little bigger around the waist."
"Amelia, stop talking yourself down. You look great. You always have. This doesn't have to be a popularity contest. Don't go if you won't have fun."
"Fine, it's decided. I won't."
Another white car speeds along now that traffic has broken up, and Amelia comes up with a childish game to pass the time.
"Every time a white car drives by in the slow lane, we have to reveal a secret not many people know."
"What if I don't have secrets?"
"Come on, Theo. Everyone has secrets."
"Okay, fine. Go first."
"Ugh." She thinks for a minute, and I have no idea what end of the spectrum this little secret will land. Innocent? Naughty?
"I went through all of high school without kissing a guy."
Myconfessionisinnocentenough. I'm not about to admit I've only slept with two men my entire life.
"Shit, same secret then. I didn't kiss anyone for a long time evenafterhigh school," Theo admits.
A white car passes by so I ask, "Share your secret on how you lost all that weight."
"It's not that mind-blowing. I ate a lot of protein, worked out, and only drank water. Ten years is a long time to lose weight and build muscle. Wish I had a better story for you."
"How unremarkable."
"Since you asked for my secret, I get to ask yours."
"Everything has to be fair with you, huh?"
"Wearesiblings."
"Gross, Theo. We are not. Stop. I barely know you."
"Take a joke, Mellie."
"Do not give me a nickname. It's a new way to badger me and then we are back where we started."
