You Were Right.

Wow. Those words were hard for me to say.

“What are you talking about sweetie?”

“The photography classes. Doing something that’s just for ME. I couldn’t be happier about it, Joel.”

“I know. It seems like it’s made you a better mom somehow. Like you time with the kids is better. Does that make sense?”

“I don’t know,” I said and shrugged.

“And we have all these beautiful shots of the kids! They are so gorgeous. My office has never looked nicer.”

“Thanks, Joel. Thanks for making me do this.”

“You were right,” I said to him.

Wow. Those were weren’t all that hard for me to say. I was shocked.

“What are you talking about, Lyla?”

“The album. You were right. I was listening…but I wasn’t HEARING. It’s good. It’s soo good.”

“I won’t say I told you so, but, well, I did.”

“Nice….”

“I have tons more music if you want.”

“YES!”

“Are you going to the diner tonight after class?”

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Alright. I can run up to my apartment and grab some stuff for you.”

“Thanks.”

“Do you want to come up with me real quick?”

“Sure.”

I inspected his apartment. It was most definitely a GUY apartment. Pizza boxes and sports equipment and beer bottles littered the place. I opened the fridge and grabbed a beer like it was the most normal thing I could possibly do. Who was I right that minute? I didn’t even drink beer.

“I’m taking a beer. Is that cool?”

“Of course,” he called from his bedroom. “Do you want to bring me one too?”

I grabbed a beer and brought it into him. He was fumbling through a stack of about 150 cds.

“You don’t go digital?”

“No ma’am. And check this out. I got this puppy at a garage sale about a year ago. The guy had about 250 records. I bought about 100 of them, plus the player. Like, $100 bucks for the whole thing. It was the best thing I have ever bought. There’s nothing better than listening to a record.”

“Wow. That’s awesome. I haven’t seen a record player since I was a kid.”

I sat down on his bed and he put something on for me to listen to. And then something else. And then something else.

“We really should get to the diner. Everyone’s waiting for us,” I said.

“Yeah.”

We went outside and he sort of stopped for a minute and looked at me. STARED at me. 

And then he kissed me. 

And I felt it in my toes. and in my fingers. I was not expecting it to happen to to let my body LET it happen, but I couldn’t stop myself. I had never in my life been kissed like that. My brain wanted me to pull away, but my body wouldn’t let me. 

But then I did. And I stared at the ground. Because I could NOT look at him. There was no way.