Northern_Lights_2019

20 “What?” “I said something’s wrong. You only giggle like that when you’re nervous.” “Pfttt. No, I don’t,” Kara giggles. “You just did it again!” Kara looks stricken, but then composes herself. “I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.” “I’m not hungry.” Kara shrugs, heading toward the picnic table. Griffin sits down on the end of the dock, rubbing his head in his hands. Kara rifles through the bag, finding the ziplock with a K on it. “Griff? Do you mind if I eat your sandwich instead? Ham and cheese sounds so much better than PB&J right now.” “Why can’t you just be satisfied with what you have?” Griffin shoots up. “You said you wanted PB&J, so that’s what I made for you. Why couldn’t you have just told me that that’s what you wanted? I would have listened.” “Fine then. I won’t eat it.” “Kara, stop. This is not fine.” Griffin starts to pack up his tackle box, tossing his worm into the lake. “It’s not about the sandwich.” “Then what are you talking about?” Griffin rubs his chin. “I overheard Travis talking in the football locker room.” “. . . Okay, and . . . ?” “He said that you went to his party on Friday.” “Didn’t everyone?” Kara giggles. “He said that . . . that you . . . and he . . .” “And you believe him?” Kara squints. “I didn’t want to, trust me. I loved you, Kara. We had something.” Griffin’s voice cracks. “And you broke it.” “So what? It was a mistake, Griffin.” Griffin shakes his head, his tsunami heart ebbing and flowing between running to her and hugging her, telling her that it would be fine—they would be fine—and telling her that it was over. His mind races back and forth, the image of a gap- toothed Kara fading away the more he looks at her. This is not the same girl that he fell in love with all those years ago. He has seen it coming for a long time, but has never wanted to face it. He does what he has to do. Her calm eyes do not ripple. Maybe they will someday when she looks back, but for now she storms off the dock, yanks on her white dress, and walks away. Ed continues to sing out over the water, “I have faith in what I see, now I know I have met an angel in person . . .” The shining white corner of Kara’s dress disappears around a pine. Griffin’s tsunami heart overflows, dripping from his eyes and rippling the pond.