pink in the night ✓

epilogue | derivative

present day

"So that's it?" my business partner and friend Lee says, resting her chin on her palm as she continues slurp on her bendy straw, stirring it around her strawberry milkshake. The whipped cream on top has melted down the sides of the ribbed glass during the time it took for me to explain to her my whole life story. "No grand proclamation of love? No more drama? You didn't walk all the way to Malibu to win her back?"

"Nope," I shake my head, using my hand to shield my eyes from sun rays peeking through the window of the restaurant we were currently idly sitting in, waiting for our food. For a hole in the wall Chinese place located deep in the Outer Sunset, there sure were some fancy facilities in here including red booths as the choice for seating and an aquarium by the entrance that had catfish lurking at the bottom. "It didn't feel like the right thing to do. Somethings aren't meant to be, and that's alright."

"Seems like you gave up on someone you cared about though," she muses, shrugging as she rips off the paper wrapping around her wooden chopsticks. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"I don't see it like that," I reason, wiping some of the condensation off of my water glass. "Some people are only an important part of your life for a chapter. Not every love story needs drama and a massive climax. Quiet growth and simplicity are what made it special. I'm grateful for what Tanner and Jane taught me and I appreciate and cherish those memories, but my life doesn't revolve around them. If something doesn't feel right, I won't pursue it."

She nods, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I suppose that's true, though I can't really relate. My teenage years were....eventful, to say the least. Do you know how those two are doing now?"

"Last time I ran into Tanner, which was about 6 years ago, he's an accountant now which honestly makes sense. He's always liked math. He has a new girlfriend. I forgot her name. All in all, he's pretty much the same, just a little older. I'm not sure what Jane is up to nowadays. I heard from Tanner that she's a high school teacher somewhere in Warrington. Other than that, it's been crickets. It's fine. There's no bad blood," I explain, watching as the waitress finally returns with silver platters topped with our orders. She sets down a plate of fish and chow mein in front of Lee and fried rice in front of me. Both of us mutter a quiet thank you as she refills our drinks and collects the bits of trash.

"That's a very unsatisfying ending," she says, twirling the noodles around her fork. "But I'm glad that I got to meet you as you are. It seems like everything played out how it was meant to."

"I agree," I sigh, swallowing a bite of my piping hot rice. "I'm happy too. That's all that matters right."

"Of course," Lee grins, holding up her milkshake, "let's make a toast. Here's to another year of friendship."

"Here's to another year of friendship," I repeat, clinking my drink against hers.

"So you wanna go to Mount Davidson after this?"

"Oh definitely."