第12部分(第4/6 页)

him；　but　this　was　not　a　sad　feeling；　this　was　nervousness。　As　we　finished　packing　him　into　his　tiny　room　and　making　it　feel　like　some　semblance　of　home；　it　hit　me—and　it　hit　me　hard。　I　was　in　love　with　this　guy！　And　it　wasn’t　the　friendship　kind　of　love　that　I　had　felt　for　him　throughout　high　school；　it　was　something　much　deeper。　I　felt　helpless。　I　had　finally　realized　my　true　feelings　for　my　best　friend　when　it　was　too　late。　Tears　filled　my　eyes　as　I　sat　on　his　springy；　steel　bed。　I　said　good…bye　to　my　best　friend　and　the　love　of　my　life；　wondering　if　we　were　really　going　to　meet　in　a　month　as　planned。

That　night　at　home　as　I　packed　my　stuff　I　cried；　scared　that　things　would　never　be　the　same。　We　were　both　going　to　have　our　separate　lives　and　would　probably　barely　think　of　each　other。　Just　then　the　phone　rang；　and　as　I　wiped　my　tears　and　tried　to　utter　a　quiet　hello；　the　voice　on　the　other　end　let　me　know　everything　was　going　to　be　okay。　It　was　Tim。　Before　even　saying　hello　he　blurted　out；　“Tina；　we’re　going　to　make　that　rendezvous　earlier　than　I　thought。　How　about　tonight？”

I　was　grinning　like　crazy　as　I　practically　hung　up　on　him；　jumped　in　my　car　without　directions　and　headed　for　his　school。　How　I　got　there　in　such　a　short　time　（an　hour　and　forty…five　minutes）　is　irrelevant。　What　is　relevant　is　that　the　second　I　got　there；　I　hugged　him　and　told　him　I　loved　him。　I　had　actually　done　that　numerous　times　before；　but　this　time　he　pulled　away　from　my　embrace；　looked　into　my　eyes；　told　me　he　loved　me；　too—and　then　kissed　me。　It　was　a　kiss　that　seemed　to　contain　months；　even　years；　worth　of　love　for　each　other。

When　I　left　for　school　the　next　morning；　I　had　Tim　on　my　mind　and　in　my　heart。　As　I　picked　up　my　wallet　to　get　money　out　to　pay　for　a　soda；　a　ti