Shift Key

Here’s a small excerpt of a story I wrote ten years ago. Yes, that’s right, a decade has passed since I last wrote this little chapter. Funny thing is, I failed to finish the story – and I have no idea how I wanted it to end back then! Oh well, I hope that posting it here will help jog my memory:

Chapter III: “Shift”

And the shift was there.

It wasn't part of the deal. It never was. But there it was, rearing its familiar head.

Of all the questions creating a total potatohead of me, the thing I most wanted to ask was: why?

Sometimes, I would wonder if I was just misled by his new kindness. His wanting to check out this new mall with me. His asking me if I still liked this certain guy, because he “had to know.”

Okay. Maybe there was something there indeed. But the inevitable ambivalence, the shock of it, the surprising discovery that it was even remotely possible, was what actually scared me the most.

What I think will happen: we lay down the cards and talk about it, and we try to go from there.

What I really think will happen: we won't dare let it out. We will bury it deep down and just look at each other because we just know. We just... know.