There is a 23-year-old man, Micah with brown dreadlocks tied in a bun looking through a mirror. He’s straightening out his very patterned blazer with his bowtie, making sure that everything looks alright. While he’s doing that, a pregnant 23-year-old with wild curly hair, Rosie, walks into the room.
Rosie: Well someone’s looking snazzy tonight! Who’s the lucky chick?
Micah: *looks at Rosie through the mirror* There’s no date tonight, Roe, I told you about this gala thing that my folks attend every year. I even invited you to come.
Rosie: Parties aren’t my thing. Besides, I suffocate you enough while we’re in this house.
Micah rolls his eyes and smiles.
Micah and Rosie have been best friends since their college days, and just recently he asked her to move into his place in order to help her out. While to the outside world it looks like they’re dating, they actually aren’t. Although Micah has been secretly in love with Rosie for years, he’s grateful that Rosie even allows him to be this close to her; she’s had a rough past.
Micah continues to look at Rosie through the mirror, who’s made herself comfortable on his bed. He wishes that’s where she slept permanently. He snaps out of the thought and looks at himself now in the mirror.
Micah: *sighs* Do I dare try taking my nose-ring out?
Rosie gets off the bed and stands behind Micah to see the entire vision.
Rosie: I think the loud, patterned blazer will distract everyone from seeing your face, Mic.
Micah: Hey, I look good in this blazer!
Rosie: *pats Micah on the shoulder* Keep telling yourself that, bud.
Rosie playfully laughs and walks out of Micah’s bedroom. Micah stays in place, hoping tonight will go by as quick and as smooth as possible. No distractions, no small talk, nothing; he just wants to come back to join Rosie in their own world.
Rosie is now sitting on the couch, scrolling through the channels on the TV. Micah walks into the living room and towards the front door.
Micah: Alright Roe, I shouldn’t be there long. You’re gonna be okay here on your own?
Rosie: I got cola, oily potato chips, and double fudge brownies from last night, I’ll definitely be alright. *laughs* Go have some fun, babe.
Rosie laughs while Micah smiles and rolls his eyes; she loves to play that game. He opens the front door and walks out of the apartment.
In the gala, nothing but ballgowns and suits cover the ballroom floor and nothing but twinkle lights and fancy fabric covers the ceiling of the venue. Micah has greeted his parents, Milo and Jennifer, as well as his siblings; Milo Jr, Reagan, & Dylan. They all asked where “his girlfriend” is, and Micah easily comes up with the lie that Rosie was feeling sick from the pregnancy. He can only wish that one day, that excuse can benefit him and his attendance to places.
For most of the night, Micah tries to keep a low profile; possibly near a corner that is closest to the bar.
As he minds his own business on his phone by himself, he hears a very familiar voice that makes his heart sink to the pit of his stomach.
Kalia: Hi, Micah.
Micah looks up and sees Kalia, a tall girl with wavy blonde hair, and she’s wearing a shimmery navy blue and white dress.
Kalia was the first girl Micah fell in love with. They met in high-school; she had a passion for music just like him, and even after learning the fact that Kalia is the daughter of a famous Swedish-American actor, her fame didn’t stray him away from her. They dated for two years until she decided to leave her American life behind to follow her father back to Sweden to kickstart her own acting career. She pretty much left him and their relationship behind, which broke Micah’s heart.
Micah snaps back to reality and still stares at Kalia; is she really standing in front of him?
Micah: K- Kalia, hey.
They share an awkward silence as he sits at the table and she stands over it. She looks down at the seat across from Micah.
Kalia: May I?
Micah: Yeah, yeah, sure.
He readjusts himself as she takes a seat. He can’t seem to take his eyes off of Kalia; she’s fucking beautiful.
Kalia: You look so different compare to high-school.
Micah: Thanks… You do too.
Kalia: The dreadlocks, the nose-ring, the fashion; you’ve definitely grown into your own.
Micah: Hey, better late than never, huh?
Kalia smiles, then immediately sighs.
Micah: So, what brings you back to the states?
Kalia: I’m currently filming some scenes for a movie here; also, to visit my mother while I’m here.
Micah: That’s nice. She still lives in the city?
Kalia: Yep. She’s still doing her art thing as well.
Micah immediately thinks of Rosie when Kalia brings up art. He smiles at the thought. Kalia smiles back at him.
Kalia: Dad’s back in Sweden. He’s working on a huge project there with a couple of other actors.
Micah: And Marcielle?
Kalia: She’s here tonight! Probably mingling with people and whatnot.
Micah: *nods* Ah, I see… so my father told you I was here?
Kalia nervously picks at her hands and laughs; Micah already knows the answer.
Kalia: I saw him with your mother in the other ballroom, I figured you were here too, y’know? I remember back when you–
Micah: I asked you to come with me to that year’s gala. *smiles* I never heard the end of it from my father when I came back home drenched in ocean water.
Kalia: *laughs* Oh my god, I remember that! We ditched the party and decided to take a walk on the beach.
Micah: Man, all I did was splash you a little bit with my foot. You decided to push me all the way in.
They both genuinely laugh and remember about the good ole times. When the laughs die down, Kalia takes a deep breath.
Kalia: Wanna do that again?
Micah: *scrunches his eyebrows* What?
Kalia: Let’s relive that memory, Micah.
Micah is confused; he doesn’t understand where Kalia is going with this.
Micah: Kalia, we’re- we’re grown adults now. We can’t just be reckless like that.
Kalia: Why not? Why can’t we just relive those memories for one night?
Micah is speechless; he doesn’t even know what to say, but the only thing that he’s ever wanted to say to Kalia.
Micah: Why did you leave in the first place, Kalia?
Kalia is taken back from the question. The visible happiness is now gone from her face.
Kalia: What do you mean?
Micah: You know exactly what I’m talking about, Kalia. Why did you just leave out of the blue three years ago?
Kalia: Are we really talking about this right now? It was three years ago. I’m sorry, but I wanted to start my career and be close to my family…
Micah: That I get; cool, but why didn’t you talk to me about it? Why did I have to find out through my dad that you were leaving America?
Kalia fidgets in her seat and says something in Swedish under her breath. She brushes her hair back and folds her arms on the table.
Kalia: I didn’t want to hurt you.
Micah: And you thought not telling your boyfriend that you were leaving for good wasn’t going to hurt me?
Kalia: Micah, please…
Micah: Kal, I loved you.
Kalia: I know you did.
Micah: No, you didn’t.
Kalia looks at Micah, apologetically.
Micah: I was madly in love with you, Kalia. Despite our differences in age and lifestyles, you understood me best. No matter what you needed from me, I tried my best to be there for you with open arms. I was there for you on the nights that you couldn’t go back to your mom’s place because she was so fucked up and couldn’t remember the padlock code to your condo? I was there when the whole world was trying to figure out who “Kalia Holder” was dating and I didn’t care if they did because fuck it, I was that much in love with you. After everything we went through, I deserved at least a phone call or text from you saying you were leaving.
Micah gets up from the table.
Micah: Your silence back then showed me just how much you loved me.
Micah walks away towards the balcony and Kalia runs after him.
Kalia: Micah, wait!
Micah stops at his tracks. Why does this girl still have a hold on him? Kalia steps forward to Micah and turns him around.
Kalia: I didn’t know what to say. I honestly didn’t know how to not break your heart. I know that’s a shitty answer, and I hate that I thought it was the right thing to do, but I was young and dumb.
Kalia and Micah are now inches away from each other. The tension is unfathomable.
Kalia: I never stopped loving you, Micah. You were the best thing to happen to me. You made my life feel normal and simple. When I left, I immediately regretted the decision. I felt lost; I felt like I lost my best friend. I always wanted to come back and explain this to you, but I never knew how to undo my wrongs.
Kalia looks down at the ground, regretful. Micah reaches out to her chin and lifts it up. They look at each other.
Kalia: I’m so sorry, Micah.
Micah doesn’t think twice and kisses Kalia; perhaps it’s the alcohol in his system talking, or it’s truly his still broken heart wanting to be this close to her again. The kiss is deep, it’s longing, and it’s apologetic for everything that’s happened. After the kiss, Micah takes Kalia’s hand.
Micah: Let’s go to the beach.
Hours later, the front door to Micah’s dark apartment opens. Two silhouettes are seen entering the apartment. Micah turns on the living room light and drops his shoes near the door; their attire is damp from being on the beach. Both Micah and Kalia giggle softly at the way they look.
Micah: I hope the beach didn’t completely ruin that dress.
Kalia: *laughs* It’ll be alright, it’s just water.
Kalia slowly walks to Micah and tugs on his bowtie.
Kalia: Perhaps maybe we can salvage what’s left of my dress by having you take it off, huh?
She kisses Micah and works her way to undo the bowtie and unbutton the top of his shirt. Micah starts to get nervous.
Micah: Kal, I don’t think we should be–
Micah closes his eyes. If Kalia knew one thing about him, it was what spot to kiss on his neck. He can’t get sucked into this; he knows he’ll regret doing this in the morning, and more so she will as well. He can’t trust the fact that this won’t just be a hit-and-quit type of scenario. But damn, he can’t get her to stop.
They begin making out in the living room, and Kalia continues to unbutton Micah’s shirt. Once the shirt is halfway off, she notices a black and white rose tattooed on his chest.
Kalia: Ooo, that’s hot; nice little rose on your chest.
Micah’s eyes widen: Fuck. Rosie.
Micah snaps out of the moment and tries to gain back control of the situation. He remembers that his best friend/person he loves is in the other room, possibly sleeping. Everything started to come back; Rosie was the one person in his life to get him out of the slump he was in when Kalia left and broke his heart. He remembers going to Rosie’s old apartment drunk out of his mind trying to drown out the heartbreak and depression he was going through and how Rosie was there to get him through it all, despite the fact she was battling her own demons.
Micah gets up from the couch and backs away.
Micah: I’m sorry, Kalia. I can’t do this.
Kalia: What? Why? Didn’t you have fun tonight with me?
Micah: *tries to compose himself* It’s not that I didn’t, it’s just that- I- I just can’t do this to myself. I can’t let myself get in too deep.
Kalia gets up from the couch and walks towards Micah.
Kalia: You… You don’t love me anymore?
Micah takes in a deep breath; he’s honestly lost for words. He looks down at the ground and then back at Kalia.
Micah: It’s not that. It’s just too little too late now.
Kalia nods her head, and she begins to gather her things.
Micah: I’m sorry, Kal.
Kalia: *angrily* Nah, you just brought me back here just to get your revenge and break my heart now since I broke yours years ago, is that what it was?
Micah: *defensive* Oh, so you think I’m that type of person?
Kalia: I don’t know the person you are now! It’s been three years!
Micah: *angry* So why the fuck did you decide to come back here? Huh? Just needed a good time, just how you always thought of me as?
Kalia: *yells* You know what? Fuck you, Micah, okay? Go fuck yourself!
A door is heard being open on the other side of the apartment. Both Micah and Kalia stop what they’re doing to now look at the person standing at the other side of the room. Rosie is standing there in her pajamas, curly hair up in the bun, and her pregnant belly poking in her shirt.
Rosie looks at what’s happening in the living room and puts two-and-two together.
Rosie: I thought I told you to pick up a woman, Micah, not a skank.
Micah’s eyes widen, Kalia’s speechless, and Rosie? She’s ready to kill a bitch for her best friend.
— The End —
Letters From Liz. 