Six Tiles

She wasn’t sure what had happened. Nonetheless there she was in that horrid building she tried to avoid her whole life. Leaning on the wall next to her was her best friend. They were both in a daze. Out of the world and that awful school building in deep thought. Trying to escape what was around them. She looked down and counted the tiles until she found a pair of feet. One, two, three, four, five, six, feet.

But wait.

She recognized those feet. The worn out red and black tennis shoes with shoelaces that weren’t quite so white as when she last saw them and that were barely tied together. She followed the legs up to the face where she saw the glow that she knew all to well. It wasn’t smiling but it wasn’t crying. It was talking to some other people she didn’t know and didn’t want to know.

She continued watching the face. She hadn’t seen this face for three years. The face never seemed to turn her way. It looked up and down and to the right but not to the left where she was leaning against the wall. She thought about calling out. Saying his name. No, saying hello. No, don’t say anything. Yes, say something.

She battled with herself while her eyes never left his face. Finally she saw a smile begin to grow on that precious face then it laughed. It made her smile as she thought back to the memory when she last saw him laugh.

They were about 11 years-old and they were sitting on the bank of the Wilson Creek sticking their feet in. “That was quite a day.” he said, “We must do it again soon.”

“But let’s not invite Braden next time. He ruined the fun.” She said.

“And next time we’ll bring Spots. He’ll help us catch those thieves.”

They laughed as they imagined the dog playing along with their imaginary game.

“You should come back to school.” He said in a pathetic, sad tone.

“You know I won’t. I hate it there. I don’t learn as fast as I can alone and there’s too much drama.”

He sighed. “I know. But I get lonely without you there. No one else is my friend like you are.”

“But just think, when we are older and have caught all the thieves in the world and are King and Queen you won’t ever have to worry about being alone.”

He laughed.

She laughed.

She put on a goofy face and they laughed more.

Now three years later she hoped he hadn’t changed the adventure in his eyes. She opened her own eyes to look back at the face. She looked at the eyes. They were still deep. Still blue. Still full of life and as adventurous as ever.

He still hadn’t seen her. Only six tiles away and he doesn’t see her. Maybe he forgot her. Maybe he doesn’t remember when she found him crying in the corner in the second grade and promised him she’d be his friend forever.

Then he glanced at her. It was suddenly. Like something told him to look or forever hold his peace. His face lost all expression. As they stood staring at each other it seemed like everything froze. It was just them. Both expressionless but still had light and adventure in their eyes. “Ellie?” he said. “William?” she half exclaimed. They both took a step in. Now only 4 tiles away from each other. “It is you!” they both exclaimed and the space and tiles between them vanished as the two old friends hugged and embraced.