“Do we want to get coffee at the Blue Ridge Café?” I ask, feeling the nervous jitters in my stomach.
Jude looks over at me and smiles which makes my heart hurt. I hate myself for ending our friendship. “Sure,” he says, grinning wider in a sarcastic kind of way. “We haven’t been there together in years. Maybe you’ll be able to explain what happened to us, and not in an email.”
And there it is, his smart-ass remark. I deserve it and then some. It was stupid and childish of me to end our friendship through an email. I could never bring myself to do it face to face. Honestly, I didn’t want to see him get hurt. I hated my husband for making me get rid of him. Now that I think about it, that moment was the beginning when things started to go downhill between us. I should’ve seen the signs then.
Once we get outside and away from everyone, I pull Jude over to what used to be my favorite tree on campus. We used to study together under its giant canopy. “I knew you hated me over it,” I say regretfully.
Jude stands in front of me and when he looks into my eyes, he sighs. “I don’t hate you, Laura. We were best friends and you tossed me aside like I was nothing to you. You would think after eighteen years of friendship, I deserved more than that.”
The hurt is evident on his face; it brings tears to my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. “I know,” I murmur. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed having you in my life. I regret it all.” Jude was the only person I could really confide in. Yes, I had girlfriends, but it wasn’t the same. Jude knew everything about me, all my secrets and fears. He knows more things about me than my ex-husband. Jude looks away and I squeeze his arm. “I’m so sorry, Jude. Please say you can forgive me.”
It only takes a couple of seconds, but he turns to me and his lips lift up in a sardonic smile. “All right, I forgive you. However, it’s going to take a lot more than saying you’re sorry to get me back in your good graces.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I smile. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
He winks. “Just so you know, I’m not as nice as I used to be. Might take some time.”
I roll my eyes. “Somehow I don’t believe that. Come on, let’s go. I’m dying for my hot chocolate from the café. When I moved to Charlotte, no place was ever good enough.”
Jude chuckles. “You’re damn right. Everything’s better here. Do you want to walk or drive? My jeep is in the stadium parking lot.”
“I’m parked there too,” I say, feeling nostalgic. “We can walk if you want.”
“Then let’s walk.” We go down the pathway through the middle of the quad and away from campus. Nothing has changed. Everything looks the same as it did all those years ago.
“I parked at the stadium so I could walk by Frank Hall. So many good memories there.”
He bumps me with his shoulder. “Like the time we went sledding down the hill behind your dorm room and you broke my finger when you landed on me?”
“Oh my God, that’s right,” I gasp, bursting out with laughter. “Your finger looked terrible.”
“And it still does.” He holds up his left hand and there is his pinky, still crooked. “Guess I should’ve gone to the doctor.”
Shaking my head, I can’t help but think of all the crazy things we did. “Oh, to be a teenager again and not have a care in the world.”
Jude smiles and agrees with a nod. It doesn’t take long to get to the main strip of Boone where all the little shops are. I remember when I first attended ASU, I went to one of the college shops and bought a gazillion T-shirts with the Appalachian State logo on them. My closet is still full of them. Jude used to make fun of me for wearing them all of the time.
The Blue Ridge café is just up ahead and with it being the afternoon, it’s not as packed as it would be if it were morning. Jude opens the door for me, and we walk inside to the counter. Even though it’s a hot, August day, I still have to order my hot chocolate. Jude orders his usual, the French roast coffee with cream. I try to hide my smile and fail.
“Yeah, I know. I haven’t changed a bit.”
Snickering, I look away and head for the door so we can go outside and sit at one of the tables out there. “I can’t say much. You see what I ordered.”
He chuckles. “Some things never change.”