“You are so cute when you sulk…”

I tried to suppress a grin, but failed.

“Alright… But if this is my last day of slacking off you have to slack off with me.”

Al’s eyes lit up.

“Ok, cool!”

We decided to have lunch at a little café near the Planet and then catch a movie in town. It actually felt really good to be out with Al, holding hands in the sunshine. I kept sneaking little glances at her, just enjoying watching her and letting it sink in that we were together again. It was fun. Sadly, in my experience nothing golden can last and so it was that day.  We’d finished up at ‘La Petite Brassiere’ and were on our way to my car on course for the movie (‘The Grudge 2’: yep, Al’s choice) at 3pm. I reached into my bag for my keys and did the familiar grope around as I did, checking everything was where it should be. It wasn’t.

“Shit!”

Al frowned.

“What?”

“My cell! I think I left it on our table at the café.”

She checked her watch.

“Well if you run back now we should still make it…”

I nodded and took off, leaving Alice to find the car.

I made it back to the café in double quick time. The cell wasn’t where I thought I’d left it but after a panicked conversation with a waitress it turned out someone had handed it in… crisis averted.  Then as I walked past the Planet there she was. Almost as if she was waiting for me.

“Lara!” I looked down. “Hi…”

She pushed off from the wall.

“Dana.”

I shifted awkwardly on the spot, not knowing what to say.

“How-“

“Don’t.”

I saw her eyes were red-rimmed.

“Don’t ask me how I am.”

I cleared my throat. “Sorry.”

She licked her lips, shadows from the Planet’s awing playing over her features. A beat, then as if she couldn’t help herself:

“I saw you two. You looked like you were having fun.” Each word was as sharp as an icicle.