I awoke to a thin stream of light coming in through the thin blue curtains that hung on the window. As it fell against my closed eyelids, I slowly opened my eyes, not ready to be released from the warmth of sleep's grasp. I let my eyes fall back closed for a second before sitting up on the small loveseat. Stretching my arms and legs, I let out a yawn. Looking over at the clock that sits on the TV stand, I saw that it was just a little past 8 am.

"Good Morning," came Amya's voice from the hallway. I turned to watch her as she made her way into the kitchen. Her brown hair was in two messy braids from the night before. She had a yellow tank top on that was just a little too small and green shorts that were too big for her. I listened to her bare feet on the hardwood floor, and all I could think of was last night. Her on the floor crying, and it broke my heart.

"You want eggs," she said, smiling at me. I nodded at her and tried to put on my best fake smile, but I knew she would see right through it, she always did. I stood up and went to join her in the kitchen.

I watched as she cracked two eggs into the pan. They sizzled and hissed on the hot pan as she turned towards me. "Can you grab me a spatula," she said, pointing towards the cabinet's top drawer? I started at her watching the way her brown eyes looked at me. I could see the sadness behind them, but I could also see what I could only describe as hope. Pulling myself from my thoughts, I nodded my head.

"Of course," I said, pulling the drawer open and pulling out a bright red spatula. As I handed it to her, our hands brushed. Amya's cheeks went red, and she looked down. I pulled my hand back quickly. I knew I shouldn't the moment I saw the look on her face. She looked sad, and the horror of what I had done did not make me feel any better.

I stumbled back from her, trying to think of anything to say that would make what I did right, but nothing came out. She watched me as I tried to form the words in my mouth. Her brown eyes searched me for any reason that I may be acting strange, and I knew that she was thinking back to last summer.

"Amya," I said, my voice sounded so different to my ears, almost like I was pleading with her to give me a second chance. She shook her head before she spoke, and I could see that she was thinking the same thing I was last night. "Maybe this was a bad idea, Tracy. I thought we were over what happened last summer, but apparently not." I let out a cry and reached for her.

"No! No! No," I particle screamed, pulling her towards me. She stumbled, falling into me, causing us to fall to the floor. She let out a gasp, but it was not one of pain but of surprise. She landed on top of me, leaving me gasping for air. She tried to climb off of me, but I help her tightly to me.

"Please, Amya, let me explain." At my words, she stopped struggling against me. She turned in my grasp and looked at me, her brown eyes question me. I took a deep breath allowing the oxygen I had lost return to my body. I had not told Amya my side of the story from that summer. She had no idea that California had been planned for months.

"I am waiting," she said, her voice gentle. I nodded and took a deep breath before I spoke. "You see, when I had asked you to meet me at the restaurant last summer it was to tell you about my plans to go to college in California. I had told Connor two months earlier, and we had been fighting about it for some time, and that's why I didn't tell you sooner." I looked at her brown eyes as I spoke, I could see that she was giving me her full attention. I licked my lips before continuing.

"What you said that day about liking me... Well, it just caught me off guard, and I wasn't sure what to do. I panicked, and all I got out was that I was leaving for California. I... I didn't leave because of what you told me I left because I planned to. Had I known what you were going to tell me that day, I would have never left like I did. I mean, I still would have gone, but I would not have left without saying goodbye, and I shouldn't have let you leave like that; it was wrong of me. I should have gone after you." I paused to catch my breath and found Amya staring at me with a smile on her face.

"Hey, it's okay," she said, reaching out and brushing a piece of my blonde hair behind my ear, "I shouldn't have told you, especially when I knew you would never like me back." I reached up and caught her hand and held it gently in mine, gently running my thumb over her knuckles. I watched her looking at her hands before I spoke next.

"Don't say that." My voice was so soft I was not sure she even heard it, but she looked up at me. "Tracy, it's okay. Really I know you like boys and not girls; it's no big deal." I watched as she pushed herself up and went to check on the egg, but her words did make me question whether or not the words she said were valid. Of course, I had only dated guys, but I mean, they were the only ones that sought me out and asked for dates. I was not one to turn down a date from them. Especially when my family wanted me to be in a relationship, much like my perfect younger brother with his girlfriend that my parents adored.

I knew I had always found girls attractive, but I mean, don't all girls think that about other women. They think they are beautiful and hope that they can be like them or look like them, but maybe that was just me. But I definitely liked boys. I mean, that's the way it was supposed to be. I was supposed to get married and have children with a man that would provide for me. I was drawn from my thoughts as Amya waved her hand in front of my face.

"Hey, are you just gonna sit on the floor all day or are you gonna get up and eat with me." I smiled at Amya's words, but the thoughts that had started swirling in my head would not go away, but I took her hand and allowed her to pull me to my feet.

We sat together on the loveseat and ate our eggs and toast while watching the news. It was during a commercial while my head was still swirling with my earlier thought that Amya turned and smiled at me. "You want to come to work with me today?" Her question made me smile.

"I thought you worked at a library. I don't think they allow just anyone in there." She let out a laugh. A genuine laugh that I had not heard in so long, and all I had to do was make a stupid comment like that. She just shook her head at my words. "I think they will make an exception for you." I laughed at her and shoved her shoulder a bit.

"Okay, but if they throw me out, that is your fault." She just shook her head and smiled at me. "You better go get ready. I have to be to work in thirty minutes." I stood up and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I guess I was going to the library today. The job search could wait for another day.