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She should have framed it di erently. Asked instead of accused.

Regret forced Ari to cover her face with a pillow and sink into her couch. Deciding she would lose her mind if she stayed inside all day, Ari changed out of her pajamas and put on her running clothes after putting her hair in a high pony.

She hadn’t actually worked out in forever, but the little shorts and tank top made her feel like she was doing something with her life.

Ari picked up her phone to text her parents and ask them what they needed from the grocery store when Sloane’s name appeared on her screen.

Sloane: Hey. You doing okay?

Ari: Yeah, I’m okay. How are you? I’ve been worried about you, but I didn’t want to overstep by texting.

Sloane: Can we meet up?

Swallowing hard, Ari tried to infer tone from such few words. Did she want to break up before they even got started?

Ari: Yeah. I was going to run some errands, but I can do it any time. Where do you want to meet?

Instead of a response, Sloane sent a link. It opened a location on her map app.

Ari: I’ll head out. Be there in fifteen.

Ari was so consumed by trying to decipher what kind of conversation Sloane wanted to have that she didn’t even consider changing. She spent the entire time in her car working through worst case and best case scenarios until head spun. She was tempted to call Jasmine and ask for help but was too confused to articulate what she was thinking or feeling.

When she arrived at her destination, she was glad she’d stayed in shorts. The coolness of the night before had been fleeting and the late afternoon was hot and sticky. There was nothing in the tiny park but a sprawling banyan tree o ering shade over a few benches and large, mossy rocks.

Ari pulled in behind Sloane’s car parked on the side of the street and walked toward the woman sitting on the only occupied bench. The park was sunken in and covered with super soft verdant grass. If Ari wasn’t so worried about what Sloane had to say, she’d love the perfect hidden gem nestled in the middle of suburbia.

“Sorry for the weird meeting place,” Sloane said when Ari sat down next to her. In a baggy long-sleeved t-shirt, messy bun, and no makeup, her stripped down appearance was disarming.

“No worries. I’m glad you texted,” she replied, tucking one leg behind the other as she faced Sloane on the bench. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about yesterday. I didn’t expect everything to come out the way it did.”

“I know,” Sloane interrupted, her hand on Ari’s arm.

“I’m sorry for reacting the way I did. I’m embarrassed by what I said. It really wasn’t about you. There was so much old shit I thought I’d worked out, but clearly the ghosts of my parents’ dysfunction continue to haunt me. My therapist, who I spent some time with this morning, thinks being back home forced some old wounds open.”

Ari took a risk and leaned forward to hug her. Sloane’s body was sti at first, but after a few seconds she relaxed into the embrace.

“I’m sorry it came out like it did, but I’m glad it’s not bottled up inside you,” Ari said after releasing her.

“Please don’t apologize anymore, okay? I’m the one who’s sorry. We had to hash that stu out, but not like that,”

Sloane said so sincerely Ari didn’t know how to respond. She was used to communicating in jabs and taunts most of the time. This terrain was foreign and hard to navigate.

“So, we’re both very sorry, is that the conclusion here?”

Ari asked with a smile as Sloane slipped her hand in hers.

“A very sorry pair, apparently,” Sloane responded with a tired smile.

Ari’s chest throbbed and her arms ached to hold her again, but she didn’t move. “Kind of feels like we’re starting from zero a little bit, though, doesn’t it?”

“Do you really think that’s possible? We can’t forget three years’ worth of knowing each other.” Sloane’s expression was so soft, Ari wanted nothing more than to promise her the world and then work her ass o to get it for her.

“Maybe not forget,” Ari conceded. “But we can create a shit ton of new memories to water down the old ones.”

Sloane smiled despite herself. “You think that’ll work?”

“Only one way to find out,” Ari replied with a shrug. “Are you willing to try?”