Page 37 of If We Meet Again

“I know, it was a surpriseto me too.”

“That’s amazing, though. It’s what you’ve worked so hard for, isn’t it? You must be super happy.”

“Yeah, it is, and I am. With change always comes fear though. I hope I can make an impression on the English league.”

“I have every faith that you will.”

“You’ve never seen me play,” Megan declared.

“I have seen some videos.”

“Since when?”

“Since I stalked your social media the day after we met.”

That was like music to her ears, but the enjoyment that came with the reveal wouldn’t be made public knowledge. “Oh, so you’re that girl? You’re giving off complete stalker vibes.”

“Are you telling me you didn’t look at mine?”

Megan responded sheepishly, “No.”

“I’m calling bullshit.”

“Okay, maybe I looked once or twice.” Megan cringed inside.How lame, she thought, thankfully, Ashley changedthe subject.

“So, when doyou leave?”

“A week tomorrow.”

“That soon?”

“Yeah, it’s actually my mom’s birthday in two weeks, so my parents like the idea of having me home for that.”

Megan struggled to contemplate the idea of missing someone she didn’t even know. She felt like it was the end of something that had never even started, not really, but the thought of never seeing Ashley againfelt unjust.

“Would you like to meet up beforeyou leave?”

“Is that weird?” Megan scrunched her cheeks; she was airing on the side of caution whilst only hoping forone answer.

“I suppose it’s a strange one with you leaving, but there is no harm in us being friends, right?”

Friends, it felt like a form of rejection. Megan knew that a romantic relationship was off the cards. Couples with solid foundations didn’t last 4000 miles, never mind two people that barely knew each other. She wasn’t naive to that fact. Ashley was offering a friendship, which was exactly what was expected, but all she could seem to focus on was the potential to be more that was now being withheld.

“Of course, I’d like us to be friends too.”

The words she spoke sounded confident, believable, almost.

“Good. I don’t know if it’s weird for me to say this, but I’m proud of you, for following your dreams.”

“Thank you, that’s really sweet. I’m sure I will say the same to you one day.”

“Well, I’m offended that you’re not proud of me for working in a bar?”

“Hey, I have nothing against you working in a bar, but it’s not your dream. So when you become a big fancy writer or editor-in-chief of a New York magazine, then I promise I’ll be proud of you.”

“Well, at least one person will be,” Ashley joked.

“You have to make a joke out of everything.” Megan rolled her eyes, unseeable to Ashley on the other end of the phone, but she felt it wasappropriate.