Present Day

 

“I never would have pictured you for a Bimmer,” Yuri said.  “At least not a sedan.  Maybe a ragtop.”

 

“I just bought it last year.”  Jessica grinned.  “BMW is not really my style.  I had a truck before that.”

 

“My, aren’t you the lesbian,” Yuri teased.

 

“Right.”  Actually, Jessica could play the girlie-girl when the occasion called for it, but she liked being sporty lesbian, something she wasn’t when she was younger.

 

“I can’t believe how much Calloway has changed.”

 

“I know.  Past our hotel, it’s really crazy.  It’s almost like another town.”

 

“But we’re heading where?”

 

“I thought you’d like to see the old high school, “ she said.

 

Yuri raised an eyebrow.  “What do you mean old?”

 

“It’s a middle school now.  They built a new high school a few years ago.”  Jessica turned off the highway and slowed, going down the old strip.  “Remember that?” she asked, pointing.

 

“The Burger Spot.  Damn, is it still open?”

 

“Yeah.  But since the high school moved, it’s not the hangout like it was when we were here.”

 

“It was never really my hangout anyway,” Yuri said.  “I wasn’t one of the cool kids.”

 

“Only because you didn’t want to be.”

 

Yuri laughed.  “Neither did you.”

 

“No.  I only wanted to be with you,” she admitted.

 

Yuri nodded.  “And vice versa.”

 

Jessica took a deep breath as she turned down the street where the old high school had been.  The building was the same, but it appeared much smaller now.  She drove around the back where the practice fields used to be.

 

“A baseball field?”

 

“It’s not the school’s.  They built a new field up north.  This used to be the practice field, remember?”

 

“Of course I remember.  There was a lovely hidden spot behind the bleachers.  We used to – “

 

Jessica laughed.  “I know what we used to do there.”  She pulled to a stop.  “This field is used to Little League mostly.”  She opened the door.  “You want to walk around?”

 

“Sure.”

 

They were silent as they walked past the baseball field and headed to the tennis courts.  They appeared to be the same courts that were there twenty years ago, the surface showing signs of age as cracks s through the concrete.  Jessica stopped, ready to talk.

 

“Tell me why.”

 

Yuri looked past her, her gaze going to the old school.  Jessica wondered if she was thinking about the breakup or taking a trip down memory lane, remembering their time together here in this building.

 

“I knew you had another lover,” Yuri said finally.  “I was trying to spare you from having to sneak around.”

 

Jessica frowned.  “What the hell are you talking about?”

 

Yuri shrugged.  “I don’t remember her name.  Some cute little short chick.  Blond.  You had a class together.  You went to lunch nearly every day with her.”

 

Jessica had tried to erase that time from her memory so she had a hard time recalling anyone she knew back then.  “Cheryl?”

 

“Yeah.  I think that was her name.”

 

Jessica felt her anger surfaced.  “You thought I was sleeping with Cheryl?  That’s why you broke up with me?”

 

“Look, I didn’t believe it at first, but people kept telling me it was true.”  Yuri paused.  “So one day I waited for you after class…I saw you together.”

 

“Together?  You’re out of your mind.  Cheryl was crazy about…oh, what was her name?”

 

Jessica closed her eyes, trying to remember.  “Amanda something or other.  I was trying to give her pointers, trying to help her, trying to get her to ask Amanda out.  When she finally did, it didn’t go well.”

 

“Amanda?  Who do you think first told me about you and Cheryl?  It was Amanda.  They were best friends?”

 

“What?  Are we talking about the same Amanda?”

 

Yuri walked closer.  “Amanda told me right where you’d be, what time, everything.  And there you were.  You were hugging.  Then she pulled you to the side near some shrubs, and you kissed and hugged again.”  Yuri shook her head.  “Wasn’t just a friendly hug, Jessica.  It was a full body I’m about to jump your bones hug.”

 

Jessica clenched her fists, surprised at her anger.  “You have got to be kidding me.  You broke up with me because someone told you I was sleeping with Cheryl?  Did you ever think to ask me?”

 

Jessica poked Yuri’s chest with her finger.  “God, your communication skills always did .”  She turned away.  "I was so in love with you, I never even looked at another girl, much less entertained the idea of sleeping with one.” She turned back to Yuri, holding her eyes.  “You were my world.  I loved you,” she whispered.  “And I was floored when you came to me with your little speech about needing to see others, needing to spread our wings, needing to experience life.  I was devastated.  I thought I was going to die.  Hell, I wanted to die.”  She took a step back, away from Yuri.  “Every time I turned around, you were with someone else.  And I hated you.  I hated you so much.”

 

“Jessica, look, I’m sorry if –“

 

“No.  I’m so pissed at you right now, I don’t want to talk to you.”  She spun around and headed back to the car, her pulse pounding so fast, so loud, she was afraid she might have a right there.  "She thought I was cheating on her?  ing unbelievable,” she muttered.

 

“Jessica, wait.”

 

“For what?  Wait for what?”  She stopped, glaring at Yuri.  “Why couldn’t you talk to me about it?  Why couldn’t you ask me?  You ended our relationship based on rumor?”  She took a deep breath, trying to curb her anger.  “Were you that insecure about us, about our relationship?”

 

“Jessica, you were a cheerleader.  You were popular.  Your parents gave you a brand-new sports car when you turned sixteen.”  Yuri looked away.  “I came from the south side of town.  My parents got me a beat-up Toyota when I was seventeen.  I – “

 

“You didn’t think you were good enough?”  Jessica’s anger disappeared as fast as it had come.  She finally understood.  “I’m sorry.”  She walked closer, pulling Yuri into her arms and holding her tight.  “I should have seen that.  But you of all people should have known that none of that mattered to me.”

 

“She drove a Corvette.  She – “

 

“Oh, Yuri.  She was hardly even a friend.  You were my world.  I fell in love with you.  You.  I didn’t care who your parents were or where you lived.  I didn’t ca