Page 16 of Claimed By my Frenemy

I head toward the old boxes, the cardboard boxes that smell musty and haven’t been touched in years. Sweat is rolling down my back already from the heat of the attic, so I take the top two boxes and head down the stairs to the main floor. Once I’m on the ground in the living room, I start sifting through them, looking for anything that might remind me of my high school days with Mia. After a few minutes of searching, I find the bottom of one of the boxes is filled with memorabilia from high school.

There are old yearbooks, photos, and some random bits and pieces from things—like a letterman jacket that was never mine to begin with. As I dig deeper, I come across a small, worn notebook. I recognize it immediately—it’s the sketchbook Mia used to carry around everywhere.

Back when she wanted to design houses, she would draw them out in this book, then use the opposite page to cut pictures of furniture from magazines. She’d then painstakingly draw each piece of furniture into her tiny house.

I sit down on the floor and open the notebook, flipping through the pages. Each drawing brings back a flood of memories—our late-night conversations on the beach, our dreams and plans for the future, and the way she used to look at me with those bright blue eyes.

As I reach the end of the sketchbook, I find a folded piece of paper tucked inside. I open it and see it’s a letter from Mia. I had completely forgotten about this. It’s dated the summer before we went our separate ways, and a memory of her giving it to me hits.

It was a hot day, and the school year was almost over. I found a new girlfriend that summer, but Mia and I didn’t know that would happen at the time. She handed me the sketchbook and told me she wanted me to pick our dream house. I was supposed to look through all her drawings and decide which one I liked best.

We had been planning to see each other the week after school ended, but neither one of us could drive. Then, she went on vacation, and I didn’t see her again until the next school year. By then, I had moved on.

I wonder if that’s a mistake I’ll always think about.

Theo,

I know we’ve talked about our future a lot, and I’ve thought about it even more. Which house would you like? I know it has to be at the beach. I couldn’t live anywhere else, either. Pick your house,and I’ll design the rest of the rooms. Maybe we could build a house like this one day.

I’m going to miss seeing you every day this summer. I wish I had a cell phone, but maybe when I’m sixteen. See you soon!

Love, Mia

Reading the letter,I feel a deep pang of nostalgia. How could I have forgotten this? The words on the page, written with such open honesty, bring back memories of a time when everything seemed possible, when our connection was unbreakable. I remember the school lunches we spent talking about our dreams, the way we promised to always be there for each other, no matter what.

How did we end up here, with so much misunderstanding between us?

I clutch the letter tightly, my mind racing. Mia’s words resonate with me more than ever now. I’ve been so focused on my ambitions and plans that I’ve completely disregarded her feelings, her dreams, and her connection to her grandmother’s house.

I decide I can’t let things end like this. I have to make things right. But I just don’t know how.

I don’t know if I’m going to be able to speak with Steve and deal with the contractors today, so I decide to head to Leo’s Tiki Bar, hoping that Mia hasn’t gotten the same idea.

When I arrive, it’s not busy yet. It’s the middle of the afternoon, so there are a few customers, but Leo looks a little less frazzled than he does sometimes.

“Hey, Theo. What can I get for you today?”

“If I ever order something that’s not Dark and Stormy, just make Dark and Stormy for me anyway,” I tell him.

Leo smiles and gets to work. I watch his familiar movements as he makes my drink. When he brings it over, I decide to bring up the whole thing with Mia. I’ve never been a guy who feels like he has to talk about his problems, but I could use a little sound advice. Leo has been married for four years, so he’s practically an expert by this point.

“Leo, I need your thoughts.”

“My thoughts, man? I don’t know if anyone needs to know what I’m thinking.”

We both laugh, and I take a long, cool sip of Dark and Stormy.

Leo smacks the counter, checks all nearby customers, then turns his attention fully to me. “Tell me what’s going on.”

I try to give him the main idea without getting into all the details. I explain how I tried to buy Mia’s house, how I used to date her, and how I feel like the attraction is still there.

Leo listens patiently, and when I finish, he lets out a long sigh. “I might need a drink for myself after hearing all that.”

I smile, but it’s forced.

“Theo, you’ve always been driven, and that’s a good thing. I’ve seen some of the properties you own, and I’ve heard about the resort you’re working on. But sometimes, you need to stop and consider the people around you. Mia’s house isn’t just a property to her. I’s her home. Give up the idea of buying her property if you want to pursue the idea of a relationship with her. Both are not going to happen. You just have to decide which is more important.”

I nod. His advice is sound, and he’s right. I have to decide. No one can make the decision for me. I lift my to-go cup in a toast toLeo, then head back to where I’ve parked my car. I have a lot of thinking to do.

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