Page 57 of One More Weekend

Unfortunately,we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate but we look forward to seeing all the wonderful work you will do in this industry moving forward.

Best of luck,

HR

Fuck.My stomach flipped as I considered what it meant.

It was July 12th. I had two weeks left on our lease. And as I met Sy’s eyes, concern all over her face, I knew what it all meant.

“I have to leave New York.”

37

SY

I foughtback sleep with everything I had, refusing to let the night end.

Because if I lost and let the weight of sleep take over, I would wake up in the morning to our last Sunday in this apartment. And I’d have to go to work, stacking an apartment showing after my shift.

Jenna would pack boxes and I’d come home to missing spatulas and torn-down posters.

If I just kept my eyes open, it wouldn’t happen.

But eventually, sleep took hold. And I wasn’t strong enough to fight it.

When my eyes flitted open, the sun was peeking through Jenna’s window. I slipped out of her grasp and headed to the kitchen. I hated that I had to work on our last weekend day together.

I needed the money too badly to skip out on any shifts; I’d be kicked out of here in a matter of days and then I’d have to figure out a new place to live.

In the kitchen, I got to work on breakfast – making sure there was enough for Jenna too.

It wasn’t long before I heard the soft padding of her feet on the hardwood. When I turned on my heels, she leaned against the wall with her hands tucked behind her back.

“Hi.”

I smiled at her. “Hey.”

Walking closer, she pulled me in for a hug. The feeling of her arms around me made me melt, wanting to stay there forever.

“We should stop, for both of our sake. Right?” Was all I could manage as I held her.

She nodded into my chest. “Yeah. A lot will change but I need your friendship to get through it.”

Swallowing hard, I pulled back enough to see her face. “Me too.” I brought my finger to her cheeks where a tear fell from her tired eyes. Tears welled in my own eyes as I watched her.

In a low voice, Jenna looked up at me. “Can I just kiss you one more time?” The crying made her eyes somehow more crystal blue than I’d ever seen.

Gently, I put my hands on her neck and nodded slowly. “Please.”

Our lips hovered just an inch apart as our breathing escalated in each other’s grasp. And then I pulled her lips into mine one last time, holding myself in that moment for as long as I could.

My breathing hitched in my chest as I clenched my eyes closed, trying to remember every detail of this.

Forcing myself away, I took a step back. “You know I adore you, right?”

“I know,” Jenna wiped her eyes with the long sleeves of my hoodie. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I squeezed her hand and packed up breakfast for myself, leaving her a neat burrito – filled with eggs, spinach, and peppers – on a plate.

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