Page 36 of Be With Us: An Urban Foursome Love Story

The entrance to the park was a short walk from the stop, and she set off in the right direction, head down and deep in thought, her mind preoccupied with thoughts about what Amy might say, about the other night, about what might happen in the future. She was mortified and terrified, but most of all she felt sad, and before she realised, she was part of the way along the path that led around the lake.

There was a little bench up ahead that looked out over the water and sitting on it was a red haired girl. From this distance she wasn’t sure if it was her but as she got closer, the girl turned her head and smiled and Emilia could see now that it was Amy and her heart started to flutter.

She stood up as Emilia drew near.

‘Hi,’ said Amy.

‘Hi,’ said Emilia.

Then they both started to speak at once, a jumbled combination of how are you’s and I’m fine’s. Amy looked down at the floor, embarrassed but smiling.

‘Do you want to take a walk?’ she said, frowning. She nodded toward the path to her left.

‘Sure,’ said Emilia.

For a few minutes they walked in silence, not really looking at each other, just around at the sights and sounds of the park. It felt comfortable and Emilia found herself wishing they could hold hands.

A young mum and dad were playing with their little daughter off to the side and their pink ball rolled past Emilia’s feet, heading toward the lake. She scooped it up in her hands and then rolled it back gently to the little girl.

‘That was nice of you,’ said Amy, smiling. ‘You’ll be a good mum, one day.’

Emilia smiled at her briefly, and looked away across the lake at the ducks.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said.

‘There’s nothing to be sorry about,’ said Amy. ‘I've just never had a girl tell me she likes me before.’

‘I've never liked a girl before,’ said Emilia.

Amy smiled. ‘I like you,’ she said with pained smiled. ‘But I don't know if I like you like that.’

They started walking again, not saying anything. Emilia had known what Amy was going to say, from the moment she got her text message, but it still hurt to hear it. As they walked, she felt like a small crack had formed in her heart. She wasn't heartbroken, she still loved Cassian and he still loved her, but the part of her heart that had grown for Amy and Mark, was now damaged and it was going to take some time to heal.

Amy stopped by the bridge that ran between the two small lakes, and rested her elbows on the railing, looking out over the water.

‘Isn't it beautiful here?’ she said.

Emilia followed her gaze and then looked back at Amy, her red hair drifting gently in the breeze as she continued.

‘Mark proposed here, right over there,’ she said, pointing to the spot.

‘I want you,’ Emilia said suddenly. ‘And Mark. We both do.’

‘You can't just say that,’ said Amy. ‘It's not fair.’

‘Why not?’

‘It's not right either.’

‘Then why did you agree to meet me?’

‘I don't know.’

Amy looked down at the water running below them and then looked back up at Emilia.

‘I'm confused,’ said Amy.

Emilia said nothing, waiting for her friend to talk.

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