Alright, I'm on a date. Actually, we're at the point where it's stopped being a date and it's rapidly becoming a terrifically awkward outing. Anyhow, we decide to meet up with some friends who are at a place not too far away. On the way we run into another friend, and he wants to come with us but, "let me just run in here and get a pack of cigarettes." So, the date and I wait outside of the deli.

And suddenly, there he is in front of me. I didn't even see him coming. He says, "hey!" and I say, "hey!" and then we just look at each other. He looked as panicky and sad as I know I must have. And then he hugged me so abruptly and so tightly that I wanted to cry. Instead, I smiled into his shoulder. When he let go of me, he said, "I've been thinking about you, especially today." I still have no idea what that means. Especially today? October 25? Or because it was Saturday? I don't know, but I told him that I'd been thinking about him too, because, well, because it's the truth. And then he said, "I know that it's my fault, but it's your fault too." And I looked at him, and I nodded, because, for some reason, I was scared to say anything. He hugged me again, even harder, and right then I was really happy. I felt so relieved, and kind of safe in a way I hadn't felt for months. I had forgotten that he could do that.

It was then that I remembered that the date was still standing next to me. And that there was a girl standing next to him.

Uncomfortable introductions were made, and my cigarette buying friend finally came out of the store, and we all shifted into a sort of casual small talk mode. And I desperately wanted to get away from there. He asked where we were going, and said he might meet up with us later (which isn't quite as weird as it sounds, as he and cigarette buyer are really close friends), and , in what was possibly the most improbable moment of the evening, he and the date exchanged cell phone numbers, because cigarette buyer and I may be the only people in the world who don't have cell phones, and, oh I can't even talk about this anymore!

Anyway, we said goodbye, and hugged again, but it wasn't the same, I guess we were too aware of the people around us, and he never called the date's phone to meet up with us later, which was kind of a relief. At some point the date said, "so, that whole thing just..." and made an over the head motion with his hands. And I, afraid to look him in the eye, said, "yeah, I'm not really sure either." And I'm not. But to know for certain that he misses me...