Falling in Fall

Anna and I sat down at a high top table in an overly crowded restaurant. The US was still in the World Cup at this point and playing that night so people were pretty excited. Soccer's not really my thang, but I appreciated the energy.

"So, how's Justin?" Anna asked as she looked around at everyone eagerly watching the televisions.

"He's good!" I exclaimed, with a little too much enthusiasm. Things had been amazing since the pool party. We texted every day and never seemed to run out of things to say to each other. It was starting to scare me how much I liked this guy.

"Yeah, we all approve," she responded with two thumbs up. The waiter came over and we each ordered water and salads. Everyone around us was binging on buffalo wings and mini pizzas, but the nights of eating out was starting to catch up to me. I definitely needed to slow my roll.

"I'm glad you guys liked him," I said with a smile. "Now, if only we could all approve of Josh like that."

Anna laughed. "The day that Darlene approves of Josh is the day that I kiss a frog and he turns into a prince," she said. Then she stuck out her bottom lip and added, "As if I'm ever going to find a prince charming on this stupid island."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Anna, you will. Come on!" It was true that she hadn't had tons of luck with men, but she met a lot of guys and I really admired that about her. It was hard for me to put myself out there, so when I met a guy I got along with, I really clung on to him. It sometimes made me feel like I wasn't seeing enough of what was out there. Anna would approach any guy at a bar and she even tried online dating. Plus, she moved around with jobs a lot, so she met guys at work way more than I did. She coaches during the school year, but over the summer she's worked at various camps. Fun fact, hots guys love to work at summer camps.

"I'm just tired of pointless dating. I want to be somebody's girlfriend again." Anna hadn't had a serious boyfriend since college, when she dated her high school sweetheart for five years. "Especially with my birthday coming up."

When the waiter brought our waters over, Anna immediately asked him for a gin and tonic. So much for a healthy, cleansing night.

"Maybe if things work out with Justin, I could set you up with one of his friends," I assured her. What good was dating a guy if you couldn't set his friends up with your friends?

"Thanks," Anna said rolling her eyes. "I'll take whatever charity I can get," she laughed. I knew Anna was okay with being single, but I understood how she felt. Even though I didn't want to lock things down with Justin yet, I truly valued having a guy in my life to chat with. As much as I hate to admit it, as a self-proclaimed semi-feminist, I find myself needing a guy to focus my attentions on. Before Justin, I always just obsessed about my ex-boyfriend, Mike. I didn't want to get back together. We had our closure and I was okay with us ending, but I still found myself thinking about him a lot. Over the years, I have realized that I just really like to think about someone.

"Anyway," Anna began as the waiter dropped off her gin and tonic along with our salads. "This camp is kicking my butt. I doubt I'd even have time for a relationship right now. Maybe in the Fall."

"Maybe you'll fall for someone in the Fall," I said as I stuck my tongue out at her. She playfully flung a small piece of lettuce across the table at me.

Even though the US was eliminated from the World Cup that night, Anna and I didn't care. Anna had two gin and tonics, which made it comical to watch her walk through the parking lot to my car. She wasn't drunk, but she had the kind of buzz that makes you really appreciate alcohol consumption in a friend. As I drove her home, she took out her phone.

"Let's call someone," she said with widening eyes. I tried to focus on the road as I saw her scrolling through her contacts list.

"No, let's not and say we did," I said with a deep breathe. I was not in the mood to reconnect with any random high school acquaintance from Anna's phone.

"It'll be so funny, Caroline!" Anna insisted as she stomped her feet in my car. "What about Moose?" she asked.

I let out a sigh as I continued driving. "Just wait until you get home and you can call whoever you want." I honestly knew Anna wasn't drunk enough to make any drunken mistakes, but if she did call Moose I didn't want to be present for it. We weren't exactly on comfortable terms.

"That's no fun," Anna responded as she turned her attention back to her phone. "Let's prank him."

Luckily I was almost at Anna's house. All I had to do was stall her for a little while longer.

Anna remained quiet, so I didn't have to do any talking in order to stall. She looked down at her phone, as if she was studying it, for the next minute until I pulled up to her house.

"Thanks for the ride!" she exclaimed as she looked away from her phone to give me a hug goodbye.

"No problem," I said with confusion. She suddenly didn't want to make any phone calls? Not that I was disappointed, but it seemed weird.

Anna got out of my car and skipped into her house. She looked like a kindergardener on her first day of elementary school. Ah, alcohol, you are wonderful.