Miguel walked with heavy feet back to school. So much had happened. So many questions remained. Did he and Kay belong together? They had been friends for so long. He had a girlfriend, she had a boyfriend. If they weren't friends what were they? One thing Miguel knew for sure was that he wasn't meant to be with Charity. Yet he owed Charity so much. She had been his first love. It had been love at first sight. But Miguel now realized that love at first sight doesn't mean everlasting love. He had to break up with Charity. He didn't love her anymore. But how could he?
Miguel arrived back at school just as the day was ending. He waited watching the hoards of kids run out the door glad to be free. Finally Charity emerged. She looked lost. She always looked lost and he wondered who would take care of her now. She saw him and her face brightened as she ran over and gave him a hug.
"Hi Miguel there you are I was waiting by your last class but I didn't see you."
"Yeah. Do you want to go to the park?" Miguel said hoping that the walk to the park would give him time to think of the words to say.
"Sure Miguel I'd love that!" Charity was worried. Miguel was acting weird.
He didn't say why he wasn't in class. Charity reached over and took Miguel's hand. He held it but his grasp was not as strong as it used to be as if he really didn't want to hold her hand. Even though Miguel was a foot away from her she felt as if they were miles apart.
------------
They walked in silence to the park. Every once is a while Miguel would look up as if he wanted to say something, but he never did. When they got to the park Charity pulled Miguel over towards the ocean. It was the spot where Miguel had pointed out the island and the house that he wanted to live in one day.
"Look Miguel there is our house!" Charity said pointing a, smile on her face.
Miguel looked out towards the sea. There was a time when he would have agreed with her, but now he could not imagine living in that house with anyone but Kay.
However, there was Charity in front of him so trusting. He didn't know what to say.
~*~
Charity's insides felt like ice. Usually when she would say "there's our house." Miguel would wrap his arms around her and say yes and over there is where we'll plant the garden and there is where the swing set will be and so on. But today he was quite and that was when Charity knew: Miguel wanted to break up with her. He just couldn't find the words. The smile dropped from her face as she looked into Miguel's eyes trying to find proof that she was wrong. She found none.
"Miguel what's wrong?" She asked.
Miguel looked at her trying to tell her how he felt but the words wouldn't come.
"Charity..."
Charity looked out to sea as the tears started to pour down her face.
"Miguel we are never going to live in that house are we?"
"Charity I am sorry."
"Why Miguel why are you sorry?"
"Because I..."
"You told me you loved me Miguel!" Charity sobbed
"I did."
"You don't now?"
"I wish I did. I'm sorry."
"Who do you love?"
"Charity when I first saw you I..
"Who do you love Miguel?" Charity interrupted. "This is about someone else isn't it? You love someone else. Don't you?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know? How could you not know?"
"Lately my feelings for you have changed. I don't know that I am in love with anyone right now."
"But there is another girl isn't there you're seeing someone else?"
"No I would never cheat on you!"
"But you want to? There is someone else you want!" Charity's face had turned red with rage and she was facing Miguel. She no longer looked like the frail lost girl he was used to.
"WHO IS IT MIGUEL? WHO?"
Miguel was not used to such emotion from Charity. Several answers filled his head but in the end he decided to go with the truth.
"Kay."
Charity gave him an icy glare. How could he and her cousin do this to her.
"Drop Dead Miguel!" Charity said as she turned and ran out of the park.