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L is for Laughter

Amelia: March 28th, 2026

As we exit the bar a few minutes later, after Frank pays the tab, I can’t believe how beautiful the night is. We walk two blocks without saying anything. “Let’s keep walking,” I say when we get to the subway station entrance.

“Sure,” he says. He has his hands tucked in his pockets, and he’s looking at the ground as we walk.

It smells like rain, and I can’t help but think that Calum would absolutely hate it. It’s a little bit humid, we might get rained on… Calum definitely would have just gotten on the subway. But I just can’t stand the thought of going down underground right now. It’s too dark. I’m not scared of the dark, but right now, it just feels wrong.

“So,” he says after the silence stretches for too long, “where are we walking to?”

It’s really not possible to walk to my apartment from here. “Um,” I say, “I don’t know. Maybe just the next subway stop,” I giggle. I don’t even know why I find it funny. But I do.

And then once I start to giggle, I can’t stop. And when the first drop of rain hits me square in the forehead, the giggles become full blown laughter. The harder it rains, the harder I laugh. Frank is staring at me, bewildered. But then he starts to smile. Then his smile becomes a giggle. Then his giggle becomes a laugh. And then we’re spinning around in the pouring rain, our arms outstretched, the chilly rain pinging off of our hair and clothes and skin. I’m soaked through quickly, and I grab Frank by the arm and pull him into a run, hopping into puddles and soaking through our shoes, too. He doesn’t even hesitate. He just comes with me. And I don’t let go of him. My hand slides down his arm, over his wrist, and then my hand is in his hand. I didn’t plan it. It just happened that way. But now that it’s there, his warm fingers wrap around mine, and though I’m sure he would let go if I pulled back, I just squeeze tighter.

I’m breathless from running in too short of a time, but he’s not winded at all. I pull him to slow down, and he does, and as I stand there gasping for air, still laughing, though lighter now, I’m suddenly in his arms, and I’m looking up at him, and he’s not breathing heavily, but I can feel his heart pounding in his chest against mine, and it’s racing. Our eyes lock, and I can’t look away. Is he going to kiss me? My heart just pounds even harder at the thought, but I don’t move. I don’t pull back. I just wait, looking up into his brown eyes.