“Look at her,” Lily said, jutting their chin toward a young girl with a massive, glittery peacock sequined on her shirt. “She’s been searching for a boyfriend since second grade. She rides horses on the weekend and has a parrot at home. Her mother takes her to church way too often and she’s deathly afraid of committing sins.”

Easy as that, Lily was coaxing a laugh from Mio, making her cover her mouth to avoid showing off her smile. Mio shifted in her seat, shoulders lifting with a breath as she scanned the many-tabled room. There had to be someone here for her to tear into to make Lily laugh. She pointed a finger carefully toward a young man who had just entered, sporting a scraggly beard and long marsh-ick-brown felt overcoat.

“Despite not being a bad guy, he constantly wears masks so people will like him more. Top of his class all through high school and college, really great singer. Constantly shoved around by his friends, though,” she analyzed, looking to Lily to gauge their approval. It wasn’t as cutting as what Lily could pull off, but it was something.

A slow smile crept over Lily’s face, that soon turned into a grin flashed in Mio’s direction. Mio felt a rush of pride sweep down from the top of her head, sitting up straighter. Why was she playing so hard for Lily’s approval? It seemed so silly in her head, but she couldn’t help herself. Lily was hilarious. She wanted to show that she could play their game too.

Unbidden, a thought slipped into Mio’s head. Hanging out with her friend was too nostalgic, too real. She remembered their earlier years with a rush of guilt. She swallowed, and set her jaw. Might as well bite the bullet while it was hot.

“How has Vanessa been?”

Lily’s gaze immediately darkened. “Why don’t you ask her yourself?”

“I know I should, I just, you’re closer to her and-”

“Just call her and ask, Mio, you’re her best friend.”

Mio swallowed, dipping her head in a nod. “A-alright.”

Lily sighed, sitting back in their chair with their arms crossed. They scanned the room one last time, but it seemed they found little that interested them. Their sandwich was fully devoured, their drink half gone and capped. Mio looked down and noticed with surprise that her lunch was similarly gone, and though it was delicious, she couldn’t help but miss the taste of the moment. Mio looked to Lily, and they both knew it was time to wrap it up. As fun as the memories had been, it was time to be people again.

Lily began shuffling through their purse as Mio started finding a place to put her lemonade to carry it easily. Distracted momentarily by a text from a client, when Mio looked up to say goodbye, Lily was already gone.

Sitting on the table in front of Lily’s chair was a careful stack of bills and coins, and Mio knew without looking too closely that it was the exact amount she had paid for her lunch. People continued to mill around the restaurant, a sea of thoughts and memories all completely disconnected from one another despite their deeply intertwined history. In the kitchen, coworkers called and coordinated with one another, already numb to the daily grind. Heat rose off the blacktop, warping the multicolored crowds of sleek vehicles into a pale imitation of an oil painting. Above, the orb of seagulls continued to wheel, always searching for the next meal.