(Prompt via Kat.)

"His parents don't like you, you know."

"What is there not to like? I am polite and sweet and a good influence."

"Hunny, you're not Jewish."

They weren't even really Jewish. They didn't eat kosher or go to synagogue. It didn't seem fair. I tried to ask him questions about his religion to show I was interested (not conversion interested, mind you) but he would always brush them off. "That stuff doesn't matter," he'd say, and brush my hair back behind my ear. This is why I grew my hair out, I'd remind myself and take his hand in mine.

My dad had a hard time with him. More because he was male and less because he was Jewish.

"He's just a boy," I'd say, thumbing over a pound of coffee he had delivered earlier. "Besides, he thinks I'm wonderful."

"You are wonderful and you don't need a boy to tell you that."

But I did and I'd try to make myself as good as Jewish.

***

"How do you know who you're supposed to end up with?"

"You date a lot of people."

"But I don't want to date a lot of people."

...I want to date you was supposed to be his response. After all, his hand was on the small of my back and his lips were a breath away from my ears. He always hesitated though.

In retrospect, it's a wonder I was so convinced. As I moved, closing in that breath, I heard him exhale.

"Well, I hope I find out somehow," he concluded. I pulled myself away to get more coffee. His hand lingered and so I didn't return.

***

"I've made a lot of mistakes, you know."

"I know."

He said it every time as if I didn't. As if he were letting me in on one of his secrets. The thing is, it wasn't a secret. And I never knew any of his secrets.

I'd leave then, to take some time and think and write out all my pent-up aggression. By the next day, all would be forgiven. He'd hold my cell phone as I tied my shoes (if he wasn't trying to knock me over) and would call my roommate to let her know I'd be late for class.

He used to say that college was us, together.

Years later, I had to break it to him that college went on after he left and I graduated sans mistakes. He tried to tell me otherwise; that we could still be us, together and that I had all the same mistakes.

I left him one morning when we were having coffee. He never followed.

How Long Does It Take To Get Ready For Your Day?