Arrhythmia
It was still dark when the taxi dropped Min off in front of her building. She's exhausted from her red eye back from Palm Springs. The strap of her duffle bag digs into her shoulder as she shifts its weight. Sam should be asleep at this time but what if he's not. What if he's up, anxious, in one of his moods? She wishes she could see their bedroom window from here but their apartment face the back of the building. "Quieter so I can think" Sam insisted at the open house. Heat rushes to the back of her neck and the familiar itch flare up. Min sets her bag down on the sidewalk, scratch at her rash, and sighs deeply.
The bachelorette party this past weekend was so light and full of laughter. It was liberating to be herself surrounded by friends as they indulged Andie, the bride to-be. Min was grateful to meld into the gleeful swirl of friendship and not be the center of attention. Naturally, the spotlight was for Andie and she basked in it. Each of her friends know to some degree about what Min is going through with Sam, but they didn't ask, nor did she volunteer any relationship updates. They're good about not prying.
Combined, their individual personalities amount to something greater. Like most relationships, theirs were brought together by happenstance. The casual openness of youth and proximity of the dormitory gave the girls many opportunities to grow closer. There was always an equilibrium within the group. Somehow, right from the beginning, they knew how to adjust to changes in each other's lives and the resulting emotions. It wasn't discussed or planned. It happened organically, like a bio-diverse ecosystem that they all created and then nurtured just by being together and being themselves. If she analyzed it too much, Min thought, cold rationality could upset the balance.
The street lamps go off suddenly as the morning sun takes over, casting her shabby street in long shadows and an orange glow. Buoyed by the lingering memories of the weekend Min heaves up her bag and reach into her pocket for her phone. "I know we just spent 48 hrs straight together, but I need to stay with you for a couple of days. Can I come over now?" she texts Thea. Her reply was immediate. "Of course M. Of course".