Everything good

The sky was red. Nothing good ever comes out on days when the sky is red. Kyle ran his fingers down the railing of the stairs as he flew down to the basement. Too many steps to take and not enough time to take those steps. Scrambling past all the people in the subway station, he zoomed his way into the train with seconds to spare. The chiming of doors closing rang in his ears. He had time. Of course he had time. The truth was that he didn’t, but he needed his self muttering to convince himself that he did. 

The train took its time, stopping way too long at each individual stop and Kyle was frantic. Toes tapping, fingers drumming, and yet the train would not move fast enough. He didn’t have long now and so the only thing he was thinking about was how many people he’d have to run over at the subway station once the doors opened. 

His best friend was leaving him. Hailey was someone he’d known since they were literal babies. There’s a photo of them holding hands when both of them were two weeks old. Granted, it was more like babies with chubby hands touching fists, but it was a testament to just how long both of them knew each other for. Seventeen years later and she was about to leave the country to go to a college halfway around the world and he was missing it. Kyle was going to miss his last goodbye.

Thankfully, as if the train was hearing his wishes or maybe just that much time had finally passed, it got to the station. The final stop on its route stopping right at the entrance of the departures terminal at the airport. Kyle had underestimated how many people he bumped into as he ran, no, sprinted, all over the hospital to get to Hailey. He said sorry to them, but maybe it was out loud or maybe it was all in his head. Now the only thing he was thinking about is what the final words he’ll say to Hailey would be. Should he ask her to stay? Even though nothing could change her decision now, maybe she would stay over the summer. They could have two more iconic months together, but Kyle knew better than to change her mind. In these 17 years of knowing Hailey, her headstrong qualities weren’t her being stubborn - rather it was just who she was, and he’d never told her how much he admired that. 

He was almost there now. Security gate next to the American Airlines check-in counter. A was the first letter in the alphabet. Why the hell are there so many letters in the alphabet? Where was it? H, F, D, and oh god he saw her. Her hair was red so it wasn’t difficult to spot her out of all the people clumped in front of the gate. It was kind of crazy to imagine all the other goodbyes that were being said at this exact moment. “HAILEY!” Kyle screamed. She turned. She caught his eye. His heart stopped. 17 years and he still was convinced they were nothing more than friends. He was convinced or maybe he needed to convince himself that it was all they were. Either way, it was too late now. He’d caught up to her before she left but she was still leaving. Nothing could change that. 

“KYLE!”

“HAILEY!” She was laughing now. Big, boisterous gulping laughs that seemed to take in all the oxygen in the room every time she inhaled. Or maybe she just took his breath away. She loved her laugh. He’d never told her that either. Now he’d reach her side and it was just her. Kyle looked around with a little frown and wrinkle in his eyebrows. 

“Mom just left. She only put 10 minutes worth of coins into the parking meter and I told her I would be fine here alone. It didn’t take much convincing considering I’m flying halfway around the country alone.” She was still laughing as she said this and Kyle’s eyes were dancing. Flickering from this ear to that finger to her left eye and to those lips. He wanted to memorize every part of her. 

“I can’t believe you’re actually leaving.” He couldn’t believe he was actually talking. Partly because she was so beautiful but also because he was severely out of breath from all the running and the shouting.

“You know I have to do this.”

He did. He didn’t want to know that but every fiber of his being knew it. He could never be that selfish of a person to want her to stay. 

“I know you have to go.” 

STAY. 

“It’ll be so good for you over there.” 

IT WILL BE SO BAD FOR ME. 

“You’ll find your people over there too.” 

I WANT TO BE YOUR ONLY PERSON. 

“I’m so incredibly happy for you.” 

This one was truthful. Even though it pained him for her to be leaving, he was happy for her. She was moving on in her life and she would do so many things that were good. Kyle had always imagined he would be the good in her life but Hailey was good on her own. She would be good.

They shared one last hug and Kyle was hanging on too tight and for too long, but Hailey didn’t mind. She was losing him too, even if she was the one letting him go. No one said anything. No one needed to say anything. It was all said. 

Her hair was red as Hailey turned and walked in the direction of the security gate. She paused halfway there and stopped, almost as if she debated whether she should turn around and do one last dramatic wave. Kyle didn’t know if that would save him or hurt him more, but he never found out because she kept walking. Further and further away. Her hair was red. Everything good comes on days when he sees her hair, but everything about today was bad.