He hugged me tightly, pulling me close. “It’s so good to see you again, Crystal,” he said, his voice trembling just a little.
“Same here,” I replied, hugging him back with just as much energy.
“Crystal, I’m sorry. I truly am. I feel awful about what happened yesterday.” His tone was calm, but there was a seriousness to his words as he let me go.
Before I could respond, we were interrupted by Francesca.
“Hey, Derek! How are you feeling?” she asked, her voice all bubbly.
“Hey, Francesca!” Derek greeted her quickly, and her excited smile lit up her whole face. She was practically glowing, like a schoolgirl meeting her crush.
“I heard you two are best friends?” she asked, looking between us with way too much enthusiasm.
Derek turned to me, his smile uneasy. “Did you tell her about us?”
