Page 16 of My Best Years

I click on her name, and immediately, a LinkedIn page pulls up with her profile picture in the left-hand corner. A professional, ivory backdrop is behind her, and she’s wearing a navy pair of scrubs with a stethoscope resting around her shoulders. Her arms are folded across her chest, and her head is tilted to the side with the sweetest smile stretched across her face. Her hair is down, long blonde curls tumbling past her breasts.

My eyes lower to the title below her picture.

Registered Nurse (Contract)

Gulf Shores Memorial Hospital

Birdie is a nurse? Here in Gulf Shores?

It makes complete sense that Birdie would choose nursing as her profession. She has always been a caretaker, putting others before herself no matter what.

But how in the hell did she end up in Alabama of all places? And what does “contract” mean? I’m assuming that means she’ll only be here for an extended period of time because all her previous roles have contract nurse listed as well. It looks like she stays in each job for two to four months.

I’m curious as to why she’s changed locations so much. What is she running from?

I’m determined to find answers. I’m dead set on seeing her again.

I know it’s selfish of me to waltz back into her life after all this time, but what are the odds that in a world of seven billionpeople, the only girl I’ve ever truly loved ends up working ten miles down the road from my house?

What are the fucking odds of that?

I have to see her again. It’s not even a question in my mind.

Call it fate. Call it divine intervention. Call it whatever you want. But for some reason, the universe put her here…in the same small town as me.

And I’m not about to take that for granted.

EIGHT

Birdie

Thirteen Years Old

I’ve been dreading this day.

The day I would have to see my best friend being all lovey-dovey with another girl. It makes my stomach ache, twisting and churning uncontrollably.

I’ve decided that I hate the eighth grade. It’s the grade that Callum got his first girlfriend, Josie Ellerly.

Ugh, Josie is such a stupid name.

Okay, I can’t lie...I really love her name.

I actually think it’s very pretty. And before Callum asked her out, I thought she was the most gorgeous girl in our grade.

But now that she’s with Cal, I just think that everything is stupid. I wake up every day mad at the world, which is a feeling my mom says will pass. She says it’s all part of being a teenager.

But I don’t know if I believe her because I was perfectly fine until Callum got a girlfriend.

We still sit together on the bus, and he acts like nothing haschanged. Or…Callum’s trying his best to act like everything is normal between us. I know that he’s noticed how distant I’ve been over the past few weeks, keeping a safe distance of space between us on the bus instead of sitting so close that our thighs touch. Instead of throwing my arms around his neck because I’m happy to see him, I just flash him a small smile and clasp my hands together in my lap.

Everything just feels…awkward.

Is that normal for two best friends? To feel irritated when the other has a crush on someone that isn't you? Shouldn't I be happy for him?

Winnie tells me that I’m jealous, but she’s only in the third grade, so she doesn't really know what she’s talking about.

A sharp gasp pulls me from my thoughts, and I quickly realize it’s the sound of my own inhale.