“You’re so dumb,” Kaelyn laughed and gave him a little shove when he came to help pull things out of her suitcase.

Kaelyn blushed when Landon pulled the heart pendant out of her bag. She had been carrying that pendant around almost like a good luck charm with her during her recovery break. But, she forgot about it completely when Landon had been pulling out clothes and inadvertently found it underneath everything. 

She could see the smug smile coming to his face, but he restrained its potential to cross over into full on cockiness. 

Kaelyn tried to play it cool, brushing her hair back nonchalantly. “Oh, I must’ve totally forgot I had that in there.” But, the blush on her face was still there.

“Your blush incriminates you,” Landon said. He held the pendant up and examined it closer. “I can’t believe you kept this with you all this time.”

“Guess I’m busted.” Kaelyn smiled as she came closer to Landon and looked at it with him. It was a beautiful pendant.

“Well, it’s a really pretty necklace… And it meant a lot for you to give me. It means a lot to me too…”

Landon continued to look at it for a moment. All the memories associated with it started to slowly and painfully resurface, but he quickly shut his eyes to push them back out again. When he opened his eyes again, he smiled and handed the pendant to her.

“Well, I’m glad it means that much to you,” he said. “It has a lot of… history. My dad gave it to my mom before I was born.”

“I know. You told me at camp.” Kaelyn replied as she took the pendant from him when he handed it to her. She looked down at it in her hands, and traced her finger around the cold metal. Although it was cold, it gave her a feeling of warmth.

She looked up at Landon and smiled, unclasping the necklace. “Help me put it on?” Kaelyn said, turning around.

Landon nodded. “Sure,” he said. He stood up and crouched down behind her and took the loose ends of the necklace. He pulled them back a bit and snapped the metal ring into the clasp.

“There you go,” he told her, returning to his original position in front of her. “Look great. You ought to wear it more often.”

Kaelyn shivered when he got so close and slide the necklace around her neck. Their closeness was intoxicating. She wanted the moment to last forever but soon enough, Landon snapped it into place and that was that.

She smiled at him. “Maybe I will.” A silence grew between them. Both were unsure. But, she had to know.

“But, what about you and Katrina?” Kaelyn blurted it out.

That was the taboo question. Landon had been hoping this entire time that she wouldn’t mention Katrina, but he knew it was going to happen eventually. He couldn’t try to evade it any longer.

“I…” Landon looked down at his hands, which were now trembling slightly. 

Kaelyn’s heart sunk at his hesitation. She unclasped the necklace and shook her head at him. “Sh.. You don’t have to say anything.” She handed the necklace back to him. 

“Give it to her…”

Landon gaped at her.

“No Kaelyn, I… I gave that to you,” he urged her, pushing her hand back toward her. “I can’t just take it back.”

She sighed and took it back, knowing he would continue to refuse. He was stubborn and annoying like that. 

Kaelyn didn’t know what to say. He was clearly confused.

“You haven’t decided on anything, have you?”

Landon knew Kaelyn would get angry at the answer.

“No,” he said, looking down.

“Hey, look at me.” Kaelyn started. His answer didn’t surprise her, but it was his attitude about it that was frustrating.

“I’m not angry. I know people don’t just change overnight, but… I’m not really the same person anymore. I’m not going to get mad or upset, okay?” She looked around and then back at him, considering her words.

She put the necklace back on. It was difficult to say what she wanted to say to him. Why were three little words so difficult to say? But they aren’t so little when you think about it. It wasn’t the time or place for it either. 

Kaelyn decided to express that emotion in a way without saying it.

“Whatever you choose… I care about you. I’ve always cared about you. We can be friends or anything. I’ll always be your girl, Landon.”