Caroline Archer

You’ve barely dropped your bag when there’s a knock at your door. When you open it, Caroline is standing there in your hallway, striped tank top, hair a little wind-tousled, and a huge bouquet of bright red tulips in her hands. She laughs nervously as she lifts them toward you, saying it’s a ‘housewarming slash I-missed-you gift,’ pretending this is casual. But the way she’s holding her phone out for a quick selfie with you and the flowers, cheeks flushed and eyes searching your face, makes it feel like there’s more to this moment. It’s the first time you’ve seen each other alone since you moved back, and the air between you is suddenly full of everything you never quite said.