The park.

'Where do you want to go?' you ask, smiling back as charmingly as you can at her and then it's time for you to pay. You put all your groceries in your bag, while Alice thinks about the proposition.

'We could go to a park, smoke some weed? It's nice weather anyway.' She proposes this while you bag your groceries, and you catch the cashier staring at her a little curiously.

'Yeah, sure!' you tell her with a wide smile.

When you have both packed the groceries, you get out of the breezy supermarket into the baking hot sunlight. It's a beautiful day. The kind of day where you feel that anything might happen. The park is about ten minutes away from the store, and you waste no time in catching up a little.

She tells you that since you left she has found a boyfriend; his name Pascal. You remember him from high-school. He was an asshole back then, one of the jocks. But maybe that had changed, you wish Alice the best after all, though you are a little jealous. You try not to show this to her, and ask if it is going well. She explains that it is going alright, and they're thinking about moving to the city together. Your heart sinks a little, so you tell her your own story.

She listens to the tale of your break-up with your last girlfriend, somebody she didn't know, and lie that you are actually pretty happy about it. You joke that it now leaves you a little time to explore with other girls, do the things you couldn't do when you were in a relationship; traveling abroad, find some time for your creative endeavors, socialize more with your friends. She lights up especially after that last part, which makes you happy.

You've been talking so animatedly that you don't realize that you arrived at the park already. In front of you is a sprawling field, surrounded by trees and winding forest paths deeper into the woods . It's a beautiful park, one you've spent a lot of time at in your younger years. Mostly because it was the perfect place to have a sneaky joint or some beers when you were still underage. You find that old habits die hard, and the both of you find a private bench, somewhere deep in the back of the park. It used to be your usual spot, hidden behind the trees for unwanted onlookers.

You both take a seat, still talking, and you realize that your relationship barely changed over the last years, even though you barely saw each other. The sign of a real friendship. Alice rolls a tight, long joint, filled to the brim with weed and tobacco - the best way to smoke it - while you talk casually about movies you've seen in the past years. You forgot that she had such great taste, and it warms you a little to know that you have your best friend back.

When the joint is ready, she lights it up and casually takes a few puffs before passing it over to you. You take it a little apprehensively, it's been a while since you smoked some. And so, when you take your first puff, you cough a little too hard for your liking. You feel shivers down your back, welcoming you to that old feeling again. Alice laughs at you a little mockingly,

'Oh, shut up,' you sneer, slightly embarrassed. 'It's been a while for me, okay?'

'It's alright,' She says. 'It works stronger when you cough.'

You smile at her remark. She always wants to make to feel you better and you appreciate it in her. She looks you straight in the eyes and smiles too.

'I'm glad you're back again,' she tells you sincerely. 'I've missed my best friend, you know...' She grabs your hand.