Said and Done
Cole Messinger
→ BFA FD 2025
“I don’t think we were meant to fall in love.”
“Please don’t say you’re in love with me.”
“No, I’m not. But it could’ve easily happened. Y’know what I mean, right? Like, I feel like we’ve been walking on the edge of a cliff. And, right now, I’m looking over the edge and one wrong step. . . and, well — ”
“But now you can say we’ve made it back safely. Tomorrow we can leave knowing we shared something real.”
“Yeah, I’m glad we are where we are now. But still. . . a part of me wonders what would’ve happened if I took a wrong step.”
“You would be broken and I would be alone. And we would still find ourselves here in this moment.”
. . .
“Maybe, but you can’t be sure.”
“What are you trying to say here? When I said the last couple of weeks together have been great I really meant it! But now, on this last night, you start talking about falling in love. Did you want someone to get hurt?”
“You can never be sure. But you can’t go out looking to get hurt, if it happens it’s accidental. Please don’t say you’re in love with me.”
“Of course not! It’s more that I’m fascinated by the idea of falling being something accidental. You can’t throw yourself off the edge. I’m not crazy, I don’t want to go over.”
. . .
1:44 am.
“And I’m also not crazy. What we’ve had. This. Here. It’s been real. It’s been good.”
“Yeah, you’re right. And truthfully, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I guess the last couple of weeks have been exactly what I wanted.”
“You can’t complain when things go according to plan.”
“No, no complaints. It has really been a lovely time.”
“Hey, I gotta be at the airport by eight, and I wanna get some sleep. Can you set your alarm for four-thirty-five? I have mine on, but, you know, just in case.”
“Sounds good, goodnight then.”
“Goodnight.”
. . .
“I love you.”
“I know.”
Cole Messinger usually orders an oat milk latte.