I arrived to pick up S. at her aunt's house. It was early in the morning, and as customary, S. wasn't quite ready to leave as she was frantically searching for... something. Her aunt showed me around the house a bit, while I waited, since I had never been there before. The house was situated in a typical suburban neighborhood. Trees lined the streets. You can easily imagine young kids learning to ride their bicycles in these kind of places. The kitchen was small, but instilled the sense of home. A plain floral cloth adorned the table and a few dishes remained in the sink. She asked if I would like some coffee, but I declined citing time restraints.

I went to find S. She was a flurry of commotion. Her curly hair whipped behind her as if it were an afterthought. I often wondered how one person can evenly disperse all necessary items equidistant from where you'd like them to be, but she found a way. Despite the frantic nature of the scene, it was a quality of hers that was completely endearing. Scattered, but collected. Conflicted within the allowable limits in which all women find themselves. She tossed everything into her bag, and looked at me as if this was the first time she had seen me.

The smile can't be hidden from my face. I love her. Though, not in the way lovers do, but rather in the way of allies or partners, with respect and grace. So, without complication, I had no problem telling her she looked beautiful as always, my sincerity masked by a feigned flippant demeanor. And, as customary, she thanks me while gently brushing aside the comment. The goal at hand is far more important to her. She asked me if I was ready to go, and as I didn't bother to bring more than could fit into my pockets, I indeed was. Goodbyes and good lucks were exchanged with her aunt at the doorway, and we burst into a typically warm spring morning that Saturday.

We were to catch a bus not too far up the block, and she rushed us down the sidewalk, uneven from the numerous tree roots pushing from underneath. Despite this rushing, we arrived at the stop in time to see the bright yellow of the bus as it drove down the street. S.' panic wasted no time in appearing. Even though she was prone to unnecessary amounts of worrying that she called planning, she succumbed to panic far too quickly. I was often accused of the opposite. I let S. panic for a few seconds. She was painfully cute when she was flustered. Finally, I suggested we just walk to the school, since the weather was nice, and we had plenty of time. I didn't mention that her pension for worrying is exactly why we had so much extra time. I'm sure she would realize that on her own.

And so, we walked, and we talked. She asked me if I thought we'd ever have to take another standardized test after this one. I replied that I hope not, but I'm sure by the time we graduate, they'll have thought up an infinite number of standardized tests for everyone. She gave me a polite laugh, which I appreciated. And, throughout the conversation, I realized just how much I appreciated the time we spent with each other, taking each step together. We had a habit of balancing out each other's personalities, when we were not driving each other crazy. It took no time, but we arrived at the school. I wished her good luck as she walked toward her test room. I didn't look back to see her walk through the door. I knew I'd see her again, when it was over.