Susan stood when I approached, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. Then she grabbed me in a hug so tight I couldn't breathe, her whole body shaking.
"I thought you were dead." My voice cracked against her shoulder. "They covered you with a sheet. There was so much blood. And I couldn't move, couldn't help-"
"Hey, I'm here. I'm okay." I held her just as tight, feeling her heart racing against mine. "Susan, breathe. I'm right here."
We sank into the booth, neither of us letting go until the barista cleared her throat pointedly. Susan ordered for both of us - our usual study-session drinks from college. The normalcy of it almost broke me.
"Tell me what happened." I kept my voice steady. "After they grabbed me."
