Unfinished, You and I

Chapter Two: Grounded

*I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CHAPTER IS SHORTER THAN THE FIRST, BUT PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STORY SO FAR! WHAT CAN I IMPROVE ON? WOULD YOU LIKE THE CHAPTERS TO BE LONGER THAN THE FIRST OR IS THE LENGTH OF THIS CHAPTER SOMETHING YOU FIND MORE APPEALING?*

I grab all my belongings and clock out of work. I rummage through my bag trying to find my phone. I feel the keychain attached to it and I pull it out. You had texted me already. 'Come outside.'

I walk out the door and there you are. You're waiting outside, next to the car, waving me down. I smile and tilt my head. I make my way towards you and you start inching my way in return. You open your arms indicating you'd like a hug. I would never turn down such an offer. I make it to you and you embrace me. I hug you back and you seem to tighten your hold. I enjoy this moment with you.

"How was work?" You ask.

"Good. Got busy but I got great tips today. Got over 20% at every table." I say looking up at you.

You're already looking down at me. You don't say anything but that smile tells me a million things. 'I'm proud of you.' ' NO duh you got those tips.' 'With someone as kind and caring as you, I'd tip you the same price as my meal.' So many words I can make with just your smile.

"Alright, let's go! We're gonna be late!" You say to me excitedly.

I quickly jog to the passenger side, "Late? Late for what?" I say before the both of us open our doors.

You pause before getting in the car, "You'll see." You get in, I quickly follow and I close the door.

Oh, Travis. You know I don't like surprises. I like knowing what's coming. I like knowing what the hell is going on. I can feel the anxiety start accumulating in me. I think you notice it too as my legs shaking is the main indicator.

You place a hand on my thigh, "It's nothing to worry about. Do you trust me?"

I look at your hand, then at you. I nod and you tell me it's okay and flash me a smile. How do you manage that? With the muscles in your face working together you manage to make my worries disappear. You manage to do what no one has been able to do in so long.

You kept me grounded. You kept me in the present. It scared me to the core, but it relaxed me at the same time. It's almost as if you were too good to be true, Travis.

The drive lasts about an hour. We still have yet to say a word to each other. The music and you holding my hand are enough though. The wind hitting my palm outside the window is something that will always be amusing to me. It will always make me feel like I'm free. For a while, this was my Travis. The brisk wind numbing my hand would help me stay grounded. It will keep me out of my head and just help me realize where I'm at. It reminds me that I am nowhere else but here.

Just like you do for me, or did for me.

You make a sharp left turn onto a dirt road and we close our windows. I look at you and you take a quick glance at me, and your smile is soft and your eyes are so gentle. If the saying 'butterflies in your stomach' were literal, there'd be a swarm. I would simply burst and millions of beautiful and colorful creatures would fly out of me. The number of butterflies would simply overwhelm the car windows causing them to shatter and it would be like a firework had gone off without the loud booming sound.

This is how you make me feel Travis. This is how you made me feel.

You pull into an empty lot and we're on a hill somewhere. You park the car in front of the metal railing and We can see the light pollution coming from the city, but the stars from up here are so real that the scenery seems almost fake. The skies seem to be so clear and I'm left in awe. I unbuckle my seat belt and get out of the car. I take a deep breath in and it's like I'm taking my first breath of fresh air for the first time in so many years. I continue to look up at the sky and I can tell. This is something that I will remember forever.