The Interview • Chris Evans

The Plan

"I'm going to miss you Ro," you said, squeezing her so tightly you were surely restricting her breathing.

The airport was busy, the early morning commuters and travellers bustling around you as you said your goodbyes.

"I miss you too you know," she said, hugging you back. "It's not the same without you."

You pulled back, wiping at a stray tear that had escaped the corner of your eye. "What, no sarcastic remark that I'm a sap?"

She rested her hands on your upper arms, a half smile on her lips. "I'm not always a shit head." Her smile shifted, her face serious. "Your life is changing fast – faster than a person could possibly keep up with. I know you feel like you're losing pieces of yourself in the process, but it's not the important stuff. What makes you happy? Choose that, and everything else will be ok."

"That simple?" You asked, your gaze falling to your shoes.

"Yes, it is. Don't stand in the way of your own happiness. If that happiness is this life you're building here – with Chris – then jump in with both feet."

"And if it's not? It's not like I have a lot of options. I'm technically homeless."

"And if it's not," she said, wrapping her fingers around yours, "you always have a place with me. You won't need it though. You're going to figure this all out, and live a beautiful Boston life that is going to rot my teeth out from sweetness. Everything is going to work out."

"When did you get so smart?" You wiped another tear from your face as she smiled.

"Hanging around with your fortune cookie sounding ass was bound to rub off on me eventually."

You hugged her again, pulling back as the PA system announced that they were commencing boarding for her flight.

"I love you. Now get out of here, you're going to miss your flight. Text me when you land." She made no move to leave at first so you shooed her towards the security line.

She grinned back at you as she loaded her stuff onto the belt, nodding her head towards a cute TSA agent. "I'll text you in five."

You rolled your eyes at her antics, watching until she was out of sight.

Now that she was gone, you felt her absence acutely, and wished that she had fallen in love with Boston as much as you had. Seeing her once or twice a year was harder than you'd thought it would be and you could only hope one day she'd eventually move here, despite the cold winters.

Stepping out of the airport doors, you had to walk carefully to avoid the travellers rushing to hop into cabs or running for their late flights. The car that Chris had arranged for Ro was still idling, waiting to take you back to his place. As you approached, Carson got out of the driver's seat, stepping around the car and opening the back door for you.

Climbing in, you smiled at him, though you weren't even sure he saw it with the way his eyes were scouring the area for threats. He shut the door once you were safely inside, walking around the front of the car. The vehicle seemed absurdly luxurious, likely worth more than you would be able to afford in this lifetime, with its gleaming black interior that was more like a limo than a sedan.

Carson got behind the wheel, pulling away from the airport and merging into the insane Boston traffic. He was endlessly patient as the car crawled along, and you answered texts from Ro who was disappointed she didn't have time to flirt with that cute TSA agent.

You tossed your phone on the seat beside you once she boarded her flight, leaning your head against the window as you stared at the traffic.

Chris had been gone when you woke up this morning, and it had set you on edge. It wasn't like you'd been together long enough to have established a routine, but he'd always been there when you'd woken up. He'd texted while you were getting into the car with Ro to the airport that he had an early meeting downtown and didn't want to wake you, and you did your best to push down the weird feeling that had settled in your stomach.