AS IT WAS「 RHEA RIPLEY 」

1

i. I don't wanna talk about the way that it was

You yawned as you crossed your arms against your chest, leaning back against your car as you took a deep breath.

You were freezing to death waiting outside the airport for your girlfriend, and you were starting to feel yourself get more and more irritated as sleep was starting to take over you.

You walked in place for a bit, trying to shake off the cold, the boredom and the sleep off of you. Your girlfriend was supposed to be walking through the gates any moment now; and as you always did when you had the chance, you offered to pick Rhea up from the airport when she came back from wherever she was, but this time you were regretting not just telling her to get a cab.

Of course you were dying to see her, but you wouldn't have minded waiting a few hours more. It wasn't like a few more hours were going to do any harm, considering you went like a month without seeing her.

As you stared absently at the glass doors, the figure of your girlfriend finally made its appearance in the empty hall. A small smile bloomed on your face when Rhea waved at you from the other side of the street as the automatic doors closed behind her.

There was a weird feeling that sunk in your throat as you saw her approaching you: a feeling that was close to boredom, a weird apathy from Rhea's presence. And you didn't like it, so you swallowed it down.

You were eager to see her, but not anxious and on edge as you expected yourself to be, ready to go and jump on her like usual. It was like all of that time without seeing her got you used to her absence.

"...hi love!" you smiled as your girlfriend wrapped her arms tightly around you, pulling your body flush against her.

You wrapped your arms around her middle, chuckling against her neck as you closed your eyes. You hummed as you held her for a few more seconds before pulling away, mumbling "I missed you".

"I missed you too..." Rhea's hand moved to cup your face before pulling you for a kiss, making you sigh contently "...but can we get in the car? I'm freezing out here".

"Yup. Come on".

You opened the door for her and she got inside while you threw all her luggage in the backseat, before following after and climbing into the driver's seat.

"How was the flight?" you asked as you started the car, glancing at her from the corner of your eye.

"Fine. Good" Rhea replied as she unzipped her jacket, taking it off "I'm tired though".

You nodded. She was tired, you were tired, there was nothing much left to talk about.

A brief moment of silence passed until Rhea reached to turn on the radio, playing with it until she tuned to some station where heavy metal was playing.

Her hand reached out to grab yours, but when you didn't move it from the wheel giving her an apologetic look, it made its way to rest on your thigh.

It was familiar and comforting as it was supposed to be. There was no need to question if it wasn't feeling a bit forced, a bit awkward, and for a split second, you felt out of place.

But then Rhea's thumb started rubbing circles into your leg almost apologetically. And was just nice, it was just right and if not, you forced it to be.

The both of you were silent during the whole drive to your apartment. A few lazy kisses were shared before Rhea went to take a shower and you crashed in bed, not bothering to wait up for her.