It Ends Like This (Short Story)

It Ends Like This (2)

***

I hear the bickering before my eyes open.

I stare at the white ceiling. It feels like I had woken up from that sleep paralysis. That fever dream that I couldn’t pinch myself out of.

‘’….you were the one that wanted her corset to be tighter o.’’

''Please, she hadn't eaten all day.''

‘’and her hair was pulled too tight…’’

‘’oh my god, guys she has woken up.’’

The white ceiling has been replaced with the faces of all members of my bridal train. The sight gives me a migraine.

‘’Wey are you okay?’’

''your make-up…'' someone gasps.

''yes,'' I say. ‘’I’m fine.’’

‘’you just passed out, how can you be okay?’’

‘’where’s Richard?’’ I get up.

‘’waiting.’’ Ada says. ‘’we figured you passed out because of the stress so we thought to let you take a breather.’’

‘’the wedding’s still happening?’’ I asked in disbelief.

They looked at themselves in confusion.

‘’where’s my phone?’’

‘’what is it?’’ Furi asked.

''I need my phone,'' I said.

‘’why?’’

‘’is it your business?’’

She reluctantly hands it to me.

‘’could you all excuse me for a moment?’’

‘’Wey, you’re acting crazy…’’

''Please,'' I say. ''I'll be out in a minute. I just need some privacy and some air.’’

They all exchange looks, then leave reluctantly. It’s only 1pm. Nothing in my head has made more sense than what I am about to do.

Nothing feels more reasonable. I look at the window, and it is big enough for me to pass through.

I order a bolt through my phone, and after 5 minutes of bouncing my leg on the floor, I slide through that window and head to the airport.

I could have stopped myself. Maybe gone home instead and waited for people to realize the wedding was never going to happen.

I could have even gone through with marrying Richard, too and made everyone proud.

But I chose to chase after Jimi and his afternoon flight.

Everyone in the airport looks at me as though I am crazy. But I do not care. I call Jimi’s phone and hope it rings. I hope he is here. Maybe sitted on a bench listening to music, his legs stretched out. Maybe he would be talking to someone because he liked small talk when he was nervous.

Maybe he’d already gotten on a plane and he’d lied that his flight was 2pm.
I dialled his number anyways and hoped to God he would pick up.

He did on the third ring.

‘’Wey?’’

My head whips around; clutching the phone in my ear, looking frantically for him. ‘’Jimi? Where are you?’’

‘’Wey, what’s wrong?’’

''I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I let you go. I'm so sorry I broke your heart. I was stupid and selfish and I cannot imagine my life with anyone else but you, Jimi.’’

The line was silent. I was in tears now. I didn’t care about the people looking at me. I just needed to see him.

‘’Jimi, are you still there?’’

‘’turn around.’’

‘’what?’’

''Please, turn around.''

I did, and there he was, in a white shirt and khaki trousers. ‘’hey.’’ I said.

***

He left that night. I could not stop him from leaving, even though I wanted to.

But I could kiss him. I kissed him as if we would not see each other again.
And somehow I was okay if we didn’t.

No, I wasn’t okay that night as I cried on my bathroom floor after I'd gotten off the phone with the makeup artist Furi had to book again –but much later when I realized I loved watering spider plants and watching swimming pools fill up.

‘’you weren’t selfish, Wey.’’ Jimi had said that afternoon at the airport, still holding my chin up. ‘’you needed to do what you had to do.’’

‘’Jimi, it might have been a mistake. Leaving you might have been a mistake.’’

He said nothing. He let go of my face. I could not read the look in his eyes. They’d gone dark.

''you know, for months I asked myself what I would do if you come back. If I could somehow get you to turn back when you left that night. You know, if you love something, let it go? I told myself you’d come back. But I didn’t know if I knew exactly what I’d do if you finally did. You had hurt me, Wey. You had hurt me in ways I never thought you would. God, I was hurt. And angry. Angrier than hurt, sef. But you know what I realized? I realized you were right to end what we had. I could never give you the life that guy you're marrying would. I was the selfish one.’’

‘’do you still love me, Jimi?’’

‘’do you still love me, Wey? Be honest.’’ I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He kissed me again. ‘’you’re still incredibly impulsive, Wey.’’ He said.