Where Valentina Went

Part 9-The Hokey Pokey

Part Nine- The Hokey Pokey

Sunshine drifted through the large bay windows as Tyler and I lay on our back, staring up at the ceiling. It wasn't exactly a comfortable silence. We hadn't exactly gotten much sleep, if you know what I mean and yet I was wide awake.

"Well that was fun," he remarks and I laugh.

"Yup. "

I had no idea what to say.

"So..." he trails off, "What happens now?"

"Uh," I shrug. "I go back to New York and you go back to Oklahoma I guess?"

"No." he sits upright, "No. I let you go once. I won't do it again."

"Tyler, we're totally different people," I tell him.

"No."

"Tyler," I sigh, leaning over and kissing him gently. "We want different things out of life."

"No we don't. We've always been good together." He insists and I sigh again, sitting up in bed and reaching across to grab my bra.

"Yeah, and you've always meant something to be but..." I trail off.

"But what? Tina," he demands, anger flashing through his eyes. "We can be together. I'll move to New York."

"It's not that Tyler," I look down at my hands.

"Then what is it?" He asks.

"Where do you see yourself in Five years?" I ask him.

"What?"

"Answer the question. Where do you see yourself for five years?" I repeat. "In fact, let's say our answers on the count of three."

"Okay?" He looks confused but agrees, "One, Two, And Three."

"Suburbs. Married, with kids."
"New York, dancing."

Silence lapsed between us as he ran his hands through his hair.

"We are way to different now, aren't we?" He looks up at me.

"Yeah." I nod and set my feet on the hardwood floor. We both get dressed in silence and then face each other. "There's this old saying that my mum used to say to me."

"Hmm?"

"One day, whether you're fourteen, twenty eight or sixty five,
you will find someone who lights a fire in you that cannot die.
However, the most awful truth that we find
is that they are not with whom we spend our lives."

"That's really sad." He tells to me.

"Yeah." I nod, "But you're that person to me."

"Well, that's done." He sighs and starts to button up his shirt.

"But hey," I tell him with a grin, "I definitely don't regret last night."

He winks rakishly at me, "Not many women do."

~_~

I stepped out of the terminal of JFK international airport and took a deep breath.

The free first class flight was a nice touch from Mark.

I had left Seattle this morning at four in the morning. Tyler had left yesterday after we said goodbye.

It was nice to know that we finally got our goodbye. It wasn't much but I was satisfied with the fact that our loose ended "relationship" had gotten closure. In truth, we were in high school and having fun. That's what our relationship was to me but it was so much more to him. I was just stupid and didn't see it. Whatever regret I had was lifted off my shoulders and I could feel myself become much lighter.