Love is Hard

Home is in His Arms

Finally home.
I have been dreaming of this.
I have been waiting for this!
Caleb keeps whispering how much he loves me in my ear and I just hold on tighter. When he prepares to step away to give the others my welcoming home hugs, I bring him closer, and he laughs.
"I have missed you so much." I look up at him, while still refusing to let go. I hear my dad clear his throat, for clear reasons....
"Iz?" I let go, sending him a look before passing onto my father.
"Daddy!" I embrace him.
"Well, don't you hog her too!" My moms wavering voice pipes up and my dad passes me on.
"Mama." I smile, while she pulls me closer.
"My baby girl! I want to hear all about it! Everything!"
"Kindra, let the girl breathe!" My dad laughs and I step back, placing a kiss on her cheek.
"I love you mom." She wipes away more tears, and hugs my father.
"Jackson!" I greet, "I don't see a 'baby mama', so you listened well." He laughs and gives me a hug.
"Missed you too." I see Katie when he steps back. She squeals and hugs me, nearly knocking me off my feet.
"I have done so much stuff, I have to tell you all about it!"
"Okay, calm down Katie!" I laugh while she pulls away. I walk over to my brother, my hands finding my hips.
"What, you don't want a hug from me?" He smiles, and pulls me into his big brother hug. I notice his scent of extra Axe. I pull away and remember my passenger. I see her struggling with both suitcases, slowly trying to make it to us.
"I'll be right back!" I motion to everyone, making a sprint over to my friend. "You could've yelled at me." I make her laugh as I take my suitcase from her grasp. When we finally get back to my family, I stand by Caleb while introducing her to everyone.
"This is Caleb. My mom, Kindra, and my dad, Oliver. That's Jackson and Katie, and my brother is at the end." I see Justin straighten out his clothes and mumble something. I kiss Caleb on the cheek as my mom and dad fret over who was going to get to spend time with me first. I look over them all, imprinting their faces into my head. When my eyes roll across Jackson and Katie, I have to look back to realize what I just saw.
"What's this?" I narrow my eyes, as I walk over to them. I point towards their hands. Yes, they are holding hands....
"Oh, yeah." Jackson mutters.
"Oh, yeah what?" I start getting protective.
"We're together...." Katie pipes up.
"Okay, we're going to let you go to your apartment and get settled for the week. Then we'll meet for dinner after a while." My mom finally speaks, pulling my attention away from these two. Caleb joins me with my suitcase in his other hand and Ella trailing behind. When he grips my hand, I point to my friends.
"We're not done here." I smile as I walk away, secretly excited they finally picked up my hints.
~~~
"I think that's it." I let out a tired breath.
"That only took you about 30 minutes." Caleb looks at his watch before wrapping his arms around the back of my body.
"Well, I've gotten good at packing and unpacking." I place my fingers over his, my arms outlining his under mine. "Have you been working out?" I pull away.
"Nah." He smirks.
"More like, yeah." I grab his hands, wrapping them, myself, around my waist. He kisses me and I suddenly hear Justin and Ella laugh. I sneak around to the edge of my door, and I peak out of the crack. They sit on my couch, and I can tell Justin's nerves have subsided. I feel Caleb's hands massaging my shoulders and I lose my concentration about my brother and my newest best friend. "So when did Katie and Jackson happen?"
"A little after you left. They started hanging out more, so they just hit it off." When he places a kiss on my shoulder bone, I walk over into my bathroom. Everything never moved; it looked as if Katie was never here.
"Did she stay here?" I grab a hair tie from off the door knob, pulling my hair into a high, messy pony tail. When I step out, Caleb is laying on my bed, his fingers rolling over his eyes.
"No." He finally answers.
"Why not? Does anyone stay here?"
"Justin does." He sits up, as I place my back against the headboard on my side. "He's been staying at my place about once a week, and most the time not even on purpose." I open my nightstand drawer, and I pick up "Divergent" the book.
"I should just throw this away." I shove it back in, burying my face into my lap.
"Hey?" Caleb scoots till he's next to me. "You got to finish that." He states, his finger lightly tracing up my arm.
"Like I'll have the time." I scoff. I turn towards him, feeling regretful about my attitude. "Sorry, I'm just so stressed out about my book." I sigh.
"Its so weird hearing you say that." Caleb kisses my cheek, trying to lift my spirits. I send him a small smile, knowing he means well.
"I didn't mean to bring my work home with me, but the stress just follows me everywhere." I bury my head again.
"I'm here for you, when you need me." Caleb kisses the top of my head.
"I know you are." I lean my head onto his shoulder, smiling.

~~~

"That tickles." I murmur, barely able to keep my eyes open.
"That's why I did it." Caleb kisses my ear again, but I'm too exhausted to stop him. We all went out to eat for dinner and I got to talk about meeting Ella, and Mrs. Union. I added a little update on my book, but I didn't spill too much. Caleb had brought me home, and like old times, we put on a movie and cuddled until I had to go to bed. I didn't want Caleb to leave, so I persuaded him to stay, which didn't take much. Not too long ago, Ella and Justin just got done blowing up the air mattress they had to go buy. Caleb's body is formed around mine, and the small lamp on my dresser behind us is the only thing providing light in my bedroom. I missed his warm body next to mine, so much. I'm hanging off the edge of sleep, until I hear Ella.
"She really does love you."
"How can you tell?" He whispers, clearly trying not to wake me up.
"It usually takes her hours to fall asleep." She pauses, "She's out in minutes when she's in your arms."
"We both needed this." He nuzzels his nose deeper into the crook of my neck, and out of the little view I have, Ella smiles. She slowly joins Justin again, closing my bedroom door. "I remember this." He whispers again, his fingers overlapping mine. "At least I have you, just not the way I want it to be."
"Why are you telling me this, again?" I murmur, my eyes staying closed.
"Wait, you're awake?" His voice picks up.
"I was awake the first time you said those words." I scoff, surprised at how much sarcasm I can have with so much tiredness controlling me.
"I wasn't thinking about you being awake still." His head buries into the back of my hair.
"What do you mean this time?" I ask, confused to why he said it, again.
"I want you, no doubt about that. I just want you longer than temporarily."
"That day isn't too far ahead." I mumble, feeling the sleep overtake me again, but also understanding the true meaning of his words.
"I love you, Isabelle."
"I love you, Caleb."
His grip around my body becomes more firm and soft. His breathing, right in my ear, is like a drum putting me to sleep. I go over what all happened today, I even recap about the thought of me being home....
I'm home. Finally. Right where I belong. Literally.
I breathe in the scent of the man I love, remembering all those times I had to imagine his arms around me and look into a screen to see him. Even the feeling of his touch makes me grateful for this short trip back home. I remember all those times I had fears about us, always convinced that something was going to go completely wrong. But laying here in the arms of Caleb, I could feel the fire in me finally kindle. My thoughts of failing him and breaking his heart  are finally over, now I have hope for a bright future with him. Okay, you might think I'm over thinking this, but he just makes me think I can do anything! If this is what love is, I like it.
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Thank you for reading!

Hope you liked it. I like putting old memories into my new chapters, its kinda like a reminder of what I've already written.(:

- Emuna_Jasmine