The Sunset (Coming Out Strong 2)

Chapter #19

The cure to anything is salt water; be it tears, sweat or the sea.....

The salty warm air of Australia which I had begun to call home was all welcoming. In the back of my mind, I started planning the day that lay in front of me. You know... Go home, have a snug nap (which I hoped didn't stretch into me waking up in the next century), update my blog about my visit to India which I had only begun writing, upload a photo or two. Perfect. Then perhaps read in bed my favourite Nora Roberts's novel with a cup of hot chocolate. Even better.

I plugged in my earphones drowning out the noise outside the taxi cab and sinking into the soothing world of Eagles and realised I must have drifted off to sleep as the taxi came to a screeching halt in my driveway. I murmured a thanks and got out hauling the suitcases behind me.

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes , I started rummaging in my bag for the keys. The door creaked open a little before I turned the key in the lock and the sleep flew away right wherever the hell it wanted to go. Who the hell was in my house ? Or my roommate's whatever ? She wasn't due till next week, I remembered. Intruder.
Pushing the door with my toe, and clutching my handbag which I was sure wouldn't help me against my own clumsy self, I tip-toed inside with my heart hammering in my mouth.

What I saw, or rather whom I saw made me want to run back to the Himalayas and become a saint. In other words : What the fuck are you doing here I didn't want to deal with this at the moment please go back to wherever you came from !!

But he just sat there with flowers in his hand .. Lovely Lillies.. and smiled my favourite smile as he saw me in the embarrassing position hoping to catch an intruder. Out of nowhere I could feel anger. How did he come here ? And more than that ... Why? I run away from him and he follows me. Why.

I marched up to him, "What are you doing here Hastings?", I demanded.

He raised an eyebrow and studied my face. "I missed you", he said simply.

"What?!"

"I missed you."

"Are you telling me that YOU DRAGGED YOUR ASS HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD BECAUSE YOU MISSED ME?", I said my voice rising an octave.

"Yes. Exactly that. And maybe the fact that I love you. That should work too I guess", he stated handing me the flowers.

My world spun in a second unable to take what I had heard. Regaining and trying not to overreact, I raised an eyebrow signalling him to explain.

He inhaled sharply obviously launching into a well prepared speech,"Jenna. She dumped me on Christmas eve for some guy. And I wanted you Rey. I really did. But obviously some goddamn mountains were more important. I don't think I ever loved her though. And now ... You. I wanted to ask you out to the dance on New Years but you ...well. And it didn't take a lot of time for me to figure why I wanted you. I love you Reyna Kane. Plain and simple. And don't even try denying that you don't because I....know....you!"

And with each word he advanced towards me. I was cringing by the time he got to me and in one strong swing he pulled me up in what was an embrace I had missed. "Say something Rey", he whispered but I didn't , afraid that I might burst into happy embarrassing tears. Finally,"How did you get in here?"

He looked up with his eyes twinkling,"your mom. She knows. She had...."

"...spare keys!!", I finished in amazement and shock.

Laughing and burying his face into my hair he said,"Reyna. Be my girlfriend. Will you be my girlfriend?"

I didn't think. I couldn't. So all I could find myself doing was saying "I guess."

Yes yes... Kill me for the late update. But make sure to have a nice day :)