The Hoodie Girl Afterward

A Plane Trip and a Plain Break

Does it count as a broken promise if the promise was never spoken? It should because it hurts just as much. 

I know I told Asher not to wait on me and not to promise me forever, but something told me he would anyway if nothing but to prove me wrong. And when he told me he was coming all the way to New Haven, Connecticut to see me, I thought it would be like one of those really sappy reunions that always show on TV, where we're looking but can't find each other and we both almost leave so sad because we missed the other person, when suddenly we see something and the music changes and we run slow motion towards the other and we hug for a whole minute as the camera sweeps around and around us showing all of our angles.

I thought it would be like that.

But then I saw her.

A tall red-headed girl was standing next to Asher. She was slim but curvy in all the right places and whenever she said something, he laughed. Basically, a walking equation to make another girl jealous. Which was of course what I was.

But did I have the right to be?

I mean, Asher and I left for college I came to him in tears, professing my love to him one last time and telling him I was sorry. I broke up with him, even through all his protests. I didn't want him to feel tied down to me when we lived thousands of miles apart, and everyone knows long distance relationships never work out. Besides the occasional texting and the monthly phone call to check up on each other, we never really talked. And when he did, he always found a way to ask me if we could date again, and I always had to change the subject because my heart couldn't bare telling him no.

But never once had he mentioned another woman in his life. Oh, he's told me about his new friends and about the adventures they go on together. He's told me about other girls but all of those relationships were strictly platonic, which he had mentioned several times.

So who was she?

I had been standing still for the past 5 minutes contemplating all of this and what I should do in this situation. When Asher's blue eyes finally looked up at me, my natural fight or flight instincts took over and I did what any birdie would do when feeling scared or provoked: I flew. 

I ran as fast and as hard as I could, only looking back once to see Asher yelling my name and pulling his little friend behind him, reassuring my suspicions that they were indeed together. I ran, silent tears falling down my eyes, suddenly thankful for my friends shoving me inside the on-campus gym. I ran between large crowds, bobbing and weaving myself through small spaces that I knew Asher wouldn't be able to get through because of his size, his bags, and her. 

I came upon a group of girls my age and stood with them as if I was apart of their group, laughing at whatever the girl talking had just said. Luckily, us girls have a sixth sense for knowing when one of us is having a bad day and they welcomed me in pretending I was one of them, never once asking my name, calling me Brooke instead of Wren. After about 10 minutes, I nodded my thanks and ducked back out of the group, making my way to the exit of the airport. 

I didn't care that he had come all this way for me, I didn't care that he didn't have a place to spend the night, and I didn't care that the girl on his arm was going to think way less of me. Asher probably already thought that the second he saw her.

I had my head down low, wishing for the first time in 2 years that I still had my hoodie, not even bothering to wipe the tears off of my face. I opened the door that led me out of the airport and onto the traffic of everyone trying to get out and to their loved ones. As I tried not to let that thought get to me as much as it did, I walked to my car and slowly got in. I put my keys into the ignition and looked in the mirror to see if it was blocked or not.

Standing in my rear-view mirror with his hands stretched out not allowing me to move anywhere was none other than Asher. He looked like he did when I left him, his blue eyes still crystal clear, just as fit, and just as handsome. The only thing that changed was the 5 o' clock shadow that now graced his chin. I looked around, surprised to not see her. I stepped out of the car, leaving it running, and walked to him. 

His normally calm eyes were a rage  of fury which only heightened when he said, "WHAT THE FUCK WREN!"

I winced at his hostility, but before I saw his eyes soften like they always did when I flinched, I yelled back at him, "ME!? WHAT ABOUT YOU! WHO WAS THAT GIRL, HUH!" My voice cracked as the tears continued to fall, and I whispered, "You never even told me you were dating someone."

"What?" He asked, looking quite confused, which only fueled my internal flames. How could he not know!?!?! 

"The tall red-head that you were with earlier! Don't think I didn't ee you two talking and laughing. Where is she anyway? Did you send her away so that I wouldn't get jealous? So you could talk to me privately? DID YOU REALLY THINK I DIDN'T SEE HER!?" I yelled at him, furiously distraught inside that he would do this to me.

Then he did the most Asher-like thing for him to do in this situation: He laughed.

I stepped back, thoroughly confused at what was happening. 

"You mean Mal? No, she's just someone I met on the plane who said she went to Yale. I figured I could introduce you two and you could have another friend," he said, still chuckling, "But then she saw her boyfriend, and wished me luck in finding you. Which by the way wasn't easy. I gave up after you went into your third crowd and decided I better just stake out your car..."

I zoned out after he had said the word "boyfriend". So this Mal girl wasn't trying to steal Asher, she just honestly wanted to meet me. Which means that Asher came alone, which means he really came here for me. I stopped his talking when I jumped on him and gave him the biggest hug I could hoping it could convey the three little words I didn't say.

I think it did because he only stumbled back a little and then immediately wrapped his arms around me, holding me as close as he possibly could. we breathed each other in, and he muttered into my neck, "I missed you so much, Birdie."

And just like that everything fell into place. 

And then we got locked out of the car. 

If you are reading this one shot and really like it, please check out my profile for more of my own stories. Thanks.