The Dare • Jamilton

A Sign of Love

"Do you even love him?" Lafayette says eyeing me suspiciously.

"Of course I do" I say.

"Then more fucking glitter" he demands pointing at the poster laying in front of me.

Lafayette has volunteered to help me make a welcome back sign for Thomas. But he has become a little bit of a dictator, making the poster more pink, and with more glitter than I thought was appropriate. So after about half an hour we stare down at a rainbow poster with "Welcome Back Thomas" written in pink sparkled letters.

"At least he like magenta." I say. "I got to go"

"How are you getting there" he says flopping back on his bed.

"How do I get anywhere, the bus" I say. "His cars at the airport, so he'll drive us back. So when you hear the music blaring you know we're outside."

"I don't know how your ear drums don't burst whenever you two ride together." He mumbles

"It is the best feeling, him driving, probably faster than he should, the windows down, the music loud." I say happily collapsing back on my bed.

"Is it a better feeling than when he puts his lips around your"

"I should get going" I say not wanting to hear the end of that sentence.

Taking the bus with the sign was more than slightly embarrassing. But I really didn't care. I bounce my leg up and down really nervously. I watch as the town passes by and we pass into the country and finally pull up outside the airport.

The airport isn't too busy, a couple of old people waiting for kids, families waiting for parents to come back from business trips, boyfriends waiting for girlfriends, girlfriends waiting for girlfriends, and me and my sign waiting for Thomas.

His flight has landed according to the display board, so he must be going through customs. Honestly I'm trying not to look overly excited. The bright sign says I'm excited loud enough if my face says it too I'm worried I'll scare Thomas off.

A rush of people come out of the arrival gate and I scan each face to see if Thomas is amongst them. When my eyes finally land on the familiar curly haired boy, he is already looking at me a grin plastered across his face. I blush a little, I can't help it.

I try to push through the crowd to reach him, but their were too many people so I let him come to me. The second he is front of me, I throw my arms around his neck, as he puts his around my waist. He pulls me tighter than I expected but I don't mind.

"I missed you darling" He whispered in my ear and I can't help but shutter a little at the feeling of his lips grazing slightly against my ear.

"Me too" I say pulling away to look at him "babe"

I watch his cheeks glow at me calling him babe. He has the cutest reaction whenever I call him babe, he always blushes, looks away, and gets all flustered. I try not to over use it, I want to make sure he always has this reaction and he doesn't get to use to it.

"Nice sign" He says smirking at me.

"Shut up" I say blushing a little.

"No really it's nice" he says snatching from his hands "you certainly like glitter"

"Fight me" I mumble. "Come on let's get your bags"

"Have you been reading the book I got you" He asks as we walk over to grab his bags.

"To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead" I say dramatically quoting the book.

"So yes" he says.

"Of course" I say smiling "I barely put it down."

He smiles at me and I smile back. It felt so nice to be back with him. It felt weird to admit I had missed him, when only a couple of months ago I wouldn't have cared if he sailed off the ends of the earth.

"What did you think of his views on Plato's theory?"

"A little bit too modernist for my tastes but semi valid"

"Semi valid! It's the most logical implication of his theories in modern literature!" He replies stopping in front of the baggage carousel.

"I'm sorry that I don't believe" I start already getting worked up at Thomas' energy and stupidity but I have to stop cause of the way he is staring at me "What?"

"I just missed this." He says still with a huge grin "Us fighting over stupid things, how easy it is to get you all worked up, and how fucking funny it is to watch"

"I missed this to"

"Oh my bag!" He says leaping forward to grab a bag off the carasoul almost falling over as he pulls it back.

He stumbles back struggling to hold the large suitcase. I don't offer to help because the duffle looks heavier than me, and I would rather not fall on my face trying to heave the bag.

"So tell me everything?" I say as we start towards the parking lot.

"It was amazing" he starts telling me all about Paris, the coffee, the food, the art, his apartment.

"Next time you have to take me!" I say.

"Actually I know you applied to Harvard too, and I was wondering if you would want to take a trip to see it with me. I'll pay for everything"

"I would love too" I say grinning. "When?"

"How about the 27th for 3 days. I book us a hotel room near campus, we  could do a tour, see campus." He says.

"That would be great!" I say excitedly "I've been dreaming of Harvard for years!"

Suddenly I hear a phone going off. I automatically go for my pockets to check if it's mine, but it is Thomas'. He pulls out his phone and checks the caller id.

"Oh it's my boyfriend probably just wants to check I got in okay. Do you mind?"