the progress project [3]

9 1

fiona

it takes her five minutes to come to terms with the fact that she doesn't want to let christian go.

she flies down the hall, down the 12 sets of stairs, and out the door, and doesn't stop until she sees the back of a blonde man's head. the icy pavement almost causes her to slip four times, but she doesn't care.

"wait," she says, fingers grasping his elbow.

he turns around, staring at her, as if they've never met, but this time, she can see through him. it's too hard to hide his pain.

"i brought you there," fiona says, relieved that she has his attention. "because it was the last place i went with him. i brought you there because i'm trying to show you that i'm ready for you. he will always be a part of my past, but my future... right now, i want that with you. even if it doesn't last long..."

christian shakes his head, and the only thing she can hear are cheers from times square about the five minutes until the new year. "i can't do this with you. it was a mistake to ever request being your caretaker, because it can't work out. i can't date one of my clients again—"

"you requested being with me?" she asks.

he winces, looking down at her. "fiona, i requested to be with you because the moment i laid eyes on you, i thought that you were the most beautiful woman i had ever seen."

her heart floods with warmth, even though she knows it shouldn't. "we can make this work. what will a chance ever be if you don't take it?"

christian hesitates emotionally, yet his hand grazes against her neck. "you're terrified of losing people... so am i. i don't want to—"

"i can't promise that you won't end up with me one day, but i can promise you that you can have me now." cliché, so cliché, but she doesn't care.

"fiona..."

there is cheering, whistling, a cacophony of sounds from the square. 2019 has begun. she stands up taller, holds his face in her hands. "so if you still want me... take the chance. it's all yours."

he kisses her, and she's shaking from the frigid atmosphere, but she doesn't care at all.