Love is a Verb (Riley/Before You Exit)

Can We?

Kaitlin

I'm tired and I need a drink. My feet is killing me cause it's throbbing badly. My head's swarming with thousands of thoughts as to where I can find him. I know he wouldn't let himself get hurt but he's famous. Who knows what people can do to him? As Connor said to me, "He's not in the best shape to fight." This is making me worry so much and I'm going to freak out if I don't find him soon.

I just ran out of the McDonough's residence without a second glance on everyone. Maybe I can find him for myself as I look through the places that he showed me before. He can still be in of those places.

Oh what the heck am I even thinking?

It's been three years. He could've changed on his routine. And I can remember that his favorite place was brutally demolished and was turned into some apartment. And the fact that I don't my way around Orlando. He could be anywhere. This is so stupid of me.

But why don't I call them now? It's not my fault that he snuck out right? I decided to just walk around before I called them. Maybe I'll get lucky. Why is it so dark now? I checked my phone.

9:30 pm

Okay? I've been searching for him for this long. It didn't even feel like that. It felt like three hours but no. Where the heck am I going to search for him. I went to the nearby park and now it's getting cold as I stare at the water.

Until it hit me...

He couldn't? He possibly could. I ran quickly to that same spot not caring as the cold whip of air hits my face and my body. You might wonder what same spot?

Well, that same spot that he saved me from the fall. I don't know why but it feels like he would go there for some reason. He likes to go to recent places that he went to especially when something funny happens or something that he wants to think about all over again. I just hope I'm right. It's very difficult to search the same tree that I sat on in the dark but I don't want to scream either.

I then saw a tiny bit of light coming from somewhere and hitting something shiny. I ran to where it is and I touched it immediately: A guitar. This is it. I grabbed my phone and clicked on the flashlight button and angled it up the tree branch.

I was right. There he was. With eyes closed.

"Riley." I said quietly but I know he heard it cause his eyes opened and squinted from the light.

"Who's there?" His voice said. Oh, he couldn't see me because of the light. I sighed and pointed the light to my face. Silence. "Hey, did you know you left a cup in here?" A cup?

It hit me and I smiled. "My Starbucks cup." I said in realization. "Can you please go down?" I said to him and turned off the light.

"Why?"

"We need to talk." I said to him and I really hope he oblige. "I went to your room to talk to you but you snuck out."

"Does everyone know?" He asked me.

I shook my head but then I remembered he can't see me clearly. "No. I decided to look for you. I saw the letter, Riley. Please. Let's talk. I'm not running away anymore. I'm letting my stupidity go. It was so immature of me. I'm sorry." I said to him. He doesn't reply to me and I was going to speak again when I felt two hands cupped my face.

"You don't have to say sorry you know. It's my fault why you keep on running away from me. I'm really sorry for lying to you, Kaitlin. It was irrational and ridiculous. I'm sorry for being a coward. I let my negativity get in the way of us being happy. I'm sorry for letting you down." His voice felt so close and I couldn't help but smile. "Sorry for not trying to look for you in those 3 years. I didn't want to bother you anymore and you made it very good. You abandoned your twitter and your old number was declined. I memorized yours even if my phone got stolen but nothing. I had no other way to communicate with you cause even Chandee won't give me any hint how to. So I tried to move on but clearly moving on is not my forte. I haven't. I would never. It broke me when I saw you with that guy when we were in London and I lost it. I never really thought how much I would be longing for you. It's awful and I don't like it." He breathed and stared at me with his beautiful eyes. "If you could give me a second chance. Can I now please be selfish? Cause I truly don't want to see you with another. I'd be confident now and I would try my best to have that smile plastered on your face. I indeed, have fallen for you, not falling but fallen. Through every unspoken poetry in my heart and through every available definition of a verb.. I have fallen for you." He said to me and I couldn't help but giggle on how lame but sweet his words are.