Autumn Leaves

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

           Paul

     It's been years since I last saw her and I'm thankful I saw her again.

     Yesterday before I arrived to the airport, I missed my flight so I got an hour delay and I had to use my own money to buy another ticket. When I was already in the plane, the flight attendants were shitty and so was the food. Or maybe everything else just seemed shitty.

     I didn't even get to sleep which means I didn't have a good rest for more than twenty-four hours already. When I was in the cab on the way to Paige's place, my head was throbbing, the circles under my eyes became darker, and my eyes had become bloodshot.

     Now here I am breathing the same air alone with Megan once again, looking like a piece of shit. I missed this kind of space between us - in fact, I missed everything we had.

     I became nervous - does she still love me or does she already hate me because of what I did to her before? Because I still love her.

     "Megan," I said and walked closer to her, close enough just like how I did before now that we're alone together. "It's so nice to see you again."

     Megan looked down at her feet for a moment then returned to me. "Why didn't you say goodbye?" She said, her voice shaking. "I waited for you. I tried calling you but it said your number was gone."

     I cupped her jaw with one hand. "I know. I'm sorry," I caressed my thumb on her cheek and she put her hand over mine. "I thought I needed to focus on my future first so I left you without saying goodbye or breaking up with you because I know it would just hurt you even more if I did."

     She gripped the hem of my shirt, looking at her hands and avoiding my eyes again. "But it did," she replied and gripped harder on my shirt.

     "I'm sorry," I said again. "But I hope you didn't stop loving me the way that I did until now." I stroked her hair. The feeling was coming back again from the years we dated.

     She looked at me, her eyes shining with tears and it hurts my chest. Maybe she remembered how hard it was for her. "I-"

     I didn't want to hear further as the second thought popped into my head - what if she says no? How about your plans of kissing her again just like the old times?

     So I kissed her before my second thought becomes real. I know it isn't right but I do it. I felt her tense but she put her hands on my chest and clenched my shirt anyway. I took her to the wall and pin her against it and eventually stopped in case she didn't want to continue.

     She smiled and shifted her head to breathe on my hand that was still on her cheek. "I didn't because everyday, I wait for you to finally call me back. . . even until now."  She finally answered.

     I sighed in relief. "So you do?"

     "Hell yeah, I still do." She said and pulled me in for another kiss, wrapping one arm around my neck.

     We just stayed there making out and recreating the moments we missed. My hand slid down to her thigh, getting ready to carry her in my arms. I started slowly kissing her neck while she wrapped her arm around my neck tighter in return, removing the space between us.

     Until someone winced and Megan's arm loosened around me. For a moment, I thought I hurt her physically but the wince was low like a man's.

     I looked at her face and her eyes were opened wide, looking behind me. I turned my head to what she was terrified of and I fully understood why.