Don't You Worry About The Distance

Chapter 9

Kellin's POV

I couldnât be more excited about going over to New York for Christmas. Itâs safe to say I never had the chance to go, even when I lived in Michigan, which is significantly closer. But back then my mom worried more about something else rather than going on trips outside the state. My parents got a divorce when my sister and I were teenagers and even though I was young, I noticed how much my mother struggled to afford a good lawyer so she could get our custody.

My father fought hard for our custody too, but it was only out of the hatred he had towards my mother. The reason of that is beyond me. He was a careless and irresponsible man who would have not taken good care of us, unlike her. Thankfully my mom found Flip who helped her get full custody without charging a lot of money.

After everything was alright, and my father had skipped town, which Iâm not going to lie and say it didnât affect me because it really did, my mother found in Flip what she was looking for. A kind man who was glad to bring her into his life along with her children. And about a year later, she married him.

Of course that didn't fill the void my father left but it was nice having a father figure. Often I wondered if it had been something I had done that made my father leave but later when he came back to town, we found out he had been going behind my motherâs back and even married the other woman. Itâs safe to say I didnât want to have any sort of relationship with him anymore unlike my sister.

As soon as I received my acceptance letter and graduated high school, I moved out of that hellhole town to San Diego with help of my mom and Flip, which Iâm still grateful for. I mean, itâs not like I was bullied when I was a kid, because I had a few friends back there, but I was tired of facing the same people everyday. People who wouldnât change their boring and judgmental ways if they ever found out I was gay.

That was one of the reasons I never told anybody but my sister and eventually my mother. Thing is I never found any of my previous relationships important enough and it was until I met Vic that I decided to tell my mother. Of course it was nerve-wracking but after the shock she ended up wanting to meet Vic, claiming she had to make sure he wasn't a player. She ended up loving him.

Fast forward a few weeks after Vic proposed me to go visit New York, I found myself looking out the window of the plane while resting my chin on top of my hand. There were at least four more hours until we reached the big apple and all I wanted to do was get to Vic as soon as possible. I missed him so much it hurt.

I sighed in content as I lay my head against the seat and closed my eyes, letting sleep take over me.

-

I was awaken by the sound of the intercom, the pilot telling everyone to buckle our seat belts because we were about to land. About twenty minutes later, all of us were finally descending the airplane. My stomach was doing flips the whole time out of nervousness mixed with excitement, and my heart wouldnât stop pounding in my chest either. I couldn't wait to see Vic standing right in front of the gate with a huge smile on his face.

I smiled inwardly while I walked into the building, eyes darting among the people who were waiting to see their loved ones. I expected to see his beautiful brown eyes standing out the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found. I felt my stomach starting to clench. What if he had forgotten? What if something happened to him on his way? No, I couldn't think that way so I decided to go get my luggage instead to try and make some time, hoping he would walk into the room any time.

About half an hour later after my landing, I was sitting on a bench inside the airport. I observed strangers come and go when suddenly at the very entrance, I saw a mop of brown long hair bouncing as he ran trying to avoid the crowd. My heart instantly started to pound rapidly and I couldn't help the warmth that spread through my body as I saw him observing his surroundings. His caramel eyes finally meet my blue ones and a huge smile broke across his face. I swear in that moment the whole world stopped.

The next thing I knew is I was leaving my bags behind and running into his open arms, where I belonged. When our bodies finally met, I wasted no time on jumping on him and tangling my legs around his hips. I nuzzled my nose in his neck and breathed in his cologne while his strong arms held me in place. How have I missed him.

"Hello, there." He laughed in my ear as I clawed at his back like my life depended on it. In the back of my mind I was afraid this was just a dream and he would vanish anytime soon, but I had to convince myself Christmas was just around the corner and I had been saving for a while to get here. "Why are you crying? I'm right here babe."

I pulled apart a bit and touched my cheeks, just to find that indeed, they were completely soaked. I didn't realize I was crying, but they weren't tears of sadness. On the contrary, I was just too happy to be finally by his side again.

"I love you." I said finally setting my feet on the ground but never letting go of his shoulder. I let out a sigh of content while my face was still buried in his neck. His hands made their way to my waist and gave me a light squeeze.

"I love you too Kels but can we leave already? It's about to snow outside." He said as he stepped away and finally looked at me with his chocolate brown eyes. I smiled widely and nodded, then leaned in closer and finally his lips met mine, in a long sweet kiss. His lips fit perfectly with mine while they played softly. Millions of butterflies erupted in my stomach just like every time we kissed. Finally we pulled apart and when I opened my eyes, I saw the most perfect man standing merely inches away from me with messy hair and red cheeks, maybe due the cold outside but I highly doubt it.

"Let's go get my bags then." I said after admiring him for a few more seconds, his eyes shot open and darted across my face. I smiled and intertwined our fingers, dragging him to my previous spot.

Once we made our way out of the airport, I looked at my surroundings amazed. New York was huge and full of skyscrapers, I had never seen something like this in my whole life.

I returned my attention to Vic when he squeezed my hand lightly. When I faced him, he signaled towards the cab parked right in front of us. I stood there confused until it hit me. He didn't have a car here so we would be roaming the city by feet. Not that I minded. I jumped into the taxi with Vic following right behind me, and the driver instantly made his way to the address Vic told him. Honestly, I was still star struck looking out at the passing scenery to my left. My surroundings were amazing and I felt like I was in a movie.

About fifteen minutes later, we reached downtown New York and my jaw dropped open. It was even more beautiful down here, but big at the same time. I furrowed my eyebrows when I wondered if Vic had ever roamed these streets by himself, and if he had ever gotten lost. I finally turned my gaze to him, finding him staring at me already and I couldn't help but blush. He chuckled while I curled up to his side and enjoyed the warmth his body emanated.

The cab stopped about five minutes later in front of a big apartment complex. Vic paid the driver before we set foot in the freezing cold. I observed my surroundings for the millionth time that day and I loved what I saw. The street seemed strangely calm despite being New York and it was mainly composed by apartment complexes much like Vicâs. A few were more luxurious and a few more humble, Vicâs apartment was average and I could tell he was thankful for that by how many times he had told me stories he had read in East New York about people getting robbed despite being in their own home.

I was broken out of my train of thought by Vicâs warm hands snaking around my waist from behind when he rested his chin on top of my shoulder. I smiled and leant against his chest.

âDo you like it?â He asked in a soft tone, and I couldnât do anything else but nod. We stood there in the sidewalk earning a few curious glances by passing people, but I didnât care. I was where I wanted to be and I couldnât ask for anything better. âCome on, letâs get upstairs.â

Reluctantly, I stepped away from him and took a hold of my backpack while he carried the heaviest suitcase. He always liked to brag about his strength in front of me, not that I minded because he did look even more attractive with his arms flexed. I snapped out of my thoughts and walked right behind him into the building. Vic took out the keys and opened the door, leading us into a nice lobby where an old woman was sitting on a chair reading the newspaper by the door.

âGood morning Mrs. Johnson. This is Kellin and heâll be staying with me for a couple of weeks. Hope you donât mind.â Vic said catching her attention. She tore her gaze away from the newspaper and looked up at me. Her green eyes stared at me and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable but after a few seconds a gentle smile broke across her face and I answered shyly.

âHeâs a cutie, Victor.â She said, looking at my boyfriend whose hand find its way to mine, holding it in a tight grasp. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks under the woman's watchful eyes looking at our every move and I guess Vic sensed that.

"Thank you." He smiled politely at her. "Now we're going upstairs. See you around." He said dragging me towards the elevators that were placed right across the woman's seat. I looked back at her, finding her waving at me and shot her a small wave back while the elevator's door closed between us.

I didn't expect what happened next. Vic attacked my lips while dropping the bags in middle of the process and placed a hand on my hips. My back collided against the cold elevator wall but I didn't mind, I had been craving this for such a long time that I didn't know how much time I'd be able to hold back. He licked my bottom lip with his tongue and I immediately parted my mouth, giving him full access.

A moan left my mouth by accident and I could feel his smirk against my lips. In that moment the door opened and I heard a groan leaving his throat, then his mouth left mine. I couldn't help but laugh at the pout on his face, he shot me a glare and bent down to pick the bags with me following suit. I looked up at the floor and my eyes went wide open when I noticed we were on the tenth floor. I heard a small chuckle leaver boyfriend lips and I looked back confused at him but he only shook his head and dragged me to the end of the hallway.

We reached a mahogany door with the number 1001 and once again, he took out his set of keys. When the door opened, he instantly placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me inside. My eyes wandered the whole place, from the small kitchen and living room that I had seen a million times through Skype, to the hall leading to the bedroom.

"I know it's not as big as our home in San Diego." Vic said catching my attention. I turned to him and placed my hands around his neck.

"I don't care." I said looking him straight in the eye. "As long as you're with me, I know I'll be okay" He smiled and pecked my lips.

"What do you want to do?" He asked after pulling away. My eyes instantly lit up as I thought about that one place people talked all the time. Central Park.

"Can we go to Central Park, please?" I batted my eyelashes at him. He looked at me thoughtfully and I decided to pout, he eventually sighed, nodding his head. I squealed and captured his lips in what was intended to be a short kiss, but he deepened it. As much as I hated to, I knew if I didn't pull back in that moment, we would end up in the bedroom and not going outside at all. "Calm down, love. We will end this when we get back." I said when I looked at his darkened eyes, full of lust.

"Alright, alright." He sighed and walked further into the apartment, leaving my bags by the hall and then going back to me. "Let's go, then."

We left the apartment again and made our way downstairs, passing now the empty chair where the old woman was sitting when we went in. I shrugged it off and kept walking by Vic, holding tightly to his hand. I loved how perfectly our fingers fit. I sighed in content as we walked by the sidewalk and I looked my surroundings.

I noticed everyone was wrapped in coats, scarves, beanies and gloves while Vic and I were barely wearing a coat and beanies but I knew weâd end up regretting it later. There were the typical families, who were making their way to downtown New York, to teenagers who were walking either with their friends or lovers while laughing loudly. But what caught more my attention was the white snow placed on the floor. I hadnât seen it since I moved to San Diego, during summer about almost three years ago, but itâs safe to say I loved playing on it and making snowmen. Iâve always loved the cold.

My attention came back to Vic when he held my hand tighter when we crossed the street and the huge park lay in front of my eyes.