When You Listen to My Words

Restless. My feet would not stop pattering against the matted carpet of the airport. I either watched the snow fall outside of the frosted glass, surrounded by runway lights, or stared at my slightly tattered shoes that reminded me of Dan. For months I'd teared up staring at them due to a lack of his warmth, but I shook the darkness when I remembered where I was. The masses of people entering and exiting wings of the airport brought bouts of heat and slight breeze as I played with the sleeves of my sweater. I was perhaps the most excited I'd ever been to remember what someone smelled like, felt like, breathed like. 3 months was too long.

Flight announcements masked the light Christmas music in the background and every time I turned my head to see if they had arrived, my dirty blonde hair whipped my face. All I wanted for Christmas was to see Dan, even for just a day, and when he called to say that they managed to pull an entire week off, I couldn't stop my racing heart. I took sips from my coffee and nibbled occasionally on the cookie I bought from the cafe across from the gate they'd appear in soon enough.

After about another hour of skittering feet and flushed cheeks, I saw the first handful of passengers exit the plane and hug their loved ones. I sprung up and clutched my side, peering back forth waiting for a glimpse of the boys. Will. I saw Will dragging his suitcase in his leather bomber jacket, soon followed by Woody. My heart must have halted because I think I stopped breathing. I caught Kyle embracing Janna, and any bitterness from the cold outside was long gone from my face. Where was Dan? I spun around hoping to catch him in between swift bodies, longing to get home to their loved ones as well.

Before I could process what was happening, a dorky, fluffy-haired, sleep-deprived man was rushing towards me in his favorite sweatshirt. My body lurched forward, I couldn't feel my feet as the distance finally closed between us and Dan dropped his bags. I was intertwined with him after a lonely autumn and hundreds of diary entries; I felt his shoulders relax as his hand played with my hair.

"I missed you", I managed to whisper between sniffles.

Dan chuckled and returned the obligatory phrase before pecking my cheek.

He unwrapped his yellow scarf from beneath his jacket an placed it gently around my neck. Smiling, he placed his arm around my shoulder and we headed for the exit when Dan asked if I was hungry. In complete honesty I had been preoccupied by his return and too excited to eat all day.

"I'm starving"" I half moaned.

"Great, cause I haven't had pizza in a couple of weeks and I was too enticed by airline food" he said while stroking my arm.

The cold air greeted us at the door and the empty sky made everything around feel spacious. I watched Dan's breath combat the air and laughed when he shivered an sneezed at the same time. We walked beneath the airport awning and hailed a cab, the snow crunching lightly beneath our feet, never before had I been happier to see a pair of muddy, worn-out converse.