The Meeting - SMii7Y

The Meeting

Finally. After years of talking and facetiming, I was finally going to meet my best friend. Elle lived right outside of LA, so after saving up money for a few years, I booked a flight and a hotel to meet her. We have been planning all the things we'd do when we met in California for years. Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Disneyland, and the ice cream museum. And now the list that sat in my notes for 3 years was coming into reality.

She planned to come pick me up from the hotel I was staying at. I sat in the lobby, sipping on some complimentary tea with what I can only assume was the biggest smile I have ever had. I was finally meeting my best friend.
I imagined her walking in the door, and I played it through my head over and over like a movie trailer. In my daze, an upscripted voice came out of nowhere.

"Is the tea really that good?" A man slightly laughed at me. It wasn't mean or mocking though, it was like he was amazed to see someone as happy as me.

He looked only a few years older than me, if even that. His smile was bright. The kind of smile you can't help but reciprocate.

"I'm actually meeting my internet friend for the first time," I explained with a smile.

"Really? Me too." His smile grew brighter. "Well, I've met them before, but I'm visiting again."

"She's my best friend." And right on cue, the front doors open and I finally saw the face I've been seeing for years.

"MIKI!" She screamed.

"Elle!" We ran and hugged like some terribly cliche romance movie, but in that moment I could feel nothing but happiness.

We grabbed hands like we've done it a thousand times before.

"Are you ready?" She asked with extreme enthusiasm. "Let's go right now!"

"I'm ready!" I said. I looked back and the man was staring at me with the same smile as before. He waved and mouthed 'have fun'. I waved back before looking to my best friend, and heading out to have the best week ever.

When we got in the car, Elle asked "Who was that guy? He's highkey hot."

"Okay, facts," I said first with a giggle, "but I have no idea, he was just asking me about tea."

"Like the green kind or the James Charles kind?" Elle asked completely seriously.

"The complimentary hotel kind," I clarified.

"That's not as fun."

---

We started our week off at Disneyland, Elle leading me through like she practically lived there (which she did). I didn't care much for the rides or the games, but spending time with my best friend was the most magical part of all.

After a full 11 hours of fun, Elle dropped me back off at my hotel. She had some homework to do that night, plus I was a little jetlagged so we decided it would be best to cut the night there. She gave me a hug in the parking lot and drove off. Despite how tired I was, I was mostly filled with excitement, and all I wanted to do was to tell someone about how great my day was.

I walked into the hotel and he was still sitting there, in the exact same spot like he never even left. Without meaning to I gave him a huge smile and he waved me over. Usually I would be hesitant to talk this much to a stranger in one day, but he seemed kind and my excitement was too much to hold back.

Without him even saying anything, I started talking and talking. Completely raving about the amazing day I've had. He sat and listened to it all with a smile, interjecting slightly at parts, but mostly letting me take the reins. After I had explained everything, I took a deep sigh and realized I needed to catch my breath.

"So have you been sitting here all day?" I asked him finally, hoping he would take the lead for a moment.

"Believe it or not, I did actually do things today, yes." I laughed. "But I'm here same reason as you are, need to calm down, plus I'm a little jetlagged."

"Oh, where are you from?" I was genuinely curious.

"Canada," he said. "I mean it's not the worst jetlag in the world but it's a little tough."

"I'm from the East Coast, so I definitely understand." His smile was distracting. It was so wide and pure and authentic.

"So how old are you, Miki? That's what I heard your friend call you right?"

I nodded. "And 19. How 'bout you, Canada?"

"It's smii7y and I'm 22," he said with a laugh.

"Yeah, okay, Canada," I jokingly rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, okay, East Coast," he mocked me.

We kept talking, and it was the kind of talk that time ignores. All of a sudden I knew a lot about him. He told me about his family, and his friends, his life, his everything, and I said all the same back. We had a lot in common.

Long past it had gotten dark and we were still talking, the desk attendee came over and informed us the lobby was closing for the night and we should return to our rooms.

"I didn't know the lobby ever closed," Shawn said.

"We close from 1am to 4am for cleaning."

Smii7y and I both looked at eachother with the same look on our face.

"1 am!" Our expressions both said. We had been talking for 3 hours.

"Oh, okay, thanks," Smii7y said as he stood up to leave. I followed his motion and we walked to the elevators together.

He was on floor 3 and I was floor 5. In contrast to the past few hours, the elevator ride was completely silent until the doors opened on floor 3 and he said, "Maybe you and your friend could hang out with me and my friends this week." The doors closed before I could say anything, but I was left standing still and alone, with more happiness than was fair for one person.