Until we meet again

Blackout

Maria's POV

I didn't pray for this, not this unbearable pain that was piercing my heels right now as a struggle to stay on my feet. I didn't pray for these sad faces that looked away from me as they went their separate ways.

I wasn't rooting for this defeat.

Where did we go wrong? We were so close to beating them, just two more goals and we would've won. But in a heart beat the whistle blew and Zane's team were declared the winners. What a messed up turn of events. I was too carried away by my spiraling thoughts to notice Zane standing over me, looking down at me with a face that was surprisingly void of sympathy or lost unlike the rest of them.

His lips stretched to a gentle smile and his eyes glittered with pure sincerity as he handed me my cardigan. I look intently into his heavenly blue eyes as if to discover any sign of disgust or disappointment I missed, but I came short. He only continued to smile, one that I wouldn't mind looking at all day.

If anything, I wanted to reach out my hands, rest them on his cheeks and get lost in those ocean eyes, perhaps they would drift me away from the present and take me over the horizon of forgetfulness.

But this isn't exactly a fairy tale story where the Disney princess kisses her Prince Charming and all her problems are  blown away with the wind. So instead of doing that and looking like a complete weirdo, I take the cardigan from him and stand up straight to face him.

Sliding it on I say, "Thank you."

"No problem," he replied politely. "I got you some water as well. Figured you'd want some after playing for so long."

Hesitantly taking the bottle from him I reply, "Thanks, but you really didn't have to." Twisting the cap open, I take a grateful swig before covering it up again.

He honestly didn't have to be so nice, but I can't deny the fact that I'm completely moved. The last person that was this caring after my brother was probably Matthew, his best friend.

He is an immigration officer, one that was liked by many in the Haitian community here. He helped out so many when it came to getting their applications rectified and approved. He also helped Jacob and was ready to do everything in his power to help me get my documents aswell.

He was so loved by the people that when his kidneys failed and needed a transplant, the community came together and started a fundraiser that later helped cover his hospital bills. I wasn't a tad bit surprised when I heard about that because he was indeed a nice guy, not to mention his killer jokes and bubbling personality.

Sadly, three months after Jacob's funeral he got transferred to another island. That didn't only put a pause on my paperwork application, but it also resulted in me losing the only brother figure I had left here.

We stayed in contact from time to time but for some reason the Matthew i knew was no longer there. After Jacob's death he was never the same, everything kinda fell apart for the both of us. But I've been trying to move on. I could only pray he is trying to do the same.

Pulling me out of my thoughts Zane suddenly says, "It's no trouble Maria. I'm more than willing to do more if you need me to."

The way my name poured out of his rosy lips like a faucet, sent shivers down my spine, filling my lungs with a familiar thrill and coolness that I could never get enough of. I could listen to him recite my name all day like watching the sun melt over the horizon.It was quite...satisfying.