This is the next instalment to my short stories as based on sentences given to me by my friends. This actually came about because I was telling Shannon that “lovers” is my new favourite word (lol) and she replied with what is now the two closing sentences of this story. I thought it was a pretty perfect way to describe what it feels like to be with your person, so I tried to capture that feeling throughout this story. I guess this is one for my lover boys, theys and girls!!
It's pretty short and sweet but, as always, let me know what you think and leave a like if you enjoyed, and if you have any sentence suggestions for me, feel free to send them my way! Enjoy…
19.01
I can’t believe it’s so late, but I had such a good day today. From FINALLY having a breakthrough at work, to hearing back from Alisa and even meeting up with him again, it was all perfect. I kinda hate that I’m writing this, but I think I really fucking like him.
I finished work at the same time I always do, except this time he is waiting for me in the reception and my tummy turns as he spins around to see me stepping out of the lift. He waves ‘hello’ and before I can even say how good it is to see him again, he tells me he has a surprise for me tonight. My face clearly reflects the confusion I feel at this and he laughs, pulling me into a hug and telling me he missed me. I feel my body relax into his embrace and I tell him I missed him too. I inhale deeply. He is my new favourite smell. He holds me until we hear the ‘ding’ of the elevator arriving back on our floor, so I slide out of his arms and look up at him. He asks me if I’m ready to go, to which I reply I am, and we step out of my building and into the cool evening.
The sun has already set but the sky has not yet casted its darkness. I feel the promise of a new season preparing to bloom. The perfect shade of dark blue stretches across the sky above us and the clouds spill into sporadic shapes as we walk along the pavement.
We exchange stories of our days, laughing and pausing to ask questions, as if we hadn’t just spent the day texting and doing much of the same. I decide to test my luck and try to tease tonight’s surprise plans out of him. But I am met only with his stubbornness. I pout. I plead. I grab his hands and start to bargain.
“I am not telling you.”
I give up and fall in step next to him. His arm slinks itself over my shoulder, mine around his back, and I let him lead the way.
The whole time we are on the tube, I have no inkling as to where we are going. I wonder what the surprise could be. I find myself distracted by my thoughts until he turns to smile at me, and I cannot help but smile back. I suddenly feel embarrassed. I don’t want him to see. I rest my head softly on his shoulder and slip a gloved hand between his bare fingers. We sit like this, his thumb occasionally grazing mine, until he gently nudges me to tell me we’ve reached our stop.
I let him walk ahead of me on the platform and I take him all in.
His hair is cornrowed into six zigzagged sections. I think about how it forms the perfect maze for my fingers to trace at night when he lays his head on my chest. He wears the navy jumper I once said was my favourite. It holds on tight to his broad shoulders and loosely falls around the bulges of his arms. He continues walking along the platform, towards the ‘way out’ sign, and perhaps sensing it will be cold once we get outside, slides his arms into the black puffer jacket he is holding. It is one size too big for him. But when I inevitably complain about the cold, it is the perfect shelter for us both as he lets me nestle inside with my arms wrapped around him.
I’m sure he feels my eyes on him, because he suddenly turns around and stretches out a hand for me to take. The hints of a smile start to emerge from his full lips as his eyes meet mine.
In these moments I sometimes find myself wondering what will happen to make the fantasy end. But this time I scold myself. Why can’t I just choose happiness?
So that is exactly what I do as I catch up to him and take his outstretched hand. I hold onto him with both my hands and allow myself to smile. I show the world that I am his; and he is mine. It makes me feel like I’m in a whole separate world to everyone else.
Just me and my lover.
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