He comes back from where it seems like another world and says:
''Oh no, we are on time.''
Then he looks straight ahead again. I can almost see the airport from here, I can't believe it's all going to end like this. Minutes later and I am already parking the car in the airport parking lot. I take a deep breath and say:
''We're here.''
He smiles half-heartedly and looks at me for a few seconds before opening the door and getting out. He comes to my side and asks me for the keys to open the trunk, my heart getting tighter and tighter. He removes the bags and comes to give me back the keys. I can't stand it anymore. He comes to the door again to get into the car and get his backpack from the back seat. He sits down, picks up his backpack, and says:
''Well, that's it.''
That's it? I can't believe we are going to say goodbye like this, but it looks like we are. I know I'm not smiling, but he smiles at me. He is about to get out of the car when I say:
'' I don't want you to go. ''
... Chris...
Finally!
I won't deny that I thought she would never open up, I even decided not to talk to her during the whole ride here, because I wanted her to make the decision to talk to me. Something she didn't do. But now we are here looking at each other face to face and she finally decided to show me how she really feels for the first time.
We are just looking at each other, so she continues:
''I really don't want you to go.''
She lowers her eyes and looks down at her hands which by the way they are totally restless on her lap, I can see that she looks nervous and continues:
''I don't care if you don't want to feel anything for me anymore, I feel a lot of things for you and I don't want us to be bad like this, the way we are.''
I like this, everything she said, but I need more and I need encouragement:
''What kind of things?''
She takes a deep breath, looks in my direction and says:
''I like you, I like you a lot. ''
I just stare at her and she completes:
''Okay, I think I love you.''
I can only say:
'' Wow.''
I really didn't expect her to tell me this, but she doesn't seem discouraged by my lack of reaction, on the contrary, she seems to be rid of a weight. Then she continues:
''I think I have loved you since the first time I saw you, sitting and sad waiting for your sister that morning. I came in and stood looking at you trying to imagine what was going on in your head that was making you so bitter. I wanted to somehow make you feel better, but you wouldn't allow it, so I found it easier not to like you and you helped me a lot with that part.''
I laugh, and so does she. She looks at me as if she expects me to say something, so I do:
''That was all amazing to know Molly. But I don't think I love you.''
She even holds her breath now, she diverts her eyes from mine, but I continue:
''I'm sure.''
She looks at me again and sees my smile, she comes at me trying to hit me and I end up laughing even harder as she says:
''You really suck! Do you want to kill me?''
And she still tries to hit me but she is already sitting on my lap and I hold her hands and we look at each other laughing and trying to control our breaths when she asks:
''Is that what you said true?''
I don't answer, I just go towards her mouth and we are kissing. I hold her waist tightly and she gets as close as possible. He says between our kisses:
'' I still want an answer.''
I end up laughing, she is stubborn, but I like that, I like everything about Molly. I say:
''The answer is yes.''
She stops kissing me for a few seconds, looks at me and smiles and comes back to my mouth again. I say between our kiss:
''You are the girl I swore to myself I would never fall in love with, and I think I ended up doing that at the exact moment as you when I saw you.''
She separates herself from me a few inches and says:
'' I didn't want to love you because I was in love enough, and you didn't want to love me because you thought you didn't need it. We were both wrong.
We are both wrong;''
My phone alarm rings. I remember setting it to ring fifteen minutes before departure. I forget that I am about to go on a trip. Reality hits us, Molly pulls away from me briefly, and we stare at each other. I say:
''I need to go.''
She tries to get off my lap, but I hold her waist and say:
'' Hey, why are you sad like that?''
She says:
''You're leaving.''
I can only smile and hold her waist even tighter, and I love her. I say:
''You won't get rid of me that easily. ''
She looks radiant now, and I continue:
'' I'm going away for a few days, but now I have a good reason to return.''
And I kiss her quickly on the lips, she looks much happier now, and I say:
'' I have to see how the project is going over there, and as soon as I solve a part of it, I'll come back. Can you wait for me?''
She kisses me quickly and says:
''Sure.''
I say:
''Great. Now I have to go, or I'll miss my flight.''
Molly laughs, and I'll keep the most genuine smile she ever gave me, never to forget.