Get a window seat. Despite popular belief, sometimes looking out the window minimizes motion sickness.
Thank you again, Kyran. I'll see you soon :)
See you when you land, beautiful. :)
11:34am
I made it safely. Deboarding now. Where should I meet you?
I'll wait by your baggageclaim.
Okay. What if I don't recognize you?
Deep breaths, Weslyn. Lol. Trust me, you'll recognize me.
Okay, I'm heading that way now.
I'm here and I don't see you.
Oh, but I see you…
A chill runs down my spine when I feel a set of eyes burning into the back of my head. I turn around to see the man I haven't been able to get out of my head, the one who's been on my mind for weeks. The one whose voice I often fall asleep too and the one who's been helping me through my days without even knowing it. The man who has done nothing but make me feel special by spending his days and nights with me and calling me beautiful and making an effort to make me a part of his days. Even if it was all just over the phone.
And now, he's staring right at me. His eye contact is like no other. And I don't miss the subtle look up and down my body before a smirk pulls on his face. I recognize him of course, but he also feels new. Butterflies invade my stomach as I stare back at him.
The airport bustles with travelers, voices echoing around us, people maneuvering about as we both stand and just stare at each other for a few minutes more. And I take him in. Kyran is handsome as hell, but being able tosee him in real time, in natural light, this close up is not something I was prepared for.
"Kyran?" I ask, knowing that it's him but wanting to just say his name out loud. I've waited for this moment for what seems like forever, but I have to remind myself that what we're doing is actually kind of unconventional and it's only been a few weeks.
But regardless, this is it and my heart thuds in my chest. Excitement and nervousness exploding in harmony as we both stand and look at each other, not a care in the world that others are surrounding us and we're just two fish in a big pond.
"Hey, Weslyn." His hands are tucked into his jean pockets and his eyes shine bright on me. It feels overwhelming and I don't know what to do. Part of me wants to run and jump in his arms; kind of like you see in the movies. The other part of me wants to just stand here awkwardly and stare at the man before me, because this still doesn't feel real. And my goodness, is he handsome.
Nearly three weeks of talking to each other every day, multiple FaceTime dates and a lot of us getting to know each other. I've grown to really like this man, like really fucking like him, and I am finally looking right into his eyes. No phone screens between us and for some reason, I don't know how to act. What's appropriate? What can I or can I not do?
He smirks at me again and it's like he can tell that I'm in my head right now. I don't realize just how much I need this until I catch myself starting to get nervous again, causing me to have to look away for a second while I let my cheeks heat up with a pink blush.
"Hi," I say when I look back up. A hint of shyness coating my tone, which has not been the case between us at all before but part of this feels like starting over. Like we'll need to get to know each other all over again, thoughI know that won't be the case once we get past this little meeting.
"Hi," he says back, and I can't help but let out a little giggle. And then finally, he reaches his hand out for me. "Come here."
I duck my head to hide my smile before I move my feet to meet him halfway.
I feel pulled to him, like an electric current, as we eat up the space between us. He doesn't give me more than a second to look up at him before he makes the first move, pulling me in by my hand and wrapping me up for a hug.
His embrace feels warm and safe as he greets me. It might be pathetic to admit this, but I haven't been hugged by anyone in a really long time and Kyran hugging me is intoxicatingly surreal. It makes this whole scenario feel less intimidating which I mentally appreciate and being in his arms feels far more sacred than I could have ever imagined. This is the guy I've been talking to on the phone out of chance. A wrong number. And I'm in his arms.
When he lets go, I feel myself wanting to hang on to him a little longer, but I take a step back and allow myself to take him all in just as he does me.
"I have to say, you're even more handsome in real life." I push lightly against his chest. He chuckles at my admission causing the flutter of that familiar feeling to once again attack my core, feeling lightheaded by the sound of his laugh.
"There she is," he whispers, and I don't quite know what he means by that until I realize that I wasn't afraid to be myself just now, saying exactly what was on my mind which is how I've been with him pretty much the entire time we've texted.
I brush the hair back behind my ears, not really knowing what to do with my hands as I find that hint of nervousness start to manifest once more, but he stops it immediately and steps back into me to say something that only I can hear.
"You're just as beautiful, Weslyn," he whispers, and I can't stop my heart from pounding against my chest. "What do you say we get your bags and get out of this airport?"
"I'd like that," I say, and we both turn to the baggage carousel.
