Flight

4 Months Later

It has been almost four months since the flight. I have settled into my new little one bedroom flat and even have a routine. I sit by the window, drink a cup of coffee, then go out and explore the new city I am in. Then I come home and write till I cannot write anymore. I have even made a few new friends. Friends that like to drag me to our local pub occasionally. I welcome the distraction though. It is filled with laughter, drinking, and the occasional pub song.  

            I have almost completely forgotten Mr. Dante Rainur. Which is a good thing since I only knew the man for half a day. Now do not get me wrong it was a great half day. Honestly, the best, and I will not get another day like that. So, I lock it away in the back corners of my mind labeled “cherish”.

            “Knock, Knock, Perri open up!” my friend Clara shouted. “Come on Perri we have pubs to drink at and boys to gawk at so get a move on.”*

            “Clara you know I’m writing right now why don’t you come back tomorrow?” I asked as I opened the door to see her standing there with a devious grin on her face. Even with the look of deviousness she still looks stunning. Her fiery auburn hair and her silver blue eyes shine in the moonlight that bellows from the window in the hallway, where she stands.

            “Okay why are you grinning at me like that?” I laughed at her.

            “Because my dear we are celebrating!”

“Oh, we are, now are we?”

“Yes, we are, we’re celebrating an old friend of mine’s movie that just came out and is so far a big hit.” She cheered.

            “I don’t know Clara; I am in the middle of writing the end to this chapter, so I don’t think it’s a great idea right now.” I paused “But tell your friend I said congratulations and that I’m happy for her.” I smiled.

            “Number 1, You need to get out of your flat you haven’t left in four days, and 2 if you don’t come out, we’ll just come to you.” She said with such determination.

            “Okay, fine you win.” I caved knowing full well she would bring everyone here and they would leave a mess for me to clean up in the morning. “Who all is going to be at this grand celebration?” I asked.

            “Our usual gang; Libby, George, Anna, Henry, Lee, and my old friend who we are toasting to.” She responded

            “Alright, help me get dressed then!” We exchanged smiles and ran straight to my room.

I threw clothes on and I threw them off. Nothing seemed to look right for such a celebration. Then Clara had an idea. “Switch clothes with me.” She said. She was wearing a red satin dress that barely covered her unmentionables and plunging neckline with black knee-high leather boots. Something I would never in a million years dare to wear. I am more of a jean and a vintage rock band t-shirt kind of person. Whereas, Clara is more of a fashionista. With her tall and slender body- almost model like; she could pull off anything.

            “No Clara I don’t think that’s going to look right on me.” I told her

            “Nonsense my dear it’ll look so much better on you since your t**s are way bigger than mine.” We laughed at each other.

            “I don’t think boobs make a dress look better.” I said.

            “No, they don’t but yours most certainly will my dear.”

            Reluctantly I put on her dress but, I swore off the knee-high boots and switched them out with black flats. She may be confident in those by I sure as hell was not. She then began to do my hair and makeup.

“You my dear look absolutely fabulous, all thanks to me of course” She said stroking her own ego.

 After we get done dolling ourselves up, we head to our favorite pub, The Founding. As soon as we walked in, we were welcomed with cheers and crashing hugs by our gang of misfits. I looked around to see if Clara’s friend was here yet. I do not know why considering I have never met or seen this girl before.

            “Where’s your friend that we are celebrating at?” I asked Clara.

            “He’s on his way trust me.” She replied.

            “He?” The look of shock on my face. “I thought we were celebrating a female friend of yours?” I questioned her.

            “I never said it was a girl, trust me you’ll like him.” She said cheekily. I smiled and went to the bar and ordered a beer, while the rest of my friends went to find a table for us.

            Waiting for my beer, I turn to see my friends all laughing and having a good time. I stand there for just a moment looking upon them. Seeing how happy and carefree they are made me think of Dante (for some reason). The memory of the flight puts a smile on my face. But I shake it off along with memories of him. I need to move on; its not like we had anything between us.

            Thankfully, the bartender hands me my beer helping me get out of my head. I paint a smile on my face and join the gang. I sit beside Lee, my best guy friend. He’s a classically handsome guy with his sculpted jaw, never a hair out of place blonde hair, and honey pot hazel eyes. Every time we go out, he has girls falling at his feet. He never gave them the attention they wanted though for some reason. Okay, so I know the reason. On more the one occasion he has hinted at liking me, but I’m that horrible friend who keeps pretending that he is just kidding, so I don’t have to let him down. I know it’s horrible, but I can’t bring myself to hurt him like that. At least if he thinks that I think he’s kidding he won’t be hurt and embarrassed. The lesser of two evils if you will.

            “Oh, look the elusive creature we know as Perri has finally come out of her den.” Lee teased.

            “Ha-ha Lee you know I only come out at night with the promise of beer.” I joked.

            “You heard that right gang, we are going out for a pint every night to get Perri out the flat!”

            “Shut-up Lee.” I laughed pushing his shoulder.

            Lee was about to say something else but I quickly turned to Clara to avoid any awkwardness.

            “Clara where is your friend?” I asked.

            “I told you Perri he is on his way just be patient.” Clara demanded.

            “Fine but if he is not here within the next thirty minutes, I am leaving to finish my chapter.” I smirked at her taking a sip of my beer.

            “You’re so uptight Perri, you need to live a little.”

            “I’ll live once my book is done and it gets published.” We laugh.

            Thirty minutes fly by filled with singing and drinking games. And Clara’s friend still hasn’t shown up. I cannot stay, I’ve got to much writing to do so I turn to Clara and the Gang.

            “I’m sorry y’all but I have to go, please tell your friend I said congrats please Clara?” I asked while standing up to leave.

            “Why don’t you say it to him yourself, he is right behind you,” she smirked. I turn around and my eyes widen, and my heart dropped to my stomach. There, standing just a few feet away from me was him- Dante Rainur.

            He took a few steps closer to me. So close that I could feel his warm breath breeze my face. He looks at me with same intensity as he did back on the plane.  My heart starts racing and my breath begins to shallow.  I try to resist my urge of this longing ache of mine to spiral out of control and crash onto him.

He leans forward his cheek pressed against mine and whispers in my ears, “It’s nice to see you again Ms. Perri.” He says it with such seduction that it sends my head into a frenzy. He stands upright again and before I can open my mouth to speak, he says “You’re not leaving just when I get here are you?”

            “Well Mr. Rainur if you had arrived earlier, I would’ve stayed longer.” I replied trying to act like I wasn’t bothered; but just then the door opens letting in a gust of wind causing my nose to be consumed with the smell of musk and earthliness from his cologne, making my body go wild with desire. I have got get out of here. If I don’t, I might just make a fool of myself and take him right here. That is if he’d let me, which I’m sure he’s not. I think he’s just teasing me as if we were old friends from childhood. I told myself trying to convince myself that the impossible was not happening.

            “Come on, please stay a little longer.”

            “Why should I stay Mr. Rainur, you do know I have a book to write.” I said trying to act as if I wasn’t trembling with desire for him.

            “Well than we wouldn’t be able to catch up and I’ll buy you a drink if you stay.” He smiled trying to convince me.

            “Okay I’ll stay, but only because of the beer you owe me and then I have to go home.” I said and we made our way to the bar to grab our drinks.

Drinks in hand we turned to join everyone already in celebration. Luckily, they had not paid any attention to Dante and I. But, just as my body was almost calm, I saw Clara looking straight at me. She actually had seen what had happened between Dante and I. Oh great, there’s going to be a conversation about this later. A conversation I am not ready for at all because, I’m not really sure what happened myself. Or maybe I do, maybe he wants me just as much as I want him.

I try ignoring the looks coming from Clara hoping she would let up. Unfortunately, that is not in Clara’s nature to give up on things when she thinks it’s good gossip. I swear she should have been a gossip journalist with the way she is able to sniff out juicy information. I need to get out of here so I can avoid this conversation for a little while longer.

I down the rest of my beer and stand to leave. “Goodbye guys I’ll see y’all later.” I gave them a small wave and headed for the door.  But just as I get to the door, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see the owner of the hand is none other than Dante himself.

“I told you Mr. Rainur that I could only stay for one last beer.”

“I know that is why I am going to walk you home.”

“You really don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do, a single woman walking home alone at night doesn’t seem okay to me.”

“Mr. Rainur I can take care of myself I promise.”

“I’m sure you can but I am still walking with you.”

“Fine but don’t stand so close to me.” I smiled, “You never know when prince charming is going to come around.”  He tried concealing a little sting in his eyes with a small chuckle, and we made our way out the door.

 “So, you weren’t lying about being an actor?”

“No, I was not.” He smiled.

“Hmm an actor who still likes to celebrate with old friends, that’s not something you see every day,” I said trying to tease him a little. “But then again I’ve never met another actor before so…”

“Yeah, well I like to keep myself grounded and Clara is definitely good at helping me with that.”

“I believe it.” We laughed and continued walking in silence.

The closer we got my flat I could a slight tension build up in his shoulders. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words to say it. Or he simply was too shy or scared to say it. It was written all over his face. The silence was killing him- but why?

“Okay I have to ask- how is this even possible?” I asked trying to break the silence.

            “What, us meeting again?”

“Yes!”

“I don’t know maybe fate, maybe coincidence.” He smiled with such cheekiness that my heart almost melted.

What does he mean fate? I thought fate was like for soulmates or something. Wait does he mean it that way? No, he couldn’t possibly mean that. I mean he’s like Greek God status and I’m- I’m a potato sack with hair. He has eyes, he can see that right? Oh god could you imagine if he actually thought of me the way I thought of him. I really need to stop downing myself. I may not be supermodel pretty, but I am pretty in my own way.

I stopped and took in a hopeful breath and asked, “What do you mean by fate?” I paused for just a moment to make sure I really wanted to finish my question. I don’t but something in me forces me to finish my thought out loud. “Do you mean fate as in we were destined to meat in the sense of soulmates?” Oh my god what the HELL just came out of my mouth? Am I insane? Well if he did like me before he certainly does not now.

He stopped, turned to look at me and doesn’t answer. Nope, instead the bastard just smiled and laughed at me and started walking again. `That bastard! That f*****g bastard laughed at me. Maybe I don’t like him. Ugh I could punch that stupid beautiful smile off his stupid pretty face. How dare he! He does all that seductive close to my ear thing and then laughs. And then in a small way I try to show that I’m feeling the same way, and he goes and does this. Doesn’t he know it takes a lot for girl to say something like that. And he goes off and laughs at it. Oh, I’m gonna give this smug bastard a piece of my mind.

But before I could I saw we were at my flat (now he’s a lucky smug bastard). “Um, yeah so this is my flat, thanks for walking with me see you around - maybe.” I said trying to get rid of him and started walking up the steps while he stood there on the stoop.

“What!? You’re not going to invite me up?”

“And why should I Dante?” I asked walking back down with the biggest pissed off look I had.

“Woah! Dante? Did I do something to piss you off?” He asked with a confused look stretched across his face.

“Did you do something to piss me off? Ha! You’re funny, I just put myself out there and you just laughed at me.” I stayed silent for a moment for some dramatic effect so I could really stick it to him. I started marching down the steps to look him in the eyes and say, “Do you have any idea what that does to a girl who opens up to someone who looks like you. I’m so embarrassed so yeah you did something to piss me off.”

He stood still starring into my eyes; searching them as if trying to find the words to say, all the while still having the same confused look across his face. And then without hesitation he grabbed my face and crashed his lips onto mine. Then I was the one who stood there shocked and confused; but I soon fell into him, holding his face in my hands.

We stood there in front of my stairs for what felt like an eternity. Our lips locked together. Our hands pressed to each other’s faces. Our bodies so close we could feel one another’s body heat. Then he releases his lips from me and presses his forehead against mine, our eyes closed. Still embracing my face in his hands he says, “I’ve been wanting to do that since we were at baggage claim.”

“So why didn’t you?” I smiled asking.

“What can I say I’m an idiot.” He said.

“Yes Mr. Rainur you are.”  We both chuckled.

“I want you to know I wasn’t laughing at you for putting yourself out there.” He took a moment and gazed into my eyes. “I was laughing because I thought I was making it obvious that I wanted you.”

“Oh, well Mr. Rainur I am very obtuse and sometimes I don’t see the obvious.”

“I can see that now,” he said rubbing his thumb across my cheek.

“You should start making it more obvious now.” I teased him.

“From now on I’ll make it a point.” He reached down and gave me a peck on my lips. “Are you going to invite me up now.” He laughed.

“I don’t know that kiss was not that great.” I teased grabbing his hand and leading him to my flat.

We reach my door and before I could unlock it Dante spun me around and pushed me into my door. He took one last kiss while I opened my door. Stumbling into my flat I extend my arms and said, “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“I like it, it suits you.”

“Would you like some coffee or some southern sweet tea?" I asked.

“I’ll try some of that southern sweet tea and then you after.” He teased.

My heart stopped. I couldn’t believe my ears. I could not believe this whole thing was even happening. There are rules to these things. Okay, yes sometimes there are exceptions, but not me. I am not an exception I am the rule- I am always the rule. Things like this only happen in the world of books and movies, not real life. Not my life.

I am supposed to live a life of disappointment, until I meet some guy named Luke. We meet at some café; I was reading and walked into him spilling his coffee all over his shirt. I offer to pay for dry cleaning which he of course says no too but I insist. Finally, he agrees and then we sit down and talk for hours. He asks me out for dinner, and we start dating for three years before he pops the question and I scream yes. We have a small wedding and then a year later we start having kids. We have two kids; one boy named Lucah, and one girl named Elizabeth, but we all call her Izzie. I quit writing because I am to busy with the kids. We live on a quant little farm with one goat, six chickens, four pigs, and two cows. We live a simple life and all in all we are happy and content in our lives. That’s how my love story is supposed to go. Not this. Not me and some actor in my flat in the beginning stages of whatever this is.