What About My Forever?

Chapter 19 Wild Ride

Dwayne's POV

With the intrigue of this sight pulling me in the longer I watch, I have to keep the urge to say something to her at bay before I ruin whatever this is by popping the bubble. So, keeping my eyes glued to her, observing all of her movements. It is instantly noticed when her eyes light up with excitement as she does something conspicuous to another couple of people, looking so genuinely happy about these actions, so much so, that I can feel the happiness radiating off of her.

Noticeably, her smile grows from ear to ear as I feel my lips curling up into a smile that I never expected after the exhausting day I had. It's created by just the sight of her bright self getting away with whatever that is. I watched her inch closer but never looking my way as I secretly hoped that she would. But as I get even more enthralled by her actions and, for some reason, matching her happiness, I just internally beg for her to come over, getting closer to me so I can discover more about her and what this really is.

My wish is instantly granted as the subway comes to an unexpected stop, which throws her forward and straight into my frame. My open arm wrapped around her as we both grunted on impact, swaying back and forth with my muscles locked in a flex to try my best to hold us in place. With people and items being flung past us, my feet stumbled and skid across the floor but nothing to make us fall even after not expecting anything like that at all. I just hold on tight to her as our feet try to grip the floor to keep us standing up.

I can feel her arms squeezing tightly around my torso, as her cheek lies on my chest, knowing that I am the only thing holding her straight up at this point before she turns into the people who are on the floor. The subway sways back and forth, trying to come to a complete stop but there is way too much momentum behind it to stop completely. Once we started to steady, I took a deep breath, only taking in her sweet scent and loving every second of it, but instantly hating how in return, I must be smelling.

I would imagine that I am repulsive to her. It has not gone unnoticed by me that, even though the momentum is slowing down with everything inside of this tin can, her grip is only tightening on me, which surprises me. Though I won't object because this is slightly what I was asking for, not exactly, but I won't complain. It's as if there was some sort of divine intervention that made my thoughts come true, and I won't object one bit to it.

When the sounds of the people start to erupt with anger, fear or just straight confusion, I can hear something being announced, probably explaining what has happened, but I can't hear it, nor do I care at this point. After looking around at the people cleaning themselves off, grabbing their things and making sure they have everything, I make sure to look down. As I do this, I can see her head lifting, and before I know it her bright green orbs are locked with mine, doing something to my heart since I can now feel it beating out of my chest.

"Are you.. Alright?" I stutter out, feeling a nervousness I haven't felt since the beginning of my dating trials as a young teen. Even though I am far beyond that age and just assumed I couldn't feel this way again, I am pleasantly surprised by my palpating heart at the sound of her songbird voice. "Yeah, I think so.. Wonder what happened? I have never experienced anything like that before. Look at that poor lady with the black eye and that man that broke his nose when this happened."

Her head shakes after saying this before adding, "I feel like maybe I should say that I should have been sitting down instead of wandering as I was, but since the many people sitting got that badly hurt and just knowing how badly I could have been hurt. I think things went in my favor by running into you. I am sorry, that sounds so selfish. Thank you for helping me and I hope I didn't hurt you in the process. Are you alright?" She spills everything on her mind, which causes me to smile once again.

I have to say I like the open honesty. "I am fine, thank you for asking." Her grip around me doesn't waver even after this little bit of talking as I watched her eyes travel around to the people surrounding us, but mine stay glued to her. "I know I have met you or seen you before.. It is bugging me that I can't place where." I blurt out as she looks up at me, letting her eyes travel across my features until I watch them widen automatically. "You're the guy from the bar." She says this to me, but not letting me go even after figuring that out.

The guy from the bar.. What is she talking about? I haven't been to the bar for a couple of weeks to almost a month.. Wait.. I remember.. "My perfect dance partner." I say to myself and under my breath, realizing that she is the woman that grabbed my arm and wanted me to put it around that girl sitting next to me, but I was not even remotely interested in that woman. So I took my arm off the chair, then she tried it again, only earning the same response from me, which was confusing for me since I was more interested in her than the woman she was trying to help set me up with.

Then somehow stealing my heart at that moment when she shared that song with me on the dance floor. Something changed in me that night and moment. Thinking about that night, I was completely confused when I couldn't find her after grabbing us some drinks. I wasn't expecting her to leave, but I definitely wasn't expecting to see her again either. Wait.. Was she trying to do the same thing to me in that bar that she is doing to these people on this subway?

My mind continues to reel until I realize that she is still looking at me. I think seeing if I remember her and, of course, I do. "Oh yeah, the bar and fun moment we spent together. I didn't know where you left to after that pleasant dance. I was wanting to get a second to talk to you, but you ran so fast out of that bar that I never had the chance. I must have scared you with my dance moves huh?" I say this playfully as she giggles then shakes her head.

"Quite the opposite actually, but I had to meet my friend.. And was late in doing so." she explains, but I don't fully believe that answer. "Late? Really?" I say as she sends me a nervous smile before nodding. I hear her suck in a sharp scent as she gets a confused look on her face before looking at me again. "What is that enthralling scent? You smell fantastic, like a campfire out in the wilderness. The musk mixes well with the hint of smoke," she states, smelling me again before looking around at the people as I watched her eyes quickly glancing up at me, awaiting my response.

I chuckle at that comment as I watched her look back at the people around us who are constantly moving and trying to get up and collect their things at this point. "Well thank you.. It's my body wash, mixed with the bit of fire I have helped put out around the city, but that hasn't fully left me, apparently." After my response, her eyes leave everyone else before locking back with mine. "Wow, a firefighter? That is very selfless of you, to have a job like that." She says as I nod.

"It takes a particular kind of person to do this job, for sure." I say this agreeing with her, as I noticed the emergency medical personnel showing up to help all that were injured in this crash. I normally help out in these situations, but with the plethora of helpers lining up, I think they have all of this figured out so I can just keep my attention on her and anything she might need. I feel her grip slowly letting me go, as if the movements are reluctant.

"I am sorry I shouldn't still be holding on, you're probably uncomfortable. I just wasn't thinking, especially with so much going on right now around us and somehow, once again, you're making me feel way too comfortable, way too fast." she softly says as I reply without hesitation. "I didn't mind one bit, I like the comfortability as much as you apparently do." This comment makes a smirk appear as she says, "Well, you're right, I didn't mind this either, not for a second, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to get going and continue my work."

Which is not the answer I was expecting. I watched as she started backing away from me and, without even thinking, I reached out, grabbing her wrist, before letting it go to let her hand slip into mine, holding it in my palm, so I am not being threatening by any means. She stops instantly, looking down at our hands and letting me hold her hand. The nervousness hits me in this moment having her full attention on me. Clearing my throat is all I can think of to do just to help me get the thought that is on the tip of my tongue out.

"Can I at least know your name?" I don't know why I need to know this, or why that was the first question out of my mouth, but for whatever reason, that is the only question my mind could grab hold of when so many are running through it. "I don't think that is necessary." She says as I almost beg. "Please." Locking our eyes without hesitation, and not even pulling her hand out of my grip at this point, before she softly says, "Louise, is my name." I slowly let her hand out of my grip, but she stays in place while sending me a small smile, then turns away looking reluctant as she freezes in place.

Then, before I have the chance to convince her to stay and talk with me, she huffs out and heads for the exit that everyone is leaving from at that moment. My eyes don't leave her frame for one second as I see her look back one more time before she sends me a quick wave, then leaves out of my line of sight. I have no idea why, but that moment was unforgettable to me, having the same effect as the dance. You would think it is such a small moment that there is no way it could feel like something spectacular within me, but it does and makes me want more with her.

I pushed my way through the people just trying to see if I could find out anything else about her before she is long gone, but that hope leaves my mind just as fast as the people do from this subway car. My eyes ping all around, but they cannot seem to find her at all, let alone allow me the chance to try to get her number or just have a conversation with her that is longer than a minute. Is that too much to ask for? I look for her dark hair and wide smile but nothing to match her. It's as if she was all just a wonderful dream that I will never forget. "Louise." I say softly to myself before heading to the exit to find another way home.