What About My Forever?

Chapter 18 Subway Chance

Louise's POV

Not sure what this interaction means at all. Let alone how to process or explain any of it if I had to, at least not yet. My eyes can't help but to keep glancing nonchalantly back to him. It's as if they are just pulled in by himself. It doesn't look or feel to me like his eyes have even left me at all. I feel my face heating up as I nervously turn and help a couple of people connect as they are dancing. When seeing them connect with one another as they should have, I turned around before squeaking out as I bumped into a large frame of a man.

"Pardon me.. I.." I start my apology as my eyes drift up to connect with the man's gorgeous eyes that have been haunting my thoughts. The handsome man has apparently followed me onto the dance floor. "Don't worry about it, or better yet, you can make it up to me with a dance." His deep baritone voice graces my ears, sending a chill through me. My mouth drops open as I stutter only sounds out of my mouth while watching his smile grow even bigger. "Is that a yes?" He asks before putting his hand out, with his open palm faced up, just anticipating for my hand to be placed on his.

My head shakes with my body having a different idea since my hand is in his before I even know what is happening. His smile is big as he grips my hand and pulls me closer before placing my hand on his shoulder as his hand drifts down the length of my arm and to my side. Without missing a beat, his other hand grips my open one, using it to lead us around the dance floor together in unison as if we have done this a million times before, when I have to remind myself that I know that we haven't.

The comfort we share at this moment reminds me of a type of familiarity, as if he is someone I have known for a long time and very close with. It's strange that we somehow share this. To me, it is undeniable and confusing me because of it. I wonder if he feels it too. This whole moment is taking me by surprise, as if him shocking me is what we do now, he uses our locked hands to quickly spin me before pulling me right back in and taking my breath away with the movements just as easily.

This entrancing feeling I get when embraced in his strong arms and moving with him across the dance floor is something I never expected when walking into this place. Before I even knew what was happening, my smile had emerged, matching his already big one, showing how the happiness takes over with every spin and step we make together. These movements close the space between us, causing my heart to pound harder than it ever has. Our eyes lock and stay that way as I take in the bright speckles in his hazel eyes and how the bright lights above accent their beauty.

They are stunning, only adding to the handsome sight that his features have to offer. Once the song ends, he spins me one last time, so I can't help but to feel a little sadness with this ending, no matter that I am still smiling and won't stop for some time. Internally, I am wishing we could dance to the next song and the next, but I know that this has to end for not just his sanity but mine as well. Instantly, this man is pulling my hand that he is still holding up to his lips as he gently kisses the back of it, making my heart swoon with that one small action. I haven't felt anything like that in some time.

"The best dancing partner I have ever had. It feels so.. Natural with you." He declares, causing my smile to grow as I nod agreeing with that statement. "Yes, it has been quite comfortable like this with you." He smiles as I hear his toe nervously tapping on the floor as he fidgets with his hands. "Well, I am famished and would love a drink.. May I grab you one as well? We could sit down and talk, giving our feet a break from doing all the talking thus far." I freeze in place, wanting to accept that moment with every last inch of me, but knowing I should not.

"No.. Thank you though, I am not thirsty at the moment." I regret saying those words, but I know I cannot accept anything from him because this shouldn't be happening in the first place, let alone allowing myself to elongate the situation, which would make the separation even harder.. At least for myself. Sadly, I know what needs to happen, it's me getting out of here and quickly. "That's fine. I will grab a drink for myself and a bottled water for you, then I will be back." he declares as I sadly nod, trying to look excited about him turning his back and giving me my opportunity to leave, but I can't seem to fake that.

His eyes that are now questioning me and my not-very-believable response, reluctantly turned as he headed to the bar, giving me the chance I needed. With many second thoughts plaguing my mind, I reluctantly drifted out the back door, like a breeze through the trees, because I can't get myself to walk past that handsome man again to leave out the front door. I am afraid if I attempted it, then I would spend the rest of the night engulfed in the moment with him.

Which is bad because I think that would be pushing what was meant as a small competition between Anna and me, into something much more for my heart. Which could not only hurt me but him as well. So once the large doors close behind me, I take in a breath of fresh air, feeling the now cooler air calming my body that is heated up from that amazing interaction, before walking down the alleyway and towards the front doors to meet Anna, leaving this whole strange situation in that bar, pretending like it never happened. Since I have no explanation for it and probably never will.

Dwayne's POV

It's been a long and exhausting day. That is never, by any means, out of the ordinary for a man in my position as a firefighter. Especially now, this time of the year is the worst with fires in our city and many of the surrounding areas. Because of the high chance of it spreading, we are still responsible for fires around us, keeping us on our toes for the entirety of the season, even if they are in different cities but close by.

It's alright though, I don't mind helping anyone in need, it's just known that when this time of the year comes around, we are going to be very busy. Mostly because of it being the driest point of the summer, that means we are dealing with more fires than usual. So the strong scent of smoke lingers on me, or maybe it just seems like it because that smell is stuck in my nose. But either way, I feel like I permanently stench of smoke because of this being my career.

There is no way for me to be on hand helping and also avoiding the smoke, so this is how it has to be. Sadly though, I feel like I smell as if I have bathed in the smoke of the fires, even while wearing the protective suits. So of course, because of this, I get a little self-conscious about it, but there is not much I can do about it until I take a second shower at home because, for whatever reason, the one shower I have already taken at work just doesn't seem to do the trick.

I huff out thinking about just that as I am standing on a rumbling and swaying subway, headed home. My grip on the handle above helps me feel remotely secure while standing in the isle, which is between all the packed seats. I glance around myself, making sure I don't bump into anyone as the handle that I have a tight grip on, makes sure to move with me. My body sways with the movements of the subway because my muscles are exhausted and having a hard time staying flexed with every bump or turn made, making my tired body wish I had something more to hold me up.

Swaying every minute keeps my mind elsewhere as I instinctively avoid the eyes of anyone around while they move past me to find somewhere to sit or stand. We make another stop as a wave of people leave, just to be replaced by another wave coming on. Like the waves making their way in on the beach and back. I observe as they come in the compact can that this subway is, dispersing amongst the openings, quickly filling them up, just for some of them to leave at the next stop.

Occasionally, I observed all the faces in my line of sight until looking back up at the sign that is displaying our next destination to keep my attention fixated on something, even if it is just for a moment. Mumbling emerges among the people until a gasp is heard and a small apology, but nothing else follows. This instantly got my attention as I glanced over to see that this stunning woman had entered the car, along with the others, but glided through the people and somehow no one had seemed to notice her at all.

I observed as she nudged people into one another, causing those people to gasp at that action and her apologizing as she smirked to herself while walking away. But since the people don't even respond to her, it leaves the impression as if they didn't even notice the interaction, let alone cared about what she did. They looked more enthralled by each other than worrying about whatever she thinks she was doing at that moment.

Noticeably, she continued on, then bumped a couple more people to make them get closer than they were to one another. I am confused about what she could be doing here because the smile on her face tells me that she doesn't mean the apology that she is claiming as to how she really feels. But I just don't understand how no one notices or cares about what she is doing. I know if I had someone bumping into me to make me lean on a stranger that I didn't want to, then I would be irritated, no matter how gorgeous or 'apologetic' she is.

I find myself staring while she smirks. I have seen that smirk, I know her from somewhere. Where have I seen her before? I wouldn't ever forget a face like that, I know that for a fact. Her little button nose and high cheekbones, the smile that consumes her face but lights it up along with everything around her at the same time, along with her eyes that are big and beautiful but sadly don't even connect with mine for a moment, since she is so concerned about everyone else surrounding her.

Staring intently is all that I can do, because I know that I have seen her before, but where? This is going to bug me until I figure out from where. I watch as she continues to drift from person to person and making them get closer by running into them, then steadying them both before leaving them to it. The people she is doing this to are not even giving her a second glance. That's the most insane part for me. Once she pushes them together, they are more enthralled with the person they are now smashed with, than the person who pushed them together.

I watched as her smile got bigger the more she got away with these 'mistakes'. It's astonishing how she can have the audacity to keep this up and pretend like she is not doing anything wrong or even on purpose. Surprisingly, it is not even with everyone around her, which seems strange to me when thinking about it. It's only with people sporadically placed in this tin can. She better not come here this way and do that with me.. Well... Actually, I would like to see her come my way and make that happen to me, because believe me, I won't let her get away with that. She will have all my attention, making sure she knows that I am not brainless and that I know this isn't a mistake as she is feigning it to be.