Because life with her feels like a dream.”
“Please Genevieve, just one more chance,” he pleads.
A single tear rolls down my cheek and I just nod my head in a yes motion like a freaking swoony idiot. Turns out I don’t need much convincing to hear Aspen out. Plus a poem? Dedicated to me? What more could a girl want?
Was it dramatic? Yes. Was it cheesy? A little. Did it work? One hundred percent. I was already in love with him before he rhymed my name with ‘breathe’.
I pack up my notebook, stuff it in my bag and run down the few steps leading to Aspen to close the space between us while he runs towards me. Except I trip over the last step and fall right into Aspen’s arms.
Aspen catches me, saving me from embarrassment and pain and we are now in the same position we were in the day I met him and he ran into me. Now I ran into him, I love when things come infull circle. The entire class is applauding, whistling and cheering for us. I feel like I’m in a movie. Aspen makes me always feel like I’m in a movie.
“Is this real?” I whisper to him.
“As real as you want it to be baby,” Aspen whispers back.
He goes in for a kiss and the class cheers more until Professor O’Gwen clears her throat in an attempt to interrupt us.
“As much as I love your frequent interruptions Ms. Brown, the rest of the class does plan on passing the finals in two weeks,” she says.
I smile at her and turn towards my class. “Good luck everyone!” I shout. Then I take Aspen's hand and head out the door. We run down the hall out the doors, into the cold rain. The air shocks our exposed skin, but nothing runs chills down my spine the way Aspen’s touch does.
He moves a hair out of my face, I grab his arm for stability, then I touch his face to feel that this is real. That this is really happening. Him, in Nebraska, at my school.
“You are real,” I tell him, still touching his face.
“Yes and so are you, so are we, and I can’t let us go. Please forgive me Genevieve. I’m so sorry I hurt you, but I will never do it again. Yes I was a drug user, but after hearing you tell me about your dad, I quit that night. The vile you found was the last one I had left, and I kept it in my pocket as a reminder that I was stronger than the drug. I’m so sorry I didn’t throw it away, it was stupid of me. I admit, I never thought you’d find it. And I guess I thought I’d have more time to tell you. It was stupid of me,” he shouts over the pouring rain.
I feel like all the breath has left my lungs. I should have stayed back, let him explain. But instead, I jumped to conclusions and left before giving him a chance. I can’t believe this is happening. Now it’s my turn to apologize.
“Aspen, I’m so sorry I never gave you a chance to explain yourself. I just left and jumped to conclusions when I should have stayed and waited to hear you out. When I found the vile I just felt like I was reliving what’s happened with my dad before. But you’re not him. You’re better. You’re willing to change, right?” I ask him.
“Right, I promise I won’t let you down,” he says. Then seals his promise with a kiss.
It’s just us two, standing in the middle of the rain, letting our hearts reconnect.
I feel like this is my movie scene, where the guy chases the girl and they live happily ever after.
He pulls his lips away. “Move in with me,” he tells me.
My breath quickens. “What?” I ask.
“Move in with me,” he repeats.
“Like in Colorado?” I ask.
“Well, yeah, that’s where I live,” he jokes.
“What about Derek?” I ask.
“He moved out, family stuff,” he says.
“Oh,” I say.
“So is that a yes?” He asks.
“Yes,” I nod. “It’s a yes.” I giggle through tears.
He kisses me again, this time I know it won’t be our last.
