Sequel: Beyond the Sun ›
The Bird and the Worm
seventeen - the goodbye
“Will he be flying with you, miss?” the attendant at the desk asked me, glancing over at Brian.
I shook my head. “No. He’s just my boyfriend. He’s seeing me off.” The attendant smiled, trying to figure out who he was.
Handing me my boarding pass, she smiled again. “Well enjoy your flight.”
“Thanks,” I responded, and then I took hold of the handle of my mini-suitcase once more, letting Brian pull me to his side and lead me towards the security line. “I don’t wanna go,” I sighed, and he offered a smile. “I know. You don’t want me to go either, but I am just a lowly Sociology major, so college calls.” He touched my face. “I’m going to miss you.”
“No you won’t.” I raised an eyebrow. “Jimmy and I made that video for a reason, Miss Sociology degree. You’re supposed to watch it so that you won’t miss me. That’s supposed to make these five months go by faster.” I sighed. “I don’t have a DVD, though, so I guess I’m going to have to live with making my guitar squeal, like always…”
I sighed, and the guys wandered over. “Do I really have to say goodbye?”
“Yeah, sorry, girl. Come here, give me a freaking’ hug or I’m shouting at the top of my lungs that you had sex with Synyster Gates on his tour bus.” I grimaced at the thought, and he opened his arms, wiggling his eyebrows. I walked into them, and he pulled me close. “You take care now, and we’ll see you in five months.”
“Yeah. I know.” I sighed, and I pulled out of his arms so that I could give the rest of the guys a hug.
It was a little harder than expected to pull from Matt’s embrace, the final one. “Don’t let him get depressed. You and Jimmy are in charge of that.” I raised my most intimidating eyebrow, and he chuckled, kissing my forehead. I took that as a ‘Yes, ma’am’, and left it at that. He let go of me, and then they all muttered something about going back to the bus.
Brian pulled me into his arms, and he stroked my face before tucking his fingers beneath my chin, pulling me up into a gentle yet poignant kiss. His lips worked smoothly against mine, and I let my arms slide around his neck as his other hand held on to my waist. Then his lips parted slightly, just slightly, and he kissed me once more before pulling his arms from around me and brushing my hair out of my face. “You should probably go now.”
I nodded, biting my lip, and he stepped back. Not used to that, I said hurriedly, “Brian. Wait.” Pulling a pen and a piece of paper from my pocket, I quickly wrote down my cell phone number and pressed the piece of paper into his hand. “Don’t forget me.” I kissed him for a few moments, and then a voice on the speakerphone called for all passengers boarding my flight to find their way to the terminal. I held his face for a few more moments, and then I bit my lip, backing away from him, trying to ignore the hurt in his eyes. He mouthed the words ‘I love you’ before I turned around to go through security, and when my back was turned away from him, a couple of tears fell from my eyes.
I miss you already, Brian…
I boarded my flight, and I pretty much spent the time either gazing down at the picture I’d been given or toying with the ring that I was pretty sure now belonged to me, given to me by the man I loved. I don’t really know how long the flight was, but I did know that with every minute that passed, I was just that much farther away from him. I tried not to think about the distance between the east coast and California, and if I did, I cried a little bit.
Those dim hours, after passing slowly, came to an end as my plane landed on the tarmac, and once the pilot had okayed cell phones, I pulled mine out of my pocket and flipped it open, turning it on. First, I called Gina to let her know I was going to be coming through in a moment, and then I flipped it back open, staring at the wallpaper for a moment- Brian’s smile shone up at me. It should have been salt in the wound from leaving him behind, but it was just another reminder that the last three days had been completely and inexplicably real- despite the Edward and Bella similarities.
And so the lamb anguished over the lion.
I shook my head. “No. He’s just my boyfriend. He’s seeing me off.” The attendant smiled, trying to figure out who he was.
Handing me my boarding pass, she smiled again. “Well enjoy your flight.”
“Thanks,” I responded, and then I took hold of the handle of my mini-suitcase once more, letting Brian pull me to his side and lead me towards the security line. “I don’t wanna go,” I sighed, and he offered a smile. “I know. You don’t want me to go either, but I am just a lowly Sociology major, so college calls.” He touched my face. “I’m going to miss you.”
“No you won’t.” I raised an eyebrow. “Jimmy and I made that video for a reason, Miss Sociology degree. You’re supposed to watch it so that you won’t miss me. That’s supposed to make these five months go by faster.” I sighed. “I don’t have a DVD, though, so I guess I’m going to have to live with making my guitar squeal, like always…”
I sighed, and the guys wandered over. “Do I really have to say goodbye?”
“Yeah, sorry, girl. Come here, give me a freaking’ hug or I’m shouting at the top of my lungs that you had sex with Synyster Gates on his tour bus.” I grimaced at the thought, and he opened his arms, wiggling his eyebrows. I walked into them, and he pulled me close. “You take care now, and we’ll see you in five months.”
“Yeah. I know.” I sighed, and I pulled out of his arms so that I could give the rest of the guys a hug.
It was a little harder than expected to pull from Matt’s embrace, the final one. “Don’t let him get depressed. You and Jimmy are in charge of that.” I raised my most intimidating eyebrow, and he chuckled, kissing my forehead. I took that as a ‘Yes, ma’am’, and left it at that. He let go of me, and then they all muttered something about going back to the bus.
Brian pulled me into his arms, and he stroked my face before tucking his fingers beneath my chin, pulling me up into a gentle yet poignant kiss. His lips worked smoothly against mine, and I let my arms slide around his neck as his other hand held on to my waist. Then his lips parted slightly, just slightly, and he kissed me once more before pulling his arms from around me and brushing my hair out of my face. “You should probably go now.”
I nodded, biting my lip, and he stepped back. Not used to that, I said hurriedly, “Brian. Wait.” Pulling a pen and a piece of paper from my pocket, I quickly wrote down my cell phone number and pressed the piece of paper into his hand. “Don’t forget me.” I kissed him for a few moments, and then a voice on the speakerphone called for all passengers boarding my flight to find their way to the terminal. I held his face for a few more moments, and then I bit my lip, backing away from him, trying to ignore the hurt in his eyes. He mouthed the words ‘I love you’ before I turned around to go through security, and when my back was turned away from him, a couple of tears fell from my eyes.
I miss you already, Brian…
I boarded my flight, and I pretty much spent the time either gazing down at the picture I’d been given or toying with the ring that I was pretty sure now belonged to me, given to me by the man I loved. I don’t really know how long the flight was, but I did know that with every minute that passed, I was just that much farther away from him. I tried not to think about the distance between the east coast and California, and if I did, I cried a little bit.
Those dim hours, after passing slowly, came to an end as my plane landed on the tarmac, and once the pilot had okayed cell phones, I pulled mine out of my pocket and flipped it open, turning it on. First, I called Gina to let her know I was going to be coming through in a moment, and then I flipped it back open, staring at the wallpaper for a moment- Brian’s smile shone up at me. It should have been salt in the wound from leaving him behind, but it was just another reminder that the last three days had been completely and inexplicably real- despite the Edward and Bella similarities.
And so the lamb anguished over the lion.