Love Was All I Wanted
So I Did
The plane flew over New York City. I opened the window visor and looked down through the clouds over the busy city. The sun shone down illuminating the place I call home. My forehead rested against the cool glass and I sighed as I thought of her. The first thing that ran through my mind every time a flight got ready to land was to call Alyssa. Every time…
The hustle and bustle that is JFK international hadn’t changed in the year I’d been gone. My job sent me all over the world. In the past year I had gone to China, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Russia… and many more.
As I waited for my baggage, hands in pockets, I thought of calling Alyssa again. Of course, she probably wanted nothing to do with me. She probably changed her phone numbers… maybe even her address, so I wouldn’t be able to contact her.
The last time I called her was over a year ago, a week before my job sent me away. I was too scared to do it in person, even though I should have. I called to tell her that I got the job, that they wanted me to be a top representative and to travel. It was the chance of a lifetime… the thing I had been dreaming of for so long. It was the last thing I said to her.
That’s when I knew. I knew I had to call her.
So I did.
I bit my lip as the ringing sounded in my ears. Since it was ringing… she hadn’t changed her number.
“Hello?”
The voice was so familiar. Something fluttered in my stomach.
“Alyssa?”
“Rick?”
“Yeah… it’s me.”
“What do you want?” she asked… and it wasn’t rude like I expected to be. It was… casual.
“Um… well I’m home.” I said and I heard her take in a deep breath.
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if I could see you.” I said in one breath. It was silent for what seemed the longest time. I was chewing on my lip… hoping she would say yes.
“Alright. Tomorrow, meet me at my house at eleven.”
****
The drive to our old place, now her place, seemed to last forever. Finally, I made it to that street that seemed so familiar and yet, so strange. Faintly, I saw the mountains in the distance as I followed the curve.
In the back of my mind I would remember the old days. Clear days, just like this one; when you could see everything in the horizon. We saved up our sick days for these days and hop into the convertible I used to have.
I’d secure the top down and put in the mixed CD of our favorite songs. We’d drive around, singing together in imperfect harmony, smiling at each other constantly.
In those days, I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. She convinced me that the life I’m living now is the life I’ve wanted to live. When I landed the interview for the job I had now, we took a drive a few days before. I remember clearly what she said on that day…
“You’ve been waiting all your life for a break like this, Rick. You know that this is your chance of a lifetime. Go out and find those dreams. Chase them to the ends of the earth.”
Then I did.
Pulling into the driveway I replayed that moment over and over in my head. Especially the way we looked at each other when she said that. That’s when I knew… this job… this life was not what I wanted all along.
Love.
That’s what I wanted all along. I wanted Alyssa’s love. All the memories from our two years together flooded my mind. Looking up I saw her figure in the window, pulling back the curtain. I climbed out of the car as she opened the front door. We stood in our respective places, staring at each other.
From where I stood, it seemed as if her face was shining. It could have been my eyes playing tricks on me. I took one step towards her and then froze. My stomach dropped when I saw the arm slide around her waist. My eyes wandered up the arm to the face of a man. She turned her head to smile up at him, resting a hand on his chest and reaching up to give him a kiss before stepping out to greet me.
Love really was what I wanted all along. But now…
She’s gone.
The hustle and bustle that is JFK international hadn’t changed in the year I’d been gone. My job sent me all over the world. In the past year I had gone to China, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Russia… and many more.
As I waited for my baggage, hands in pockets, I thought of calling Alyssa again. Of course, she probably wanted nothing to do with me. She probably changed her phone numbers… maybe even her address, so I wouldn’t be able to contact her.
The last time I called her was over a year ago, a week before my job sent me away. I was too scared to do it in person, even though I should have. I called to tell her that I got the job, that they wanted me to be a top representative and to travel. It was the chance of a lifetime… the thing I had been dreaming of for so long. It was the last thing I said to her.
That’s when I knew. I knew I had to call her.
So I did.
I bit my lip as the ringing sounded in my ears. Since it was ringing… she hadn’t changed her number.
“Hello?”
The voice was so familiar. Something fluttered in my stomach.
“Alyssa?”
“Rick?”
“Yeah… it’s me.”
“What do you want?” she asked… and it wasn’t rude like I expected to be. It was… casual.
“Um… well I’m home.” I said and I heard her take in a deep breath.
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if I could see you.” I said in one breath. It was silent for what seemed the longest time. I was chewing on my lip… hoping she would say yes.
“Alright. Tomorrow, meet me at my house at eleven.”
****
The drive to our old place, now her place, seemed to last forever. Finally, I made it to that street that seemed so familiar and yet, so strange. Faintly, I saw the mountains in the distance as I followed the curve.
In the back of my mind I would remember the old days. Clear days, just like this one; when you could see everything in the horizon. We saved up our sick days for these days and hop into the convertible I used to have.
I’d secure the top down and put in the mixed CD of our favorite songs. We’d drive around, singing together in imperfect harmony, smiling at each other constantly.
In those days, I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. She convinced me that the life I’m living now is the life I’ve wanted to live. When I landed the interview for the job I had now, we took a drive a few days before. I remember clearly what she said on that day…
“You’ve been waiting all your life for a break like this, Rick. You know that this is your chance of a lifetime. Go out and find those dreams. Chase them to the ends of the earth.”
Then I did.
Pulling into the driveway I replayed that moment over and over in my head. Especially the way we looked at each other when she said that. That’s when I knew… this job… this life was not what I wanted all along.
Love.
That’s what I wanted all along. I wanted Alyssa’s love. All the memories from our two years together flooded my mind. Looking up I saw her figure in the window, pulling back the curtain. I climbed out of the car as she opened the front door. We stood in our respective places, staring at each other.
From where I stood, it seemed as if her face was shining. It could have been my eyes playing tricks on me. I took one step towards her and then froze. My stomach dropped when I saw the arm slide around her waist. My eyes wandered up the arm to the face of a man. She turned her head to smile up at him, resting a hand on his chest and reaching up to give him a kiss before stepping out to greet me.
Love really was what I wanted all along. But now…
She’s gone.
♠ ♠ ♠
Thoughts??~Steph <3