Whatever It Takes

Arianna rolled her luggage out of the airport, letting the crisp Chicago night air twirl around her in excitement. She inhaled deeply the scent of April, a nice contrast to the stale taste of airplane she had experienced for the last 3 hours.

“Feels like home eh?” Jon teased as they made their way toward his car in the airport parking lot.

“It has been a while,” she smiled in response as they stopped in front of Jon’s car. He popped open the trunk and took her small luggage from her hand. It had been two weeks since her last visit to see Patrick. Two weeks since she had spent the most wonderful week with the most amazing guy. It had seemed like a dream to her then, almost too good to be true how well everything worked between them.

Arianna walked to the passenger side of the door and got into Jon’s black car. Jon slid into the driver’s seat and turned on the car. He reversed slowly before putting the car into drive and taking off deep into the Chicago city lights.

“So we go to your hotel first?” Jon asked as he turned the radio on.

“Yeah, if you don’t mind. Kind of want to drop off my stuff first before going to surprised Pat,” she replied as she turned to look out her window at the scenery.

“Can I even ask why you booked a hotel room? You know Pat’s not actually going to let you use it,” Jon smirked as he turned to give her a quick glance. Arianna fell silent as she tried to think of an answer. It seemed like such an obvious statement. Why not stay with your boyfriend?

Ever since she had left Chicago, things had suddenly gotten strained between her and Patrick. As time went on, they both got so busy and barley had time to speak to each other half as much as they did before. Slowly, she could feel him slipping away. It wasn’t by anything he said that she could tell, more by the feeling that rumbled deep in the pit of her stomach. It seemed like a wall went up around him and she was having trouble finding her way back in. He seemed edgy this past week, his voice more soft and mellow, no vibrancy in his laughter.

It was then that she knew she needed to make a trip down to see him. She had finished her finals so there really was no reason for her not to go. With that in mind, she booked a ticket to Chicago two days before and decided to surprise him with her short visit. It wouldn’t be a long trip but it was still worth it right? He would appreciate the effort she made. Maybe this could fix the strain. But no matter what she told herself, she knew she should book her own hotel room in case. She prayed that there would be no “in case” but her gut instinct kept nagging at her head.

“I don’t want to bombard him. You guys have one more game left for the season, which might I add you need to win. I want him to be focused on that and not on me,” Arianna told Jon as she turned to look back at him. Jon nodded in understanding as he continued to drive. “I hope you recognize how great of a friend I am, coming to pick you up at 12:30am,” he told her as another smirk appeared on his face.

“Oh you’re the absolute best Johnny,” she replied as she reached over and ruffled his hair slightly, a giggle escaping her lips as he swatted her hand away with a chuckle of his own.

***

Arianna stood in front of Patrick’s apartment door, her hand inches away from knocking. She had gone and dropped off all her things and then had asked Jon to drive her here. As he dropped her off she thanked him and got out the car, suddenly realizing that her legs had become jello.

Why was she so nervous? This was her boyfriend. This was Patrick. Her Patrick. Things like this never happened to them. After all the ups and downs together, they had somehow found a way to make it work. In between all that craziness of finally getting together, she had fallen madly in love with him. And somehow, he had fallen in love with her too. Was he finally slipping away from her? So what things had been strained this past week, with fewer phone conversations and text messaging. He still loved her. Right?

Security has recognized her and gave her a warm smile, letting her through without any questions. Her heart raced on the elevator ride up to his floor. Don’t be stupid, she thought as found herself in front of his door, of course he still loves you.

So now here she stood, in the hallway in front of his door with her arm lifted in mid-air ready to knock. I must look like a psycho, she thought as she finally let her knuckles hit against the solid wood of his door. No matter what was the problem, they would fix it. She told herself that enough times until she believed it.

There was shuffling on the over side of the door, sounds of groans and mutters as she heard the steps get louder as they approached her. She swallowed the lump in her throat down and rubbed her palms against the side of her jeans.

Suddenly the door swung open, a half-sleepy Patrick appearing before her wearing only boxers and a fitted white cotton t-shirt. His eyes went from half-closed to wide open as he saw her standing there before him. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, his face starring at her in disbelief.

“Ari?” Patrick asked quietly, almost afraid that if he spoke to loud she’d disappear. He had been right on the verge of falling asleep when he heard the knock at the door. Confused and pissed off, he threw off the covers and stumbled to his door. Who would be knocking at this time? The boys downstairs didn’t call to tell him someone was coming up. Was it his annoying neighbor again who kept asking for stupid shit?

He did not expect however to see her before him. His eyes scanned every detail of her, hungry to memorize her before she left again.

“Hi Pat,” she said softly, starring at him with nothing but love and excitement. It was funny how whenever she was away from him for a long amount of time she forgot the effect he had on her. Being in his presence sent her on a roller coaster of emotion. Like nothing would ever feel right again until they were together; until she was in his arms. She took in his eyes and hair, the tiny stunned expression that lingered on his face still. She could feel her heart tighten as she wondered what would happen next. Was this a bad idea she thought?

“W-what are you doing here?” he asked her, still trying to process everything that was happening. It amazed him how every time he saw her, he thought she was more beautiful than the last time. It was almost as if memories of her would never be able to do her justice. He’d never be able to get it just right.

“I…I wanted to surprise you. I know things have been hard with us being so busy,” Arianna began as she let her fingers intertwine and twist, a nervous habit she often did.

“I just wanted to make the effort to come down and see you. I’ve missed yo-,” Arianna continued until the rush of his lips connecting to hers cut her off. Patrick didn’t even need to hear the reason why she was there. It didn’t even matter. What mattered was that she was there, with him, in his arms. The minute his body was out of shock he cut her off and pulled her in, kissing her like it was the first time. His arms found themselves wrapped familiarly around her tiny waist, the smell of her perfume lingering in the air around them.

Arianna pushed her fingers through his hair, her mouth on fire from a kiss she had been longing to have for so long. They gently pulled away, letting their foreheads rest against each other, their noses grazing ever so gently. She held onto the back of his head, her eyes closing as she tried to capture this moment forever. He was the same Patrick as when she left last time. She knew the instant he kissed her that everything was going to be fine.

“Where are your bags?” Patrick suddenly asked as he looked around the floor for them, his hands never leaving her waist. Arianna giggled nervously as she gave him a shy grin.

“I left them at my hotel room,” Arianna admitted as she saw him sigh and roll his eyes slightly.

“Should I even ask why?” he responded, his eyes connect with her hers. They shined so bright with happiness it made Arianna want to cry. How could she have ever doubted if he still loved her?

“I brought a change of clothes with me though,” she told him with a mischievous grin, instantly taking his mind off the last question he asked. Her hands rested on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat progress to a quick pace. His eyes danced with lust as he pulled her in for another tight hug. Within seconds her feet were lifted off the ground as Patrick dragged her into his apartment, shutting the door behind him with his foot.

***

The morning sun shone through the floor to ceiling windows, illuminating the entire room with rays of sun. Arianna lazily draped her foot into Patrick’s lap as she took another bite of her cereal. He looked down and smiled, as he grabbed her small foot in his hand and gave it a loving squeeze.

Morning had come quicker than Arianna could have imagined, leaving her feeling robbed of precious time. After they rolled themselves out of bed, they sat at the kitchen table to have breakfast together before Patrick left for practice. Tomorrow was the last game of the season and the boys needed to win it more than ever if they had any hopes of advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals.

“Thanks for this,” Patrick said suddenly, snapping Arianna out of her trance. She looked at him curiously, not catching on to what he meant. “For coming here…for being so amazing,” he explained more as a smiled spread across her pretty face.

“Stop. You don’t need to thank me. I’m your girlfriend…I love you…I missed you,” she told him as she leaned forward across the table to grab his hand. “I know things have been hard with us being away from each other for so long. But I want you to know nothing has changed for me.”

Patrick nodded and squeezed her hand tightly in his, letting his thumb run circles on the top of her hand. “I feel the same,” he confided in her, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it softly.

“Really? Because for a while there I felt like something had changed…”Arianna said nervously as she looked down at her empty bowl.

“Ari?” She glanced back up to see Patrick looking serious, his eyes clouded with thoughts she couldn’t read as he starred at her face. Patrick starred at every detail he could grasp. The way the sun hit her face and made her look even more perfect. The way the color of her hair was like warm honey. He saw in her everything he wanted in his perfect girl. How could he have almost ruined this all?

“Yeah?” she asked nervously, her palm growing sweaty in his. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it quickly, looking down suddenly before glancing back up at her. His eyes danced away from hers, looking thoughtful before they glanced back to meet her.

“I love you. That will never change,” he told her firmly, his eyes begging hers to believe him. She felt her body relax as she nodded at him, a smile taking over her face instantly.

“You better get going. Don’t want my baby to be late for practice,” she told him as she got up and took both their bowls to the sink.

“Why don’t you come? Watch the practice and chill at the arena with a bunch of other girlfriends and wives that are sometimes there,” Patrick suddenly offered as she placed the dishes in the sink.

She turned to give him a curious glance. Go to a practice? She never did that. He walked up to her and grabbed her hands in his. The look in his eyes was so innocent and pure, like a puppy begging to be given a treat.

“I just want to see you as much as possible. Please,” he whined ever so slightly, batting his lashes ever so slowly knowing exactly how to get her to agree.

She laughed loudly as she shoved him away, “Fine. Let me go get changed quickly,” she responded. She ran into his room and threw on the clothes she had brought, realizing as she pulled on the old Hawks jersey he had given her long ago that she looked like a bum.

Oh well, she thought as she pulled her hair into a ponytail, its not like there’s anyone there to impress.