You End, I Begin

It’d had been three weeks since I’d last been home and last seen Joel or my family. This was the longest I’d gone without going home for a few months now and it just showed I was dealing with my dad’s death, slowly but surely.

But now Joel had planned a trip to LA to come visit me and I was looking forward to it for the past few days. Until he had mentioned coming to visit me, I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him and how I’d enjoyed his company the weekend I’d gone home.

I’d managed to get the afternoon off work, so we could have some of today as well as the next two days together and I was on the way to the airport now to pick him up.

As I stood and waited for him in the terminal, it was then that it occurred to me that I wasn’t really sure what was going on with our relationship at that point. We were friends but we’d been on a couple of dates and shared the kiss as we left the bowling alley before I’d left Phoenix. Since I’d been back, we’d spoken every day, whether it was calls, texts or video calls to each other. But then there was no way I’d label us as a couple.

Soon enough, I saw the blonde head of hair I was waiting for walking towards me and my mouth grew into a smile. As he got closer his lips spread into a small smile, which I knew for Joel was a lot, as he looked serious so much of the time. We didn’t speak to each other once he reached where I was stood, instead, he just pulled me into a hug.

“Is this one of those cliche airport reunions?” My voice came out muffled as I spoke into his chest as we hugged.

“No, this is an Abby and Joel reunion. If it was a cliche, I would have just grabbed your face and kissed you,” he said and I laughed into his chest. “Really, though, I’ve missed you,” he told me, as we pulled away from each other.

“I missed you too,” I told him, and we made our way back to my car. “So what do you want to do this weekend?”

“Everything tourist-y.”

“Are you serious?” I questioned.

“No!” he laughed softly. “I don’t care what we do, I just want to spend the weekend with you.”

“Alright,” I nodded. Once we reached my car, we began the drive back to my apartment and Joel and I talked the whole way. I pre-warned him about how excited Roxy was to meet him and he seemed to just accept it.

As we began to drive to my apartment, I could feel Joel’s eyes watching me. My eyes flickered to him and the corners of his lips turned up.

“You’re different here,” he commented.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked him, trying to focus on the roads.

“I don’t know, I mean, I know I haven’t been here very long, but you seem a lot more relaxed in your surroundings here,” he explained, taking his attention from me to look out the window.

“I guess that’s because I was never happy in Phoenix, I was never comfortable. I’m a lot more comfortable here.”

He didn’t respond to me this time, instead just continued to gaze out the window and we continued to drive in silence except for the radio. I felt him turn and quickly glance at me once more but not a word was spoken until we reached my apartment block when I parked my car and we both got out.

“Abby, are you happy here?” Joel asked, walking round to meet me at my side of the car.

“What?”

“You said you were never happy in Phoenix, so are you happy here in LA?” he asked, looking at me completely straight-faced.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” I smiled slightly. “I mean I’ve got a good group of friends here, I love the city, I love the beaches. So yes I am,” I told him, my smile getting wider still. “Why?”

“A few weeks ago I told you that you deserved to be happy,” Joel said. “I want to be the person that makes you happy. I want to be the reason there’s a smile on your face everyday. And I’ll do whatever it takes to be that person.”

“You’re already that person, Joel,” I explained. “When my dad died, one of the first familiar faces I saw was yours and I knew it was for a reason. I honestly think you were meant to be in my life and when my dad passed away, he made sure you found me when I was at my lowest. These past few weeks would have been unbearable without you, I really mean that.”

Joel then leaned in and kissed my lips softly without saying another word. I close my eyes as I felt his soft lips on mine. It was only brief but it meant so much.

He took my hand as we walked up the steps to my apartment door and I put the key in to open it.

“Hey Rox,” I called, walking in as Joel shut the door behind us. “I’ve got someone for you to meet,” I said as I walked through to find her laying on the couch.

“Oh is he here?!” she asked, sitting up excitedly.

“Hey,” Joel nodded at her as he stepped in the door.

“Hi, you must be Joel,” Roxy smiled, standing up.

“And you must be Roxy, nice to meet you,” he smiled back.

“And you, please make yourself at home,” she said, before signaling to me to go into the kitchen.

“Joel, can I get you a drink?” I asked, quickly thinking of a reason to leave the room.

“Nah, I’m good, thanks,” he said, sitting down as I followed Roxy into the kitchen.

“ABBY! He is a total hottie! How have you not brought here before now?” she asked excitedly.

“I guess you like him then?” I laughed.

“From what I’ve seen so far, er YES!” she continued. “Abs, we’re going out tonight, me, you, lover boy in there, I’ll see who else I can get out. I’m getting you two drunk so you’ll actually face up to how you really feel about each other.”

“Well, we almost kinda did just now before we came in,” I told her, filling a glass up with water.

“WHAT!? I am so happy for you that he’s here!”

“Why?” I asked, slightly confused.

“Doesn’t matter, just go and enjoy each other’s company, I’ll sort out a plan for tonight and let you know,” she said, walking back out of the kitchen as I followed.

“Excuse me Joel,” she said, walking through to her bedroom and I bounced down on the couch next to him.

“I thought she was excite about meeting me?” he asked.

“Oh she is, but apparently planning a night out with everyone is more important,” I laughed, softly. “You don’t mind do you?”

“As I said, as long as I’m spending time with you, I don’t care,” he smiled. “I’m here to make you happy.”

As he said this, he put an arm around me and pulled me into his chest and held me close as we sat and chatted about everything and planned things we could while he was here. It felt so stupid, but having him here was amazing.