A Single Daffodil

I was sitting at the very top of the steps outside the American Airlines arena with my legs crossed and my hands stretched out behind me. I loved coming here during sunrise because the arena was right by the water, so you had a pretty fantastic view when the sun slowly rose up from beneath the Floridian bay.

I couldn’t sleep last night --that was pretty much a given. It was around 5:30 in the morning before I decided I was completely fed up with the tossing and turning. I ripped the sheets off me, slipped my sandals on, and ended up here about fifteen minutes later. The city behind me stayed relatively peaceful until the clock struck 5:50am. Everyone was awake then and ready to start their day. It was Friday, so everyone in Miami probably woke up with a smile on their face and kept a skip in their step after enjoying their first cup of coffee. But not me.

Why?

Because Harry was leaving today.

I pulled my knees close to my chest as I rested my arms across them. I shuttered every time I thought about it. I feel like I’ve been anticipating this day since the beginning of time. Today felt so far away, you know? I wasn’t expecting it to come so fast, but it did and it was here now. I didn’t know what to do with myself.

I’m in love with you.

That moment replayed in my mind every hour of every day since he said it. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see him saying it. I could hear him. I’m in love with you. When somebody loves you, aren’t you suppose to feel happy? Delighted? Warmth? I didn’t feel any of those things. I felt inconsolable. Despairing. Miserable. He was leaving for good and I was being left behind. It wasn’t his fault though. This was the plan all along.

“Hey you!” Someone called out from behind me. I turned around to see Lebron James in his work out gear, walking towards me with a black duffle bag hanging off his side. “What are you doing here!?”

“I could ask you the same thing!” I replied, bending back as far as I could to look up at him. He was taller than the Goddamn Empire State building.

“Getting my early work-out in before they cover the court for tonight’s concert.” He dropped the duffle bag to the side as he took a seat on the step below me. Now we were at the same height. “Apparently it’s Taylor Swift.”

“Oh, you’re favorite.” For the first time in two weeks, I let a smile pry it’s way onto my lips as I teased Lebron. “I assume you’re going. Are you gonna cry when she plays Tears On My Guitar?”

“Vita. I’m big, I’m black, and I’m a professional NBA player.” Lebron said sternly. “If you were to find me in section 2, row b, seat number 12, it’s merely an accident that I’m in that seat at that very moment.”

I started laughing. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You got it.” He laughed too, reaching over and giving my knee a hard slap. “How are you doing, Spoley? It’s been a minute since I’ve last seen you.”

“Could be better.” I answered truthfully, turning back to the water. The sun was only hovering above sea level, showing off all it’s beautiful pink, orange and purple hues.

“Uh oh. So all the talk around town is true then?” Lebron asked.

I gave Lebron a strange look. He shrugged. “Savannah keeps me in the loop, girl. You and that British chump are all over the tabloids.”

I sighed and shook my head. I don’t know who told the media, but it was breaking news everywhere that Harry Styles was back on the market. People who “shipped” us--Sophia spent a solid hour trying to explain to me what shipped meant-- were apparently devastated, while the people who loathed me celebrated. This is all speculation based off of what Sophia told me. I didn’t dare go near social media or the internet after Harry and I broke up.

“Yeah, we’re over.” I said looking down at my folded arms. “He was leaving anyways.”

I’m in love with you.

I gulped away the butterflies that erupted in my stomach. He was leaving today.

“Hey, bud? Can I give you some advice?” Lebron asked a couple of moments later.

“Sure.”

“Someone once said, ‘Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.’” He said. “You know who said that?”

I shook my head.

“Michael Jordan.” Lebron smiled. “He was probably talking about basketball when he said it, but it can be applied to just about any situation.”

I chewed on my bottom lip as I carefully mulled over his words. I didn’t know how much Lebron knew about me and Harry, but to truly dissect what he was getting at, he was implying that I shouldn’t give up on Harry so easily. I suddenly got overwhelmed with appreciation for Lebron. He was always looking out for me, even though he didn’t need to.

“Lebron, you’re not only a great athlete, but a great friend too.” I said. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“Hey now, we’re family.” Lebron tapped my shins with the back of his hand. “Us family have to stick together through the best of times and the worst of times.”

In that very moment, the heavy weight my heart has been carrying for the past couple of days lifted. While I knew the moment was going to be brief, it was comforting to know I had my Heat family to rely on when times got tough.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I am positively ravenous after my workout.” Lebron pushed on his knees with his hands and stood up. He turned to face me and offered me his hand. “How about we go hit up the nearest iHop? I heard they’re offering Pumpkin Pancakes early this year and that’s an offer I just know you can’t refuse.”

I grinned, taking his hand and jumping up. “Fine, but you’re paying.”



“Ay dios mio! I am so sad.” I heard Sophia moan from my kitchen.

“I think we should order pizza.” I heard Jayden shout from the living room. He was probably stretched out on one of the couches, texting Liam inside jokes. “Let’s drown in calories and watch The Hills, but only the episodes with Lauren Conrad. After LC left, the show wasn’t the same. Am I right or am I right?”

In my bedroom, I was changing into a loose grey sweater that barred the Heat logo across the front and a pair of blue jeans. While I tied up my blonde curls into a messy bun, I tried to pretend like it wasn’t three in the afternoon and that Harry was probably checking in at the airport right now. His flight was in an hour and a half, but who was counting down the hours?

Thankfully, I didn’t have work today so Sophia and Jayden came over to keep me company instead of letting me wallow in my sorrows by myself.

“Shut up, Jayden! Now is not the time to joke.” Sophia exclaimed out of frustration just as I was walking out of my bedroom. “I just wish that--”

Sophia stopped when she saw me enter the room. I immediately raised an eyebrow.

“You wish that what?” I fired the question at her immediately.

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.” She avoided eye contact by watching her hand twirl the spoon around in her cup of tea.

“You’re the worst liar. Finish the sentence.” I crossed my arms over my chest and started tapping my foot. She hated when I did that.

She stomped her five inch heel against the tile floor and groaned. “Fine! I was going to say I wish you didn’t break up with Harry! Okay? There, I said it.”

“Sophia.” Jayden’s warning voice echoed in from the living room. “We’ve been over this already.”

“No, Jayden. I can’t keep it to myself anymore! I have to say it.” Sophia turned to look at me. “I think you make a big mistake. You were so happy with him. And now look! You are sad all the time now! You’re making yourself miserable.”

I rolled my eyes at Sophia. We’ve had this conversation a thousand times already. This was the last thing I wanted to talk about today. “I told you, for the millionth time, long distance doesn’t work! It never does.”

She followed me over to the couch area, where I plopped down on the couch opposite of the one Jayden was lounging on.

“You’re looking at it all wrong!” She persisted, standing over me. “Long distance can be a good thing, no? Por ejemplo, being separate means you get to be independent and in a relationship at the same time! That’s exactly what you want! Not to mention, you get to travel around the world to see him! I mean, the list goes on.”

I looked over at Jayden to see if he was buying into what Sophia was saying. He half-frowned and shrugged at me, like he was considering her argument to be valid.

“And imagine, just imagine that moment when you first see each other again!” Sophia grinned, clasping her hands together and resting her cheek against them. “It would be so romantic! And you’d get to do it over and over and over and over and-”

“Okay, Sophia.” I cut her off. “I get it, alright?”

I really didn’t want to indulge in the pros of long distance relationships anymore. I was still trying to stomach the advice Lebron gave me this morning. Every time I repeated the Michael Jordan quote in my head, a funny twist happened in my stomach. Call it a gut feeling, if you will.

“I’m just saying that you’ll always have something to look forward to. No more sadness.” Sophia dropped her hands into her lap and looked at me helplessly. “Si, long distance relationships are difficult, but I think they’re doable. Especially when you have a guy like Harry, who cares about you more than anything.”

I’m in love with you.

I started picking at my nails nervously. I never told Jayden and Sophia about what he said to me at the hotel last week. I kept it to myself because I knew they would freak out at me.

But I was never really good at keeping things from my best friends.

“He told me he was in love with me.” I blurted out suddenly.

Jayden sat up instantly while Sophia’s eyes doubled in size with shock.

“He said what!?” Sophia shouted like she was angry, but I knew it was just surprise.

“Whoa, Vita.” Jayden said. “That’s a big deal.”

Sophia stood up and started pacing the living room floor. She was yelling in Spanish.

I sat up and watched her stomp back and forth, sucking in my bottom lip between my teeth.

“And what did you say?” Sophia demanded, pointing her perfectly manicured finger at me.

“I didn’t say anything.” I winced, falling back on the couch. “I was speechless. We sort of just...held each other.”

Jayden let out a low whistle. Sophia almost pulled her hair out of her head.

“And you didn’t even think to say ‘I love you’ back!?” Sophia was screaming the words at this point. “Ay Dios Mio, Vita. You really are estupido!”

“Wait, hold on.” Jayden raised a hand to Sophia before looking at me. “Do you love him back?”

I sat up slowly and thought about it. Like, really thought about it. Did I love him? I didn’t just throw that word around lightly. I love Grandpa Gene, I love Sophia and Jayden, I love my dad and the Miami Heat team, I love Dr. Pepper, I love frozen yogurt. But did I love Harry?

Well, I knew that I melted every time he touched me. I felt like I was home when I was in his arms. He made me laugh so hard sometimes that there would be tears in my eyes. I always got this shakey, jittery feeling in my chest right before I was about to see him and I would blush when his eyes got bright with excitement the second I would walk into a room. His poetry was endearing, his laugh was infectious, his intentions were always kind. And the way he said my name was like magic. He was magic. And I realize now that there is never a time or place for true love, no matter how inconvenient it was. No obstacle in this world could prevent something as a formidable love. Not even distance.

And now it made sense. What Lebron told me early was finally making sense.

“Oh my God, I do.” My voice shook with some kind of new adrenaline that was thrusting through my veins. “I do. I’m in love with Harry.”

Jayden grinned at me, like he was proud. Sophia yelled out to the ceiling, shaking her fists above her head.

“You’re a mess!” She growled at me. “In typical Vita fashion, you’ve waited until the very last second to make a decision. And now you’re too late to tell him.”

I shot up from the couch and ran over to the kitchen to grab my phone. I had to tell him. I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been. “I’ll call him right now. There’s still time. I’ll-I’ll call him and I’ll tell him!”

I suddenly felt frantic as I dialed Harry’s number. I made a mistake in letting this go. A huge mistake. I had to tell him.

My heart dropped when it went straight to voicemail.

“It went to voicemail!” I cried, re-dialing his number.

Sophia snapped her fingers and ran over to where she set her bag in the living room. “I’ll call Niall!”

“And I’ll try Liam!” Jayden exclaimed.

After a couple of moments of us holding our phones against our ears, we all looked at each other with worried expressions. No one was answering.

“Fuck, you know what? I bet they all took out their American phone chips.” Jayden gave me a worried look. “Sorry, Veedz. I don’t know how else to contact them. I don’t even have Liam’s Facebook.”

“I don’t either.” Sophia groaned, resting the palm of her hand against her forehead.

“Oh God, this isn’t happening.” My heart was racing. “Did I really just fuck this all up? He needs to know. There’s gotta be a way, right? Maybe they didn’t go through customs yet?”

“The plane leaves in forty minutes.” Sophia looked at the time on her phone. “They’re probably at their gate right now.”

I walked into the living room and dropped onto one of the couches with defeat. I lost. I fucked up. I ruined everything.

Sophia tutted under her breath as she sat down next to me and rubbed my back. “Aye I’m sorry, Vita. We tried?”

The three of us stayed quiet. I racked my brains, trying to figure out another way I could contact Harry before he left the States. Once he was gone, he was gone. I didn’t have his UK phone number, and I sure as hell couldn’t contact him through social media--have you seen how many followers he has?

“WAIT A SECOND!” Jayden suddenly yelled so loudly, it made Sophia and I jump with fright. Jayden never yelled. Never. “Doesn’t Ronnie-DOESN’T RONNIE WORK AT THE AIRPORT?”

Sophia and I looked at Jayden and then at each other. Before I knew it, the three of us sprung into action.

“Everyone is getting into my car right fucking now!” Jayden exclaimed, running towards the front door and ripping it open. “If we leave now, we’ll beat traffic to the airport!”

Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I made a grab for the white converse that sat by the door. I tucked them under my arm and tore after Sophia and Jayden, who were already jumping into his car. There wasn’t time to put them on now. I would put them on in the car.

“Jayden drives, Vita, you put on your shoes, and I’ll call Ronnie!” Sophia instructed as Jayden reversed out of my driveway like lightning.

“Step on it, Jayden!” I cried, yanking the converse onto my feet. “There isn’t time!”

Sophia started clapped excitedly in the backseat. “Ay Dios Mio! This is so exciting! This is just like the movies! So romantic!”

“Relax, we might not make it.” I said, even though my heart was racing. It was just like the movies. But I didn’t want to jinx it. “I don’t even know if Ronnie can help us. We don’t know what she can do.”

Jayden was already merging onto the highway and was definitely way over the speed limit. I probably would have been scared shitless had I not been high off adrenaline. And the fact that Jayden was a professional driver definitely helped calm my nerves.

“She’s not answering!” Sophia cried in the back. “She’s working at the airport now, right?”

“Right.” I confirmed, mentally picturing Jane’s Flower Shop schedule in my head. Ronnie had today off and worked tomorrow morning. She had to be at the airport.

Maybe everything happened for a reason, and leaving this all to the last minute was just life’s crazy way of working things out. Maybe it was the big climax of me and Harry. Of our relationship. Wasn’t this how it always worked out in love stories? The girl gets the guy because she fights for him. She confesses her love to him at the very last second and then he forgives her and they live happily ever after, right? There was no alternative ending. I was confident this was going to work and we were going to make it.

Twenty excruciating minutes later, Jayden’s car pulled up right at the American Airlines side of the airport.

“You guys go!” Jayden shouted after me and Sophia as we climbed out of the car. “I’ll park and meet you in two minutes!”

“Okay!” I shouted back, slamming the door after me and running towards the sliding glass doors.

Sophia lagged behind me, struggling to run in her five inch heels. “Wait, wait! I’m coming!”

I practically slid into the airport, whipping my head back and forth. My eyes desperately searched for Ronnie’s bright red hair amongst the crowds. By the time Sophia caught up to me, I spotted her. Ronnie was standing behind one of the American Airlines desk, grinning and typing away at a computer.

“Ronnie!” I shouted, not giving one single fuck that people around me were startled by how loud I was. I was on a time crunch. Harry could be boarding the plane at any second.

Ronnie was just as startled as the passengers when she saw me sprinting over to her with Sophia close behind. “Oh my God. You guys. What are you doing here!?”

I was practically out of breath by the time I reached her desk. She looked so different with her hair tied back in a tight bun. She was decked out in a full American Airlines uniform and was only wearing eyeliner. She never looked like this at the flower shop.

“Ronnie.” I gasped for air. “No time to explain. Jayden, Sophia and I. We-I have to stop Harry before he boards his flight. Is there anything you can--”

“Oh my God.” She squealed with excitement. “You’re going to tell him you love him, aren’t you? Oh I knew it! I knew it!”

Jayden caught up to us just as she started squealing.

“Ronnie, what can we do!?” Sophia leaned over the desk desperately. “We have to stop them from getting on that plane!”

“Work your magic!” Jayden added, peering over me and Sophia.

My heart thumped nervously against my chest as I watched Ronnie. It was a long shot to ask her to sneak us into the terminal that Harry was in. America was pretty tight up the ass about security at airports today (and with good reason, obviously). But I started to panic for real when I realized I left my credit card at home. If we had to buy a plane ticket to wherever just to get us in that terminal, there wouldn’t be enough money to cover it.

But what Ronnie did next shocked me. She grinned.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since I started working here.” She quickly went to her computer and started typing furiously. “This is a one time thing, okay? We’re not suppose to abuse the system but when shit like this happens, it’s okay to abuse it once. And hey, even if I get fired for this, who cares? It’s only a summer job!”

If possible, my heart started racing even quicker then before. I was so close to catching Harry.

Something started to print from Ronnie’s computer. They looked like tickets.

“You guys have your I.Ds, right?” She asked. The three of us nodded. “Okay, I printed out ‘gate passes’. These will get you anywhere inside the airport. All you need is your I.Ds at security. I okayed the three of you for TSA Pre Check, which means your security check point is expedited and there are like, no lines. They’re usually used for employees who work in the terminals. It’ll take you five minutes maximum to go through!”

“Oh my God, Ronnie!” I exclaimed with delight, reaching for the passes. “I could kiss you! I owe you everything!”

“Don’t mention it.” She grinned before waving her arms to the left. “Now, go. The gate is that way. You better hurry if you don’t want to miss him!”

Sophia started squealing with excitement and clapped her hands. “It’s a miracle!”

“We have ten minutes before their flight takes off.” Jayden looked at his phone. “We can do this. We’re gonna make it.”

The three of us raced past all the long lines of passengers checking in luggage and towards the sign that was labelled ‘TSA’. My hands were shaking by the time we reached the TSA Pre Checked area. It hasn’t hit me yet that I was about to stop Harry from boarding an airplane to tell him I loved him. This was so theatrical. This was so unlike me. This was so fun.

There were only three people in front of us at TSA. My heart was beating so hard and fast, I was sure everyone within a five mile radius could hear it. I couldn’t control the amount of emotion that was building up inside of me as I waited to go through the metal detector. I was jumpy, feverish, intoxicated by the mere fact that I was minutes away from telling Harry that I wanted to do this for real. Fuck the long distance, I am willing to put in the work. Whatever obstacle we come across, we’ll figure it out even if it means we have to climb it, go through it or work around it.

I made a mental note to give Lebron the biggest hug later. He helped me finally see sense.

We breezed through TSA easily. The security didn’t even give us hell for not having any kind of luggage. The second we explained they were gate passes, they were pretty blase about letting us through.

“Okay. London. London. London.” Jayden repeated the word while we skimmed the list of departures on the screen in the terminal. “Shit, what airline?”

“British Airways!” Sophia exclaimed as she fiddled with the strap of her heel. “I remember Niall said something about the airline.”

“There!” I cried, pointing to the British Airways flight headed to London. The word ‘boarding’ was flashing quickly next to it. “Gate C39! That has to be it!”

“We’ll never make it!” Sophia exclaimed. “The plane leaves in two minutes!”

“Yes we can!” I jogged over to the escalators that led to the second floor. “Run! We’re gonna make it!”

Jayden and Sophia climbed up the escalators after me, muttering quick ‘Sorry!’s and ‘Excuse me!’s while bumping into the slower people.

“Quick! This way!” I called behind me, pointing to the sign that said ‘GATES C2-C59’

“Wait, wait!” Sophia called after me and Jayden, still fighting to catch up with me and Jayden in her heels.

“Okay, it’s game time, Sophia.” Jayden declared, jogging over to Sophia and crouching in front of her. “Taking one for the team. Hop on!”

I grinned when Sophia jumped onto Jayden’s back. He hooked his elbows under her knees and hoisted her up higher.

“What are we all waiting for?” Sophia wrapped her arms tightly around Jayden’s neck. “Let’s go!!”

I turned on my heel and broke into a run, with Jayden and Sophia in tow. I couldn’t stop grinning. My heart was racing, my cheeks were flushed with excitement. We zoomed past all the C gates.

C2, C3, C4, C6, C7.

I could hear Sophia’s loud laughter behind me as we raced down the long alleyway.

C11, C12, C13, C14.

We were so close. I dodged the passengers who were just idly standing around.

C18, C19, C20, C21.

My chest was tightening and the shortness of breath was difficult to ignore.

“We’re so close, Vita.” Jayden panted next to me. “Keep going. It’s worth it.”

He was right. I ran even faster.

C29, C30, C31, C32, C33.

I can’t wait to see how shocked Harry will be when he sees me running over to him. I can’t wait to tell him I’m so in love with him.

C35, C36, C37,C38,C39.

I screeched to a halt in front of the gate, panting for air. I looked around desperately, trying to find that familiar head of curls I decided to fall in love with.

But no one was here. No one was at the gate.

“Where is everyone?” I heard Sophia ask behind me.

I ran over to the large windows and pressed my face against the cool glass. There was a British Airways plane backing away from the gate.

“Excuse me, where is the flight that goes to London?” I heard Sophia ask a nearby flight attendant behind me.

“The plane just left.” I heard the flight attendant respond.

I watched the airplane slowly drive away from the gate, inching further and further away from us.

“Oh Vita.” Jayden sighed. He was still panting from our run too. I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder.

“We were so close.” Sophia groused.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the window. I tried to even out my breathing but it was impossible. Trying to describe how I felt in this very moment was impossible.

I was too late.