City of Love

They were immediately suspicious and asking what was happening between us. They wanted to know everything. I kept telling them he was just a guy I met on the flight and he was pretty fun to talk to. My sister didn't really believe it and my mom looked more worried than excited. I understood why, but I didn't want her to worry. I was planning on taking time for me now that I was home.
We were home and I was sitting at the island in our kitchen with my mom and siblings all running around the kitchen trying to get dinner served. My phone jingled as I got a text message. I hadn't thought much about John ever texting me until now. It was a picture of my laptop with the pictures pulled up again. I knew that that meant we accidentally swapped laptops.

<I'm so sorry! I didn't notice! Are you able to meet me somewhere to switch back? Where are you staying?>

<That's the problem. I'm not in Wichita anymore, my friends picked me up and we're already almost to Kansas City.>

I didn't know what to do. I wasn't going to make his friends drive back when they were just arriving.

<Ok, I'll drive out there. Where are you in KC?>

<No no no no. You aren't going to drive out here tonight. You just got home. I don't want you to leave your family so soon. Maybe I can fly back tonight and be back here tomorrow before I have to work.>

I just realized I didn't know what he did for a living. But that wasn't important. I had EVERYTHING on my laptop and I didn't know how long I could wait for it. Not to mention, what if he needed his laptop for work?

<They'll understand, I'm living here now. I have plenty of time to catch up with them. I'm coming.>

<You're making me feel terrible. It's all my fault I forgot to check and make sure who's laptop I was packing.>

<No, it was both of our faults. It was an honest mistake. I'll call you when I get to Kansas City to find out where exactly I'm going.>

I told Mom my laptop had gotten mixed up with another passenger's. I didn't need her freaking out that I'm rebounding so soon... which I wasn't...
I drove the whole way to Kansas City in what seemed like twenty minutes. When I arrived, I went to the first McDonald's I saw and went inside because I was starving. My family was setting up for dinner when I left.
I sat in the car for a few extra seconds to answer some texts from my mom, who was flipping shit that I just walked out as quick as I had walked in. I told her I'll be back by morning and not to worry. Knowing her, that probably was easier said than done. Before I could reply to an anger-filled text, my phone started ringing. It was John.

"Hey, I just got into the city, where am I going?"

"Well, how far are you from Legends?"

"Instead of replying with my answer, like a normal person, the idiot that I am decided to immediately ask why the hell he was at Legends at a quarter til' 10 p.m."

He laughed and said, "Well, I'm not. I'm near, though."

"Ok, how about the Trader Joe's not too far from there?"

"Sounds good. See ya, in a bit. And I'm sorry again."

He hung up too quickly for me to apologize too or to tell him it wasn't his fault. I guessed at this point, McDonald's had to wait. I arrived sooner than I thought I was going to, and decided to go inside before I get murdered in the parking lot. Somehow, I felt safer in a grocery store than in my own car.
I walked up and down the isles just looking around with my hands in the pocket of my hoodie. Since being on the plane, I had changed into some cut off jean shorts and an old high school hoodie. I'd slipped on my sperries when I left. My hair was in a loose pony tail (go figure). I had John's laptop tucked under my sweatshirt because I wasn't sure who was out lurking at 10 p.m.
I was looking at a package of chocolate covered nuts when I feel someone looking over my shoulder.
"Those are good, but a bit salty."
I spun around so fast I almost let go of the laptop. It was John with this big goofy grin he got from seeing me scared for a moment.
"Hi, you nearly scared the crap out of me."
He laughed, "I'm sorry. Do you have my laptop?"
I realized my hoodie was hiding the laptop and pulled it out.
We traded laptops and I said, "Thanks for meeting me so late, I'm sorry for pulling you away from whatever you were doing." I started walking away, when he asked, "Can I take you somewhere?"
I turned around. I slowly walked back to him saying, "That's an awfully odd request. Can I ask where?"
"Nope." He shot me a smile.
"Now you sound a bit creepy." I smiled back.
"Do you trust me?"
What he just said knocked me back, not literally, and not by his question but by my answer. I wanted to say I did trust him. Why did I? I met him literally hours before. But I left my family, of which I have yet to catch up with, to meet him again, not knowing if I was going to be murdered or not. But now as he's asking if I will trust him to take me somewhere, I did trust him. What the hell is wrong with me? No. No no no. I don't trust him. If I said yes, I'd be asking him to kill me.
"Yes" the answer shot out of me. WHAT THE FUCK WAS I DOING?
"Good, I promise to bring you back and not hurt you." He was still grinning. My first thought after he said this was if he could hear my thoughts or not. Unrealistic, I know. We walked out of Trader Joe's together, and he led me to his car.
"It's a rental. I might as well get the most of the money that isn't mine." I wondered what he was saying, but didn't ask. "You hungry?" Honestly, the happy meal I ate before meeting up with him, felt like it satisfied nothing inside me.
"I could eat." I said, and he drove to a near by 24-hour Chinese place. We went in and ordered food for what could feed five people. He paid. Then he drove to a hilly field that seemed out of place because it wasn't that far from the shopping areas we were just at. We stepped over the little fence and started walking up the hill, John holding the bags of food and I the drinks. We got near enough to the top. John laid his jacket down as a blanket and we sat on it and started eating. We talked about anything and everything, books, movies, food, places, people. I finally came to accept that he knew a good amount about everything.
"You have been everywhere. You have read everything. You have tasted everything. You have met every kind of person there is--"
"That's where you're wrong. I've never met anyone like you in my entire stay here on earth."
I smiled, and he turned around and picked a little yellow flower that we were surrounded by and gave it to me.
"I don't know what the hell this is, but I thought it was beautiful. I saw this field when my friends and I were driving up here earlier today. I hope you take this flower as a token of my appreciation for trusting me tonight."
"Yellow Lady's Slipper," I said.
"I wrote you a five-second speech, and you what?"
He had the cutest confused look on his face. "These flowers are called Yellow Lady's Slippers. I learned about them in college when I thought I wanted to be a nature photographer." I giggled at his confusion.
"Well...does it fit?"
"Does what fit?"
"The slipper. Does it fit, princess?" He was asking if I had a good time tonight.
"You're very cheesy" I laughed. "But yes, it fits...very well."
He leaned in and kissed me. We sat there for what seemed like eternity... an eternity I never wanted to end.