Back Into Your Arms

On my last day in New York, I enjoyed sleeping on the floor with one blanket.
The whole apartment was now empty since the moving truck had left a day in advance so it could get to Arizona faster.

I put music on my phone and raised all the volume, it echoed across the whole apartment as I danced.
I hadn’t felt this way in a long time, I was excited, I was happy, I was ready.
I walked over to the balcony and shouted:
"Goodbye New York!"
Some people walking down the street turned around and I waved at them.

I smiled as I closed the door and got ready, got the last things I had in the apartment and headed downstairs.
Waved a taxi and went straight to the airport.
My seat on the plane was next to a teenage girl, who was on her phone from the moment she sat next to me.
She looked over at me weirded out. I wanted to make conversation but she seemed very uninterested. I got on my phone too and began watching John’s stories he had sent me.

“Whatever you do, don’t scream on the plane, also don’t forget to listen to the playlist I made for you”

I smiled.

“Know that I chose every song to suit your taste, think of me with every note” he said and laughed.

I noticed the girl looking over.

“Is that your boyfriend?”

“I think so” I replied shyly.

“He’s hot” she laughed.

I laughed too.

“Thanks?”

She laughed even more.

“I’m going to reply to him, you want to be in the video?”

“Sure”

I flipped the camera and positioned it.

“Hey there Johno, greetings from the plane, this is my seat neighbor”
“You’re hot” the girl added and we laughed, running out of time. I sent it to him as we waited his reply, hoping he would hurry before we had to put our phone’s on airplane mode.

“Why, thank you” he replied and winked. The girl laughed and then stopped, she then looked at me confused. She took the phone from my hand and clicked on John’s profile.
She glanced up to look at me with her mouth wide open.

“This is John from The Maine?"

I nodded.

“Oh my gosh, I used to listen to them all the time when I was younger! He looks so different! But oh my gosh, HE’S YOUR BOYFRIEND?”

“Shhh” I said trying to quiet her down, we laughed.

“It’s really a long story, but yes, he is”

“I have got to listen to their music again, I can’t believe John winked at me” she said fangirling.

“You should! They’re great, even better than before really”

“How did you two meet?”

I noticed the plane beginning to take off.

“High school” I said nervously, trying not to focus on the plane taking off.

“HIGH SCHOOL? That’s so beautiful"

“We dated in high school and 10 years later, we are dating again”

“What do you think of him being in a band?”

“I haven’t thought about it too much, but now that you mentioned it, maybe I should”

The plane was now flying in the sky. She had distracted me so well.

We continued to chat the rest of the way.
She told me about her boy troubles and I told her all about my memory loss fiasco.

“Do you have Facebook or Instagram?”

“Instagram, here pass me you phone” I said to her as she handed me her phone.
“And I just followed you, that way we can keep in touch”

“Yeah definitely, can’t believe we already arrived” she said looking out the window, we were waiting for everyone in the first section to get out.
I began to feel very nervous, John was probably waiting for me already.

“He’s here isn’t he?"

I nodded.

“You better hug him”

“Girl, you know I haven’t done that before"

“But this time it’s appropriate, you haven’t seen him in a month, it’s only right"

She was right, this 18-year-old was right.

“I will try my hardest to not back out when he’s in front of me”

She smiled as our section began to walk out.
I got my luggage and fixed my hair a bit as I began my walk towards the exit.
From a distance, I could already see him.
He was wearing his typical beanie, a white shirt, his black jeans and his black boots and of course his shades. He had flowers in his hands.

“Hug him” I heard someone whisper I looked over and it was Katy, the girl from the plane.

I started laughing, she playfully pushed me.
I was getting closer to him.
He removed his shades. I gave him a small wave, he smiled.
I started walking towards him faster.

“Hey-” he was beginning to say but I hurried into his arms.

“I missed you” I said to him, breathing in his scent, taking in his warmth.
He hugged me even tighter.

“You have no idea”

I looked up to see his face, staring back at mine.
I looked down again before the moment made us do something else.
I let go of him.
He handed me a beautiful bouquet with orange roses and other flowers.

“Let’s go” I said to him, smelling the flowers.
He right away put his shades back on, grabbed my suitcases and started walking towards the exit with me.

“How lovely, to have a man who pushes my suitcases, look at my hands, they feel so happy and free” I said waving them around. I had carried both of my heavy suitcases through JFK airport earlier that day and had almost developed blisters.

He looked over at me and smiled. “I am lovely, aren’t I?”

I smiled and took a suitcase from one of his hands.
He looked at me confused.
I reached for his hand. His hand made my hand look like a child’s next to his.

“Smart idea” He said as we held hands beginning our walk back to the parking lot but before we crossed the street I noticed two people looking at us. A brunette woman and an older looking man.

I felt the blood drain to my feet.

My parents.

“No way” I heard John whisper.

“I’ll handle it”

“Look Mel, you said that last time and it didn’t quite work out”

“Take the suitcases to the car, I’ll call you, cross through the other sidewalk”

“Mel” he complained but I shook my head.

“Please, go, it’s not time yet” I said to him, I let go of his hand.

He sighed heavily but did as I said.

I looked at my parents who were staring at me with a disapproving look.

I did a silent prayer as I began my death march towards them.