THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS

[48]

[48]

- EDEN -

-

I could talk about what the process of getting into the plane was, talk about the gloominess that fell over each of us as we moved our suitcases to the front door, or even talk about the way I hid from everyone as I cried, wanting nothing more but to stay abroad for a few more days.

I didn't want to go back home. I didn't want to go back to where everything was normal, everything was routine. I wanted to stay here, where I could pretend I lived in a fairytale and I was the fairy with pretty wings and sang into the reflections of water.

I wanted to stay in his arms for as long as I had.

The air back home felt different. I felt like I was choking on the humid air of the summer rain. Even the summer rains here were different. In Greece and in Spain, when it rained, all I wanted to do was dance in it and I did every time. Here, now, I just wanted to hide.

We waited for our bags and I quickly found mine before taking a seat next to Julia. Her knees were pressed together but her legs were spread. Her head was knocked backward, her curly hair spilling over her shoulders. Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth.

I laid back and rested my head on her shoulder, sighing softly.

"Yeah," She nodded and sighed back in agreement.

We stayed like that for a while as the rest of our group waited around the carousel to claim their bags. When Leah finally arrived with her last bag in tow, we got up, each grabbing our respective bags. I stood up and noticed Atlas waiting for me as the group began walking away.

My heart seemed to ache as I watched him smile at me.

He held his free hand out for me and I took the steps closer to him, taking his hand in mine.

You know the moment when you're waiting for bad news and it doesn't come? Or when you're worried something bad will happen and it just doesn't? The way your shoulders visibly sag and you let out a breath because you don't have to worry anymore. That's how I feel every time I'm around him.

He was my safe place.

I smiled up at him as we walked, pressing the back of his hand to my lips.

I love him.

The air outside was warm and smelled of petrichor. I could still feel the droplets of rain lingering in the air. I swallowed a breath of air and for a moment, I was glad to be back home.

By the curb, cars, and buses lined up behind one another, with trunks open and families hugging one another. Everyone looked around for their families and I found myself doing the same thing. From our group, I spotted them first.

Mom had her hair tied up in a high ponytail, dressed in her favorite pair of blue jeans and a green sweater. Lydia was standing next to her, jumping from one foot to the other, dancing to the beat of what she was listening to on her headphones. Behind her parked car, I spotted Julia's Mom and her boyfriend, leaning against the hood of the car, chuckling with each other.

Julia seemed to spot them just as I did. Unlike me, her smile seemed to rip her face open and swallow her features. She was happy to see them.

We began moving towards their general area when Mom spotted me, her features brightening and her arms opening for me. Lydia's eyes moved in my direction and her face brightened a little. A small smile teased the corners of my lips.