you got me in love again

Surprise

"What do you mean, you have a surprise for me?", I ask and carefully take my jacket.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, were it?", she asks and gives my mother a knowing look. Great, everyone in this room knows something, I don't. I hate surprises. At least when they are announced. At least my brother doesn't know.

I put on my jacket, say goodbye to mum and we walk into the hallway where my brother carries a bag down the stairs.

"I packed for you", he announces, and I look at him and Laura in confusion.

'Two questions", I exclaim to both. "Firstly, why does Ben know what the surprise is?", I saw and cross my arms in front of my chest. They just give each other a knowing look and shrug their shoulders.

"And secondly: Why do I need a packed bag?", I ask directly to Laura.

"We make a girls trip for the weekend.", she sighs. "There, you destroyed the surprise."

I smile to myself for solving the mystery so fast.

"Where are we going?" I ask energetic and grab my bag.

"That's something, I will not tell you. You will see.", Laura remains at least one secret. She and my brother look at each other with a mischievous smile.

We leave and walk over to Laura's car, where I throw my bag on the backseat and take place in the front.

"Will you seriously not tell me where we are going?", I ask as she pulls out the driveway.

"Nope."

"Okay, but be sure that what happens now, is on you.", I say and grin.

"Oh no, I already regret it", she expresses annoyed.

"Really?", I get my hopes up.

"No."

"Mean. Okay, are we driving to the beach.", she sighs.

"Berlin? Munich?", I begin to ask. I can be annoying as a toddler if I want to.

"Stop guessing, I'm not telling you.", she sighs.

"Can you at least give me a clue?", I beg her.

"It will take some time to arrive there.", she declares leaving me unsatisfied, but I do not say anything more for a bit. I look out of the window and hum to the music coming out of the radio. My thoughts begin to wander but I don't let them stay on Leah, or at least I am trying to. I'm just about to fall back into thinking about her words when Laura parks her car. We are at the airport.

"Are we flying to our girls' trip?", I ask confused.

"You'll see, now come on.", she expresses and leaves the car and I follow her, grabbing my bag from the backseat. Laura begins to walk towards the airport when I realise that she does not carry any luggage with her.

"Where is your stuff?", I question even more confused than before.

Laura closes her eyes for a moment and sighs, then she pulls her phone out of her hand and taps on it a few times before my mobile phone buzzes. I unlock it and then I see it. An aeroplane ticket, booked to my name, going to London.

My jaw dropped and I look at her in disbelief. It takes a few seconds until I find my voice again.

"London?", is the only word I get out and she nods in response.

"Why?", I continue to ask.

"You were so down over the last week and even though you did not know Leah for long, I have never seen you as happy as in that time. Not with Charlotte, not with anyone else.", she explains.

"I don't even know what to say."

"I have known you for half our lives and you never looked at someone even close to the way you look at her. So, I got you tickets. You will fly back Sunday evening, I hope that is enough time.", she finishes explaining.

"Thank you.", I express and hug her but then doubt comes to my mind. "But wait, what if she doesn't let me in when I show up at her door."

"You should at least give it a try. I am sure she wants to speak to you, as much as you want to speak to her.", Laura was always good in reassuring me. She gives me another, long squeeze.

"Now go get yourself the girl.", she smiles as she lets go of me and I walk into the airport.

I land in London not long after. The flight felt eternity. There was only one thing on my mind the whole time: What am I about to say to her?

I pick up my luggage as quickly as possible and wave over a taxi. I realise that I don't even have Leah's address when the driver asks me where I need to go. Luckily, I have Kim's. I tell him the address and he lets me out at her house. I walk from here.

Considering, me being drunk and horny when I walked this way the last time, does not make it easier to remember the way and I end up needing around thirty minutes instead of five. The houses here also look kind of the same in the darkness. I must look like a creep when I try to find her name on the nameplate. I finally find it and am lucky enough to meet a man with a dog who keeps the door open for me. I thank him and head upstairs.

I take a deep breath and compose myself for what is about to happen. I still have no idea what I am going to say but I will just with my gut feeling.

I take another breath and ring the bell. It takes Leah some time to open the door.

"Hi.", I say before she sees me. As she recognises my voice, she looks at me immediately to make sure she is right. She looks confused but somehow glad, I guess.

"Can I come in?", I ask, and she nods and steps aside. I walk in, put my bag down and she closes the door. Before she can say anything, I begin to speak.

"What you did was unacceptable. I know that there was more than just a good time between us, for both of us and you don't get to break this apart without an explanation like that. If you just see me as a one-night stand, fine, makes me sick but fine. But being that bitchy to me after we had an amazing evening together? That's not fair. I deserve to know why you acted like that.", I end my monologue and feel so much freer immediately.

Leah processes what I said and choses her next words carefully.

"I know, I was absolutely awful to you and there is no apology I can tell you to make up for it. There were reasons why I acted the way I did, and I want to tell you.", she pauses. "But the last week was complete torture, for both of us.", she takes one step towards me. "But the selfish thing right now is that I missed you so much. I will tell you everything, but can I kiss you first?", she asks.

What? Is she for real?

"No.", I state in defence.

"No?", she asks disappointed.

"Explain it to me first.", I will not give in...yet.

"Okay.", she says and walks over to the sofa. "Sit down, I will tell you everything."