As Far Away as Yesterday | ✔

♢you'll never get away♢

Aisling wouldn't look at me.

I sat down next to her on the bench. "Aisling, what's the matter?"

Her arms were crossed. She continued to stare ahead with an annoyed look.

"Are you mad that I didn't come to the park yesterday?"

She looked at me and still didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry. I went to the movies with a friend, and it got too late to come to the park..."

"Was this friend, a girl?"

She was now being ridiculous.

So what, if it was a girl?

I was about to say that too, but she gave me a hard look.

I shut my mouth.

She then smiled in an ingenious way, and said smartly, "Well, I do wonder if she's just another girl's heart you'll break anyway."

"She's the third girl I've been on a date with."

Aisling was about to say something in response to that; her mouth had been set like she was about to say something. But then she gasped, looking away from me, and even scooting away like I was shit or something.

"Hey, what's your problem?"

A little bit of hurt was evident in my voice, and I did hate that it was. Why did she have to make me sound this way?

She was my friend, and I didn't like her acting like we weren't.

Man, I was acting like such a girl.

What was wrong with me?

Abruptly, she got up from the bench and started to run.

I didn't know what to do; if all I kinda just sat there. Wondering why the heck Aisling took off like that.

Then, after a couple beats, I pursued her.

I was surprised at her speed.

It took all I had to not stop running. Tears came at my eyes, and I started to breathe so fucking hard. My legs were wanting to give up on me.

But my determination was getting the best of it all.

The branches moved wildly, and the wind blew as hard as I'd ever felt it.

Grey sky.

Clear sky.

My heart beating wildly as I tried catching the girl who'd seen me break down.

I was closer to her now.

The more she tried getting away from me, the more my determination grew.

"I will be leaving! I was just passing by!"

Aisling couldn't leave.

Then, when I felt myself starting to get even more tired than I ever felt.

She tripped.

I tried catching my breath, and I thought naturally I'd start to slow down. But I found myself falling on Aisling.

The impact wasn't hard or a blow, but she did scream.

"Sorry," I said, getting lost in her eyes. "...I- I couldn't slow my pace..."

Aisling started to laugh, covering her face with her hands.

Again, surprised by another one of her actions, I realised how close in proximity we were.

Our noses were an inch apart.

She stopped laughing.

I stopped getting lost in her eyes.

I started to close the proximity, as I moved my head forward.

She didn't do anything. She just looked at my face as I inched my mouth closer to hers.

Before even kissing her, I wanted to get a confirmation from her--that it was okay to kiss her.

She let out a little chuckle this time, but she did let me kiss her.

♢

When I walked home it was a little pass 7:00 pm.

Touching my lips, I still felt Aisling's on them.

I smiled and thought about how I was feeling after one kiss. To feel this way, it must have been magic.

As I neared my house I saw that the kitchen light was on.

I thought Mom was working late tonight.

I saw that both Aaron and Mom's cars were parked in the driveway.

When I opened the front door and walked inside the house. I didn't expect Aaron to be waiting in front of the door like he was my parent, rather than my brother.

"Where've you been?" Aaron asked before taking a bite out of a croissant. He didn't look serious, nor disappointed. But he looked curious and confused.

Mom walked out of the kitchen, and gave me the same look Aaron was giving me. "Yeah, Joseph. You forgot to mention you would be coming home late 'cause you were....?"

Normally, I would have rolled my eyes and told both my mom and brother to mind their own business, and just let me be.

But I guess, a smile just had to spread across my face.

Mom and Aaron looked at each other.

Aaron then said, "Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?"

Mom nodded, and touched my brother on the arm. "Aaron, I think it's a girl."

She then looked at me, expecting some sort of denial. And I'm pretty sure Aaron was too. But when I didn't say anything. Aaron and Mom looked at each other again.

They started to ask questions; questioning me about what her name was, whether or not she went to Warner High, and if she even lived in Havendust.

I didn't answer any of the questions.

I went to my bedroom, shut the door, and flopped on my bed.

I couldn't stop smiling.

Even when I went to sleep.