skinny love

twenty-four

Jimmy

I wrote her once a week. We talked on the phone almost every night. She was hundreds of miles away, but still she felt so close. Hundreds of miles away yet we had the strongest connection.
My phone ringing broke me from my thoughts.
"Hey you." I smiled into the phone
"Hi. What's up?" Ruby asked
"Not much. Actually nothing at all. I got a job that's it."
"Oh good! Where at?"
"Auto part store. I thought it would take my mind off you but, really didn't help."
"Well what can I say? I'm unforgettable." She laughed and it was liked someone had flipped a switch into my soul and I was living again.
"I miss you." I said
"I miss you too Jimmy. But guess what I might come visit in August."
"Really? That would be great. For how long?"
"A week, maybe two. I don't know where id-"
"With me."
"Oh really." She giggled and I knew she was blushing.
"Please come see me. I'm dying without you and I'm serious." My eyes drifted over to an empty beer bottle on my desk.
"Jimmy, whatever happens happens. Okay? You and I are together forever and we have the strongest relationship I know. Nothing can break us."
"I know, you're right."
"Whoa what's that? I'm right? I mean I'm not surprised I knew it all along but..."
"Ruby you're always right." I laughed
"So are you gonna pick me up from the airport? August 10th? Around noon?"
"You bet, I wouldn't miss it for the world and I'm talking that week off."
"Great. I'm dying to visit the river again. Oh and also...your sweatshirts don't smell like you anymore so-"
"Perfect so they will smell like you. We can switch and then in a couple months switch again."
"Sounds good to me."
"I love you Ruby."
"I love you too Jimmy."
"Sleep well."
"You too baby." Her sweet voice was clearly tired.
I hung up and set my phone down. That girl is going to be the death of me.

Ruby

(August 10th)

I sat on the plane, anxiously waiting to land.
"Excuse me," I turned to the elderly man beside me, "do you know how long this flight is?"
"7 hours. We just took off." He chuckled
I nodded and faced front. Tapping my fingers together and my eye twitching.
"You got somewhere to be?"
I smiled at him. "My boyfriend and I are reuniting after a couple months. I just moved away."
"Ahhh I see. You guys couldn't keep your hands off each other so mom and dad took you away."
I giggled. Old people are hilarious.
"Well I guess you could say that."
"You remind me a lot of my Edna." He looked across the aisle to an elderly lady reading a book
"How long have you two been together?" I asked
"54 years. And counting." He said the last part seriously
"Wow. What's the secret?"
"The secret to a long happy marriage?" He asked. I nodded.
"Well, sometimes, you two will be distant. Much like you and your man are now. You're far away, you don't have anything but pictures to hold onto. And in those moments you just gotta stay strong. Because love always finds a way. If it doesn't work out, then it's not love." He smiled at me softly
"That's some really good advice." I said
"Well you get the best advice from living it out. Living and making mistakes and giving yourself the advice you give others."
"How did you guys meet?"
"High school." He smiled fondly ,"she was a cheerleader and I was in football. I was trying to catch the ball, it slipped out of my hands, I ended up falling over and she happened to be standing right there. She walked me to the nurses and checked up on me everyday. We've been inseparable since."
"Wow. That's amazing." I smiled. I hope that would be Jimmy and I.

7 hours later

We finally landed and I was in baggage claim. Looking around for Jimmy, not just my baggage.
As soon as I spotted fiery red hair and doc martens, I knew it was him.
I rolled my luggage over to him.
"Excuse me." I pretend to bump into him. He grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around and we looked into each other's eyes.
"My girl." He smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen and we embraced each other. It had been so long since I had felt his lips.
We hugged for a while too.
I looked over and saw the old man and his Edna smiling at me. I waved and smiled back.
"Are you hungry?" Jimmy asked
"You bet I haven't eaten in about 10 hours." I wrapped my arm around his waist and we took off.

•••
A couple days later

Jimmy and I were at the river, our favorite spot. I was sitting on a rock, my feet dangling over the edge into the water. Jimmy came up behind me, all wet and only in his swim shorts. Oof.
"Sandwich." He held out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I took a bite.
"You know a normal person would take the sandwich not eat it from someone's hands." He laughed and sat next to me
"Good thing I'm not normal." I laughed
He took a bite of the sandwich and smiled.
I leaned my head on his shoulder.
He held the sandwich up to me and I took another bite.
"So, tell me more about Arizona. Are there hot guys there?" He asked
"Yes everywhere I've already had guys ask me out and it's hard to decline but-"
"Really!?" He looked at me and I laughed
"I'm kidding! And everybody is old." I giggled.
"Good or else I would kidnap you and make you live here."
I looked up at him "I'd be okay with that."
He shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth. He stood up and reach for my hand which I gave him. I took off the white tee shirt that was over my swim suit.
"You're supposed to wait an hour after eating before-" I said and he grabbed me waist and we jumped in
"What was that?" He smirked
I stuck my tongue out at him and smiled.
"Serious. Do you have some secret boyfriend in Arizona?" He asked
"Jimmy what kind of a ridiculous question is that?" I said. I swam close to him and cupped his face. "You will always be my person." I smiled and brushed my lips against his.
"You are my person forever as well." He said. He brought he hand to my cheek and brushed his thumb over my lips and sorted them slightly and leaned into me.
"I don't want to leave." I looked into his eyes
"You don't have to. We can run away and live in a little shack." He said
I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"Don't sorry okay? We will find a way." He smiled
I nodded and put my head in his shoulder.
That night, we got lost in each other.