The Night We Met

Chapter Five

There's George lying beside me. He is staring at me. His face is blended in the darkness of the room, except his eyes and lips are lightened with the little glimpse of street light coming through the window behind me. His eyes has that ' so lost' type of sparks in them, dilated into huge ocean blue orbs.

"What are you looking at?" I touch his eyelashes with my fingertips.

"You're a masterpiece"

"Umm... What?" I let out a funny laugh.

" Yes, sunshine. I can't seem to find the perfect word to describe you." he touches my cheekbone with his thumb.

"You're hallucinating, babe. Sleep now" I say closing his eyes with my hand.

"I wanted to tell you something" he moves my hand with his.

"huh?"

"You're my Alaska" he says placing a kiss on my forehead.

"I love Alaska. But why's that?" I wonder.

"Ask someone else who has read the book and he or she will tell you why I said that"

" Nope you have to tell me. Please?" trying to do the puppy eyes thing, I ask.

"How can someone say 'No' to those pool of chocolates" he groans and I smile cheekily, " I love the character arc of Alaska because of a lot of things. I find the two of you very similar, intertwining with each other in so many ways. She's mysterious yet magical. She's intimidating, intellectual, fierce yet so timid and peaceful. Understand her, talk to her, connect with her. You'll find yourself. So I thought you could be my Alaska."

"Alaska is one of my favorite charectars." I say, "But Pudge and Alaska wasn't in any kind of romantic relationship or anything".

"Alaska is my favorite too. It's not about his romantic relationship with her or anything. He saw Alaska differently, imagined and loved her differently. There are a lot of dynamics. You love someone but your hormones doesn't. Then there's this, you've good chemistry with someone, but you don't have deep feelings for them. Then there's that, you know someone and understand someone too well. You're obsessed with that person. You see that person in everything you imagine. But you get confused and embarrassed by sexualizing that person. But you can't help it. I guess that was Alaska to Pudge",
He pauses, " And I love you like that, in the most embarrassing way, Sabrinah". He starts caressing my cheeks and I close my eyes.

I open them and feel anger and sadness in me.

"You couldn't just tell me that you won't be coming?" I ask,my nails biting into the skin of my palms.

"I forgot, Mel" shrugging he puts on his coat, his new way of dealing with any kind of conflict, running away.

"You're telling me that you forgot to inform me you had decided not to come on a date you planned to have on our anniversary? Then why did you even bother to plan something? I was sitting there alone for hours and you couldn't find it in yourself to just text me? Oh come on, George " I scoff.

" I'm sorry, okay? I forgot. I gotta go" saying this he strides out of the house, his house.

Another headache causes me to fall back on the couch and loose my conscious. After a few moments I regain my senses just to find myself leaning back in his chest, his arms are around me, sitting on the beach.

"I don't want to live here anymore, Mel. This city and the culture isn't for me. I want to be free"

"Where do you wanna go?" I ask him rubbing my hands on his.

"I don't know. I'm so clueless and confused right now about everything. Mel, promise me, if I do something stupid, you will forget me"

"No I'm not gonna promise that. If you do something stupid, I'll kick your ass" I try to lighten the heavy aura.

"I'm not kidding, Mel. I'm just a few threads away from doing anything for what you'll hate me for life. I don't want you to hate me"

"George, go somewhere where no one knows your name and start anew" I peck on his cheek.

"I'm all alone, Mel. Who'd go with me?"

"Well, if you can pack your bag, I'll come with you" I smile at him.

"Melissa, you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don't deserve you. But I want to be selfish and keep you for myself" he hugs me tighter, like he is scared of letting go.

"I'm glad you do, Mr." I flick his nose.

"Let's get married" he thinks out loud.

"What?! We're only 22!" I laugh at his suggestion.

"That's the fun of it. We'll get married and get a house for ourselves. We'll cook together, work together and study together. That's the dream, baby"

"Ask me in a few years and I might say yes" I joke.

I pause for a moment before saying, "What if I disappear someday, George? What if the good days never come?"

"Then I'll look for you everywhere around me all my life. I'll keep looking for you. Not letting you go so easily. Nah uh. Like the old man, Landon"

"Gotcha, Landon" I smile at him, thinking about the 53 year-old Landon still in love and talking about his love of life, Jamie from 'A walk to remember' .

" You know it, Jamie"