When the group entered the house, most of them headed straight to the living room to crash on the couches and watch old re-runs of Friends. Chris didn’t see Jamie down stairs, so he decided to check on her. He hadn’t bought Justin’s sick story, and he knew that no one else did either. When he reached her door, it was open a slight crack. He knocked lightly, and when there was no answer he pushed it open to peer inside.
The room was empty, the bed neatly made, and the room void of anything that would suggest Jamie had even been there. The closet door stood open, empty hangers advertising the fact that she was no longer here. Chris’ heart beat rapidly in his ears as the slow realization that she had left registered in his brain. When he could move his legs again, he flung himself down the stairs and into the living room. He didn’t want to cause a scene, but he needed to find out what happened. Spotting Tim across the room, he dodged and jumped his way over furniture and legs, and finally skidded to a stop at the man’s feet.
“Whoa there boy…what’s got your panties in a bunch?” Chris threw Tim a dirty look, but he let it go.
“Where’s James? She’s not here.” A saddened look crossed Tim’s face and Chris knew it couldn’t be good.
“She didn’t want to make a scene, so when you all went out for ice-cream, she called the airport, and she’s heading home. She wanted me to tell you not to go after her.” Chris hadn’t heard the last part, as soon as the word “airport” had left Tim’s mouth he had grabbed his keys and was heading toward the door. “Chris! Wait!” Chris stopped for a second and pleaded with his friend through expressive brown eyes. “Her flight leaves at 7, gate 225.”
“Thanks man!”
Tim smiled as he watched Chris run out the door, and when he turned to go back into the living room, he was startled to see Justin standing there.
“Why did she leave?” He asked, sadly. He knew why she left, but there was a small glimmer of hope that it wasn’t all him.
“She didn’t say Justin…but she wanted me to tell you that it’s not your fault.” Justin’s head snapped up when Tim said this and a surge of energy and emotion ran through his blood.
Without hesitation, He took off out the door and stopped Chris’ car before it pulled out of the drive. In a split second he realized that he no longer wanted to fight these feelings. For the first time he let go of his inhibitions and let his heart speak. For the first time he didn’t want to take it easy, he wanted to jump in blinded and let things go. He wanted to feel that rush of butterflies that a new love creates, he wanted to experience the new emotions that come with finding someone new and exciting, someone that could possible complete you. He was tired of being careful, and over analyzing the details and finding the imperfections in a person. He wanted to be the 20 year old he really was, and let himself grab a hold of life and live it up.
About 10 minutes later Chris pulled into the parking garage at the airport and stopped Justin before he jumped out of the car.
“Now J…don’t do anything stupid, please.” Justin looked at his friend, with a small smile caressing his lips.
“You know what Chris, I think this is the smartest thing I’ve done in a long time.” He jumped out of the car and ran hurriedly to the doors. Stopping in the lobby he scanned the monitors for the flights and terminal locations. His heart started to beat faster when his eyes found what they were looking for.
He dodged his way through the crowd and jumped suit cases in his way. It was as if his heart was guiding him, instead of his legs. He knew exactly where he was going, and exactly what he had to do. When his eager eyes landed on gate 7, he anxiously searched for that familiar head of golden blond hair, and those enticing blue eyes.
Justin’s heart fell when he didn’t see her anywhere. The beating of his heart seemed to echo throughout his head when the realization that he might have been too late sunk in. A deep sigh that came from somewhere inside escaped through pouted lips. He shuffled over to the chairs and sat heavily. He leaned over and placed his elbows on his thighs and hung his head. His eyes landed on the floor and he spotted a small silver necklace. Gently picking it up, he examined it and realized that it belonged to Jamie. It was her grandmothers. He knew that from listening in on a conversation she had had with Chris one day.
While he moved the smooth silver chain over his fingers, he failed to notice the person walking up to him.
“Excuse me sir. Did you happen to find a necklace there? It was silver and…” A small gasp was emitted when Justin raised his head to meet her crystal blue eyes.
“James-“
“Justin, what are you doing here?” Her face was bright with shock and bafflement at his presence.
“I have your necklace.” He said, handing it to her and feeling a surge of electricity coarse through his veins when their hands touched.
“You came all the way here to give me my necklace?” Her eyebrows came together in confusion and Justin found himself wanting to smooth out the crease of her forehead. He shook his head slightly, not knowing where these sudden desires came from.
“No…I found it here. I came because I knew you were leaving and I had to say something before you left.”
“Justin, I said all that I needed to, I really don’t want to start anything in a public place.” He let a small chuckle and he looked back up at Jamie.
“I didn’t get to say what I needed to. That’s probably better though, because a few hours ago, I probably wouldn’t have told the truth.” The confusion on Jamie’s face grew and Justin hurried to continue. “James…What you said in your room, about feeling all those things when we met, did you really mean that?” He twisted his hands in a nervous gesture and Jamie wondered what the punch line was.
“Yes. Every word.”
“Jamie…The first time I laid eyes on you, my world was so rocked I fought to catch my balance. You pushed me right off the pedestal that I had fought to get myself on, and I resented you for that. I felt something so new that it scared me and I tried so hard to let it go, but there was something about you that wouldn’t allow me to do that. I wanted to forget how you made me feel, I wanted to believe that I could never fall in love and I wanted to believe that I was all right by myself. But James…you changed all that. You opened my eyes to the fact that I can love, and I had to tell you before you left, that I’ve fallen for you. I can’t get you out of my head, and I want you to stay. Please James…stay with me, and work this out.”
He waited for what seemed like hours and she stared at him, eyes wide with the new information he had just given her. The rest of the world seemed to stop, and the only thing he could hear, was the beating of his own heart, and her soft breaths.
“Justin, I don’t-“She started but he stopped her, afraid of her answer.
“Wait, one more thing.”
In a swift motion, Justin bent his head to hers and the world around them melted away as their lips touched for their first, passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist in an attempt to get closer. Her body frame slipped easily into his tall lanky one and after a moment’s hesitation, Jamie brought her arms up to wrap around the back of his neck. When they pulled apart their breaths mingled for a brief second before Justin placed another small kiss on her swollen lips. Jamie’s eyes remained closed for a short while until finally she answered Justin’s silent prayers and opened her cerulean eyes. He waited for a response and his heart raced when he wasn’t met with the smile like he had hoped.
“What are you doing?” She asked in a soft whisper, her voice horse. Justin swallowed hard, it wasn’t supposed to go this way. She was supposed to smile and reveal her true feelings for him, and they would live happily ever after.
“I…I was…I don’t know.” He let go of her and stepped back, raking his hands through his hair. A wild look of fear crossed his face and he glanced around the terminal for a place to escape. He just wanted to run and hide from the pain that was screaming through his heart.
“Justin…Please…” Her sentence was cut off by the final boarding call for her plane. A look of pity crossed her face as she glanced at Justin. He felt sick. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. With one final glance in his direction she turned and left, wordlessly. Justin stood there in the lobby of the airport, his heart hanging out for the world to see.
He watched long after her image had disappeared, and her plane had flown away. Sinking down on his knees he held his head in his hands. A sob racked his body and the realization that she had left finally sunk in. He pulled himself to his feet and walked away from the small crowd that had gathered. A tear trailed down his face and stained his cheek. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to be heartbroken, and he wasn’t supposed to be in love with Jamie. He was supposed to stay stoned faced throughout this whole ordeal, and just let her leave without the slightest bit of concern. But no, he had long since given up the fight with his feelings for her, and now he was alone, instead of holding her. With a swift motion he erased the tear and any signs of pain that she had caused him, and returned to the car. It was over, and he was left to drown in the image of her pity filled eyes. The last memory he had would be of Jamie leaving him, and taking his heart back to Tennessee.
The End
