In fact, I was just getting started.
Epilogue
Taylor
That summer…
“You’ll be fine.”
Sam squeezed my hand as she placed her arm on the armrest between us. Deep down, I knew going to another country wasn’t a big deal, but finally meeting her folks? The same ones I’d Skyped with over the last few months? To say I was nervous would’ve been a huge understatement.
Cars shrunk in the distance and roadways fell away as we took off, leaving only clear blue skies and a very long, several-hour flight in front of us. The flight itself wasn’t what bothered me, but having that much time to think and reflect on the last few months did. Sam and I had a bit of a rocky start once spring break rolled around. Her visit to England may have been short, but I missed her terribly while she was gone.
I would’ve joined her if not for my studies, which I was taking more seriously now that I had other things on my mind besides video games and dating the first person I met.
“I hate these first meetings,” I said as I watched out the window. “The introductions are always so awkward.”
“But you’ve already met them,” Sam said with a laugh, waving a flight attendant away when she offered us overpriced drinks.
“On the computer maybe, but in person? What if I say something stupid? What if they ask me to leave? It isn’t like I can hop in my car and drive away. Not to mention you drive on the wrong side of the road.”
“Relax, and we don’t drive on the wrong side. You do.”
She flashed me a sheepish grin, then took my hand in hers.
It was an on-going joke between us that had overstayed its welcome but still brought me a bit of comfort as I glanced out
the window. I’d offered her the window seat when we first got on our flight, but she told me I’d want the view once we were ready to land. Something about first impressions. She also suggested I bring a raincoat just in case.
It’s funny how different we were in the beginning, but the more time I spent with her, the more similar our interests became. We’d learned to try new things, some of which were far outside my comfort zone. As promised, I fell in love with my time on the ice and was actually pretty good at it as well.
At first, I swore it was because of who I was with, but during spring break, I spent more time at the rink than usual. It helped me clear my mind and somehow made me feel closer to her when she wasn’t around.
I never did skate on the pond, and Sam was cool with it.
Still, I felt as though I should’ve trusted her a little more in the beginning.
None of that matters now. Especially not when she was sitting right next to me.
Completely oblivious to my thoughts, she ran her thumb over the back of my hand, smiling as she put one earbud in.
“It’s gonna be a long flight. Are you sure you don’t want the tablet? I think I still have a disc in there if you want to watch something.”
I shook my head, leaning against her as I closed my eyes.
“I’m okay. I’m kind of tired, actually.”
“After the night you had?” She smiled, then snuggled up next to me. “And you say I’m the one who frets.”
For whatever reason, this visit stressed me out. I’d tried to sleep, I really did, but when my mind kept going in circles, I ended up pacing the hallway outside our dorm instead.
So much had changed since our first week together, from the way we shared our meals and spent our weekends to simply cuddling on her bed which was closest to the tv. In fact, I rarely slept in my own bed anymore, getting as close to her as I cloud just so I could feel her beside me.
“Here,” Sam said in a low voice as she handed me the pillow she’d brought along with her.
“It’s yours.”
“And it’s big enough to share.” She gestured for me to lift my head, and once I did, she placed the pillow between us.