Distant Hearts
A Dance
It's been forever since you've seen him and you don't know how to act. Newport hasn't changed for you – it's still the same. You're not high class but neither is he, but he fits here. But then again, he's been here longer too – he knows who's who and what's what. You – you're just here for the wedding and actually surprised when she asked you to stand up. And very thankful that you're not the maid of honor.
You hear the music behind you as you stare at the water beyond the railing and watch it ripple against the cooler wind that just passed you by. You're not sure how to act around everyone, except Summer. She's your friend, the one that you ran into again on a spring day in Chicago three years ago. You call her when you're mad at your mom and she calls you when she needs to rant about something stupid that Seth did. You built a friendship across the miles and even thought about moving back to Newport to be nearer to her. But then you thought about him.
Yeah, him. Him – who you left to be with your mom in quite possibly the windiest city on the planet. Him – who you dreamt of nine times out of ten every night – imagining what it would actually be like if you stayed. Would you still be together? Would you have fallen for him even harder if you stayed? Would you have broken up because of a stupid fight and then two hours later gotten back together, both of you admitting you were stupid? Would this wedding be yours? There were so many questions that didn't need to be answered. And many that did. Why didn't anyone talk about Marisa anymore? Or Caleb? And where was Julie?
Another cool wind passes you by and you shiver, not quite ready to go back inside yet. But you had to go sometime, you are in the wedding party after all. You can't stay out here forever. Your eyes drift back to the dry land, err, pier and you start to think of how the Chicago Pier is very similar to this one in Newport. Give or take a few boats, but still. You don't delve into the comparison because you're now distracted by a grunt. His grunt.
Your red hair blows into your face as you turn slightly to see him outside with you now. The first thought that comes to your mind as he steps forward is that he looks good in a suit. Really good. You brush the loose strands out of your eyes and clear your throat, sending him a soft smile as his eyes meet yours. They haven't changed either…except for the twinkle that used to be there once upon a time in high school.
But this wasn't high school anymore. Come to think of it, you hated high school. All four of them. But that didn't matter just now. What mattered was that you were here…in Newport…standing not two inches from the man you considered to be the love of your life.
He calls your name and you finally snap out of your trance. You okay? He asks you, shrugging off his suit jacket when he sees you shiver one more time. He steps forward and drapes the piece of clothing over your shoulders and without really knowing it, you take in his scent. It's just the right mix of fresh aftershave and a wave of crème. Thanks, you didn't have to, you say, not knowing for sure whether you thought that he thought it was the gentlemanly thing to do. Hey, he pauses his words as you look back up at him again, don't analyze. Just accept. And I wanted to. He finishes and you return his smile. You could never resist his smile.
The next few moments are silent between the two of you and the beat of the music in the background changes from an upbeat one to a slow ballad. You think of Seth and Summer as it plays softly in your ears. Two days from now they would be Newport's newest newlyweds – like everyone predicted would happen. You think of Seth dancing like he's Patrick Dempsey in Can't Buy Me Love and then Summer joining in. You think of Seth changing his beat just as the lyrics come into play and catching his betrothed by surprise.
You come back from thinking of Seth and Summer to see his hand out towards you, silently asking you for a dance. He doesn't have to say anything to you for you to respond immediately. It takes about two seconds for you to be enveloped inside his embrace and you feel him pulling you closer. You feel your dress ripple in the wind and your heart skips a beat when he holds you tighter, his lips close to your ear as if he's about to whisper sweet nothings into your ear. And he does.
Missed you…are the words you hear escape his mouth and you start to tear up at them. You've waited seven years to hear those words from him. Both you haven't been the greatest in keeping in touch, but you're not going to call him on it and he's not going to do that to you either. You are both bigger people than that. But you've imagined those words many times before. Most times they're in your dreams – day and night and in those silly little stories you tell young Sara, your neighbor's daughter that likes to stay over more times than her parents like her to. You've had the recurring one that hasn't escaped you yet – You're still in Chicago and he unexpectedly appears at the Pier, where your favorite place is. Your neighbors, Mark and Addy told him where you were since they know where to find you at all times of the day. You look up from your camera's keyhole to see him racing towards you like a fire is erupting behind him and you get up from your seat on the bench, leaping into his arms as he reaches you. The kiss – the kiss always comes first and then the famous words that you've longed to hear, missed you.
You blink, snapping back to present time and place to see him staring back at you as you dance to the slowing beat of the song. It's then you realize that Summer was right all along. You're really not over him. You're actually still head over heels, stars over moon in love with him and instead of scaring him away with your declaration of love, you say what your heart's been telling you from the start – I missed you too Ryan. So much.