So, generally I don't write stories that seem to go past one scene, which as of right now I haven't really changed that. But, for some reason it kind of felt like the story had more to say, so that's where this came from.
She yawned tiredly trudging through the nearly empty airplane up the small hallway towards the gate doors. It had been one hell of a summer she'd admit, a great learning experience, on many levels. Letting out a breath she made her way through the slightly empty terminal. It was fairly late in the afternoon, nearly 5:30 she realized glancing at her watch. Very glad she was wearing her flip flop sandals and yoga pants she walked towards the baggage claim to grab her luggage before meeting her dad out in front.
Glancing around, she tried pretending she wasn't a little disappointed that any of her friends had shown up to greet her, granted she told them they didn't have to, she would just meet them tomorrow for some lunch, catch up with each other on their summers. Maybe share some souvenirs and pass out stories of their great adventures without each other. Closing her eyes briefly, she looked up quickly to find a young man sitting on a piece of luggage, surrounded by another bag that looked awfully familiar.
He hadn't noticed her yet, his legs crossed at his ankles, playing with his phone, sending a quick text message before shoving it back in his pocket. Lifting his head, he noticed her walking towards him, a grin on his face. She figured he must have done a lot of surfing this summer if his tan was any indication. The white t-shirt with a faded Tide emblazoned on the front and khaki shorts, his own leather flip flops completing his look. "Hey," he tilted his head slightly looking up at her the corner of his mouth lifting.
"You look comfortable," she nodded towards his seat, not really bothered that he had picked up her bags.
Shrugging slightly, "Figured I would save you a trip." He folded his arms across his chest, staring at her. "How was the internship?"
Sighing, she slid to sit down next to him, he moving over slightly so she would have some room, "it was good."
Nodding slowly, he turned his head to look at her, "glad to be back?"
"Hmm," taking a deep breath, she let her bag slip slowly to the floor, stretching out her legs, "yeah, I am. How was your summer?"
Shrugging, he smiled slightly at her, "it was good."
They sat silent for a moment, refusing to move from their spot in the middle of the airport. Three months and they had probably spoken once the entire time. It wasn't for the lack of trying, she had picked up her phone countless times, trying to get the nerve to call him. One night, she had stayed up until four am, not able sleep, worried or anxious, or just plain homesick, she had thumbed her way through her entire phone book finding his name and wanting to call him, at the last second before pushing send she always changed her mind. Turning to look at him, she swallowed thickly, feeling her courage slip through her, she opened her mouth and said the only thing she had been thinking the entire time since they had met at the airport, "I wanted to call."
Turning to look at her, he lifted the corner of his mouth, nodding slowly, "me too." Chuckling softly to himself he nudged her lightly on the shoulder, "I was close to calling a few times this summer. Just, I guess, didn't have the nerve." Dropping his gaze, he twirled his thumbs, seeing out of the corner of his eye, the steady breathing of her next to him. Reaching down next to him he pulled up a small package, wrapped terribly, covered with a ribbon barely tied in to a bow. "Here, got you this."
Furrowing her brow slightly, she held out her hand, "what's this?"
Rolling his eyes, he nodded towards the gift, "just open it."
"Okay," she murmured softly, opening it quickly. Glancing at him with a curious look, she lifted her head to question what it was. Rolling his eyes again, nodded more pointedly towards the box on her lap. Her eyes widened slightly a smile forming slowly as she realized what she had in her hands, "Letters?"
Shrugging with a smile, "yeah, well you know, I'm a romantic deep down."
Sifting through, each one labeled with her name in his masculine penmanship, "this is, wow," she breathed biting the bottom of her lip, "this is kind of amazing Logan." Looking up she met his gaze with a smile. "Why though?"
"I know I didn't call," he began intertwining his hands together, "kinda feel stupid now that I didn't," he emphasized with a nod. "But I didn't want you to think I wasn't thinking about you." He smiled when she turned back to her present. "This felt easier, like I was talking to you, but wasn't. It's not like we were in a relationship, but, you know, it's a step."
"I've got something for you," She reached down to pull out a picture album from her bag. "It's kind of lame," she shrugged as he pulled his gift out of her hands, opening it quickly, his smile morphing in to a grin as he opened the cover, finding pictures after picture, "I didn't want you to think I wasn't thinking about you either." He laughed out loud at a few before looking back at her.
"So, I guess you should get going, your dad's probably waiting for you," he spoke quietly not moving. Veronica nodded in agreement staring at the floor in front of her. "He's probably got a big welcome home party planned."
"Maybe," she questioned, her words falling on her tongue faintly still without moving. "How did you know when I would get back?"
"Wallace," he responded leaning over slightly touching her shoulder again. Yawning, he closed his eyes briefly before letting out a breath. "We've been emailing a little." She nodded accepting his answer. He spoke again, "You never did tell me about your internship you know."
"I said it was good." She pointed out raising an eyebrow.
"I know, but was it everything you wanted and more?" He questioned with a smile.
Shaking her head slowly, her head dropping down to rest on the top of his shoulder, "you know how you have an idea in your head about how something is going to be? And when you get there it's nothing like what you expected? It was kind of like that. Either you know for sure it's what you want, or you go home questioning every decision you've ever made. Making the situation turn in to this life altering moment where you realize you have no idea who you are."
"Huh," tapped his teeth together. "What do you think now?"
Lifting her head, she paused for a long moment, watching as the people passed silently beside them. The bustle of the airport slowing considerably since she had landed back in California
"That I may not know who I am," she returned meeting his gaze, "and that it's," she paused with a nod. "It's okay."
"Well," he breathed, patting the top of her thigh lightly, "I think you would make a really great photographer." He dropped his head down lightly, resting his on to of her head. "But, that's just me."
"Yeah?" She murmured quietly not wanting to move from her position. "I'm glad you grabbed my luggage." She reached across, sliding her hand into his, intertwining their fingers.
"Me too," he smiled giving her hand a light squeeze. "I know what I want to major in."
"Really?" She lifted her head to look at him, a smile on her face. "What is it?"
"English, maybe a double major in business, I've always thought it would be kind of cool to find the next great novel, you know. Maybe write my own," he shrugged biting the bottom of his lip. "Start my own publishing company or something, it's not like I don't have the money."
"True," She nodded in agreement. The buzz of her phone broke them from her thoughts. "That's my dad."
"You better go," he slipped his hand out of her grasp, standing up. "He's been pretty excited to see you."
"You talked to my dad?" She stood an eyebrow raised.
"Your dad and I we're tight," He grinned with a laugh. "I asked him if it was okay that I met you here, he said he didn't mind."
"Okay," she returned not really sure if she believed him. They walked towards the front lobby, he pulled her luggage, while she carried her other ones along with her gift. Just before the door was about to open, she turned to him, reaching to grasp his arm, "you want to hang out tomorrow? Maybe the beach?"
"How about golfing?" He asked with a grin, knowing she wouldn't like the idea, but he also knew that he could convince her if he really wanted to.
"Sure," she grumbled slightly dropping her gaze, lifting her head she gave him a small smile, silently telling him that it didn't really matter to her what they would do, just as long as he would be there. Turning her head to see her dad pull up to the curb, "if I can drive the cart. We can bring Dick if you want; I was thinking Mac and Wallace could come with."
"Okay," he nodded, pushing her luggage through the doors, a smile for her dad, as he shoved her bag in the trunk, turning around he watched as Keith hugged his daughter tightly. "Tomorrow then." He nodded with a wave, as Veronica lifted her head with a smile nodding quickly. He smiled before turning to run across the busy street. Letting out a breath, he couldn't hide the grin planted on his face.
Tomorrow was looking up, he thought with a laugh as he dropped his photo album on the passenger seat, those pictures would go nicely in the new beach house.
Again, I want to thank everyone that's been reading my stories, I appreciate all the comments.
I think this one might be a little mushy for my taste, I always saw them as a comfortable friendship, don't get me wrong I like them as a couple. It always seemed like people instantly threw them together, like they would magically be ready for a relationship, or they would hardly touch each other.
This is kind of a homage to what kind of friendship they might have had, seemed like they would always be the odd people out while they were with the Kanes. They would have been pretty close, each one being easy to talk to. Logan picks up on things that people sometimes try to hide, while Veronica is pretty protective of people she cares about.
Their gifts, they might be a little lame I guess, but because they didn't call, that doesn't mean they didn't think about each other. And I honestly think Keith and Logan have a better relationship than people think. I
