Part Ten
Everyone stared. They hadn't been quite sure that Michael would find her. It was ironic that 6 people were at the same time making the same silent apology to him. They all watched as he began walking towards their missing friend.
Again the others were reduced to role of observers and stood silently and stared as Maria's eyes widened when she saw him, as she began slowly walking towards Michael, as they met in the middle.
Michael and Maria stood together, as close as two people could without touching. They didn't say anything. Everyone stood nearby silent, no one wanting to break the moment or interrupt.
Maria reached out with one hand and touched his cheek. It felt good to touch him again. He looked different. Older. His hair was different.
It was good to feel her hands on him again. He lifted his hand and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. Her hair was longer. She looked different. Older. He stared into her eyes. They had always been his favourite part of her. Emerald pools. Now they were sheltered. He felt the loss. She was the same but changed. Not so easy to read. Then again, in some ways she had always been difficult to figure out. A mass of contradictions.
He leaned in and felt her lean forward. Their eyes closed simultaneously and the two met again in the middle. It was a tender kiss. A I-missed-you kiss. One containing all the passion they were known for yet different at the same time. The sparks came immediately. Familiar sparks. Sparks they had both missed. Still, they didn't touch except for their lips.
Slowly they pulled away. The others watched in awe. They had never seen Michael and Maria like this. It was scary. The world was turning. Tess felt something shift inside her. All the time, all summer she had spent with Max, Michael and Isabel she had convinced herself that Destiny would eventually come about, even though Max had pined for Liz, Isabel had missed Alex and Michael…
Nothing had convinced her. Nothing could convince her, she had thought, that they were not meant to be. She and Max. Isabel and Michael. Even watching Max and Liz together with their soulmate looks and Isabel and Alex being friends. Until now. This moment, so unlike Michael and Maria. Tess accepted that the Destiny she believed her entire existence was never going to happen. She let it go. She let Max go and in her mind freed Michael and Isabel.
She never realised how their names fit. Michael and Maria. Even she had always linked them. And doing so Tess freed herself. She glanced away from the enthralling sight in front of her and met Kyle's eyes. Tess smiled and Kyle returned her smile.
Max turned to Liz as always and she to him. Liz accepted him back. Max felt her welcome. His and Liz's relationship had always revolved around Michael and Maria's and vice versa. It began when theirs began and ended when theirs ended and now once again would continue in their wake.
Isabel smiled in relief and Alex smiled because Isabel smiled. And because Maria was fine. Their hands reached out and held.
Everyone stared. They hadn't been quite sure that Michael would find her. It was ironic that 6 people were at the same time making the same silent apology to him. They all watched as he began walking towards their missing friend.
Again the others were reduced to role of observers and stood silently and stared as Maria's eyes widened when she saw him, as she began slowly walking towards Michael, as they met in the middle.
Michael and Maria stood together, as close as two people could without touching. They didn't say anything. Everyone stood nearby silent, no one wanting to break the moment or interrupt.
Maria reached out with one hand and touched his cheek. It felt good to touch him again. He looked different. Older. His hair was different.
It was good to feel her hands on him again. He lifted his hand and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. Her hair was longer. She looked different. Older. He stared into her eyes. They had always been his favourite part of her. Emerald pools. Now they were sheltered. He felt the loss. She was the same but changed. Not so easy to read. Then again, in some ways she had always been difficult to figure out. A mass of contradictions.
He leaned in and felt her lean forward. Their eyes closed simultaneously and the two met again in the middle. It was a tender kiss. A I-missed-you kiss. One containing all the passion they were known for yet different at the same time. The sparks came immediately. Familiar sparks. Sparks they had both missed. Still, they didn't touch except for their lips.
Slowly they pulled away. The others watched in awe. They had never seen Michael and Maria like this. It was scary. The world was turning. Tess felt something shift inside her. All the time, all summer she had spent with Max, Michael and Isabel she had convinced herself that Destiny would eventually come about, even though Max had pined for Liz, Isabel had missed Alex and Michael…
Nothing had convinced her. Nothing could convince her, she had thought, that they were not meant to be. She and Max. Isabel and Michael. Even watching Max and Liz together with their soulmate looks and Isabel and Alex being friends. Until now. This moment, so unlike Michael and Maria. Tess accepted that the Destiny she believed her entire existence was never going to happen. She let it go. She let Max go and in her mind freed Michael and Isabel.
She never realised how their names fit. Michael and Maria. Even she had always linked them. And doing so Tess freed herself. She glanced away from the enthralling sight in front of her and met Kyle's eyes. Tess smiled and Kyle returned her smile.
Max turned to Liz as always and she to him. Liz accepted him back. Max felt her welcome. His and Liz's relationship had always revolved around Michael and Maria's and vice versa. It began when theirs began and ended when theirs ended and now once again would continue in their wake.
Isabel smiled in relief and Alex smiled because Isabel smiled. And because Maria was fine. Their hands reached out and held.