Trading Heartbeats

Chapter 24 - A Night To Remember

The group of four had proceeded back to the apartments once more. After Sonelle and Brittany made their goodbyes to Punk and Khaila, they retreated to the comfort of their own apartment. Having entered Khaila's apartment already, Punk lounged himself on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. Khaila chuckled a bit as she watched Punk. A smirk had suddenly appeared on his face as he heard Khaila's chuckle. "Would you mind if I slept here," Punk asked as he looked over at her. Khaila, who had placed herself in one of the armchairs, merely shrugged.

"I guess not," she said quietly still turning some things over in her mind. She'd seen Amelia for the first time since the affair. She'd changed - quite a lot actually. From her hair to the way she acted around them, she was different now. But what sort of different was she? Punk sat up on the couch and reached his hand over to Khaila's. The simple touch of his hand had been enough to snap her out of her daze. She watched as Punk smirked while pulling her over to him. In one swift movement, Punk had her seated on his lap. Khaila looked at him and smiled a bit.

"What's wrong," he asked obviously sensing that her mind had been set adrift. Khaila looked back at him and shrugged. Punk wrapped his arms around her tighter. "Come on," he whispered, "I know something's wrong." Khaila looked into his hazel eyes and sighed.

"I'm still thinking about everything with Amelia," at the last word Khaila had said, Punk had leaned back on the sofa. "I mean, I talked to her and everything, but now I'm thinking if she really deserved it all. After all she's done, am I really going to let her back as my friend," Khaila ranted to Punk. Punk, himself, had been seemed to be pondering a lot about the situation with Amelia and the group.

"I don't think you should," Punk muttered. Khaila looked back at him and sighed.

"Are you saying that because you're afraid she'll hurt me again or because having her around is awkward for you," Khaila asked. Punk shrugged.

"Both, actually," Punk answered honestly. "I mean, if you trusted her once before, and she hurt you severely, don't you think she'd be capable of doing it again?" Khaila raised once eyebrow; she'd made up her mind.

"Hmm, that story sounds very familiar, doesn't it," Khaila stated in all seriousness as she looked at Punk who's face had gone a light shade of pink as he tried to explain himself. Khaila stopped him before he could even continue. "Punk, whatever you have against Amelia is your business. Whether you believe in second chances or not is your outlook as well; as for me, I do believe in them. That's why you're here right now, that's why Amelia and I have finally talked for two weeks. I've given both of you a second chance, whether or not you all deserve it is what I'll find out in weeks to come," and with that she rose up off of Punk's lap.

"Where are you going," Punk asked; it was the only thing he could mutter after his defeat, at the words of Khaila.

"To bed," Khaila answered. Punk chuckled

"But it's only 2:30," Punk replied. Khaila shrugged and strolled back towards the bedroom. Punk watched her go before asking, "Can I come?" The only response he had gotten was a laugh and a slammed door. Punk chuckled to himself as he lounged back on the sofa and flicked on the T.V. "I guess not," he mumbled to himself.

Months and months had passed, with Brittany, Sonelle and Khaila staying in contact with Amelia and their superstars. Punk and Khaila had grown closer than ever and moved in together leaving Amelia to take the empty apartment to herself now, whereas Brittany and Sonelle stayed exactly where they were constantly wondering when they'd see their superstars next.

Her phone had rung out loudly from the bedside table. It's tune filled with guitar and drums and the lyrics to her favourite song. Sonelle rolled herself over onto her side as she sleepily took hold of the phone. Clicking the 'accept' button and pressing the phone to her ear, she yawned, "Hello?"

"Hello there, love," a man's voice sounded from the other line - the voice she eagerly waited everyday to hear, Kofi's voice. Sonelle jumped up immediately and grinned from ear to ear.

"How are you," she asked, rising up out of bed so as to not wake Brittany from her sleep.

"I'm good, better now that I finally know the answer to something you keep asking me," he stated. Sonelle smiled and made her way over to the couch in the living room. She sat herself down beside the window overlooking the darkened streets of Chicago only illuminated by the lampposts and stars.

"And what's that," she asked him in return unable to remove the grin from her face. Kofi chuckled on his end before continuing.

"When you'll see me again," he stated in a hushed tone. Sonelle's eyes widened and her heart beat faster than she could've ever imagined. Finally, she wouldn't have to keep guessing at when the next time she'd meet Kofi would be.

"And when will that be," she asked, excitedly sitting up in her seat. Kofi grinned on the other line.

"Sunday … tomorrow," he whispered. Sonelle let out a small, inconspicuous shriek as her nerves pulsated throughout her body. He was coming tomorrow! After months and months of not seeing each other, and of surviving only on 19 second conversations, Sonelle would finally see Kofi tomorrow, be able to wrap her arms around him, be able to kiss him and be held by him. "At 8:00pm, our flight lands," he continued after realizing that Sonelle may have been to awed to speak at the moment. His speculation was right. Sonelle sat there stunned at the fact that she would be able to see her beloved tomorrow.

"I'll be there," she told him in a hushed tone, unable to speak any louder or risk deafening Kofi with her shrieks. Kofi gave a slight chuckle.

"I look forward to seeing you then," he whispered to her. Sonelle smiled even bigger. As the two bade love and goodbye to each other, they hung up. Sonelle sat on the couch, hugging her knees and continuing to gaze out of the window at the passing cars. She stayed there for what must've been hours just wrapped up in thought of the day to come. As she rested her head on her knees, peering out into the starry night sky, she couldn't help but grin widely once more, for a single thought had intruded her head and she was going to repeat it over and over until it wasn't real. Tomorrow, a blessed Sunday, after months of being apart, she'd be reunited with Kofi. Looking down at her promise ring, she thought to herself, it really wasn't a goodbye, just like he said.

It was now six in the evening and both Sonelle and Brittany were already in the car driving up to the airport. Brittany, who had gotten her call from Justin earlier this morning, drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she looked for ways to overtake several drivers in order to get to the airport. Sonelle had contently been sitting in the front passenger seat humming to herself while wondering how long it had been before she could see Kofi again, finally. In little to no time, however, the girls had parked and walked into the airport. They quickly found the area where others had been waiting for their boyfriends or husbands or wives or business partners. As they seated themselves there, Sonelle and Brittany would take turns looking at the boards to see if the flight had landed yet. Finally, after much wait, Brittany and Sonelle could distinctly hear screaming, which only meant one thing - the superstars had arrived. Sonelle watched the superstars exit one-by-one surveying the passengers for any signs of Kofi.

Brittany had let out a slight squeal as Justin made his way towards her, instantly dropping his bags and wrapping his arms tightly around her. Sonelle continued to look on over at the crowds of people exiting the plane. Then, at the last second, she'd seen a man with his dreads tied back, wearing a black, long-sleeved sweat shirt as well as grey jeans exit the plane. Running over to him, she flung her arms around his neck and passionately kissed his lips. The man had passionately kissed back, dropping his bags and picking her up in his arms. Sonelle's legs had wrapped themselves around his waist as he held onto her closely. Just as slowly as the kiss had grown passionate, it was slowly broken. Kofi set Sonelle back down onto the airport floor still holding onto her. Without anything else being said, he whispered, "Let's get out of here." Sonelle gave a slight smirk and nodded once. In a few minutes, Kofi, who had rented a car for his week's stay in Chicago, had driven both himself and Sonelle up to his hotel and checked in quickly. After the bellhop had delivered all of Kofi's luggage, Sonelle sat herself on the couch grinning up at Kofi who appeared to be grinning back.

Kofi extended a hand to her and she took it politely. Pulling her up to a standing position, Kofi took hold of both her hands and brought them to his lips. Sonelle let her bottom lip slide under her teeth as she gazed down at his lips which seemed to pull themselves into a slight smirk. "Kofi," she spoke. She looked up into his deep brown eyes as he placed his hands on her waist. She smirked a bit at his touch.

"Yes," he asked. As much as she wanted to tell him what she'd wished to, she couldn't. For one, after being in his presence, she'd completely forgotten what she was about to say, and if she had remembered it, she doubted she would have a voice to say it. She could see his lips move closer to hers. Then, in one sudden move, their lips had succumbed to one another's. Sonelle could feel him taking both her hands once more, as he walked backwards through to a room. Their kissing had suddenly intensified unlike any other time before. Kofi's tongue intruded her mouth slowly, and Sonelle allowed it to. Suddenly, Sonelle backed up into something. As her hands left Kofi's, she felt what had been behind her - something soft, something material-like … a bed. Kofi picked her up and set her onto the bed without the kiss breaking at any point.

Sonelle crawled even further up on the bed so that her head had been against the pillows. Kofi crawled on top of her, breaking the kiss once. Sonelle watched as he kneeled over her pulling off his sweat shirt and revealing his slim and defined abdomen. Sonelle smirked and grabbed onto the buckle of his belt. He, in turn, smirked as he watched her unbuckle it slowly and eventually throw it onto the floor. As Kofi lay himself down on the pillow beside her, Sonelle shifted from her position and crawled on top of him, and so, their kissing resumed. In two more seconds, Kofi had lifted Sonelle's shirt off of her body and flung it across the room. Moments passed and the aftermath of their night of pleasure lay scattered on the floor - clothes, pillows, covers. Sonelle looked up at Kofi, whom she had been resting on, and gave a slight smirk. His eyes were closed and he was already fast asleep; however, she could feel his hands still rub her back up and down comfortingly. As she turned her head once more so that her cheek rested against his peck, she listened to his heartbeat. Closing her eyes, she'd fallen asleep with a smile on her face. It was clear that both Sonelle and Kofi had subliminally agreed that this tonight was indeed a night to remember.