Outlet

It seems that this blog has become more of a way to get my "short stories" and poems on the web.

Well, whatever this may be, a journal, a blog, a writing sample, it certainly shall be.

There he was, descending the stairs toward her. Her heart fluttered at her breath caught in her chest at the sight of him. She couldn't believe it. There he was right in front of her. He hadn't seen her yet because he was talking to someone behind him as he clutched the railing, being careful he didn't fall. When he finally looked up he saw her and immediately smiled.

"Laurey!" he exclaimed jumping the last two stairs and running to take her into his arms. He lifted her off the ground, squeezing her tightly and spinning her around. She laughed through happy tears. She was finally here in his arms. She pulled away so she could see his face but instead he pulled her back again, holding her tighter. After a few moments he let her go and a million questions escaped his lips. "What are you doing here?", "How did you get here?", "How long are you staying?" She just smiled at him taking it all in. He hadn't changed at all since she last saw him, a haircut maybe, but his face was still as young and handsome as ever. "What?" he asked, noticing she was staring.

"Nothing," she replied, "I just missed you."

He bent down and kissed her. A bunch of "ohhhhs" and mocking "awws" came from the three guys, his roommates, around them. Laurey rolled her eyes at them while her man, her Stephen, put his arm around her and led her to the couch in the house's great room. Together they sat and talked about their year apart. It felt like an eternity while she was away from him, but now that they were together it felt like no time had passed. His smile lit up her world all over again and her laugh made him feel alive. For a week she stayed with him and they did everything together.

The night before Laurey had to leave Stephen cooked dinner and they ate on the roof of his building looking out at the city lights and sharing private jokes. Stephen brought up his keyboard and performed some original songs for her. She smiled, the sound of his voice gave her chills. Why he never pursued a career as a professional singer she'll never know. A few hours later they lay on a blanket holding hands and whispering sweet nothings in each others' ears. The week had been perfect but she'd come for a reason, news that had to be shared, and now was the perfect moment to tell him.

"I'm moving here," she whispered, "so I can be closer to you."

"What?" he said, sitting up and smiling, almost as if he didn't believe her.

"I'm moving to the city. Being away from you was brutal," she sat up too, "and with school starting again, I don't know when I'll be able to visit again."

"But you can't move here. You're family-."

"Will understand," she cut him off.

"No they won't, plus you have school and your job."

"I'm going to quit school and get a new job up here." She couldn't understand why he was so against this.

"No you're not." He was forceful with his words. She'd never heard him speak this way before.

"Don't you want to be with me?"

He turned his head and look deep into her eyes. "You know I do. I love you. It kills me that you're so far away." He took a strand of her hair in his hand and wiped it behind her ear.

"Well, this way we'll be together."

"No," he stood up and walked over to the railing, his back to her. Laurey stared after him, not knowing what to say. "I quit school," he started, "but I don't want you to. There aren't many jobs you can get now that don't require a degree of some kind. Plus," he said turning around, "you want to be a teacher. You have to go to school."

Laurey stood up and walked to him. She put her arms around his waist and put her head on his chest. Instantly, he wrapped her arms around her as well. "I want to be with you," she said. She looked up at him. "I want to marry you, Stephen. I want to be the mother of your children. I want to be there when you get home from work, whenever you need me, I want to be there."

He looked at her with pain in his eyes. He loved her, but he didn't want her making the same mistake he did. She couldn't give up this oppurtunity. "I love you," he finally said. "But I won't let you regret this. Don't quit school. For me, please don't quit. If we are meant to be together, and I know we are, then we will be in the end. It's going to be hard, and we're going to hate the distance, but we'll be okay."

Laurey's eyes filled with tears. The realization hit her that tomorrow she'd be on a train back home and it would be at least a year - six months if she was lucky - until she'd see him again. She pulled him to her and together they held onto each other as if their lives depended on it.