Unexpected Reunion

He hadn’t changed one bit. Time has been incredibly kind to him. The little flecks of silver on his hairline were new but it only added to his overall sexiness. His laughter was richer, deeper than I remembered. Regardless, it still left me with the same warm sensation of being wrapped up in a cozy blanket on a cold winter day. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be the one standing next to him, hearing it everyday, for the rest of my life.

Those beautiful, verdant pools of liquid emerald suddenly focused on me and I straightened from the way I was slouched over my drink. 

He said something to the woman who was beside him and refocused on me.

Oh my God! He was coming this way!

Was he going to yell at me for ogling him? 

God, this was embarrassing! He must’ve remembered me from the times I’ve spent drooling over him from school.

What do I do?

A waiter crashed into him and spilled drinks all over his pristine, white shirt. 

I took this as an opportunity to vamoose. 

Cowardly? Yes.

Was it necessary? Well, duh! Any longer in his presence, I would have puked or fainted. Both should not be done in front of one’s lifelong crush.

Life has not been kind to me. I have been the universe’s unofficial punching bag for a really long time. 

The last time I was happy, was when I was in school. After that, it was a series of unfortunate events that never seemed to end. My parents split up during my senior year and I had to pick up the pieces on both ends, endure awkward and uncomfortable family dinners with my parents at their respective houses on holidays, then my parents both decided to have a string of one night stands and I had to witness countless people do the whole walk of shame. Funny, how I was the only one that felt the blood curdling shame. 

When I finally moved off to college, it was like I was finally free. The price of that freedom was an abusive relationship that ended with a restraining order. 

Life after college wasn’t a treat either. I hated my job as an engineer. It actually took a turn for the worse after my boss seduced me one fine night and fired me, when I refused to continue this illicit relationship after learning that he was married. I fell into depression and a good old friend took me to a therapist.

I have been trying to put my life back together ever since. 

My therapist has been focused on getting me to face my fears and learn to live with no regrets. 

If she were here now, she would definitely be telling me to go and ask my crush out.  

The very idea was making me hyperventilate. 

Daniel was my science lab partner for a whole week, which happened since our respective partners had the flu. 

I can safely say that I didn’t learn anything that week. Daniel for the most part would greet me with that sunny smile of his, one that he flashed at everyone thus turning him into the school heartthrob. He never realized the trail of broken hearts he left in his wake every time he would walk down a corridor with his stunning girlfriend by his side. Sadly, she was an incredibly lovely person as well. The two of them were still friends as evidenced earlier. Maybe even married.

I can’t ask a married guy out. Obviously. 

The voice in my head that sounded suspiciously like my therapist scoffed. 

‘How would you know that if you don’t ask him?’ she asked with no small amount of judgment in her tone. I really hated her sometimes.

After splashing water on my face and lightly slapping my cheeks, telling myself to get a grip, I decided to leave. Daniel would’ve left by now so I didn’t have to worry about dealing with him anymore.

As I slipped out the door, I slammed right into a hard chest. Arms came around my shoulders to steady me.

“Hey,” rumbled the sexy voice of my dreams. Daniel’s eyes twinkled in the dark as he stared down at me. 

Shit! My heart was now a puddle of useless goo.

“H-hi,” I stammered out a greeting.

He was now wearing a green shirt that seemed a little too tight. He must’ve changed in the bathroom. Who even brings multiple shirts with them when going to restaurants? 

“Hey, you alright? You seemed a bit peaky before,” he said glancing at me in concern. 

My face burned at his words. He thought I was sick and came to check on me. Figures.

“Uh, I’m good,” I said still frozen in his holy presence. My God! Can a pair of hands be this hot? His entire body was radiating an alluring warmth. ‘He’s a warm blooded male who’s alive, you moron,’ my mental therapist supplied helpfully. I ignored the bitch. One day, I was going to kill her. Now where was I? His warmth! And his cologne! Damn, it was heady and I wanted to lean in closer to take another whiff (like the creepy person I was). 

“Ok, you are not fine,” Daniel stated now looking worried.

My heart was pounding and my mouth was dry. Plus, I was almost swaying in his arms. God, I was so weak! 

“I-I need some fresh air,” I blurted out and ducked out of his grasp. 

The carpet, being a lovely faithful friend of mine, tripped me promptly and I almost went sprawling.

I’ll give you 10 bucks if you can guess who caught me?

Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

“I’m taking you home. Where do you live?” he asked hoisting me into his arms like I weighed nothing.

The word ‘mortified’ can’t express the depths of my humiliation.

‘Now we’re talking! But if you could be a little less damsel in distress and bring out the sexy bombshell, it might help speed things along,’ my therapist supplied critically. I think I needed a new therapist to get rid of the one in my head right now. But what if the new one decided to move in my head as well and they both started criticizing me together? That would be a disaster!

“I can walk,” I said to him hoping he’d put me down and I didn’t have to imitate a floppy fish, thus embarrassing myself even further. No such luck. Daniel looked determined to save me. From myself, it seemed. Apparently he never grew out of his ‘knight in shining armor’ complex since school.

He strode straight out the door with me in his arms. I could feel the eyes of the other patrons of the bar on us and I curled further into myself, trying to get my hair to obscure my face, in order to avoid detection.

“I live nearby and I walked here. I’m sure I can make it back on my own. You don’t need to go to such lengths and inconvenience yourself, “ I said hoping he’d let me go.

No dice. 

In fact, his jaw tightened into that stubborn expression that I’ve seen many times before, especially when Daniel saw somebody being bullied. His bull headedness, which was usually attractive, was annoying me now cause once he got that look on his face, not even the force of God could stop him.

“Let’s just say I don’t trust your judgment at the moment,” he mumbled before setting me down so he could unlock his Jeep. He hoisted me up into the passenger seat and locked me in. I pouted at being treated like a child. He ran to the other side and hopped in.

“You left your girlfriend behind, Romeo,” I pointed out churlishly, crossing my arms over my chest.

Daniel looked confused for a moment before bursting out laughing.

“I don’t have a girlfriend and I’m sure Emily will get a laugh at being called so. Some things never change,” he muttered the last line to himself sounding amused.

The reply gave a tiny spark of hope which I was going to cup with both hands and protect.

“Do you need a hospital or should I take you home?” Daniel sounded unsure of himself and I had to sigh at how cute he was being. Then, I wanted to smack him for not trusting my judgment.

“I keep telling you I’m fine. I tripped. That’s it. There is no need for you to whisk me away like this,” I replied with a sniff.

“Are you implying that I kidnapped you?” he sounded amused.

“Yes,” I said and he gave me a confused look.

“If you want to make up to me, then buy me ice cream and we’ll call it even,” I declared and he let out a startled laugh.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” he snarked back and I laughed.

As we drove in comfortable silence, I realized that I actually found out Daniel’s relationship status and asked him out on a date. Although, I doubt this could constitute as a proper date, but still, I was the one to suggest it and he agreed! Me! Vanessa Greene, a known case of Depression and PTSD just asked a guy out! Not just any guy but it was the one I had a crush on for ages!

I felt Daniel’s eyes on me from time to time as we drove. I was subtly checking him out too (old habits die hard) and whenever our eyes met, I would blush and look away but not before I saw him look pleased. Did this mean he into me as well?

At the ice cream parlor, I bought my regular scoop of chocolate with extra nuts while Daniel bought plain old vanilla. I wonder if that said something about himself.

Daniel caught my side eye and raised an eyebrow at me.

“Don’t let this fool you. There’s more to a man than his choice of ice cream,” he stated with faux seriousness and started to cackle at the way my jaw dropped at his proclamation.

“Alright Marquis de Sade, let’s have a seat, shall we?” I asked and he gave me an impressed look.

We talked about our respective hobbies and interests. He was still an avid football fan, but he no longer played due to an injury he sustained on his knee. I told him about my interest in photography and he was intrigued by the photos I had on my phone.

After we threw away our empty cones, the sun had set and I had to go back home or else my dog would start howling mournfully and disturb my neighbors. My dog, Edna, was a faithful companion who had separation anxiety.

“I should probably head back,” I said sounding rather reluctant. I really didn’t want this day to end. Daniel made me feel safe and also managed to pull me out of my shell so effortlessly. I liked the kind of person I was around him.

“I guess you should,” he said, sounding unhappy as well.

When we neared his Jeep, he shuffled his feet and rubbed the back of his neck looking sheepishly at me.

“Uh, I know I should’ve asked this earlier and by the time I remembered, it didn’t feel right. So what I’m trying to ask is,” he took a huge breath and continued.

“Can you please tell me your name?”

My heart. Stopped.

I thought he knew.

I thought he knew who I was.

Daniel didn’t recognize me at all.

He didn’t know that he was talking to the loser who used to moon at him every single day.

He didn’t remember me because I was a nobody.

I am a nobody.

“Hey, are you okay? You’re kind of just staring and,” I couldn’t hear the rest of his words over the roaring of my pulse in my ears. 

I hugged myself as thoughts flickered through my mind. 

Why did I feel so disappointed?

It’s not like he had to know who I was. 

It’s not like I was the fricking President.

I was just a quiet wallflower back in school, just blending in to the walls.

Who would notice me? 

Arms came around my shoulders and I looked up at his face which now looked worried.

“I’m sorry,” he began to apologize for God knows what.

I cut him off.

“My name is Vanessa. Vanessa Greene,” I said.

Daniel looked surprised at my abrupt reply.

“Oh ok. Uh, my name is -“

“Daniel Shaw,” I said and his eyes widened in surprise.

“We went to high school together and had the same classes,” I answered a bit more brusquely than social convention dictates.

Daniel released me and rubbed his lower lip, a nervous habit he still hasn’t broken apparently.

“I’m sorry,” he said regretfully.

I sighed.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t expect you or anyone to remember me. People tend to say I have a forgettable face,” I mumbled the last line recalling my father saying something along those lines about me. Nice dude, really.

“You’re not forgettable. I was a jerk with a chip on my shoulder back in high school. I’m really sorry, Vanessa. I wish I’d known you back then,” Daniel said appearing apologetic. I glanced at the ground trying to will away my self doubt and pity. It was hard but was it right to get mad at someone for not remembering a classmate 15 years later in the future?

He tilted my chin up so I could meet his gaze.

“But I’m glad that I got the chance to fix my mistake and get to know you now,” he said, his soulful luscious eyes boring into mine. 

“If you would let me, that is,” he added sounding hopeful.

Was I dreaming? Or perhaps hallucinating?

In what universe did I get the man of my dreams begging to date me?

Pushing my fears and self doubt away, I decided to take a chance. 

“Yes, I’d love to,” I replied, lifting myself on my toes and kissing his cheek.

______________________

A year later, I’m glad I took that chance as I gazed into his warm emerald eyes while he wore a smile that was pure sunshine. 

The best part?

It was all for me!

With no hesitation and no regrets, I said, “I do.”