Just In Case...

The hosts had kept the courses coming for hours and even though the dessert table had nothing more to offer the guests refused to leave. They had willed the time to pass. It taunted them, it was almost as if it had read their minds.

They had watched each other from across the room interacting with the other guests, talking and laughing, complaining middle class complaints, bemoaning the fate of humanity, mocking the state of the nation but mostly longing.

Anticipation was a drug (she often wondered why no one had patented it yet, there were millions to be made). Their paths had crossed in the passage, what looked like a casual coincidence was actually thoroughly planned and had been orchestrated by him with the accuracy and grace of an Olympic gymnast and that instant which their bodies rubbed against each other, in the very narrow passage, had been enough to set them both alight.

Three hours (which really felt like an eternity) later the first guests finally began to leave, he left a few minutes after them and she counted every second for the next fifteen minutes before she began saying her goodbyes and thanked the hosts for their hospitality. She had to force herself not to run when they closed the door behind her(she had been wearing heels and it would’ve just ended in disaster.)

Once she got outside, she had to button up her coat, she had not realised how chilly it had become. She made her way briskly down the street and across the main road to the all night store, she needed some things before heading home and she was officially addicted to those stupid fruit gums.

She always looked down when she walked alone it was an automatic reflex. A shadow suddenly fell across her path too close for comfort, she walked faster, the footsteps were closer they came from no where and then she tripped, she managed to regain her balance and for an instant she felt the breathing against the back of her neck and then before she knew it she was moving swiftly through the air and her back slammed against the wall bringing her to a sudden stop. Screaming was pointless no one would hear her. Running was out of the question her shoes wouldn’t indulge her. Her mind was racing, the fear made her mouth dry, she felt him behind her.

How can it end like this she asked herself? We’ve waited months to be together again. Her heart was beating furiously, your life doesn’t really flash before your eyes with impending doom, your mind races, who would’ve thought so many thoughts were possible in a moment.

‘Baby I’m so sorry, I just wanted to try something wild, I’m such an idiot, I just wanted to surprise you, are you ok?  I didn’t realise how hard I pushed you, you’re always telling me to be spontaneous, I’m so sorry, are you hurt? I’m so sorry.’ – he looked sheepish.

It took her a while to register, she could have killed him at that moment. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to scream at him, to swear, to beat him to a pulp but she couldn’t help the smile creeping slowly across her face and the sense of relief that was slowly washing over her.

She put her hands out and pulled him close, and right there on that chilly night, where she thought she would face pain or doom, right there in the moon light against the wall that he had thrown her against in his attempt to be ‘wild’, she kissed him. It was long and deep like there wouldn’t be another chance. The books were right, brushes with danger put the senses on high alert, suddenly everything felt so intense. Second chances were rare, this was theirs and she knew it would be so much more intense… just in case.