IT was morning and we were at the airport, and I had made sure that — this time — my seat was next to Tommaso again. Over this short weekend, I realized that — by now — I spent a lot of time watching Tommaso, especially from the distance.

Our plane was announced to now be ready to board, so we all headed that way and, using Tommaso as my guide, I headed his way. This place only had two seats than three, so we got lucky this time. I came to him and handed over my suitcase. Again, he was confused.

"Swapped seats again?" he asked and I shook my head. "Dammit. Did Johnny tell you where I was sitting?" I nodded with a smile. I think that I'm slowly ruining their friendship little by little, whatever is left of it.

Nevertheless, he took my suitcase and threw it up top. I slid in, taking the window-seat, while I took the outside seat again. I placed my backpack on my lap and began to get comfortable for our three-hour trip back.

He sat down next to me and, just like I was, he was also trying to get comfortable, too. I didn't bother him while he did this and he didn't bother me, either.

Eventually, five minutes had passed when the captain announced himself over the intercom and all that good stuff. Then, we were taking off and we hadn't even spoken to each other yet. It was weird, even for us.

Finally, after about a good fifteen minutes of not speaking to one another, he shook his head and slapped his knees with his flat hands. "Why aren't you talking to me?"

He was becoming frustrated and I didn't know rather to find humor in it or not. He expected to speak and, when I didn't, it was running him up a wall. Or, in our case, out of this plane.

I smirked at him and asked: "What do you want me to say?"

He shook his head, took a deep and heavy breath, and replied: "I don't know. I just want you to talk to me."

I felt the bond between us coming closer together and, not only that, but the strings that were being stitched back together again. For once, he wanted me to speak to him and, just this once, I didn't want to. Maybe the swings would continue to always be broken and we will never be whole again.

"I don't know what to say to you," I confessed and my cheeks filled with red. "For once."

"Just talk to me," he whispered and leaned back, resting his head on the chair. He was looking down at me, like he was lost in my trance or something. "Tell me everything that I don't know."

"But you already know everything," I countered, keeping my eyes on his orbs. "What is it that I don't know about you, though?"

He shook his head and whispered back: "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. My past doesn't define the man that I am today."

"Just like the man that Pete used to be isn't who he is now," I countered and he didn't seem to like that much. "Who I once was isn't who I am now, either. I'm different."

"I want you to talk to me, but," he paused and sighed, "I don't want to hear Pete's name today. Not today, maybe another day, but not today."

"Okay," I simply agreed and gulped. I had to think of something quick to follow that up with. "Then, what do we talk about?"

"I read somewhere that, You lose yourself trying to hold on to someone, who doesn't care about losing you," he suddenly said and, just for a second, he made me believe it, too. "Don't get lost with him, Nicole. I've seen girls like you my whole life, who cling to the one and, in the end, he's the one that always gets away. I don't want to see you get hurt in the end."

I heard him out and decided to squeak out in question: "I thought we weren't talking about Pete?"

He shook his head before turning it away, looking off. "I know what I know, Nicole..."

I shook my head, took ahold of his beard, and yanked his head back towards me. "And what is it that you know, Tommaso?"

I placed my hand back down and he looked me dead in the eyes. Within a split second, I felt and seen everything that he did, too. His eyes were playing a movie, one that this plane couldn't even begin to show, and I was the star of it.

This short weekend taught me a hundred and fifty things and, most of them, I didn't even remember. All I knew was Tommaso and how he always made me feel like the star of every show, and I haven't felt that in a long time. Not with Pete, did I feel that way.

What Tommaso said next nearly broke my heart in two and made my breathing stop for a split second: "I know what it's like to not know all the answers, but think you do, though. I know how it hurts to to smile, too, Nicole. You're not the only one."

"What are you...?"

He cut me off, eyes connected in the tension, and admitted: "All I know is that you're beautifully broken, love, and I want to help fix you, but you just will not let me. It's okay, though. You have a fiancé to do that for you."

Then, he turned his head away and closed his eyes while I just held my mouth open in surprise. When I knew that he wasn't looking, I turned towards the opened window and a tear peacefully slid down my cheek.

ONCE home, I was immediately tackled by Pete, who kissed me all over and hugged my small body. "I'm so glad that you're home," he whispered in my ear, drawing me away from this past weekend. "I missed you."

"I missed you more," I whispered back and gripped him as tight as I could around his neck. "House smells good, baby."

"Making your favorite," he said after we split from our embrace. He took my suitcase from my hand and rolled it inside with me before shutting the door behind us. "Steak for you and salad for me, and a baked potato to split."

"Great," I smiled and quickly kissed his cheek. I went around the bar and sat my backpack in one of the stools, before I sat in another. "This is already so nice."

"I know, right?" He smiled over his shoulder before turning back to toss the salad more.

It was quiet for a minute as I thought about this past weekend all over again. I thought of Tommaso, every last thing that he said to me, either through text, call, or in person. Then, I thought back to right now and my steady lifestyle with Pete. It wasn't perfect, but it was good. I mean, I might not see him twenty-four-seven, like I do Tommaso at every corner, but I do get to see him and his brave smile.

After everything that he and I have went through, since we were lustful kids to now, it has to be worth it. It wasn't all for nothing.

So, I pushed Tommaso completely out of my mind for good and crawled out of the stool. I walked around the bar and into the kitchen, where Pete was standing.

With his back still turned, I slid my arms up under his and wrapped my arms around his body, lying my head on his back. I took in his smell, which was combined with his cologne and the smell of the kitchen, and closed my eyes and felt his heat run through me.

I wanted this now and forever... Until my last and dying breath.

• This was... This was nice, I think. Kind of SAD, don't you think? 😰 Nevertheless, it was a nice chapter. The next two or so will probably a bit crazy and uneven. Yet, you will NEED to read them to understand all that will happen... It all comes down to this, people 😘 All the love .xx •