Maria packed her bag the night before her early morning flight. Placed the newly-purchased laptop in its carry case then sat - sleepless and agitated - waiting out those few hours before the drive to the airport. She fought the negativity; she fought the rising panic and the doubt. If she believed so strongly then surely he too - surely he too believed?

Dawn came and another cool morning. She despised the cold, yet she was heading to the coldest place of all, short of the ski resorts... Thinking him only mere hours away - having timed her flight to get there one hour before his. Focused on the moment he emerged from Customs; the bleary eyes, the tired body he'd be dragging toward her, that first, first hesitant smile?

It occurred to her, despite the hundreds of lols sent her way; she'd never seen him smile. Was it lopsided? Was it more of a cheeky grin? How could she love someone and not know what their smile looked like?

She rushed to the International arrivals area once she'd retrieved her bag. Breath held, watching the large overhead board as it soon changed from 'Estimated time of arrival' to 'Landed'. Her heart! She feared it would jump out of her chest; such was the eagerness, the apprehension within her. As the passengers began emerging, she scanned each tired face. Over and over, darting eyes following every passenger, looking, looking for that familiar on her wall face to appear...