Love locked

Megan stood by the coffee machine, as her head throbbed almost as loud as the hot water steaming into the coffee cup. She grabbed the cup, and found the table she was sitting at since noon. There were 6 cups of coffee on the table and this would be her 7th. Megan kept revisiting the conversation she had this morning with Ryan.

“Hey Sweetie, how are you this morning?” Ryan beamed from the other side of the screen.

“I barely slept.”

“Oh, that’s okay! Practice for when I will be with you “ Ryan retorted not wasting the opportunity.

“HA-HA” Megan replied, rolling her eyes trying to conceal the blush.

“I bought something for you by the way. I hope it fits. I haven’t seen you in two years….”

Ryan went on, as his excitement took over him. Megan kept nodding and plastered a smile every now and then, but she wasn’t listening. She was staring at the letter on her study table.

When she snapped back, Ryan was talking about the restaurant they had gone to on their first, and only date, 3 years ago.

“Megs… oy, Megs!!”

“Yes..”

“Can’t believe we were down with food poisoning for 3 days after that date.”

“This time you can pick the place, and I promise it will be a great date. No food poisoning at the very least” Ryan chuckles trying to hide his embarrassment.

On any normal day, she would shut out the whole world to converse with Ryan, but today, her attention kept going to the letter lying on her table.

“Hey, is everything okay? You seem quiet?” Ryan raises his concern when he notices that Megan is distracted.

“Yes, just a little sleepy” Megan says trying to save herself. “ I need to get ready.” She lies.

“Lets talk later then. Love you. Mwaah.” Ryan puckers and for a moment Megan feels the warmth of his kiss. As an attempt to feel it she closes her eyes and returns the kiss. 

Megan sips through her coffee not 1/10th as hot as the heat of the sun simmering on her skin. She looks across at the table Ryan and she had sat at, 3 years ago, thinking of that date.

“Why didn’t you ask me out earlier?” Megan asks, as she slides her hair behind her ear.

“Cause I wasn’t sure you would say yes!” Ryan admits, looking down sheepishly.

It was the end of the date and they were leaving. Ryan held the door for Megan as they walked towards the car. They didn’t say much in the car. As Megan got down, she realized she had to say something.

“I would have said yes”, she said and grazed past Ryan’s lips. She ran to her doorstep not looking back, and when she did he was still there. The stirring wheel in one hand, but his gaze fixated on her.

She looks back at the letter, lying on her desk right now.

“Accepted to the University of Norwich” the words danced in front of her eyes. Now, when Ryan was returning, she had to leave.

Fate.